Dean Blog, news and updates

Advancing Student Safety Through Partnership and Innovation

Posted in Blog.

Student safety has always been at the center of school transportation. Every day, drivers witness the realities of the road — both the responsibility that comes with safely transporting children and the risks created when surrounding traffic does not...

Beyond the Yellow Bus: The Community Heart of Walled Lake Transportation

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When a school bus winds through the streets of Walled Lake, it represents far more than a simple commute. Behind the scenes of the Dean Transportation team for Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, a dedicated group works to ensure students arrive safely...

Lake City Transportation Team: Finding Strength in Culture

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When it comes to making sure students get to and from school safely, the team behind the wheel matters. The Dean Transportation team at Lake City works hard to constantly build a culture that fosters support and safety — not only for students, but...

Driving Holiday Cheer Along the Parade Route

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For Dean Transportation teams across Michigan, holiday parades are more than a seasonal event — they’re a way to connect with the community and celebrate together. Each year, offices transform school buses into festive displays, creating...

Dean Transportation President Patrick Dean Named President of the National School Transportation Association

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Patrick Dean, president of Dean Transportation, recently stepped into another key leadership role as the 35th president of the National School Transportation Association (NSTA). Founded in 1964, NSTA remains the leading membership organization for...

Electrifying Education: Preparing Tomorrow’s Technicians Today

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Dean Transportation and Trenton Public Schools recently introduced six electric buses as part of a sustainability initiative powered by a partnership with DTE Energy. To enhance learning, auto shop students from Trenton High School participated in...

Dean Trailways Honors Service Members at Annual Veterans Pancake Breakfast

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On Nov. 12, 2025, the Dean Trailways office hosted a pancake breakfast to honor and thank the military service of veteran staff of Dean Trailways and the Dean Lansing Fleet team. This year was the second occurrence of the annual event. While the breakfast...

Competition Meets Compassion at Alex’s Great State Race

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It was a picturesque autumn morning filled with crisp sunshine and vibrant seasonal colors as more than 50 participants completed the 12th annual Alex’s Great State Race at Michigan State University on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Onlookers gathered to cheer...

Driving with Heart: Clare-Gladwin RESD Team Focused on the Whole Student

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Photo Caption: Members of the Clare-Gladwin RESD transportation department in their team t-shirts that say: “You have all the time you need to do the right thing.” In the heart of Michigan, where the scenic routes of Clare and Gladwin counties...

Honoring the Service, Safety and Heart of Dean Motorcoach Drivers

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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...

Dean Partners with Mystic Lake to Provide Camp Experience

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Fun activities and time with friends at camp? For many kids, there’s nothing more exciting than that. For the last 21 years, Dean has helped the children of its employees experience nature, make memories and grow friendships at Mystic Lake YMCA Camp....

Dean Driver Announced as National 2025 School Bus Driver Hero: Ms. Jackie’s Legacy of Care

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Dean Transportation is honored to announce that one of our own, Jackie Wilkerson Brown, has been selected as the recipient of School Bus Fleet’s inaugural 2025 School Bus Driver Hero Award. Sponsored by AngelTrax, this brand-new honor was created to...

Photo of the team that won the annual bus pull competition

Competing for a Cause at the Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 Bus Pull

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The inaugural Bus Pull to support Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 — covering Ingham and Eaton counties — was held Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, at Grand Ledge High School. Seven teams of 10 competed to pull a 26,000-pound Dean Transportation school bus 50...

Partnering for Health and Community Impact

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The best partnerships happen when each party brings their unique skills and expertise to make a greater impact than they could achieve on their own. The University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Mobile Health Clinic (MHC) is an example of one such effort. Dean...

Southgate/Trenton Transportation Team Drives Community, Connection and Care

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The drivers and attendants at the Southgate/Trenton Dean transportation office don’t just come to work — they actively support each other, the community and their students. Each day, the department’s 40 drivers and 18 attendants greet their riders...

lugnuts photo with the lugnuts mascot and dean drivers

A Summer Tradition: The Annual Dean Baseball Game and Picnic

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For almost 30 years, since the Lansing Lugnuts team was established in 1996, the Dean team has gathered at a summer baseball game. Each year, team members and their families enjoy a picnic, catch up with colleagues, snap photos with mascot Big Lug,...

Leading the Way: A Spotlight on Leaders and Achievements

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In July, we held Dean’s annual leadership conference at our headquarters in Lansing to equip, educate and develop the leaders of our operations across the state as they prepare for the next academic year. Another important piece of the event is the...

Back-to-School Season at Dean: A Look at Preparation

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It’s back-to-school season, which means the stores are advertising sales, teachers are getting their classrooms ready, and families are enjoying their last vacations before heading into the school routine. But they’re not the only ones getting ready...

