As we celebrate Black History Month this February, it’s important that we reflect on not just those who have paved the way in the past, but those who are making history happen today. 

To that end, SBF is honored to share the stories of the inspirational Black voices in our midst, to uplift them and recognize their contributions to their teams, to the industry, and to the world.

Today, we introduce you to Mario Ross, a school bus driver in Jessamine County Schools in Kentucky, who started in his role just last February (in 2024).

We first learned of Ross while searching for drivers to talk to for a story on recruiting Millennial and Gen Z school bus drivers. His comments stood out, and we could feel his passion for the yellow bus immediately. “Since I've been young, I have been enamored by buses,” he wrote.

Humble Beginnings & A Love for the Yellow Bus

"I remember like it was yesterday," Ross recounts. "The first day I saw the school bus in my neighborhood, I was enamored. There was something about it that drew my attention. Every day I watched the big yellow bus scream past my house, but I was so scared to ride it. The bus was huge and loud and little 5-year-old me was not having any of it. One day I woke up and told my mom that I was going to conquer my fears and get on the bus. I could hear the bus engine roaring as it came around to my house. My heart was thumping faster as it got closer, and there it stopped in front of me. Bus 31, a 1990s model Thomas Built Bus on an International chassis. Mrs. Warren pushed the doors open with the hand crank, and I slowly looked up the stairs as if they were a mile high. I was too scared to speak. Mrs. Warren smiled and invited aboard and told me to sit behind her. Up those three big steps I went. For some, it was another day; for me, I didn't let my fear win. Mrs. Warren pulled the door closed, the crank slammed into the housing, and off we went. I was in awe of everything about the bus. All the buttons, the manual door, the random thud from underneath, the clicking of the steering wheel coming back to center, the loud roar from the engine, the silver parking brake, the loud and sudden hissing of the parking brakes, and the smell of diesel. I asked Mrs. Warren about everything. When I made it to school, I knew then that one day I'd drive a school bus. Fast forward 28 years later, I am now the driver. Some kids are same as me; I smile and invite them aboard and tell them I used to be scared too, but it'll be OK. The first bus I drove was just like the first one I rode in with a few updates over the years. A nod to the scared kid that's now in the driver's seat."

But before Ross found his way behind the wheel, he worked in university housing for eight years. When he heard of a free class to get a CDL permit — paid for if he got hired at the district — he didn’t hesitate. He took the class, applied to the bus garage, got the gig, and things fell into place.

Ross' Experience

Sadly, Ross shares that being a gay Black man in society has felt pretty isolating.

“I was raised in a Christian household in an all-white neighborhood,” he said. “My friends looked different from me in my formative years, then when I got to middle school, most of the people that looked like me made fun of me, which was also when I first had my same-sex attractions that the church was overtly against. All of this culminated to my feeling like I was always the only one, even though there's so many people around me.” 

Once Ross entered the workplace, he had very positive experiences. “I have had great bosses and great workplace environments that do not treat me any less than because of my identities,” he said. “If anything, my demographics give me a significant amount of privilege. I'm allowed to speak up for women in spaces where they may feel inferior and bridge cultural gaps when racial issues come up.”

He praises his district’s team for creating a safe space for all. “I feel like I can be all parts of me and it's not out of place,” he said. 

Ross' supervisor and the district's transportation director Brad Woods had nothing but glowing things to say about him in return. "Mario can be summed up as a driver that everyone would like to have on their team," he said. "Countless times I've had schools reach out bragging on him. His whole persona is so positive that people naturally gravitate to him. He's always willing to help and go the extra mile; he's the guy we always trust. But the biggest impact is on his kids. We pride ourselves on having a mutual connection to our kids. He gets out and greets them as they come on the bus; they love him and ask for him."

Advice for Creating Safe Spaces

His advice for other transportation leaders to create a safe space for all? “Always come from a point of understanding. Take a moment to realize that they may look like the same people that treated people of color terribly not that long ago. It still exists today, just in different ways. Check in with those from marginalized identities and advocate for them to be treated fairly. Make sure that dress code policies are inclusive, especially when it comes to hair. Ask regularly for feedback on practices and procedures. This will build a culture of inclusion over time. If there is a demographic that you have on staff, find a way to celebrate that in a way that they will appreciate.” 

“Focus on inclusion being a direction, not a destination,” Ross advises. “People change and needs change. Inclusion should be ongoing. There should be a willingness to receive feedback and multiple means to receive feedback, including ways to give feedback anonymously. There should be acknowledgement of feedback and a means by which it's communicated that something was done in a timely fashion.”

Ross may have felt alone at times, but he’s made it his mission to never let anyone else feel that same way. And it shows, as his colleagues sing his praises for his commitment to his job, his kindness and enthusiasm. For these reasons, he was awarded with a certificate of intentionality from his district last fall.

“I embrace being different in my adult life by doing my best to make those around me feel seen, heard, and validated,” he said. “All-in-all, my demographics were a rough start but turned out alright in the end. I have good parents, good kids, good leadership, and a fantastic monitor. It doesn't feel like work for me because I love what I do.”

What’s next for Ross? He’s not positive yet, still enjoying the day-to-day of driving his route, but is open to driving motor coaches or city transit during the summer. He’s also toying with the idea of being a driver-trainer and is interested in routing.

Whatever he does, we have no doubt that bright things are ahead for him and whoever is lucky enough to work with him.

Editor’s Note: What Black voices inspire you in student transportation? Please uplift the professionals you admire by mentioning them in the comments or reaching out to our editors!