Thomas “Scotty” McGoldrick was recently named Pennsbury’s 2019 School Bus Driver of the Year by transportation director Charlie Williams at the bus drivers’ annual kick-off meeting last month. McGoldrick, who has served as a Pennsbury driver for 17 years, currently transports students on bus No. 123 to Oxford Valley Elementary School, the middle school campus, and to Pennsbury High School. He also drives students on classroom extension trips.
McGoldrick was born in Motherwell, Scotland, a steel mill town 12 miles from Glasgow. His colleagues often call him “Scotty” as a result of his warm, Scottish accent. McGoldrick came to the United States in 1958 and joined the U.S. Army in 1959. Following his training at Fort Dix and Fort Hood, McGoldrick was stationed in Germany with the 51st Infantry 1st Armored Division. He still recalls the harsh imagery of the Berlin Wall during his time there, which occurred during the tense Cuban Missile Crisis.
Prior to joining Pennsbury, McGoldrick served for many years as a driver for a regional trucking company and as a machine operator for the A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company and for IBM.
An active musician, McGoldrick began playing the trumpet when he was 12 years old. He played in the Boys’ Brigade bugle and pipe bands as well as the Salvation Army Band in Scotland. Today, he still performs with the 70-member Tri-County Band in local parades, veterans’ homes, retirement communities, and at the Grange Fair.
McGoldrick raised his family in the Pennsbury School District and now enjoys his clan of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He also likes getting to know his student passengers and their family members.
“I try and make their ride as pleasant as possible,” he said. “I love the kids.”
Although he admitted the middle school students can be his biggest challenge.
“You have to remain as calm as you can,” he said with a smile.
McGoldrick is known to use the catch phrase, “What seems to be the major malfunction?” to the delight of his students and colleagues.
