School Bus Driver Valery Wilson Shares Her Love for the Job

Pictured (l to r): Superintendent Martin Mahan, Michael Carter, and Valery Wilson.

Even after more than 30 years of driving a school bus for Fort Smith Public Schools, Valery Wilson’s job never gets old. 

“I like driving,” Wilson said. “I always have.”

With a simple “good morning” to every student each day — combined with her contagious smile and positive demeanor — Wilson exudes warmth and happiness to everyone she meets. 

“We are thankful to have her,” FSPS Director of Transportation Dennis Siebenmorgen said. “I could use 100 like her. Whether it is a last-minute trip or filling in for other drivers, Ms. Wilson is willing to assist wherever she is needed.”

Growing up in Hamburg in southeast Arkansas, Wilson became a bus driver after her sister obtained her CDL. Family connections eventually brought Wilson to Fort Smith, and she has remained here ever since. 

In addition to driving the bus, Wilson has served as a paraprofessional at Northside High School for 25 years. Crediting the district with providing good pay and benefits for both jobs, Wilson’s day starts at 6:40 a.m. and ends around 4:40 p.m. 

Well-liked by her colleagues, Wilson’s aide on the bus has nothing but positive things to say about her.

“She’s amazing,” Michael Carter, a bus aide and Northside High School paraprofessional, said while also crediting Wilson’s experience with ensuring everything operates smoothly on the bus.

Despite the many changes in the school bus industry over the years, navigating the changes has been easy for Wilson. From transitioning to buses with air conditioning to improved safety for students and drivers, Wilson has embraced each new change. While the benefits have only improved, the challenges, such as ensuring students’ safety, have remained constant. 

“You have to be on your guard when kids are exiting and entering the bus,” Wilson said. 

While Wilson enjoys driving and seeing other parts of the state on some of the trips, the students remain the focus of her work.

“You just see them growing up,” Wilson said, referring to students who start riding the bus when they are young and then eventually graduate. “I just love being around the children.”