Gary Crumbacker: Propane Proponent Service Center Manager
School District of Indian River County, Florida Gary Crumbacker’s day can be divided into five duties: Fleet oversight, staff supervi-
sion, safety and compliance, communications and managerial duties. He manages the scheduled maintenance of the 100 school buses and 90 support vehicles, ensuring that all vehicles meet safety and compliance standards. This involves coordinating with me- chanics, overseeing inspections and addressing any mechanical issues promptly. Crumbacker, who’s been a mechanic at the district since 1986, said he oversees a staff
of seven technicians (one part-time), and one warehouse foreman. Supervising in- cludes daily briefings, scheduling shifts, monitoring performance and production rates, addressing concerns and ensuring all staff adhere to safety protocols and district poli- cies. He ensures garages and warehouse operations comply with local, state and federal transportation regulations. On top of all that, he said he is responsible for transportation budgeting related to garage and warehouse operations as well as monitoring inventory management, vendor coordination and record keeping. “Overall, my role is to provide leadership and support that ensures students are trans-
ported safely, while maintaining high standards of service and operational excellence,” he said, adding that the best part of his job is the people he works with. Crumbacker said Indian River runs a 100-percent propane fleet, resulting in less cost-
ly repairs. “We’ve taken steps to reduce our environmental footprint while improving efficiency and reliability,” he said, adding that they are also replacing 22-year-old bus lifts, upgrading lighting and the shop air compressor. Another tool, he said, is the use of real-time GPS to track bus location, which allows him to quickly respond to mechanical concerns or emergencies. The system, he said, also provides alerts for mechanics when vehicles are experiencing concerns, which helps the district be more preventive maintenance driven—minimizing downtime and extending fleet life. He said, he is working on implementing a digital fleet management system that will replace paper logs. “This will help streamline inspections, reduce human error and signifi- cantly cut down on paper use,” he said. “Overall, these efforts have made our shop more efficient, environmentally responsible and forward-think- ing—benefiting both the school district and the broader community.” Crumbacker is a graduate of Nashville Auto
Diesel College, is ASE Master Heavy truck cer- tified and a Florida school bus safety inspector. Additionally, Crumbacker serves on the high school auto shop advisory board, which consists of meeting twice a year to review the curriculum for Vero Beach High School. He said they go over shop trends and needs, student certificates and testing, shop equipment they are being trained on and what local shops are looking for in a new employee. ●
46 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2025
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