Trobec ’ s Bus Service has been a staple in Central Minnesota since 1938 when their company opened . There was a need to take older children from the small town of St . Stephen to a neighboring city that had a high school . That is when Tony Trobec purchased his first bus and began bringing children to school . Since then , the company has blossomed into what it is today - a school bus and motorcoach company , serving two school districts and a large part of Central Minnesota . Today , Trobec ’ s operates nearly 70 school buses , 14 motorcoaches , and two mini coaches and employ about 120 people .
Bethany Schubert and Becca ( Schubert ) Atkinson grew up in the bus industry , as their dad was the General Manager for Trobec ’ s Bus when they were young . Both had dreams of a career far away from the bus company , but as they grew into young adults , their passion for the business grew too . The two girls used to beg their dad to take them to work with him in the summer so that they could spend the day at the bus garage . Riding along on bus trips he was driving , led to a bond on the road that has led them to where they are today .
Bethany didn ’ t intend to follow in her father ’ s footsteps , but after taking a temporary job detailing and cleaning buses while on Christmas break from Winona State where she was studying nursing , she realized Trobec ’ s Bus felt like home , and she never went back to college there . Since then , Bethany has worn many hats , but the role of visionary is one she loves most , and she will say she does some of her best thinking while in the wash bay or behind the wheel of a bus . Bethany is proud to be the First Vice president of the Minnesota School Bus Operator ’ s Association , and also holds a board position on the UMA Board of Directors .
Her sister , Becca Atkinson , also works for Trobec ’ s Bus as the company ’ s sales manager . Becca began working for Trobec ’ s when there was a need to hire a manager for their school bus routes . Becca came in that summer and helped the team pull off the start of the school year flawlessly . She finished college the following year , and began her work in community psychology . After a while , that job began to take a toll on her mental health and she was looking for something else . Tim Schubert was out of the office for an extended period of time , and Bethany was finding it difficult to run the business alone . That ’ s when her and Becca came up with the idea to propose to their dad that Becca should join the
family business . It took a little bit of convincing , but he was on board . Becca began as a dispatcher , and held that role for a few years until moving into her current role . Becca is not afraid to get behind the wheel of a bus , and helps out as often as needed cleaning buses on the nights and weekends . She is also excited for the future possibilities of taking on volunteer positions in the many associations we are a part of .
Together , with the guidance of their father , the Schubert sisters have stepped up to lead Trobec ’ s Bus into an exciting new era . Under their leadership , the business has completely transformed . From the way they manage expectations and accountability , to their sales and dispatch processes , training , and more , they are always looking towards the future . They are constantly pushing each other , and their team , to be the best they can be . They are excited for what the future holds for them , and they look forward to pushing the industry forward With the two women at the helm , Trobec ’ s was honored to receive the Small Operator Vision Award from UMA in 2018 and the BUSRide Magazine Industry Achievement Award in 2019 .
In 2020 Bethany received the 5 Under 40 Award , an award that recognizes young leaders in Central Minnesota that are raising the bar and setting standards for other business leaders . Trobec ’ s is proud to be members of ABA , UMA , Spader , Women in Buses , Minnesota School Bus Operator ’ s Association , and Minnesota Charter Bus Operator ’ s Association , along with many local organizations .
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