Safety is a priority for Sam Jaramillo, who is wheeling his beloved “Old 83” bus around town to train for the 46th annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition on July 17 in Greensboro, N.C., according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.
The event, hosted by the National School Transportation Association, will put more than 50 participants through their paces to see who is the safest bus driver in America.
Jaramillo already has won the district and state competitions, so he will represent New Mexico at the national event.
He has enjoyed being on the road all of his adult life. At 53, he’s racked up thousands of miles as a truck driver for various companies, including a 20-year stint running his own tow-truck company. He’s worked for the Santa Fe school district for 18 months.
He loves the work, and, because he already had a commercial driver’s license, the transition was easy for him.
He learns the names of all his students, ranging from kindergartners to seniors, who attend E.J. Martinez Elementary School, Capshaw Middle School and Santa Fe High School.
He loves it when the kids tell him they want to be a bus driver when they grow up.
He’s excited about the North Carolina competition.
“I would just be proud to bring back the national trophy to Santa Fe,” he said.
