ALBANY, N.Y. — Mary Sansaricq, who promoted safety initiatives as New York’s state director of pupil transportation for the past five years, died this weekend.

In an email to members, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) said that Sansaricq passed away after having complications from a recent emergency gall bladder surgery. NYAPT had planned to give Sansaricq its “Friend of NYAPT” award at the association’s annual conference in July, but she was unable to attend because of the surgery.

Sansaricq was appointed director of pupil transportation services at the New York State Education Department in 2012 after Marion Edick retired from the position. Sansaricq had previously worked with the department's Pupil Transportation Unit and Office of Educational Management Services, the governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, and the education commissioner’s School Bus Driver Instructor Advisory Committee.

When she was named state director, the State Education Department noted that Sansaricq had more than 20 years’ experience as an educator and administrator, and she brought a “wealth of professional and personal knowledge, skills, and experience to help guide the pupil transportation community of New York.”

To that end, NYAPT said that Sansaricq had been “fighting hard for improvements in our training, our procedures, our safety standards and more over her brief tenure as state director and we are all proud of what she has done and grateful for all she has contributed to our work and our mission of safety.”

The New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) called Sansaricq’s passing “a tremendous loss” to her family as well as to the pupil transportation community. NYSBCA President Mike Martucci said that Sansaricq was a strong supporter of the association’s Operation Safe Stop Day events and the New York State School Bus Safety Competition.

“Words cannot express how truly saddened we all are by Mary’s passing. On behalf of the entire association, I offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and co-workers,” Martucci said. “Her passion and commitment to safe student transportation served as an inspiration to all of us. Mary was also a fantastic person and a dear friend. She will be sorely missed.”