Orange County school bus drivers shift into gear ahead of new school year

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Students and families around Central Florida are preparing to head back to school on Monday.

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Faculty and staff members at local schools are also preparing for students’ return.

Channel 9 reporter Q McCray got to ride along with one Orange County school bus driver to see how she’s shifting into gear.

Latosha Cotten admits the start of a new school year is always exciting.

“I love it. It’s fun,” Cotton said.

She’s been an Orange County Public Schools bus driver for 28 years now.

“You get to meet new kids every year,” she said.

She also has new tools to help keep them safe.

Busses now provide a 360-degree view and wide angle of the sidewalk when making a stop.

Director of Transportation Services Bill Wen said the safety and security of students and bus drivers is the district’s paramount concern.

That’s why Cotten and her follow drivers’ team are doing test runs this week.

This year, they’ll be transporting more than 53,000 kids.

See more in the video above.

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