The National Association for Pupil Transportation has selected the Transportation Departments of Dysart Unified and Houston Independent School Districts as finalists for its prestigious Larson Quality Award for excellent customer service and safety practices.
The Leland E.G. Larson Quality Student Transportation Program each year honors school bus operations across the country. It is named after the program’s developer, the former owner and president of Gresham, Ore.-based School Bus Services Inc. Larson, who is still considered one of the industry’s most innovative thinkers, gave NAPT $50,000 to develop his concept. The winner of this national award will be recognized at the annual NAPT Conference in October.
“Our bus drivers, mechanics and all of our transportation staff deserve the credit for achieving this prestigious recognition and for their commitment to safely transport our students to and from school every day,” said Leo Bobadilla, HISD’s chief operating officer.
The selection process is a three-phase series, which includes an initial application and a live interview before an unscheduled on-site visit. Both Dysart Unified and Houston ISD Transportation Departments received “exemplary” assessments in the first two phases of the program, which qualified them to move to the third phase. Phase 3 involves a two-day site evaluation by representatives of the peer review committee, which both departments recently completed.
Bob Streeter, transportation director at Dysart Unified School District in Surprise, Ariz., told School Transportation News he was on “pins and needles” in the weeks leading up to the unannounced visit by committee members. After they completed their “thorough examination” of his school-bus operations, he said he could finally sleep better at night.
“It’s fantastic to get this acknowledgment. My managers are excellent, my drivers, my staff, everyone — I couldn’t ask for a better group,” said Streeter, who came to Dysart from the business world five years ago. “But also I have so much support from my boss. He really gives me free rein to run the business, because that’s what it is — a business.”
HISD Transportation Manager Nathan Graf echoed his sentiments. “The passion, commitment, and dedication of every single bus driver, attendant, shop team member and support staff has brought the transportation team to this incredible accomplishment,” he said. “Just being selected as a finalist is reason for everyone here to be proud.”
