LARRY RIGGSBEE has retired from his position at Sumner County (Tenn.) Schools, where he led the transportation program. He now serves full time as executive director of the Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation, a role that he already held part time. He has also served two terms as president of the association. After Tennessee school bus driver Joyce Gregory was fatally shot by one of her riders in 2005, Riggsbee launched a national campaign for a school bus stamp. In 2005, Riggsbee was named Administrator of the Year by SCHOOL BUS FLEET. He began his career with Sumner County Schools in 1980. To remind him and his staff of their mission to meet the needs of the district’s young people, Riggsbee kept a sign above the door in his office that asked, “Is it best for the children?” CLINT BARNES now serves as director of transportation for the district.
JOHN MATTHEWS has retired from his position as transportation director at Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Md. He began his career with the district nearly 37 years ago, driving a school bus part time as a college student and then finishing college as the training supervisor. Over time, he worked his way up to director of the transportation department, which runs one of the largest publicly-owned school bus fleets in the U.S. The district transports more than 96,000 students daily with about 1,200 buses. Matthews said that he hopes to continue working in pupil transportation in some capacity, possibly serving as a consultant to share the knowledge he has acquired throughout his career. He has also made sure to dedicate some time to traveling with his family in the “Strayhound,” a 1961 Greyhound bus that he converted into a motor home. At Montgomery County Public Schools, TODD WATKINS has been named to the transportation director position. Watkins served as assistant director prior to Matthews’ retirement.
