Who WE Are – Josh Baran

Joshua Baran loves his job as a Colonial bus driver, but not because he came in first place for the district at Delaware’s Safe Driving Competition or “Road-E-O,” and went to the International Competition in North Carolina to represent the entire state. Baran loves his job because of his passengers. “I love the feeling of making a difference in the lives of our students. Although students are only on the bus for 20-30 minutes at a time, I get to connect with them and be the first smiles they see outside of the home,” he says.

Baran has been among the drivers making the rounds during the district-wide shut down because of COVID-19. The task of delivering thousands of meals to students is tough and can be overwhelming, but Baran jumped at the chance to do what has to be done during Delaware’s State of Emergency. “Working on the front line and feeding the children of Colonial Nation is extremely rewarding. Seeing students smiling and running up to the bus to get their bags of food makes it all worth it,” Baran says.

Even though Baran has only been a bus driver since 2018, he says he’s found a home in a district where he feels supported and now enjoys training other drivers. With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, he also works in the Transportation Division’s office lending support to dispatchers and supervisors when needed.