Dedicated School Bus Driver Has Transported Students in Kingston School District for 47 Years.
Kingston, NY, – The Mid-Hudson Transportation Supervisors Association (MHTSA) has named Ethan Allen Transportation school bus driver Pat Beesmer “2013 Ulster County School Bus Driver of the Year.” Ethan Allen Transportation is a member of The Trans Group family of companies. The award, which recognizes Ms. Beesmer’s exemplary service and safety record, was presented in conjunction with Operation Safe Stop Day, a program that brings together local school districts and law enforcement agencies to cooperate on ticketing motorists who illegally pass school buses that are stopped to pick up or drop off school children.
“The safety of our young people is our top priority and this annual competition gives us the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to the school bus drivers who play such a significant role in the lives of our students,” said MHTSA Awards Chairperson William Johnson. “This year it is our pleasure to recognize the contributions of veteran school bus driver Pat Beesmer. We applaud her outstanding service, her commitment to safe driving, and her never-failing enthusiasm for her life’s work.”
Currently transporting students to and from the Ernest C. Myer Elementary School, Ms. Beesmer has been a school bus driver in the Kingston School District for 47 years. She initially started driving a school bus in 1966 when her youngest child was starting school and today continues to transport children every Monday through Friday during the school year.
According to Ethan Allen Transportation Manager Bree Allen, Ms. Beesmer has consistently shown herself to be dependable and caring. “Pat is an individual who clearly takes pride in her work,” she observed. “Along with her stellar driving record, she is tuned in to every child’s needs. We congratulate Pat on receiving this honor and thank her for her continued dedication to the students and families of the Kingston School District. She is an exceptional driver and we are so fortunate to count her as a member of our staff.”
Since her career first began, Ms. Beesmer has driven buses for Garvin Russell, Gil Glass and Bob Wilkens. For 15 years she also had her own bus company – Patricia Beesmer Bus Company – before moving over to Ethan Allen Transportation.
“Even after 47 years of driving, I still look forward to driving my route each day,” she remarked. “I love what I do. The safety of students has always been my top priority, but I also enjoy getting to know the children and their families. The most rewarding feeling is when I am out and about and a former student stops me to say ‘hello’ and reminisce about when he or she was a child on my bus. Of course at this point, it’s not unusual for them to have children of their own. It has been a remarkable career and I am truly honored to receive this award and help spread the word about Operation Safe STOP.”
Established in 1993 in the Mohawk Valley area of New York, Operation Safe STOP is made possible through the cooperation of the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, Ulster County Traffic Safety Board, the student transportation industry, and state, county, and local law enforcement agencies.
Ethan Allen Transportation is a member of The Trans Group family of companies. Headed by NSTA Hall of Fame member John Corr, The Trans Group employs over 1,300 individuals and operates over 1,000 school and public transit buses in New York State. The company is actively involved in the school bus industry on a state and national level.