Barbara Townsend – NC Bus Driver of the Year
Best in NC! Thanking NCPTA for honoring our amazing National Express Shuttle & Transit team.
We’re so proud of bus driver Barbara Townsend’s 2023 Driver of the Year award from the North Carolina Public Transportation Association (NCPTA). She was recognized at NCPTA’s 2023 Annual Conference in Concord, NC.
Barbara’s story is a shining example of what makes our Shuttle and Transit team so special for working incredibly hard and giving back to their community.
Barbara, a fixed route bus driver for Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) in Greensboro, NC operated by National Express Transit, transformed her grief of losing two children into founding “Next Step Loved Ones.” Her nonprofit helps families experiencing the loss of a child.
Barbara spearheaded projects to clothe and feed the homeless with a winter clothing drive and Christmas dinner, and she supports children in need with an annual spring Fun Day treating local students to outdoor games, food and gift cards. Her plans include a Back to School Bash to provide school supplies to needy students as well as adopting two families from local schools this Christmas and a goal to open a homeless shelter.
Barbara also honors her 15-year-old son, Malik, who drowned in an area lake, by volunteering to ensure children in the area have swimming skills to keep them safe, and perhaps, save their lives. She supports Page High School’s scholarship fund and the Malik Ramirez Learn To Swim Program. An article in WFMY credits Barbara with launching a foundation and collaboration with Greensboro Aquatic Center and Guilford County Schools to provide free classes.
