Industry Veteran Dillman Named 2026 Grandolfo Award Winner

By: Taylor Ekbatani

14 July 2026 at 05:16

RENO, Nev. — Longtime school transportation director and certified driver trainer Sandy Dillman was named the 2026 Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence winner at STN EXPO West.

“It meant a lot to me. Linda and Peter meant a lot to me,” Dillman told School Transportation News after the award ceremony Monday morning. “I only had the pleasure of meeting Peter once, but safety is so important to me with students and the yellow school bus that is this award. I’ve had a rough year, and so, this award came at a perfect time for me. It’s humbling, but also an honor at the same time.”

The award, sponsored by Q’Straint/SureLok, was presented to Dillman during the day’s STN EXPO West opening session by Linda Grandolfo, Peter’s widow. Linda keeps Peter’s legacy alive by telling his story every year, enlightening newcomers and reminding frequent attendees of his impact on school transportation.

Linda Grandolfo described Dillman as a friend who has made amazing strides in the transportation of students with special needs. She is also someone who is very known in the industry for her work toward student safety.

“It was an incredible honor to give my dear friend Sandy Dillman the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award for her many many years of hard work in the industry, her kindness and her dedication,” Linda Grandolfo said.

Dillman logged more than three decades at Apple Valley Unified School District in California, where she started as a substitute school bus driver in 1988. She became a state-certified driver instructor, a transportation manager and in 2001 the district’s director of transportation. Dillman retired in 2019 to move with her husband Greg to Texas so they could spend more time with their children and grandchildren.

Her retirement lasted seven months, when she began working for consultant TransPar Group, and filled the director role at a couple of local school districts. She worked as the full-time director of transportation for Tomball Independent School District until her resignation earlier this year to start her own consultant business.

Among Dillman’s most notable accomplishments was developing a long-term school bus replacement program at Apple Valley in California. After managing what was once reportedly the oldest fleet in California, Dillman replaced the entire fleet over five to six years and established a process for replacing three to five buses annually. She also secured grants for diesel particulate filters, electric school buses and charging infrastructure.

It was at Apple Valley that she also implemented an electronic child reminder system for post-trip inspections before the state mandated the technology.

She was active in the California Association of School Transportation Officials, served in various leadership roles including president, and received the organization’s Arnita Moon Memorial Service Above Self Award. She also advocated for California’s student-crossing procedures and spoke nationally about illegal passing and school bus safety.

In Texas, she continued to serve the industry, both through her district and with the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation as well as the National Association of Pupil Transportation. She continues to help with registration and speaks at the STN EXPO and TSD Conference.

Dillman added she was surprised to hear that the award was based on a nomination.

“The thought that somebody took the time and cared enough to address what I’ve done in this industry, that has been my whole life,” she said. “I started driving a bus in 1987, and still going strong in [the industry in] 2026, which is crazy to me.”

She added that both of her children rode school buses, and now her grandkids do.

“It makes me feel good when my grandsons and my granddaughter come home from field trips and say, ‘I wore a seatbelt on my bus,’ and they’re proud of it,” Dillman continued. “So, it means a lot, and the whole STN family is very important to me, and I’m glad to be a part of it,” she concluded.

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