Danbury School Bus Dispatcher Receives Safety Award

DANBURY, CT --- Local school dispatcher Karen Souza has been inducted into the "Safety Wall of Fame” by her employer Student Transportation Inc., the company's highest.

“Karen has been the backbone of the dispatch office for 17 years,” said Margery Tymula, the Terminal Manager for STI’s Danbury location. “She is always willing to help a driver with their route, get a bus for a coach that forgot to book a trip, be there as a sounding board for all the frustrations both professional and personal. We have a lot of love and laughter! We are a family and a team.”

Souza, a veteran of the student transportation industry for more than 20 years, was chosen for the award based on her impeccable attendance record and dedication to safety. As a full-time dispatcher for the Danbury terminal, she is responsible for keeping the entire operation running efficiently and on-time. The driver team relies on her safety messages and guidance over the two-way radio dispatches to provide direction and bring calm to difficult situations such as inclement weather. Off the bus, Souza is heavily involved in the terminal’s community efforts including coat drives and fundraising for underprivileged children, and food drives for needy families.

“STI is a better company because of the caring people that take their jobs personally, and meet challenges with a smile and a caring heart,” Tymula added. “I'm proud to say Karen is one of those people. It is an honor to work with her and call her a friend.”

“Being a dispatcher brings pure joy to me everyday,” Souza said. “Seeing the smiles on the drivers’ faces and watching the day unfold as everyone travels to and from school safely makes coming to work everyday rewarding.”

The Safety “Wall of Fame” ceremony recently took place on April 3 with events that included an awards banquet with STI Senior Leadership and a day trip around Charleston, South Carolina.

(pictured from L to R: Gene Kowalczewski, Student Transportation Inc.’s Sr. VP of Eastern Region, Karen Souza, 2017 Safety Wall of Fame Inductee)