August 24, 2026 — Every day in the Cobb County School District, about 1,000 buses are on the road getting students to and from school.
While families see the friendly face of the driver behind the wheel, the new Edulog technology that provides safety and security, and the excitement of their student when they step onto the bus each morning, they rarely see the work happening behind the scenes to make it all possible.
Before most students wake up for a new school day, Cobb staff at our bus shops are already on the job, preparing the District’s fleet of big yellow buses for the road.
When 5:30 a.m. rolls around each morning, mechanics and technicians across Cobb are hard at work checking each bus to ensure it is safe, reliable, and ready for students. The dedicated members of the Cobb Schools Transportation Department put each bus through a number of tests and checks to ensure that each student has a safe and enjoyable trip.
This dedication to excellence has caught the eye of peers from all across Georgia. Cobb Schools mechanic Dave Virostek was recently named Georgia's Bus Mechanic of the Year for 2026.
"I'm proud of myself for this recognition and proud to be a part of Cobb Schools," said Virostek.
Virostek has 40 years of experience as a mechanic and has been with Cobb Schools for more than seven years. He won the title of mechanic of the year during a statewide training day over the summer, where mechanics from all across Georgia took a written test, and the Cobb mechanic came away with the top score and a new title.
"It feels like an accomplishment to fix something, and it feels great to get a bus back out on the road," said Georgia's Bus Mechanic of the Year.
Virostek said a repair can take as little as 15 to 20 minutes once mechanics arrive on site, while the entire response can take about an hour to 90 minutes from the initial call.
Whether it's a quick fix with a new part or bringing a new bus altogether for a driver, the transportation team knows how important it is to work quickly so that students can arrive to class on time.
"Are we behind the scenes? Yeah, we're behind the scenes. You know, to me, we're not really talked about much and recognized much, but, you know, we're just doing our job," said Virostek.
Virostek said he and fellow mechanics are never ones to seek the spotlight, but wanted to give others a glimpse of the hard work that goes into ensuring bus operations run safely and smoothly every day.
Working from four bus hubs across Cobb County, the award-winning Cobb Schools Transportation team supports 72,544 daily bus riders, 870 routes, 875 drivers, and 37,530 bus stops while covering 68,673 miles each day.
