Lamers bus driver fired after drinking beer on Green Bay field trip

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - A bus driver who admitted to drinking beer while Green Bay elementary students were on a field trip has been fired, according to Lamers.

“Lamers will continue to be fully cooperative with the school district and the Green Bay Police Department, and are committed to a safe, drug and alcohol-free workplace. Lamers Bus Lines has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, and the driver has been terminated, effective immediately,” reads a statement from Lamers Bus Lines.

It happened on Monday, April 18. A letter was sent to families of Lincoln Elementary students.

Fourth and fifth grade students were on a field trip to Madison, and on the way back, a student noticed an open can of beer under the driver’s seat.

“Teachers notified the District regarding what was found on the bus, at which time the District contacted Lamers Bus to ask them to initiate their safety protocols. Lamers shared that the bus had been chartered previously, and it may have been that the bus had not been properly cleaned,” reads a statement from Lincoln Principal Adam Gloudemans. “Lamers also requested that the teachers speak with the bus driver to determine if they could smell alcohol, which the teachers responded that they could not, nor did they witness any impaired driving.”

Once the bus arrived at the school, the district requested Green Bay Police investigate.

The district says the driver admitted to police that he drank beer earlier in the day while students were involved in activities.

“We regret that this situation occurred. We will be directing Lamers to no longer have the bus driver assigned to District routes. Please know that student safety is our highest priority and we will review safety protocols with Lamers,” says Gloudemans.

The driver’s name was not released.

Lamers Bus Lines released this statement:

“On Monday, April 18, Lamers Bus Lines was alerted to an empty beer can on a charter trip carrying students from Madison, Wisconsin to Lincoln Elementary School in Green Bay. The Green Bay Area School District notified Lamers Bus Lines shortly before the trip returned to the school and said adults on the bus could not smell alcohol and did not witness any impaired driving.

Lamers office staff and the supervisor interacted with the driver, as they typically do, and did not observe any impairment before the driver departed on the trip.

Lamers Bus Lines had a supervisor meet the bus at Lincoln School along with the district safety and security coordinator, and the school principal, to evaluate the driver in accordance with DOT regulations. We were prepared to follow reasonable suspicion guidelines. While onsite the Green Bay Police Department assumed control of the scene and processed the driver according to their protocol.

Lamers will continue to be fully cooperative with the school district and the Green Bay Police Department, and are committed to a safe, drug and alcohol-free workplace. Lamers Bus Lines has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, and the driver has been terminated, effective immediately.”

Action 2 News will be working to get more information.

Copyright 2022 WBAY. All rights reserved.