Kirk Brooks of Tippecanoe School Corporation near Indianapolis was named the America’s Best School Bus Inspector and Dustin Wells of Pitt County Schools in North Carolina America’s Best School Bus Technician at the NAPT Summit in Richmond, Virginia on Monday.
Both Brooks and Wells outdistanced the competition during the 12th annual skills and training event on Sunday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Sunday following a day of training on Saturday.
Anthony Keshishian from California finished second in the inspector division while Kevin Vollweiler of Frisco ISD near Dallas finished in third place. Michael Holley of Arkansas finished second in the technician competition and Denver Foster of Fannin County School District in Blue Ridge, Georgia came in third place.
Marshall Casey of America’s Best told STN that 19 states plus British Columbia, which was new to the event had participants in this year’s event. California was a new state to participate this year, as well.
America’s Best also welcomed its first-ever female participant, Maurine Simmons from South Kitsap School District in Washington state.
The participants, some of which won their state competition while others were challengers, received training on tires, multiplex wiring, accident investigations and wheelchair lift maintenance among other subjects and tested their skills with the goal of making school buses even safer across North America.
Next year’s event will be held in Kansas City on Nov. 5 and 6.
Editor’s note: A previous headline incorrectly mentioned Georgia as a state winning one of the competitions. STN regrets and confusion this may have caused.
