Lexington County School District 3 joined school districts across the state to celebrate and thank its school bus drivers for their commitment and dedication to keeping students safe.

The Office of Transportation for the SC Department of Education established February 11-15 as School Bus Driver Appreciation Week.

In Lexington 3, 22 bus drivers are responsible for safely transporting approximately 1,700 students each and every day.

There are 17 regular morning and afternoon bus routes that cover roughly 1,621 miles a day within the district.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports school buses are the safest way to get to and from school.

In fact, the NHTSA says that students are 70 times more likely to get to school safely on a school bus versus traveling in a car.

School bus drivers are a critical component of the education process. Lexington 3 thanks each of them for their service.