EVANS, Ga. — A new school transportation director here attributes his effort to change the mindset of the transportation department as the cause of his successful first year, The Columbia County News Times reports.

Allen Connor took on the role of transportation director for the Columbia County School District in July 2016 after working for nine years as a bus driver and training manager for the district’s transportation department, according to the newspaper. Connor’s previous experience in executive leadership training while working in the banking industry, which he had retired from after 30 years, also helped him change the way the department operates. He told The Columbia County News Times that “We have gone from being a bus shop to a bus company.” Connor added that the department now has a three-step process in place that it reviews in every issue it encounters: student safety, customer service to parents, and partnerships with schools.

Connor also upgraded training to surpass state requirements, started bus ride-alongs for driver trainees, added new bus manager positions, and changed when new school buses are delivered from Christmas break to summer to allow for smoother transitions for students, according to the newspaper.

Although his first year as transportation director has been successful, Connor told The Columbia County News Times that he meets with his team every day to find ways to improve.

To read the full story, go here.