Orange-Ulster BOCES Supervisor of Transportation Patricia Milburn honored by the Tri-County Association for Pupil Transport

Orange-Ulster BOCES Supervisor of Transportation Patricia Milburn recently received the Public Transportation Leader of the Year award from the Tri-County Association for Pupil Transport, a chapter of the New York Association for Pupil Transport.

“I was surprised and very honored to receive the award,” Ms. Milburn said. “It’s quite an honor.”

Ms. Milburn oversees OU BOCES cooperative transportation service for 12 school districts. The service, which transports students to 35 schools, allows districts to split expenses and share more than 60 routes. The transportation service also offers bus driver staff development and training.

 “Patti has worked tirelessly her entire career to ensure the safety of students and it is obvious that she takes this responsibility seriously,” said BOCES Director of Operations Mark Coleman. “I am so happy that she is finally getting the recognition she deserves.”

Ms. Milburn started her transportation career as school bus driver in the Warwick Valley Central School District, where she became a New York State 19-A certified examiner. She is also a New York State school bus driver master instructor.

Ms. Milburn recently retired as the Director of School Bus Transportation at the Greenwood Lake Union Free School District.

 “Of all the accomplishments and obstacles that Patricia Milburn has overcome, the one thing that stands out is her ability to listen to others,” said Greenwood Lake’s school bus dispatcher Robert Sick, who worked closely with Ms. Milburn for many years. “She has an open door policy to all who need to speak with her. She leads by doing, and as such others follow.”