School Bus Safety & Celebrating a Tenured Transportation Director at Chilton ISD
With the 2025-2026 school year well underway, you’ve likely seen (and stopped for) school buses in the early morning or late afternoon.
As a 1A district, Chilton has fewer routes than neighboring districts, but drivers keep busy. Chilton ISD Superintendent Brandon Hubbard provided some insight into the transportation department’s day-to-day operations, serving 110 student bus riders.
“The Chilton ISD runs three primary routes before and after school, with a total of seven bus drivers on staff,” Hubbard said. “There are additional routes run daily for our students participating in out-of-district programs at the Greater Waco Advance Manufacturing Academy (GWAMA) and the Greater Waco Advanced Healthcare Academy (GWAHA), plus a later route run for students who participate in our afterschool program.”
At a time when good bus drivers are hard to come by, Hubbard is grateful for Chilton’s committed transportation crew. He had only positive things to say about the district’s longtime Director of Operations, Mr. Robert Judie.
“Mr. Judie has faithfully served our district for almost 30 years and continues to go above and beyond to ensure that our students receive the services they require. In addition to Mr. Judie, I would like to shout out our other primary route drivers, Mrs. Wanda Judie, Director of Child Nutrition Services, and Mrs. Lahoma Taylor, Business Manager. Without these three individuals, our student transportation department would suffer tremendously.”
He also expressed gratitude to Southwestern Maintenance for their consistent support and partnership in keeping the fleet safe and in great condition.
“The current bus fleet is in good condition with an average age of 9 years. The transportation department has a plan to replace and upgrade vehicles in three-year cycles,” Hubbard said. “Two additional buses were acquired in 2022. In 2025, the district made upgrades to its small fleet (a 2025 Suburban, a police vehicle for the SRO program, and investigated the purchase of a transit vehicle). We plan to upgrade our bus fleet in 2028.”
Without a doubt, school bus drivers do everything in their power to keep their charges safe, but motorists also have a responsibility to drive with caution and stop for school buses when their red lights are flashing.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), 11 people were killed and 93 seriously injured in the 2,480 crashes involving school buses in Texas in 2024. Driver inattention and speed were the top contributing factors in those crashes.
Drivers should keep the following in mind to safely share the road with school buses: Follow school buses at a safe distance, keeping in mind that they make frequent stops.
Watch for children around buses and remember that they may not always look for vehicles before crossing the street.
Always stop for flashing red lights or a stop sign on a school bus, regardless of which direction you’re headed, unless the bus is on the opposite roadway of a divided highway. Continue once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing, or the bus driver signals it’s okay to pass.
Violations can lead to a fine of up to $1,250 for a first offense.