Since 2018, Jovan Jackson has competed for the top spot in the Texas Association for School Bus Technicians annual Texas Best School Bus Inspector competition.
A flurry of second and third place finishes have filled his resume. Jackson has continuously strived to be the best in Texas. Finally, this past summer he did it.
In July, hosted at nearby Cy-Fair ISD Transportation, Jackson took home first place in the Texas Best School Bus Inspector competition. His first win after multiple top three finishes.
“It was a shocker,” Jackson said. “Then they called my name and I was like no way.”
This marks back-to-back years that Humble ISD Transportation has been home to the best inspector in the State of Texas. In 2022, Juan Flores won the same competition.
“They are very intense,” Flores said of the competition, which includes more than 100 bus technicians from across the state. “You have different levels of technicians who are all competing trying to find issues on a bus that has been bugged by the board. It was very nerve racking.”
The inspection competition includes a written exam and hands-on portion, which covers school bus systems and components, inspection proficiency, electrical systems, brakes, engines, suspensions, drive trains, body systems, visually inspecting school buses for early signs of component wear and deterioration and the ability to inspect buses in a systematic and logical manner to ensure all defects are identified and duly noted for repairs.
As the competition goes, Flores said they throw in some curveballs to catch them off guard such as flipping the license plate upside down or switching out the LED tail lights on one side and not the other.
Winning this competition is something that Flores and Jackson talk about with boastfulness because it represents the pride they put into their daily work on keeping Humble ISD buses safe.
The fact that in back-to-back years Humble ISD has brought home the top award for the inspector competition, Jackson says shows their commitment to safety.
“That speaks volumes and it is very important because safety is first,” Jackson said. “I have kids who ride the bus from time to time and I think about my kids as they get on that bus. Is this bus road-worthy? I will fine tooth comb everything.”
District buses undergo daily pre and post-trip inspections, according to Humble ISD Director of Transportation J.P. Burd. On top of that, bus technicians walk the lot and point out deficiencies as they see them. The entire fleet also undergoes annual safety inspections with a fine-toothed comb and buses come in every 3,000 miles for PMI services.
To have a pair of technicians be the best in Texas in back-to-back years exemplifies the very strong safety culture that Humble ISD prides itself on.
“We have some amazing folks out in our shop.” Burd said. “Behind-the-scenes folks that don’t always get recognized. We are extremely proud of them and very happy that we can fully support them in the important roles they play in ensuring Humble ISD buses are safe every day.”