GREENSBORO, N.C. — Tim Flood was between jobs in the music industry in 1987 when a Trans Group ad calling for school bus driver candidates caught his interest.

He figured that he’d have fun driving a bus for the rest of the school year and then go back to another music job.

Instead, Flood became a long-term, integral part of The Trans Group’s success. Now as executive vice president, he oversees the management of operations that run nearly 1,000 school buses, transporting 70,000 schoolchildren throughout New York state.

Flood has also been a key contributor to industry groups like the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) and the New York School Bus Contractors Association.

For his dedicated efforts, Flood was named 2009 Contractor of the Year by SCHOOL BUS FLEET magazine at the NSTA awards program in Greensboro on Tuesday night.

Publisher Frank Di Giacomo presented the award to Flood, and he was given an award of his own. NSTA honored Di Giacomo with the Meritorious Service award.

Earning NSTA’s Golden Merit award were Paula Heinowski of Dousman Transport Co. in Wisconsin, Helen Schwabacher of Chestnut Ridge Transportation Inc. in New York, and Durham School Services’ Brian Shuldberg (Texas) and Mark Thompson (Missouri).

Carey Paster of Ohio-based FirstGroup America (parent company of First Student) was inducted into NSTA’s Hall of Fame.

Bill Beck of Beck Bus/Petermann was honored with NSTA’s Distinguished Service award.

And Stephanie Paquette of Durham School Services was given the Thomas Built Buses Continuing Education Award.

An in-depth profile of Flood will appear in the August issue of SBF. Further coverage of the NSTA meeting in Greensboro will appear in the September issue.