At a recent state conference of the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (M.A.P.T.), Josh Gibson, mechanic for the PPPS Transportation Department, was named the 2025 Michigan Technician of the Year.
In a letter of nomination for this award, PPPS Transportation Director Angela Vasquez stated the following:
We recognize and celebrate staff in our transportation department at Paw Paw Public Schools as often as possible. My expertise is in all things related to bus driving and leadership. I am not a wrench. The knowledge and experience our mechanic brought to us actually made me a better Transportation Director. But this is not about me.
Josh Gibson has been the Lead Mechanic in the Transportation Department at Paw Paw Public Schools since September 2023. He came in like a wrecking ball, and the impact of his presence was impressive and necessary. Josh went through our fleet with fine-tooth comb precision and brought it up to his standard, resulting in all buses passing the state inspection with zero red tags for two consecutive years. Josh has worked hard to improve the bus fleet, recognizing overdue preventative maintenance issues and implementing the necessary steps to keep the fleet in top shape. Josh is an excellent role model for positive growth within the department. In addition to performing his job well, he is a team player who makes it a point of encouraging others. Josh is dependable, reliable, and always prioritizes safety. Josh can usually be found repairing a bus or maintenance equipment, while researching the most cost-efficient solution for the repair. It is also quite common for Josh to utilize his own innovations to solve problems. Josh is an invaluable asset to the Transportation Department and Paw Paw Public Schools. He continues to demonstrate an excellent work ethic through hard work and integrity, and this is why I’m proud to nominate Josh Gibson for MAPT Technician of the Year (2025).