Spring Valley, New York…September 1, 2021…The Trans Group, one of the largest school and transit transportation operations in lower New York State, recently received a very special visit from Paul Overbaugh, New York State Education Department Director of Pupil Transportation. Overbaugh made the trip from Albany to Spring Valley, New York, to personally present Trans Group Director of Safety & Training James Rogan with the New York State Master Instructor of the Year Award. Master Instructors teach individuals seeking certification as School Bus Driver Instructors (SBDIs) and hold the highest pupil transportation certification from the New York State Education Department.
“Master Instructors are dedicated to pupil safety in their professional and personal life,” Overbaugh observed. “They possess leadership, expertise, and mastery of the many facets of the pupil transportation industry. In short, they advocate for safety on every level. James emulates all these qualities. In addition to having been appointed Chairman of the New York State Education Department SBDI Advisory Committee, James has taken time throughout his career to serve on numerous safety committees, teach endless hours at The Trans Group, and provide significant updates to course curriculum. He is a great asset to the industry and to me at the State Education Department. It is a privilege and an honor to name James Rogan New York State Master Instructor of the year.”
A longtime school bus safety advocate, Rogan has been active on the SBDI Advisory Committee since 2009. In addition to SBDI Advisory Committee Chairman, he has served on several subcommittees, including Curriculum Review (Chairperson); RFP Advanced Course Review; RFP Basic Course Review; and PDS Curriculum Review. Among his committee accomplishments are the adoption of new pre-service curriculum and a document on the safe use of oxygen on school buses. Rogan was solely responsible for updating the new school bus driver Basic Course curriculum on behalf of the NY State Education Department.
“I am deeply honored to be named New York State Master Instructor of the Year,” remarked Rogan. “I have devoted my career to maintaining the highest safety standards at The Trans Group and through my work on the SBDI Advisory Committee. What we do impacts school transportation professionals throughout New York State whose job it is to ensure the safety of the children they transport each day from home to school and back again. I can think of no other job that carries such profound responsibility as safe pupil transportation.”
The New York State Master Instructor of the Year Award is sponsored by the New York State Education Department and the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute.
The Trans Group provides transportation to hundreds of thousands of passengers annually in lower New York State and Long Island. With more than 1,300 vehicles and over 2000 employees, The Trans Group is actively involved in the school bus industry on the state and federal level.