NISD Transportation Department Awards

CENTEX Special Needs Roadeo Award First Place

Goes To Northside Driver Team

and Third Place In the Statewide TAPT Competition in Galveston

Special needs driver Leo Lopez (right) and special needs bus assistant Gilbert Guajardo (left) acting as a special needs team entered the CENTEX Special Needs Roadeo won overall First Place in competition with eleven (11) other teams.The Special Needs Roadeo at the regional level was sponsored by CENTEX (Central Texas Association for Pupil Transportation) of which Northside ISD is an active member. The competition was held at the Soutwest ISD Transportation facility here in San Antonio on May 8, 2004. Our thanks go to this team and their great success.

Leo Lopez and Gilbert Guajardo (two far left) received Third Place Placards for their success in the Texas Statewide Special Needs Roadeo sponsored by the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation (TAPT) conference held in Galveston June 11-15, 2004. (To read more about this Award go to the August, 2004, Northside Bus Chatter Newsletter on page 2.)

Fritz Klabunde Receives Texas Association of School

Bus Technicians Award for "Technician of the Year"

At Galveston, June 2004

On the evening of June 12, 2004 at Moody Convention Center in Galveston, TX, the Texas Association of School Bus Technicians (TASBT) presented Fritz Klabunde with the "Technician of the Year Award." This award was presented in conjunction with the awards banquet held by the Texas Association of Pupil Transportation (TAPT). Fritz Klabunde is a lifelong resident of San Antonio. He has been an employee of the Northside Indepdent School District for the past 15 years. He is currently our Fleet Maintenance's Quality Control Technician. He is a graduate of Thomas Edison High School. Fritz's family includes Theresa, his wife of 19 years, and two sons Christopher and Michael. Fritz is an active member of the Zion Lutheran Church of Helotes The order of the Sons of Hermann Fraternal Organization, the Sandra Day O'Connor High School PTA and the Athletics Booster Organization. His hobbies include bowling, golf, and spending time with his family. He also is very much involved with the Boy Scouts of America as a volunteer. Congratulations Fritz. We are very proud of you!

Clean Cities Award

The US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy awarded NISD Transportation Department their Clean Cities National Partner Award in May, 2001 at the National Clean Cities Conference. Randy Zanatta traveled to Philadelphia to accept the award and for the NISD's induction into the "Clean Cities Hall of Fame".(To read more about this Award go to the October, 2001, Northside Bus Chatter Newsletter on page 2.)

Special Needs Transportation Handbook Award

NISD's 2000-2001 Special Needs Transportation Handbook was selected for the First Place Award at the 10th Annual National Conference on Transportating Students with Disabilities, held in Phoenix March 2-6, 2001 (look under Manuals section for the updated 2003/2004 Special Needs Transportiion Training Handbook version). More than 100 school districts submitted their training manuals for the competition. NISD received the honor, thanks to the professional efforts of the department's trainers and to Dr. Ray Turner, NISD Special Education Transportation Coordinator. On behalf of NISD Dr. Turner received the award for the Handbook which won first place. (To read more about this Award go to the May, 2001 Northside Bus Chatter Newsletter on page 4.)

2002 Sur-Lok National Special Needs TransportationAward

Dr. Ray Turner, the Special Education Transportation Coordinator at Northside ISD was the recipient of the Sure-Lok National Special Needs Transportation Award, 2002. The award was presented at the National Association for Pupil Transportation 2002 Conference, Greensboro, North Carolina. November 3, 2002.

Texas Railroad Commission NISD Award

Northside School District was recognized on September 11, 2001 by the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) for helping to keep the air clean since the NISD operates one of the largest propane-powered school bus fleets in the nation. The TRC was so impressed with NISD's clean air and efficient school bus fleet that the prestigious Chairman's Award for Energy Innovation was presented at the Rhodes Center. TRC Chairman Michael Williams presented the Chairman's Award to then Deputy Superintendent for Business & Support Services, Mr. Frank ortation has 523 buses, with 95% using propane as a fuel source. Other recipients of the prestigious award were HEB and DFW airport. (To read more about this TRC NISD Award go to the October, 2001 Northside Bus Chatter Newsletter on page 1.)

Northside Bus Chatter Newsletter Wins School Transportation News Award for Best Online Newsletter of 2004

The Northside ISD Bus Chatter Newsletter has been selected as the best online newsletter of 2004 by the School Transportation News (STN) at their annual EXPO 2004 Conference in Reno, Nevada this August. Dr. Ray Turner is the Editor of the NISD Bus Chatter Newsletter and webmaster for the NISD Transportation Department's web page. Please go to the following web address (http://www.nisd.net/transportation/newsletter.html) where the NISD Bus Chatter Online Newsletter is located. Currently there are four years of online newsletters beginning with December, 2000 through the May, 2005 issue. There is an extensive index of newsletter topics also on the web page to assist readers to find a topic of interest over a five year span of Departmental activities and events. We are all truly grateful for the recognition of excellence in our Bus Chatter Online Newsletter.