SEYMOUR Passenger Services celebrated the importance of great driving with a graduation and farewell ceremony at the Marlhes Restaurant at Assumption College on Wednesday, June 3. Eight current Seymour Passenger Services staff were presented with Certificate 3 in Driving Operations qualifications and long-time driver of the Wandong Broadford Secondary College school route, Brian Smith was given a fond farewell on his retirement. Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes was present to assist general manager of Seymour Passenger Services, Stuart Locke, award Trevor Burgess, Phil Brown, John Hibbert, Russell Mant, David Paynter, Bryan Sharp, Steve Thomas and Barrie Ulrich with their completion certificates, the sixth group of graduates in the program which has run since 2003. Seymour Passenger Services are extremely proud of the professional development they provide their staff and of the 51 graduates of the program since it began, 33 are still with the company while 11 have retired. Owner Dom Sita was also in attendance to congratulate the graduates. Everyone gets their own reward and learning from these courses and we thank those involved such as Mark Winzer from AUSNAC CVGT and Trevor Lee from Shepparton GoTafe, Locke said. In the 12 years we have been involved with the course it has developed relevant to the times and now includes units such as OH & S operations, emergency procedures, fatigue management procedures and customer service skills. The event was also used to farewell retiring driver Brian Smith after 18 years of service to the company. Brian was described as the archetypal quiet achiever who had no vehicular altercations or major incidents throughout his years of service. Basically his job file was pretty boring. But I do know that of all our school drivers, he had the best kids. They all knew the rules and obeyed them from rubbish in the bin at stops to staying in seats till the bus stopped. Every behavioural or operational directive we asked staff to employ on their runs was with Brian, Locke said. Brian was the easiest and least troublesome employee I have ever had. Locke presented Smith with a parting gift and also thanked deputy principal Mr Maurice Di Muzio and Assumption College for their continued support and their partnership in the important job of school transportation for students. Caption Text: Job well done: retiring driver Brian Smith (second from left) is congratulated and thanked by Seymour Passenger Services general manager, Sturat Locke, Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes and owner Dom Sita. All aboard: accredited with Certificate 3 in Driving Operations were (from left) Bryan Sharp, owner Dom Sita, Russell mant, Barry Ulrich, Dave Paynter, John Hibbert, member for Northern Vicrtoria Jaclyn Symes, Phillip Brown, Trevor Burgess and general manager Stuart Locke.