HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses has unveiled a video tribute to school bus drivers that features another kind of driver: NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Thomas Built video highlights school bus drivers’ integral part in education.

“School bus drivers play a pivotal role in providing equal access to education and safe transportation for children,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “But more than that, they connect with and build relationships with the children they transport. A child’s school day often begins and ends with their bus driver.”

In the video, Earnhardt surprises drivers at Cabarrus (N.C.) County Schools, thanking them and other school bus drivers for the service they provide for students.

“Bus drivers are critical. For a lot of kids, riding a school bus is the only way that they can get to school,” Earnhardt said. “Every day there are thousands and thousands of bus drivers on the roads who are very serious about having a positive impact on kids’ lives. I am proud to partner with Thomas Built Buses to thank school bus drivers for their role in getting kids to school safely and everything that they do.”

Watch the video here.