The Clinton County school district now has a new Transportation Director and the first female known to hold the position, as local native Tammy Parrish assumed those duties on January 18 and is getting accustomed to her new job and its responsibilities.

Parrish was born in Clinton County, but grew up in the northern states in her younger years, graduating in 1981 from Chrysler High School in New Castle, Indiana, before moving back to the Albany area.

Parrish takes over the position of Transporation Director following Larry Koger, who recently retired after serving in that position for many years.

The new director brings plenty of experience to the job, after having been a bus driver in the school district for the past 16 years. She was one of a few applicants for the position who went through the interview process after applying when the job opening was posted.

Parrish said first and foremost the safety of school children while on buses was the most important responsibility of a Transportation Director and said she became a bus driver herself because she had children in the school district (at the time she first became a driver). Making out bus routes and seeing day-to-day operations at the bus garage also are major aspects of the job as state regulations have to be met.

The winter season can also be about the busiest time for the Transportation Director, as they work in coordination with the superintendent, making the decision on whether to cancel, delay or dismiss school early in the event of winter weather. A lot of time is spent watching radars and many times actually traveling roadways to check on road conditions.

Parrish got an early taste of that as the winter storm that struck Clinton County recently occurred only days after she took over her new job duties.

“Right now I’m still learning on a day to day basis,” Parrish said. “I have been a driver and I know the difficulties driver’s face and what goes on.”

Currently, the school district has approximately 25 drivers on a daily basis and other than bus routes, drivers are also responsible for transporting students to and from sporting events, field trips, etc. Their job is keeping young people in the county safe.

Parrish said she hasn’t been in the position long enough to ascertain if there would be any type of changes in how the bus garage, routing and other aspects of the transportation department works, but added if there are any changes it would be for the betterment of all employees.

The Transportation Director also added she had worked with the drivers over the years and they were the best, which was one of the reasons she applied for the position. “The drivers we have are the best and I enjoy working with people that I know and trust and can work with.”

Parrish also thanked the school board and superintendent Charlotte Bernard for having confidence in her to do the job as Transportation Director for the schools.

Parrish and her husband Rick have four children, three sons, Seth, 31, Sean, 27, and Will, 23, a daughter, Jessie, 25, one daughter-in-law, Nikki Tallent Parrish and are proud grandparents to four-month old granddaughter Charlie Rose.