Michael Brown
President/Founder Michael’s Transportation Service, California
Michael Brown is not only the founder of the employee-owned company that bears his name, Michael Brown
Transportation Service or MTS, but has been serving stu- dents in California since 1982. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a single van to a multi-termi- nal operation in Vallejo, Sacramento, Stockton, San Jose, and Watsonville, California. Brown started in the industry in 1986 when he and wife
Paulette bought a van to pick up young people for Sunday school at their church. “What began as a small act of service grew into a full-fledged company…serving school dis- tricts, churches, nonprofits and community organizations throughout Northern California,” Brown said. “Over nearly four decades—39 years now—I’ve worn every hat: Driver, mechanic, dispatcher, manager, and now president and founder.” Brown also created the MTS training Academy, which
was born out of the nationwide school bus driver short- age. He said the company wanted to create a pipeline of highly qualified drivers for the entire state of California and beyond. The purpose was three-fold, he shared, to provide anyone with a career path in transportation, train drivers to exceed CHP and DMV standards, and strengthen com- munities by placing safe, responsible drivers behind the wheel. “The academy is open to anyone, not just MTS ap- plicants,” Brown explained. “Many of our graduates go on to work us, for school districts, other contractors, or even commercial carriers. Our reputation has been built on the fact that we don’t just train driver, we mentor them, equip them for success and often change their lives.” Brown was named 2025 Contractor of the Year by School Bus Fleet and has been honored by state and local officials for outstanding contributions to workforce development.
Churches and nonprofits have recognized him for faith- based leadership and service. “The vision behind MTS was never just about buses It was about service,” Brown said. “We wanted to provide safe, reliable transportation that built community. … But the greater growth has been in values. We became an employ- ee stock ownership plan company because I believe that ownership transforms people. My leadership has always focused on faith, integrity, and empowerment. I remind our team that MTS is not just a business. It’s a ministry of service, where we put people before profits and treat every child as if they were our own.” He noted that he often says, “We don’t just drive buses, we
drive the future.” Brown said he sees MTS continuing to expand its
footprint in California and beyond, “while deepening our commitment to employee ownership. We want to grow our charter operations and expand the training academy into a statewide hub for workforce development. “Personally, my goal is to keep empowering the next
generation of leaders so that MTS continues long after me,” he continued. “Legacy isn’t about buildings or buses. It’s about people. In five years, I want to see MTS known not just as a transportation company but as a model of what an employee-owned, values-driven business can achieve.” Dr. April Brown, MTS chief operating officer, said in her
nomination, “Michael Brown has created more than a com- pany. He’s built a legacy rooted in faith, family and freedom through the company ESOP. His leadership has touched lives across California, restored dignity to the overlooked, and created economic mobility for countless families.”
Krystal Tenace General Manager
Durham School Services, New York Krystal Tenace was looking for a job after high school that would allow her to keep
her weekends free. Her first job as a bus assistant launched into a now 19-year career in student transportation. She became a school bus driver in 2011 and then a driver trainer in 2015. In the summer of 2020, she became the safety and training supervi-
44 School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2025
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