Aaron Harris grew up around pupil transportation - his father sold textiles to the industry.

In a recent interview by School Bus Fleet, Aaron Harris, Regional Sales Representative/Training Coordinator for BESI, Inc., was recognized as a "mover and shaker" and gave his insights on the future of student transportation.

What are your key responsibilities in your job?
I am the training coordinator and a regional sales representative for BESI Inc. and Tie Tech LLC. On any given day, I could be meeting with one of the bus manufacturers, training a school district on use of child restraint systems, working with dealers in the Southeast, or working with management on marketing strategy and product diversity.

When and how did you first become involved in the school bus industry?
I actually grew up around pupil transportation because my father sold textiles to the industry. In the summer, Dad would take the family around to the state and national trade shows, and we would vacation while he worked. I actually met the president and founder of BESI at a trade show years later, and within a couple of months, I was working with them.

Tell us about any involvement you have with industry associations.

I am a member of NAPT, the NASDPTS supplier council and NSTA. I attend the NASDPTS annual conference and supplier council meetings, and we recently became a member of NSTA after attending the last three conferences.

What's the best advice that someone has given you in your career?
Always be upfront and honest with your customers, even when you have bad news. They may not like what you are telling them, but they will appreciate your honesty.

How do you think the industry will change over the next 20 years or so?
I see more young children on large school buses every year, with a push for pre-K education. I think the average age of ridership will continue to decrease. I also think that technology will continue to be incorporated into the bus, making it even safer than it is now.

Do you see a need for the industry to attract more young people?
There have definitely been a lot of important people in the industry who have recently retired. I believe that we need some young, motivated people to step up as transportation officials and contractors, and on the supplier side as well. For this industry to continue to grow, we need to recruit and retain people who can innovate without losing sight of our mission: safely transporting our children.

The full article can be viewed here at www.schoolbusfleet.com