Wyatt Kuiken--"It's All About the Kids..."

Transportation Supervisor Wyatt Kuiken

One of the many important responsibilities of a school district is to provide transportation for students to and from school, athletic contests, and field trips--a responsibility South Bend Transportation Supervisor, Wyatt Kuiken, takes seriously.

Coming to South Bend in 2011 from the Granger School District, Wyatt manages a fleet of 12 school busses, five support vehicles, and all grounds equipment.  On top of that, he supervises 9 full time bus drivers, while delivering over 320 students each way on a daily basis.  "The biggest positive of the job is definitely the kids," says Wyatt. "We are the first ones to say hello in the morning, and the last ones to say good-bye."  "We have excellent drivers and without them none of this would be possible--our goal is always for the kids to have a positive experience."

Wyatt is not new to schools, and is in his 11th year working with student transportation.  He completed the Pupil Transportation Management program at Central Washington University and also the diesel technology program and ASE (auto service excellence) certification at Walla Walla Community College.

Always with a smile on his face and a Mt. Dew within arm's reach, Wyatt oversees a $400,000 transportation program--doing so with both efficiency and skill.  Keeping the bus fleet in good working order takes up much of his time, as he must undergo safety inspections from the Washington State Patrol twice per year.  Though Wyatt isn't one to brag, I will mention that since I have been in South Bend, he has a 100% passing rate in all of his WSP bus inspections.  Wyatt takes a lot of pride in keeping the fleet safe and in well-working order.

You might not know it, but a lot also happens behind the scenes in Wyatt's world.  "During the winter I'm usually up at 4:00 am checking the roads to be sure they are safe," says Wyatt.  "We often have icy conditions or water to contend with, we have lots of road conditions to consider before picking up the kids." This is a responsibility not taken lightly, as student safety is the district's top priority.  Wyatt also carries a two-way radio and a cell phone to be sure he can be reached in time of need, always watching out for his drivers and the important cargo they carry.

Another unseen part of his job is the time he spends with routing logistics, where he takes GPS coordinates for each school bus stop in the district.  This requirement ties into the state transportation efficiency rating, of which South Bend has been rated as 100% efficient for the past 5 years.  It is a fine balance dealing with the ever changing state and federal regulations, something in which Wyatt is always current.

Bubba Madrid, former student, visits Wyatt while home from school

Not that Wyatt has enough to do, he also makes a big commitment to many of our high school students.  "I have about two students a year that come out and work with me in the shop."  "I think it's a good thing to teach these guys some valuable skills they don't learn in the regular classroom."  Some of these include:  welding, small engine repair, brake adjustments, rebuilding powertrain components, and car engine repair.

In watching these students working with Wyatt, they learn a lot more than mechanics.  Students working in the shop learn valuable life lessons such as responsibility, always doing their best, being on-time, and treating people with respect.  It is certainly a good thing to give students the opportunity to learn practical skills in a encouraging and supportive environment.  Wyatt reinforces these traits and sets a good example for all of his students.

When people think of schools, the transportation people are probably not the first ones that come to mind.  That being said, they play an important role in the educational process, ensuring our students get to school in a safe and timely manner, greeting students when they come and when they go home, and developing positive relationships with students.  Especially in small schools, the transportation department can be an effective educational resource, providing opportunities to learn specialized skills, and helping kids in ways only the "bus shop" can.

In South Bend, Wyatt and his crew define what it means to, "go the extra mile." They serve an important role in our school and community.