July 1, 2025
Sumter County Schools District Mechanic Wins State Bus Inspector Competition
By Kyle Coppola
Sumter County Schools District Mechanic Wins State Bus Inspector Competition
The Sumter County School District is celebrating a major achievement as James Barnes, a district mechanic, claimed first place in the prestigious Florida’s Best Bus Inspector Competition, held last week in Osceola County. One thing residents of Sumter County can be assured about is that any bus their children climb aboard is well taken care of. Mr. Barnes is among the best mechanics in Florida.
The event, organized annually by the Florida Association for Pupil Transportation (F.A.P.T.), brings together top inspectors from school districts across the state to demonstrate their expertise in school bus safety and inspections. Barnes outperformed competitors from several counties to secure the top spot.
Barnes, who joined the district’s Transportation Department in December 2023, was trained and certified as a bus inspector under the guidance of Transportation Coordinator Jason Mendoza. His quick progression and dedication to the role have earned him statewide recognition. He previously placed third in the 2024 competition.
“This is a proud moment for our district,” Mendoza said. “James has shown exceptional commitment to safety and excellence. His growth and success reflect the high standards we uphold in Sumter County.”
A common sight. James Barnes can be found taking good care of the Sumter County School Busses.
The district has a strong track record in the competition, finishing first in 2023, third in 2024, and now reclaiming the top position in 2025.
The Sumter County School District congratulates Barnes on his outstanding achievement and thanks him for his continued dedication to student safety and transportation excellence.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
