Do you feel like you’ve changed someone’s life?

Sure, we all impact others around us — often small actions that slightly alter someone’s day, whether positive, negative, or neutral. But what about in a big way, like changing the entire trajectory of who they are and what they’ll become?

I’d argue that if you’re in transportation, you absolutely are a life-changer. Nathanial “Coach” Hearne would, too.

A Life-Changing Presentation

Hearne, who coached a Texas high school football team (which inspired the “Friday Night Lights” book, movie, and TV series), was the keynote speaker at a conference I attended this past summer — and what he said stuck with me.

Hearne grew up in poverty and often felt misunderstood — until two influential adults at school entered his life and changed everything. His science teacher and football coach both looked past the surface and his reputation and saw Hearne’s potential. As it turns out, he just needed someone to see him and believe in him to excel. Then, he wanted nothing else but to prove them right, to show that he was willing to put in the work.

When he achieved the same level of success as his mentors, he put something together: the people whose lives you influence don’t talk about trophies or championships. They talk about relationships and what someone saw in them that others didn’t.

Hearne may never have been a bus driver, but he knows the impact drivers have on students is the same.

What is Your Legacy?

You may not even know that you’re changing someone’s life because they may not see it or admit it in the moment. But years later, a former bus rider may approach you and share the one thing you said that day that saved their life.

It’s these small moments that can so often mean the most to a child who doesn’t feel seen. It doesn’t take a grand gesture; a simple smile, asking someone how their day was, showing interest in their hobbies (and then remembering it), or simply saying “I’m proud of you” can be more meaningful than you ever realize.

Ultimately, what these small actions do is show someone that they are worthy of love, care, and respect.

“That’s the power that you have in you,” Hearne told the crowd in Michigan. “Your legacy is about your skills, your knowledge, your experience. That’s your legacy, and people will never forget you.”

Hearne also referenced the influence popular motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar had on him, noting that a key to success in life is finding a way to help as many people as you can get what they want (not what they need). “If you help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want,” he said.

“When you pass your skills, your knowledge, and your experiences on to others, every time you spend with a child on that bus, or with a supervisor, or with a parent, or with an administrator, they take a piece of you with them,” Hearne said. “That’s your legacy.”

Another Example in Action

Jason Fredenburg, director of transportation at Lincoln Consolidated Schools in Michigan, illustrated Hearne’s point in a separate session on transformational leadership. He told the story of a non-verbal student, prone to violent episodes, who once put a para in the hospital and forced her to medically retire.

This student didn’t ride the bus for two years. When he came back, the district put him on a route by himself. After his new bus driver missed a few days due to a family member’s illness, he stayed calm when she was gone. When she returned, he told her he missed her.

“For him to even speak, for him to even talk, when he doesn’t say anything to anybody was a huge deal,” Fredenburg said.

The point of his story was that leaders need to make their staff members feel valued and that their work matters. I’d argue that, for that student, the driver’s impact was even bigger.

Be Intentional About Your Relationships

Hearne left the conference room in Michigan with this: Be intentional about the legacy you leave and the relationships you build. Why? They can change a life.

So. What’s your legacy?

If you know a student transportation professional carving out their own legacy, please consider nominating them for one of School Bus Fleet’s 2027 awards. Trailblazers, Administrator of the Year, and Contractor of the Year are all open. Find deadlines and details on our website! Driver awards will open soon.