Transportation supervisor urges caution: nearly 5,000 students ride OCSD buses; community must obey stop-arms

Sabrina Beckel, Oregon City School District pos;s transportation supervisor, told the board that the most dangerous moments for students around buses are loading and unloading, and she asked the community for caution and cooperation.

"The greatest risk to a child isn't riding the bus but approaching or leaving it," Beckel said, outlining the 'danger zone' and urging students to wait for the driver pos;s signal before crossing. She listed safety steps for students (arrive five minutes early, stand 10 feet from the road, always walk in front of the bus, and avoid drawstrings or loose clothing while boarding) and urged motorists to obey flashing lights and the extended stop-arm — "It is the law," she said.

Beckel said the district conducts two evacuation drills for every student each year and asked parents to instruct children to wait for driver cues. She also said the transportation department has partnered with the Oregon City Police Department for targeted enforcement of red-light and stop-arm violations in high-incident areas.

In response to a question about scale, Beckel reported that the district transports "almost 5,000" students daily, making bus safety a central operational priority. Board members praised transportation staff for improvements to service and the bus app.

No formal board action was requested; staff asked for community help in following traffic laws around schools and bus stops and for continued feedback on routing and app performance.