Honoring the Service, Safety and Heart of Dean Motorcoach Drivers

In August, our Dean Trailways team came together not just to grow professionally, but to celebrate the drivers whose focus on safety and service makes a lasting impact on our communities and brings our company values to life.

Safety Award

As part of a constant emphasis on safety, we celebrated the recipients of our Safety Award. This award recognizes a driver’s exceptional commitment to safety, dedication to defensive driving and adherence to our safety protocols. Six drivers received this award:

Company Values Award

Dean Trailways presents the Company Values Award to two drivers who truly embody our mission in their daily work. These individuals go above and beyond to make our communities better places to live, work, learn and grow. They reflect Dean’s mission through their willingness to help others and their dedication to service.

The Dean mission is to serve our communities with caring, reliable and efficient transportation where safety is our dedication, integrity is our cornerstone and respect is fundamental.

This year, we were proud to recognize motorcoach drivers Henry Bontrager and John Yirku as the inaugural recipients of the Company Values Award.

Henry Bontrager	John Yirku

Henry was honored for his generous donation of time and driving skills. In October 2024, Henry volunteered to deliver Hurricane Helene relief donations to North Carolina for residents impacted by the storm, a clear example of the servant’s heart he brings to his work and community.

John was recognized for his commitment to supporting law enforcement and first responders. Drawing on his own experiences from over 30 years in the field, John authored the book When the Siren Stops with the purpose of helping those who serve navigate the mental, emotional and spiritual weight of their roles.

“We are grateful to Henry and John for their remarkable efforts to uplift others, both on and off the bus, and for embodying what it means to live out the Dean mission every day,” said Sarah Ring, general manager for Dean Trailways.