Here, we share photos submitted to us by pupil transporters throughout the country that were featured in the Snapshots department of our February and March 2012 issues, as well as our forthcoming June 2012 issue.
Snapshots — Winter, Spring, Summer 2012
Pictured is one of Kings Canyon Unified School District's IC Bus 2009 RE models in front of the Reedley, Calif.-based district's newest school, Orange Cove High School. "The bus is built with a DT 466 engine funded through the California Air Resources Board's Lower Emissions School Bus Replacement Program, with funds administered by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District," Director of Transportation John Clements says. "Kings Canyon received this bus in exchange for replacing a pre-1977 Gillig school bus from our fleet in 2009."
If this shot is a bit disorienting, that's because it's upside down. Emilio Carrion, a CDL trainer at Collier District Schools in Naples, Fla., took the reflective photo of district buses after a rainstorm at the start of the 2011-12 school year. The shot was submitted by Jeff Stauring, director of transportation.
Former Forrest City (Ark.) School District bus driver Ricky Adamson shows his enthusiasm for the school bus industry during the holiday season with this festive Christmas tree. He said the switch panel at the top is from a 1972 Superior bus and the one under the tree is from a 1982 Ward model. "I've had a school bus interest since I was a young child," Adamson says. "Both of my grandparents drove school buses and parked the buses by their house. Those buses were my playground growing up. I've since bought three of the five buses that my grandmother drove during her 30-year career, which ended in 1990. I even have the keys to her buses hanging on that Christmas tree."
Durham School Services employees raised $10,780 for Special Olympics Illinois during the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge at Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff, Ill., in March.
In November, Molly Kirk, a school bus driver for Brevard Public Schools in Cocoa, Fla., covered 26.2 miles — on foot. Kirk completed the New York City Marathon in four hours and 28 minutes. “The hardest part,” she said, “was about the 16-mile mark, running up the Queensboro Bridge.” Submitted by Mike Connors, Brevard’s director of transportation.
This youngster was among attendees who sat behind the wheel of Thomas Built Buses’ Saf-T-Liner C2e diesel-electric hybrid school bus at the recent GOExpo in Winston-Salem, N.C. The second annual event showcased sustainable products and services that save money for local consumers and businesses.
Blue Bird is offering free factory training workshops five times in 2012, to be held at its Fort Valley, Ga., plant. The school bus OEM is also offering technical training through its dealers and through webcasts. For schedules and to register, contact an authorized Blue Bird dealer.
Filled with the holiday spirit, Kerrville (Texas) Independent School District’s transportation department entered the Kerrville Lighted Holiday Parade. Volunteering hours after work and contributing all of the materials, the staff spent three weeks building their Candyland Christmas float. Featuring over 9,000 lights and many super-size sweets, the float won first place in the parade’s nonprofit category. The shot was submitted by Transportation Director Brad Harvey.
Earlier this year, Lt. Brian Reu was named director of the Minnesota Office of Pupil Transportation Safety. He is seen here walking with his son, Grason, to his promotion ceremony. Reu’s wife, Sherry, snapped the shot.
The transportation staff at Clovis (Calif.) Unified School District worked in their off-duty time to create this festive bus for a local Christmas parade. “Every night for about three weeks they were out there cutting the material and sewing,” Director of Transportation Charlie Ott says. “I would say there were about 30 drivers involved, maybe 40. It has been a great school year, and this was one of the projects that old and new drivers alike worked on together as a team.”