09 Aug 2023 Greenbrier Schools’ head mechanic and school bus route coordinator retires

By Carol Rolf

Greenbrier is home for Randall Reed. “I grew up here, went to school here, worked here and still live here,” Reed said, laughing. “I turned 62 on June 19. I had already decided it was time to retire after working for the school district for 43 years, but I haven’t slowed down just yet.”

Reed retired at the end of the school year as the head mechanic and school bus route coordinator for Greenbrier Public Schools. In addition to recognition on his retirement, Reed was recognized by the Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation with the Arkansas School Transportation Hall of Honor Award at the association’s annual conference in June in Hot Springs.

“Mr. Reed represents the very best in his field. We are so proud for him to receive this deserving award. Randall has served the kids in this district for over 40 years and we will absolutely miss him,” said Greenbrier Superintendent Scott Spainhour.

“The Transportation Hall of Honor is an honor given to those long-standing school transportation professionals who have dedicated their life and career to ensuring that students are transported safely,” said Mike Simmons, the public school program coordinator for transportation with the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation. “The award is not only based on their job but the impact that they have on their community. There have been, I think, 27 recipients prior to Randall. The award is presented annually at the Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation Conference.”

The Greenbrier Public Schools Transportation Department was also recognized at the recent conference, receiving a 2023 AAPT Safety Award for being one of the sixth safest school bus fleets in the state.

“I started school here in the Head Start program in 1966,” Reed said. “I graduated from Greenbrier High School in 1977 and took a job as a mechanic with Ryder Truck Rental, where I stayed for about a year. I had always worked while I was in school during the summer, seventh grade until I graduated, working under the CETA program (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, which provided summer jobs to low-income high school students, as well as jobs for low-income and long-term unemployed individuals) and spent my time in the bus shop. I pretty much taught myself how to work on small engines.

“I was hired by the school district in June 1980,” he said. “I was a one-man shop. There was nobody else here with me. The superintendent told me the shop was ‘yours to run the way you want to.’ The bus shop was right in front of his office so he could keep an eye on me if he had wanted to.”

Reed said the district had 13 buses at that time.

“We have grown to 52 buses, serving pre-K through high school,” he said, adding, “I’ve grown with the district. Our buses travel hundreds of miles a day. “I drive a bus, too,” he said, laughing. “I’ve enjoyed my career here at Greenbrier Public Schools. We are all family.”  

Reed and his wife, Leigh, have been together for 27 years. They have a blended family of four adult children and seven grandchildren. They also have a menagerie of animals on their farm near Greenbrier – horses, donkeys, dogs, chickens and even peacocks, which Reed raises and sells. Leigh Reed retired three years ago from Greenbrier Public Schools; she also drove a school bus. “She is already a substitute bus driver,” he said. “I guess I will become one, too.”

Reed said he was “surprised” by the recent honor. “They blindsided me,” he said, laughing.

Longtime friend and co-worker, Patty Holiday, was at the awards banquet as well. “I’ve known Randall for a long time,” she said, adding that she has worked with Greenbrier Public Schools for 25 years. “I’ve only worked with him for about two years. But I was secretary at the elementary school for several years and had to call on him for many things. Last year, I was transferred to the transportation department as secretary. He was my boss.

“I’ve grown up here, too … gone to school here all my life,” she said. “Randall was a good boss. He knows his stuff really well.”

Holiday, who is also a bus driver, plans to continue her job with the Greenbrier Public Schools transportation department. “I just turned 62 as well,” she said. “Randall is a week older than me. I plan to keep working … to build up my retirement. “I know I’ll be calling on Randall to be a sub next year,” she said, smiling.