• Age: 31 
• Role: Executive Director of Operations 
• Employer: Cactus Point Solutions 
• Location: Peoria, AZ 

Like many, Mashayla Nelson never planned a career in student transportation, but as she likes to say, “I believe the bus finds you, you don’t find the bus.” Nelson recently served as assistant director of transportation for Litchfield Elementary School District #79 in Arizona, bringing empathy, curiosity, and strong advocacy to a field she once swore was not her path. She just transitioned to a new role at a company providing school bus driver training, testing, and district student transportation consultations. 

Nelson grew up surrounded by commercial driving. Her father was a truck driver, and her mother drove a school bus, and she spent much of her childhood riding along with both. Even so, she never imagined herself behind the wheel. That changed at 23, during a vulnerable time as a new mother navigating postpartum depression. Her mother’s boss asked her a simple question that altered her course: “Do you want to drive a school bus?” After a week of reflection, she said yes. 

“With my baby in tow, I trained and earned my license and certification in just three weeks,” Nelson said. “And just like that, the bus had me.”  

Once she started driving, she dove in completely, absorbing everything she could learn about the industry. That curiosity led her to become a trainer, and later to step away from K–12 transportation to serve as a CDL training program coordinator at a college. In that role, she supervised trainers, developed curriculum, served as a third-party examiner, and trained hundreds of adults to drive commercial vehicles. 

Despite the growth and fulfillment of that work, something was missing. “No matter how far my career expanded, my heart kept circling back to student transportation,” she said. “I missed the purpose, the people, and the unique kind of chaos that somehow always comes with meaning.” 

Solving the Puzzle, Serving Students 

Until recently, Nelson’s alarm rings at 3:10 a.m., and by 4:45 a.m., she was in the transportation office at Litchfield Elementary School District #79, starting the day alongside dispatch. “One thing you can always count on in transportation is that no two days are ever the same,” she said. Plans shift, challenges emerge, and solutions must happen in real time. “Honestly, it’s my favorite part. I love the puzzle.” 

What keeps her grounded is knowing the work matters. “Every early morning, every adjustment, and every decision plays a role in getting students to school safely,” Nelson said. While the work is fast-paced and demanding, she finds it deeply rewarding to be part of a team committed to making a difference. 

Nelson, of course, participates in workforce development. Through collaboration with the Arizona Department of Public Safety Student Transportation Unit, she has produced training videos on bus evacuation and physical performance tests for bus drivers. 

“She single-handedly designed and implemented a comprehensive ELDT-compliant CDL curriculum that has become a benchmark for commercial driver training programs in the southeastern Arizona region,” said former colleague Jason Nelson.  

One of the most important lessons she has learned is that passion looks different for everyone. “Not everyone bleeds school bus yellow, and that’s OK,” she said.  

Early on, she assumed others shared her intensity, but over time she learned to balance grace with accountability. Leadership, she discovered, means supporting people while holding clear expectations and keeping student safety at the center. 

Her advice to those entering the industry reflects that balance. “Stay curious and stay humble,” Nelson said. She encourages new leaders to ask questions, advocate for their people, think creatively, and not shy away from hard conversations. “Build your people, hold them to high standards, and never forget who you’re doing this for.” 

Looking ahead, Nelson imagines a quieter future that is just as meaningful, perhaps driving a school bus in a small mountain town where relationships and creativity matter even more. For the industry, her hope is that as technology advances, the focus never drifts from kids and the people entrusted with their safety. 

“Don’t wait for permission,” she said. “Ask the questions, try new ideas, and show up like the leader you want to see.”