Retiree Tributes

It’s hard to believe Larry Zile is retiring after 37 years at McDonogh -- 31 of those as the Director of Transportation. During his tenure, McDonogh’s bus fleet grew from 10 to 24 qualifying it as one of the largest privately operated school fleets in the mid-Atlantic. Covering five counties, it certainly earns the distinction of being the most complex! He even instituted the “late bus” system in 1992 to enable our Upper School students participate in more of the evening activities at school.

There’s really no manual to teach the skills required to run a complex bus operation. So how did Larry learn the skills he demonstrates every day in the efficient and safe operation of McDonogh’s fleet? Perhaps it was his two tours with the Marines in Vietnam where he was responsible for managing the movement of artillery units around the country.

Wheels are definitely Larry’s “thing.” Outside of school, he has competed in professional speed rollerskating competitions and he brags that his team beat out much younger teams at the nationals. Larry was also on a nationally ranked rifle team, which competed at shooting distances of over a quarter of a mile.

Larry, we are grateful for your many years of service to McDonogh, but more importantly for the more than 11 million miles of safe student transportation that you managed for the school.

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