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Iowa Pupil Transportation Association names new executive director

Chris Darling steps into the role, succeeding Owen Freese. Darling previously oversaw transportation at Fort Dodge Community School District for two decades.

Thomas McMahon
Thomas McMahonExecutive Editor
October 20, 2015
Iowa Pupil Transportation Association names new executive director

Chris Darling, the new director of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association, previously oversaw transportation at Fort Dodge Community School District for two decades.

1 min to read


Chris Darling has been named executive director of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association (IPTA).

In his new role, Darling succeeds Owen Freese, who recently announced his retirement.

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Darling oversaw transportation at Fort Dodge (Iowa) Community School District for two decades before retiring in 2012. He got his start in pupil transportation in 1984 as a school bus technician at Waverly-Shell Rock Community Schools in Waverly, Iowa.

Darling also has extensive experience with the IPTA. He served as a board member from 2002 to 2009, wrote articles for the association's newsletter and assisted with the planning of Iowa’s annual pupil transportation conference.

Darling has also worked with the Iowa Department of Education to update school bus specifications, and he served on the Iowa Transportation Advisory Committee from 1999 to 2010.

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