Ryan Janowski: ‘Old School Knowledge’ Mechanic Coordinator
Klein Independent School District, Texas Ryan Janowski, a master
ASE school bus technician, started working on engines with his dad when he was a kid, being inspired by diesel
engines and buses. He’s now logged a total of 24 years in the pupil transportation industry. His day-to-day operations include creating work
orders, answering emails, coordinating with dispatch about breakdowns and answering various questions from team members. In addition to working on school buses, he also helps KISD police officers when they have issues with their vehicles and maintains all other department vehicles. In all, he works on 300 school buses and 500 district vehicles alongside 12 to 13 people in the maintenance facility. “Getting to teach the new generation old school
knowledge of mechanics,” he said of his favorite part of his job. Within the past five years, he said shop upgrades
included a new parking lot, a new fuel bay and office spaces. Outside of work, Janowski enjoys going to car shows and working on cars. His advice for newcomers in the industry is to “keep with it, it will pay off.”
Tom McCraken: Sharing Years of Experience Garage Manager W.L. Roenigk Inc | Leechburg Area SD, New Kensington-Arnold SD & Burrell SD, Pennsylvania
Tom McCraken, a 45-year
veteran of the industry, said his biggest piece of advice is to get hands-on experience with real people. “Your biggest asset in life and in this field is working with and learning
from others,” he said. “These people are who you can rely on for advice on fixing an engine or your life. They are invaluable with their help and knowledge.” McCraken started in the industry as a part-time van mechanic in the evenings as a way of earning extra money. He started working full time in 1979, eventu- ally finding himself in a management position. Now, his garage currently has 110 to 125 vehicles including
40 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2025
school buses and vans that service three different school districts: New Kensington-Arnold School District, Burrell School District and Leechburg Area School District. He said his day starts at 4:30 a.m. handling dispatch and the management side of the operation. “Some may call it organized chaos,” he said, adding that additional responsibilities include reworking coverage for routes from call-offs, assigning spare vehicles for breakdowns and managing equipment problems. McCraken is the main point of contact for all three school districts, his opinion trusted by the superin- tendents to make decisions when adverse weather conditions hit. “We always figure it out in the end and everything that needs to be done gets done,” he added. “It’s a team effort and we all work together to get every-
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