Dean Transportation’s Betty Nelson Wins at International Safety Competition

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At Dean Transportation, we’ve always known our drivers are among the best in the nation. Now, it’s official! Betty Nelson, a dedicated Dean Transportation driver from west Michigan, has achieved the ultimate honor, placing first in the Conventional...

Celebrating a Legacy of Care: Kellie Dean’s Lasting Impact on Lansing Promise

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At Dean Transportation, our mission has always been about more than just getting students to school safely; it’s about investing in their futures. This viewpoint is deeply rooted in the beliefs of our CEO Kellie Dean. We’re incredibly proud to share...

Committed to Making a Difference, Dean’s Courtney Bollman Named Michigan Special Olympics Area 8 Volunteer of the Year

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Courtney Bollman may be the Director of Community Engagement & Events at Dean, but it’s her community involvement that has recently earned her some pretty impressive accolades. The Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 Eaton and Ingham Counties selected...

Dean Bus Attendant Recognized with Service Award

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While Dean Transportation drivers are the skilled navigators, bus attendants play an equally crucial role, providing care, support and a sense of security to those on board. This was recognized earlier this year when a parent nominated Kathy Wildeboer,...

The Road to Becoming a Dean School Bus Driver

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Have you ever considered a career that combines community impact, a sense of responsibility and the rewarding experience of connecting with students? Becoming a Dean School Bus Driver might be the perfect fit for you! Here is an overview of what it...

Dean Driver Brings Music — and Joy — to Kids with Disabilities

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Bringing children joy and happiness seems to be life’s calling for Larry Wilberding. Aside from raising four children with his wife of 55 years, Robin, the couple also have 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. When Wilberding retired following...

More Than Just a Ride: The Heart and Soul of Transportation at Reeths-Puffer Schools

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Located north of Muskegon along the Lake Michigan shoreline, Reeths-Puffer Schools is a district of more than just classrooms and curriculum. It’s a community — and the dedicated team at the Dean Transportation Muskegon Giles location is a vital part...

Annual Kellie Dean Invitational School Bus Rodeo Celebrates Skill and Camaraderie

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For most of us, a school bus ride is a familiar routine. As such, we may not be aware of the remarkable skill it takes the men and women behind the wheel to navigate complex maneuvers and prioritize safety. The annual Kellie Dean Invitational Bus Rodeo,...

Hero on the Road: Dean Bus Driver Saves Student’s Life

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Dean Transportation bus driver Christina McIver demonstrated true heroism when she saved a young student’s life on her routine afternoon route. After dropping off 7-year-old Skylar, Christina noticed the child was choking and immediately sprang into...

A Dean Driver’s Mission of Joy

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Dean Transportation bus driver Randy Fortier brings joy to students on their morning commute to school by singing, dancing and building meaningful connections with them. His infectious energy and dedication brighten his young passengers’ mornings and...

Getting Behind the Wheel of a School Bus

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For many, the idea of operating a large vehicle is daunting. Now add precious cargo, making it seem even more intimidating. Yet behind the wheel of a school bus lies a rewarding experience that fosters a sense of community, responsibility and purpose. Bus...

Driven by Passion: Jeff Cousins, Trailways ‘Driver of the Year’ Shares His Journey

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In the heart of Lansing, Michigan, Jeff Cousins’ extraordinary journey begins to take shape. After 36 fulfilling and rewarding years at UPS, Jeff bid farewell to the delivery routes in December 2014. However, the call for a new adventure on the...

PTI Engineered Plastic’s Face shields utilized to protect Dean’s frontline staff during COVID-19

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Dean Transportation has received a large donation of more than 1,200 face shields from the Michigan-based company PTI Engineered Plastics to protect frontline staff. As a provider of custom plastic injection molding services specializing in low-volume...

Thank a Bus Driver!

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Bus drivers and bus aides are unsung heroes who deserve our heartfelt appreciation. They get kids to school on time by bringing them to buildings filled with the power of education. From the break of dawn to the final bell, bus drivers and bus aides...

Two Local Michigan Communities Benefit From New School Buses

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Lansing, Mich. – Aug. 14, 2019 – Dean Transportation, Hoekstra Transportation and Thomas Built Buses today celebrated their collaboration to provide school buses to local Michigan communities at a back-to-school event held in Lansing. Together, they...

Celebrating Five Decades of Service and Advocacy

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Dean Transportation marks 50 years of serving Michigan communities LANSING, Mich. – The traditional yellow school bus is taking on a brighter hue. Dean Transportation is celebrating its golden anniversary. The nationally recognized name in student...

Winter School Bus Safety Tips

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Dean Transportation Offers Winter School Bus Safety Tips Protecting students in our community is a role we can all play It’s a Michigan reality: students, parents and motorists will at some point battle a Michigan winter morning with its icy roads...

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