Karen Boyd

A Tribute

In 1972, Karen began her school bus career on a dare from her husband after he told her she could never drive anything that big. On her 1^st day driving at Ramona Unified, her director backed her out of the yard…right into a mailbox across the street.

That started an impressive legacy with a BANG.

March 1979, after attending the Instructor Academy, Karen was ready to change the world. YEAH RIGHT!!

Standing in front of her 1^st in-service class, Karen could barely speak. During a break, Karen walked out to “Her bus” and staring in the mirror with steely eyed determination, told herself “I can do this”. She wiped away the tear, calmed her shaky hands and did just that.

Thus, the legend was born.

Several years later, Karen moved from Ramona to Grossmont Union and met Rose Bellew, her supervisor and lifelong friend. Together they developed a wheelchair inspection program and conducted the first hands on special needs bus evacuation drill.

A lifetime friendship formed and program that is still used to this day.

Rose retired and Karen moved to Poway Unified as their Safety & Training Supervisor. Karen started scheduling special needs students, started using EDULOG in its beta program, and found out that most car seats don’t fit in school buses.

Karen was selected to go to Sacramento to help develop the original Behind the Wheel Guide.

Now we know who to blame.

March 1997 Karen went to the dark side and became a contractor when Certified Transportation opened its doors in Escondido. Day one Karen opened the office and found an empty room. “What have I gotten myself into?” She wondered. Shortly afterwards, 2 school buses and a highway coach showed up with EVERTHING an office needs, 2 desks, 2 chairs, and 1 file cabinet. We haven’t looked back since. Starting with 2 buses, we now have 24 in our fleet.

Booking trips, scheduling drivers, and driving? Sure, why not.

In 2011, we became WESS Transportation Services.

In 2014 Karen was named School Bus Driver Instructor of the Year by the CHP.

Karen has impacted the lives of not only her student passengers, but the drivers and instructors that she has guided throughout her career.

Having worked with Karen for the past 10 years, I count her as my friend, my mentor, and the greatest resource of information a person can have.

After almost 50 years of service to our industry, Karen has decided to retire from a career that started with a DARE, A BANG, A TEAR, SHAKY HANDS, A LIFETIME FRIENDSHIP.