Ben Cockram’s career trajectory is no different than many others in student transportation. He started out as a school bus driver and worked his way up the ranks to transportation manager. Yet Ben is different because he has lived with a minor case of cerebral palsy his entire life, a disability that has actually enabled him to have an adjunct career as motivational speaker.
Since he was a teenager, he has felt compelled to share with others what it means to have a disability, he says. He has worked in transportation ever since picking up a special needs route as a college student 15 years ago. The former transportation manager of Byron Public Schools in southern Minnesota is currently “between jobs,” but he is continuing with his vocation to educate young and old alike.
Many teachable moments begin rather awkwardly, Ben admits, because he makes a poor first impression: When people first meet him, he says they assume by his slurred voice and uneven gait that he is drunk. Before going onstage to deliver his presentations, Ben has been questioned by concerned people: Why are you here? Are you sure you should be up there talking?
Once Ben has the chance to make a second impression, they get it.
“School bus drivers tend to say the first thing that comes into their head, which is usually wrong. So I tell people in my presentation: Allow me to make a second impression and don’t assume you know me,” Ben says. “Once someone gets to know me and they still decide I’m an idiot, I’m okay with that because at least they gave me the opportunity to share my side. However, don’t assume I don’t know anything based on how I appear.”
Diagnosed at birth, Ben faced an uncertain future as the doctors did not know whether his problems would be mild or severe. They told his parents he wouldn’t be able to take care of himself, drive a car or lead a normal life, so he had physical therapy from age 3 on to learn how to walk, talk and chew. Cerebral palsy causes reflex movements that a person can’t control and muscle tightness that may affect parts or all of the body. Unlike multiple sclerosis, CP doesn’t get worse over time but stays the same.
“I have not let anything hold me back,” says the transportation professional, husband and father of a 7-year-old. “I had to overcome all these obstacles because kids can be mean, and even worse, adults can be ignorant.”
A Unique Journey
Ben notes that even people who have known him for years are surprised to learn he is a motivational speaker. Last fall this was the reaction of a longtime colleague he came across in Duluth, where he was presenting to more than 300 bus drivers. Afterward, this gentleman told him how impressed everyone was with his talk “Dealing With Differences.”
“The one comment I get from people after hearing me talk, usually from managers, is: ‘These drivers never listen to anybody else, but you came in here and you could just hear a pin drop. People like to hear what you have to say because it’s so different, so unique,'” he says.
One of his presentation slides displays the full definition of the term “disability,” as follows: “lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental incapacity; something that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or holding a gainful job; anything that puts one at a disadvantage.”
Tied to the first definition are two key points that Ben has learned the hard way: First, don’t treat the individual differently than you would anyone else. Second, if someone has a physical disability, don’t make the assumption that there is a cognitive issue. They can go together but never assume that they do. When in doubt, simply ask.
When Ben shared his story with upper elementary and middle school students at Byron schools last year, he focused on the third definition.
“As long as you’re able to answer their questions, kids want to learn and they want to understand,” he recalls. “Those kids know what it’s like to be different, to feel bad about not being able to do what others do … If you can get to those kids early, like when they’re in middle school, and tell them, ‘You know what, guys, everyone has a disability. Some are not visible.’ In that context, it puts a whole new look on how kids interact with each other. It puts a whole new spin on bullying because we’re all different and that’s okay.”
‘Be The Best You Can Be’
Practically speaking, Ben admits he does deal with some physical challenges while working. One limitation is that he is unable to stand all day. Fortunately, this was not a requirement during his seven years in transportation management.
“The key in that is knowing your limitations — and everyone has limitations. This is what I tell the kids: We all have limitations and we all do things to help ease those limitations,” says Ben.
When he speaks to fellow student transporters, he discusses the differences between types of disabilities and ties it in with the theme of trying your best and never giving up despite individual limitations, whether they are a learning disability or physical handicap.
“Our goal as transportation people is to help kids in our districts or areas to be the best they can be. The key is to really care about these kids. We all say that we do. If our boss asks us, we say we do. Sometimes when you manage so many routes, you see so many dots — but not all the people and kids,” he explains.
After 15 years in the industry, Ben says he remains as passionate about child safety as when he began working as a special needs bus driver in Rochester. A few years later he was promoted to routing coordinator, which made him responsible for ensuring that 12,000 students would get to school on time. Because he was employed by the bus contractor, Ben recalls there were limited opportunities for job growth. So when a position opened up at the neighboring Byron school district, he jumped on it and became a full-fledged transportation director.
Yet this good news on the job front was soon overshadowed by tragic news.
“On my first day of school, we had a fatal car wreck involving one of our school buses. (The teen driver) was a senior in our district and she was texting and driving, so she didn’t even see the bus. She passed away the next day,” he says.
Ben immediately had to learn about DOT laws and his responsibilities as a manager, including “how to get life back to normal in your break room,” he shares.
During that time, the Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation asked Ben to deliver a presentation on the fatal accident for their state conference. He also served on the association’s board for a couple of years.
“I think it would be neat to share my message with more people on a national scale,” he adds. “I’ve been talking about my disability to groups since high school, I preached my first sermon when I was a sophomore and I was dead nervous, but now I speak to groups of 10 to over 1,000. The large crowds don’t scare me…
“I can still keep audiences engaged and have fun. People laugh a lot and they also learn a lot.”
