The Minnesota School Bus Operators Association has honored five school bus drivers for exemplifying the “best of the best” in student transportation. The group also awarded its Jim DeVeau Award and its lifetime achievement award earlier this month at the 2017 summer conference.
Pat Regan, owner of Hastings Bus Company and Minnesota Coaches, and a former MSBOA board member, received the Jim DeVeau Award. Jim DeVeau was one of the association’s founders and was an original board member of the National Association of School Transportation. MSBOA said Regan was selected for the award based on recommendations from his industry peers.
Hastings Bus serves Hastings School District as well as several charter and private schools in the Twin Cities metro area. The Regan family has been in the school bus business for over 30 years.
Dan Schmitt, former owner of Schmitty and Sons Bus Company, received the Lifetime Achievement Award n recognition of his dedication to the state’s school bus industry and the safety of school children. The company has been in operator for over 60 years.
The MSBOA Transportation Specialist Awards went to five school bus drivers who were nominated by their supervisors. Applications were judged by the Minnesota Office of Pupil Transportation Safety on years of service, dedication to safety, communication service, and communication with school staff. They also considered letters of recommendation from parents, co-workers, students and school staff.
A $1,000 check was also awarded in each driver’s name to a scholarship fund for deserving youth in the school districts they serve.
This year’s winners are:
Victor Smith, Monarch Bus Service Inc. in Hastings, Minn.
Victor is famous at his terminal for his rendition of the daily weather report read over the two-way radio. Styled after Robin Williams in “Good Morning Vietnam,” his upbeat cheery disposition gets his co-workers’ mornings off to a great start. Victor also got 1st Place in the Conventional Division of the Minnesota School Bus Roadeo and will go on to compete at the International Safety Competition next month.
Matt Kounkel, Hoglund Transportation in Monticello, Minn.
Matt does the hardest job in the transportation field, student discipline. It’s not
not easy to have to call parents and let them know their child has been making
bad choices, but Matt tries to convey it as a learning experience for all.
Duane R. Stucke, Voyageur Bus Company in Duluth, Minn.
Duane loves school bus driving and says it has made him a better person. He loves going to work and said driving has helped him learn to love all kinds of people.
Marcia Donkers, Faribault Transportation in Faribault, Minn.
Marcia, the dispatcher at Faribault Transportation, is described as the heart of the company’s organization. Her positive outlook and endless energy gets her coworkers prepared for safe travel around the streets and highways in Minnesota.
Bob Mertes, Trobec’s Bus Service in St. Stephen, Minn.
Bob has been driving for 45 years at Trobec’s. This year he was diagnosed with cancer and never missed a day of work. Because Bob transports special needs students he knows how important consistency is to them so he scheduled his surgery during the summer and was unable to attend the awards ceremony. He is a great example of all those drivers who will do anything for the students he serves.
The 2017 MSBOA Summer Conference was held June 11-13 in Grand Rapids. It featured workshops on distracted driving, a Q&A with the Minnesota State Patrol and legislative and public safety updates.
