Wendell Spears, Director of Transportation for the Allen County School District, has been chosen by his peers as Kentucky School Transportation Director of the Year. The selection by the Kentucky Association for Pupil Transportation (KAPT) was based upon the recommendation by Allen County School Superintendent Randall Jackson.
“It’s always good to be recognized for your hard work but with transportation it is a team effort,” Spears said. “It takes us all. This recognition is for my people more than it is for me.”
Spears is quick to point out that the recognition reflects the day-to-day teamwork that’s a key component of the transportation department for Allen County Schools.
“It takes us all,” Spears added. “When you surround yourself with good people, good things happen. There are so many people here at the Central Office that help me out and it goes all the way down to every driver, every monitor, and every mechanic. This honor speaks highly of my people.”
Spears began his transportation duties as a bus driver in 1993. Over the years, he transported students on trips, driven a route, and served as assistant transportation director under Bobby Williams for two years. When Williams retired 10 years ago, Spears stepped into the lead transportation role.
Spears adds that he is “very fortunate” to oversee a team that has bonded to help transport the students of Allen County. The district runs 40 buses daily on routes during the school year. Plus, Allen County school buses are on the road year round---transporting students for athletic and academic endeavors. Overall, Allen County school buses travel approximately 450,000 miles per year.
“We are so fortunate here to have the caliber of drivers we have,” Spears noted. “We fortunate to have the caliber of monitors we have and the caliber of the mechanics we have. We also have employees with many, many years of longevity. It’s not that way everywhere. It’s a team, it’s us, and that’s what makes it work here.”
When asked what he has learned over the years, Spears says he constantly puts the safety of the students into God’s hands.
“I don’t worry but I am concerned,” Spears said. “I concerned every minute of every day but I don’t worry about what might happen. If something happens, we will deal with it. Every morning I just lay it all at the feet of the Lord. Then, every night I thank the Lord for a good, safe day. I ask the Lord to place His hands on the hands of my drivers and help our drivers guide their busses down the dangerous, curvy roads that are full of distracted drivers. Every day the Lord does that.”
One of the toughest parts of the job comes in winter months. Spears is charged with the task of recommending to Superintendent Jackson whether or not school should be dismissed due to winter weather. Spears points out that, once again, teamwork is involved---starting with a group of district officials that help him by driving roads in every part of the county in the wee hours on mornings when winter weather conditions require a decision. Using input from each, Spears makes a recommendation to Jackson. The “tough calls” occur on days when wintry precipitation hasn’t fallen but is in the forecast---with the final decision coming after very careful observation and discussion.
Spears received the award Tuesday evening (June 16) at the KAPT awards recognition dinner at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green.