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President's Message
Dear AAPT Members,
It is with great pride, gratitude, and excitement that I write my first letter to you as President of the Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation (AAPT). I am truly honored by the trust you have placed in me, and I look forward to serving this incredible association over the next two years.
First, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our outgoing President, Jeff Kingsley, and the entire AAPT Board of Directors. Thank you for your leadership, dedication, and countless hours of service. Your commitment has helped strengthen our association and build a foundation that we can all be proud of. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue building upon that success.
I would also like to thank everyone who helped make our 2026 AAPT Fall Conference in Somerton such a tremendous success. To our Board of Directors, presenters, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, Tierra Del Sol Elementary School, Somerton School District, and everyone who worked behind the scenes, your hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. Events like these remind us of what we can accomplish when we come together with a shared purpose.
One of the things that makes AAPT so special is the people who are part of this association. We represent an incredible family of transportation professionals who dedicate themselves every day to the safety and well-being of Arizona's students.
Our school bus drivers safely navigate our roads each day, often serving as the first friendly face a student sees in the morning. Our bus assistants provide patience, compassion, and support to the students who depend on them. Our trainers help develop knowledgeable, confident, and safety-minded professionals. Our mechanics, dispatchers, routers, supervisors, directors, and support staff work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our transportation operations moving safely and efficiently.
Every role matters. Every voice matters. And every person makes a difference.
As your President, my commitment is to continue strengthening AAPT and ensuring that our association remains a place where members feel welcomed, valued, supported, and heard.
Over the next two years, I look forward to expanding training and professional development opportunities, strengthening relationships throughout our regions, encouraging greater member involvement, and continuing to promote safety, service, and leadership across Arizona.
I also want to encourage each of you to become more involved in AAPT. Whether it is attending a regional meeting, participating in a School Bus Road-eo, volunteering at a conference, sharing your knowledge, or encouraging a fellow transportation professional to join, your involvement makes a difference.
AAPT is more than an association. It is a family of dedicated professionals who share a common purpose, support one another, and believe in the importance of what we do.
We may represent different school districts, communities, and positions, but we are united by one mission: ensuring that every student is transported safely and treated with the care and respect they deserve.
I recognize that our profession comes with challenges. We face staffing shortages, changing regulations, increasing responsibilities, and situations that require patience, flexibility, and teamwork. Yet, through it all, we continue to show up each day because we know our work matters.
That dedication is what makes our transportation community so remarkable.
As I begin my presidency, I want you to know that I am committed to leading with integrity, listening with an open mind, and working alongside each of you to make AAPT an even stronger association. I believe that great leadership begins with teamwork, mutual respect, and a willingness to learn from one another.
My hope is that every member, whether you have been involved with AAPT for many years or have just joined us, feels that you have a voice and a place within this association.
I am excited about the opportunities ahead and confident that, together, we can continue to make a positive difference in student transportation throughout Arizona.
Thank you for your trust, your support, and, most importantly, your dedication to the students and families you serve. Never underestimate the impact you make each day. The work you do extends far beyond the school bus and leaves a lasting impression on the lives of countless children.
As we begin this new chapter together, let us continue to support one another, celebrate our successes, embrace new opportunities, and always remember why we do what we do.
Because together, we are not just driving school buses.
WE ARE DRIVING AMERICA'S FUTURE!
With sincere appreciation and excitement for the future,
Deborah Hurt
President
Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation (AAPT)
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