WHO WE ARE

Coastal Pacific Transportation (CPT) is locally owned and operated by Don Kissell.  Kissell has extensive experience in student transportation beginning his life-long passion for this industry by washing school buses as a young man in junior high school.  He has also provided executive leadership at the largest national companies prior to establishing CPT. Kissell has assembled a highly qualified and experienced team of transportation professionals to ensure the highest quality, reliability, and safety standards for the community. Our core values are to provide transportation experiences for our passengers with the utmost attention to safe operations and comfort. We respect the dignity of all people, a respect we extend to every passenger and driver. We never compromise safety.

MISSION STATEMENT

Coastal Pacific Transportation, LLC (CPT) is a full-service transportation company that provides convenient, safe, and cost-efficient mobility solutions for our customers.  Our mission is to connect passengers with education opportunities, employment, medical services, and recreation. We will provide excellence in service, never compromise on safety, protect the dignity and respect of our employees, passengers, and customers, provide peace of mind for working families and be known in the industry for our friendliness, timeliness, and reliability.  We commit to providing a safe and enjoyable ride.  We do transportation, and we do it well.

MEET THE TEAM

Donald Kissell
President/Chief Operating Officer

Donald Kissell, President/Chief Operating Officer for Coastal Pacific Transportation, has over 44 years of extensive leadership and safety experience in the student transportation industry. Kissell began his early career working for an independent operator in western Pennsylvania. In 1985, after being acquired by Laidlaw Transit, Inc., Kissell held increasingly progressive positions within the company. In 1999, Kissell left Laidlaw to operate an independently owned operation. Ten years later, he joined Student Transportation of America, Inc. as the Senior Vice President of the Western Region. Kissell’s responsibilities included oversight for multiple facilities, 2,500 vehicles and a budget of $150 million.

Kissell served on the board of the Pennsylvania School Bus Association and is a current member of the California Association of School Transportation Officials. He is the recipient of both the Golden Merit Award for safety presented by the National Safety Transportation Association, and the Award of Honor, presented by the American Family Institute.

Kissell is a graduate of Saint Francis University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He makes his home in the Santa Ynez Valley.

  • Andi Leonard

    Operations Manager/Certified Instructor

    Andi brings over 30 years of focused School Bus Driver instructor/training to CPT. Andi has an unwavering dedication and strong work ethic to provide quality, safe and reliable transportation through her training and instruction classes.

  • Miquel Chairez

    Shop Supervisor

    Miquel has 26 years of experience in fleet management and he ensures that the CPT fleet is ready to roll daily. Miquel provides preventative maintenance and troubleshoots any vehicle issues that arise.

  • Ashlee Ujano

    Operations Supervisor

    Ashlee provides evaluations and scheduling of training and other compliance matters for CPT. Ashlee’s 19 years of experience and her attention to detail is apparent in how she conveys policies, procedures and compliance information to customers, staff, and management.

  • Kathy Kerns

    Recruiting Supervisor

    Kathy has a rich 19 year history in the school bus transportation industry. Her passion for driver recruitment, hiring and retaining staff is evident in her work ethic and interpersonal skills.