ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Students across the Stateline are heading back to school this week, with many relying on school buses for transportation.

Rockford Public School District 205 bus drivers are practicing their routes as they prepare for the new school year.

Nicole Allen, a veteran bus driver for RPS 205, emphasized the importance of safety.

"I do my pretrip. I make sure everything's safe on the bus. I get my tablet ready, I get my sheets ready and then we start our day," she said.

Allen began her career as a bus driver for Rockford Public Schools in 1990, initially seeking a job that allowed her weekends off as a new mom.

Over the years, driving for RPS 205 has become a family tradition for Allen, with her aunt and mother having worked in the same district.

"We were just family.

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