SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

School bus driver covers 26.2 miles — on foot

Molly Kirk, a driver for Florida’s Brevard Public Schools, ran the prestigious New York City Marathon in less than five hours. She shares details on the challenging race, which drew more than 47,000 starters this year.

November 22, 2011
School bus driver covers 26.2 miles — on foot

Molly Kirk, a driver for Florida’s Brevard Public Schools, ran the prestigious New York City Marathon in less than five hours.

2 min to read


COCOA, Fla. — Each school day, Brevard Public Schools bus driver Molly Kirk transports high school students on bus 1461.

Kirk, a mother of three daughters — two teenagers and one 12-year-old — enjoys driving her school bus, but she has another interest outside of her job and her family. She runs.

Ad Loading...

Kirk is not a casual jogger. She is a marathon runner, and she recently completed the New York City Marathon, which is considered one of the world’s Top 5 marathons.

“One way to gain entry in the New York City Marathon is through a lottery system,” Kirk said. “I was surprised when I beat the 1 in 9 lottery odds and was chosen on my first try. I was thrilled.”

The marathon was more than just a 26.2-mile journey. Kirk’s day started at 6 a.m., when she met her bus for transport to the race start location. The marathon was scheduled to begin at 10:10 a.m. It was preceded by the national anthem and then a cannon blast to signal the start of the race.

The course began on Staten Island and headed to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and finally into Central Park in Manhattan.

The sea of runners crossed five bridges, ran through many diverse neighborhoods and was cheered on by more than a million spectators. This was Kirk’s first trip to New York City, so she had plenty of sights to see along the run.

Ad Loading...

“The hardest part,” she said, “was about the 16-mile mark, running up the Queensboro Bridge.”

The New York City Marathon is the world’s largest and perhaps most prestigious marathon, with a record number of 47,438 starters this year.

“I am deeply grateful that I had the privilege of being a part of such a tremendous event,” Kirk said. “The amount of people running for causes and charities was both staggering and inspiring. I was amazed at the size of the huge international field and their supporters that lined the race route and would cheer loudly as their favorites raced past.”

Kirk completed the 26.2-mile run in four hours and 28 minutes, which resulted in her name being listed as a finisher in The New York Times.

Submitted by Mike Connors, director of transportation at Brevard Public Schools.

 

More Management

An orange and white graphic with HopSkipDrive's logo and text reading "Districts Adjusts to Persistent Driver Shortages."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 12, 2026

Have School Districts Adapted to Bus Driver Shortages or Simply Accepted Less Service?

According to a recent report from HopSkipDrive, many districts appear to have recalibrated what "normal" transportation service looks like.

Read More →
A blue and white graphic with text reading "The Ripple Effect of a Reliable Ride."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 12, 2026

Reliable Transportation Linked to Better Student Outcomes, New EverDriven Study Finds

See why new research suggests transportation consistency improves student outcomes while influencing attendance, funding, IEP compliance, and family trust.

Read More →
A close-up side view of a yellow Switzer-CARTY school bus parked in a bus yard, with the contractor's name displayed on the side panel and additional school buses visible in the background.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseAugust 7, 2026

Switzer-CARTY Enters the U.S. with New Acquisition

The Canadian contractor’s acquisition of Minnesota-based Agnes Corporation marks its first cross-border expansion into the United States and adds 350 vehicles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Students wearing backpacks line up to board a yellow school bus, each holding an NFC-enabled student ID card to scan as they enter. The image illustrates student ridership tracking technology that records boarding activity in real time.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseAugust 6, 2026

BusRight Adds New Rider Tracking Technology

Safety Pass is an NFC-based student ridership tracking solution that provides real-time boarding and drop-off data to improve school bus safety and family communication.

Read More →
A red and white image of someone holding a cell phone with text reading "EverDriven Launches RideAware App With Student Ride Visibility."
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 5, 2026

EverDriven Launches RideAware App With Real-Time Student Ride Visibility

The updated platform’s new features improve communication among caregivers, districts, and drivers while streamlining trip updates.

Read More →
Students boarding a school bus with text reading "New Riders, Strong Starts. Help every student feel confident on day one."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 5, 2026

How School Transportation Departments Can Help Acclimate New Riders to the Bus

Here's how transportation departments can turn first-day jitters into confidence for students and parents alike.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Multiple generations of the Kobussen family posing in front of a school bus.
ManagementAugust 3, 2026

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Nearly 90 Years of Safely Transporting Wisconsin Students

From one farmer's act of service to a fourth-generation family business, Kobussen Buses reflects on nearly 90 years of earning the trust of Wisconsin families.

Read More →
Graphic for School Bus Fleet's "Changing Lanes" July 2026 personnel roundup featuring headshots of six industry professionals: Jamie Smith (AMF Buns), Dan Strock (Pro-Vision), Kyndra Webb (HopSkipDrive Council), Jared Schnader (CALSTART), Alycia Gilde (CALSTART), and Micah Enterz (Kooner Fleet Management Solutions), displayed on an orange geometric background.
Managementby StaffJuly 31, 2026

Changing Lanes: AMF Bruns, Pro-Vision, CALSTART, HopSkipDrive, & Kooner

Check out who's been hired, promoted, and appointed to leadership positions at various school transportation industry suppliers and nonprofits.

Read More →
Promo graphic for the 18th National Congress on School Transportation, featuring a conference audience background and text reading “May 4–6, 2029, St. Louis, Missouri,” alongside the NCST logo.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsJuly 29, 2026

NCST Announces 18th Congress Event Dates, New Committees

The National Congress on School Transportation moves to St. Louis in May 2029, convening delegates and industry representatives to discuss new best practice recommendations. Now, the new committee chairs have been named.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two school buses parked in front of the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 28, 2026

Key Moments from the 2026 NSTA Annual Meeting in the Mile High City

From federal policy updates and OEM presentations to speed networking and industry awards, see photos and highlights from the contractor association’s summer conference in Denver.

Read More →