Chad Lawrey Named 2026 MAPT Transportation Administrator of the Year

The Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) proudly recognized Chad Lawrey, Transportation Director for Proctor Public Schools, as the recipient of the 2026 Transportation Administrator of the Year Award during the annual Train the Trainer Conference in St. Cloud.

The award recognizes transportation leaders who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to providing safe and reliable transportation for Minnesota's students. With 32 years in the pupil transportation industry, Lawrey has built a reputation as a servant leader whose dedication extends far beyond managing buses and routes.

Throughout his career, Lawrey has fostered a culture built on trust, accountability, teamwork, and mutual respect. Colleagues describe him as a leader who leads by example—never asking his staff to do something he would not do himself. Whether covering a route, assisting with mechanical issues, responding to emergencies, or navigating difficult situations, Lawrey is known for stepping in wherever he is needed.

His leadership has created a transportation department that consistently delivers dependable service to students, families, faculty, coaches, and the Proctor community.

Behind that reliability is Lawrey's remarkable ability to solve problems and adapt to changing circumstances. From driver shortages and unexpected vehicle breakdowns to severe weather and last-minute schedule changes, he has repeatedly found creative solutions that keep students moving safely with little disruption.

One of Lawrey's greatest strengths is the extensive network of relationships he has built throughout northeastern Minnesota. His strong partnerships with neighboring school districts, transportation providers, and public safety agencies have enabled him to quickly mobilize resources when challenges arise. During periods of driver shortages, he has even coordinated with local law enforcement, including the Proctor Police Department, to help ensure transportation services continued without interruption.

Lawrey has also taken an innovative approach to one of the industry's greatest challenges: recruiting the next generation of school bus drivers.

Rather than simply responding to workforce shortages, he created opportunities for students by teaching a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) course through Proctor High School and surrounding school districts. This year alone, six students earned their CDL licenses through the program, helping build a future workforce while introducing young people to careers in transportation and logistics.

In his nomination, Proctor Public Schools Superintendent Tim Rohweder praised Lawrey's unwavering commitment to students and his community.

"Chad represents everything that a Transportation Administrator of the Year should embody: servant leadership, innovation, reliability, professionalism, collaboration, and an unwavering dedication to students and community," Rohweder wrote. "Our district is stronger because of his leadership, and I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this recognition."

For more than three decades, Lawrey has demonstrated that successful transportation leadership is about far more than buses and schedules. It is about investing in people, building relationships, developing future leaders, and ensuring every student has access to safe, dependable transportation.

MAPT congratulates Chad Lawrey on this well-deserved recognition and thanks him for his outstanding leadership and lasting contributions to pupil transportation in Minnesota.