The Kansas State Department of Education announced that Wilma Crabtree will retire March 27, concluding 45-year, full-time career in public service with School Bus Safety Unit.
During that time, she helped spearhead the National School Bus Loading & Unloading Survey.
Wilma CrabtreeKeith Dreiling, the state director of student transportation at KSDE, said Crabtree will return to the School Bus Safety Unit in June but in a part-time capacity.
“We express our deep gratitude to Wilma for her many contributions to the school transportation field,” he said in a statement.
Crabtree transferred to KSDE 1994 when the state’s School Bus Safety Unit moved from the Kansas Department of Transportation, where she had worked since January 1970. Since then, she’s also been a part of the KSDE school finance team.
The Kansas State Pupil Transportation Association awarded her its Outstanding Service Award in 2005. KSPTA again recognized her contributions to pupil transportation and safety with a KSPTA Lifetime Achievement Award last year.
Dreiling said Crabtree will spend more time in retirement with husband Steve, who she met at KDOT. The couple will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary this fall. He said she also plans to spend time with a daughter in Topeka and to visit a son who lives in New Jersey.
