Markus Videnieks has joined ASBC to coordinate the execution of council priorities and lead various outreach efforts nationwide.
Videnieks attended the NAPT Summit Trade Show in Memphis, Tenn., to meet with industry officials but his hiring was announced today by NSTA.
“I have fond memories of riding the bus to and from school as a kid,” he said in a statement. “At the time, it was just a place to hang out with friends while getting from point A to point B. But today, I’m really drawn to the environmental, safety, and educational benefits of the iconic yellow school bus. When you look at schoolbusfacts.com, the argument for communities to bolster their commitment to yellow buses is extremely obvious. I’m excited to help the industry spread its message.”
ASBC is comprised of members from NSTA, NAPT, NASDPTS and three largest school bus manufacturers, Blue Bird Corporation, IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses. The council has also with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a variety of messages that can be used to promote school bus ridership in the United States.
Videnieks was previously a vice president at one of the largest government relations firms in Washington, D.C. There, he focused on transportation issues and legislative agendas for non-profit hospitals and universities. In his new role, he is working with ASBC council members to launch the Love the Bus program, which is tentatively scheduled for mid-February. He is also preparing to staff the ASBC booth at various upcoming industry tradeshows and is answering questions from bus drivers, parents and other interested parties. He also administers ASBC’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.
“NSTA is delighted to have Markus on board at ASBC, and we look forward to working with him on many projects to come,” Ronna Weber, executive director of NSTA and an ASBC council member, told School Transportation News.
Michael Martin, executive director of NAPT, told STN that the association was pleased to have Videnieks on board.
Videniek’s contact information is markus@americanschoolbuscouncil.com and (866) 955-ASBC (2722).
In his free time, Videnieks volunteers his services as chairman of the board for the Joint Baltic American National Committee.
“My dad is a naturalized U.S. citizen, who emigrated from Latvia as a young boy at the end of World War II,” he added. “It’s important to me that I can give back to the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian communities in my own small way.”
