Stan the LX driver is coming back to Rutgers

Stan McNeil has been nominated for the People’s Choice Mark Award at this year’s Mark Leadership Conference.

For their 4th annual show, leaders of the Mark Leadership Conference revealed Stan McNeil has been nominated for the People’s Choice Mark Award.

For those of you who don’t know who Stan is, for years he was Rutgers’ beloved LX bus driver, who offered words of hope and wisdom to each and every student who boarded his bus.

Stan our man — the legendary LX bus driver — will be on campus for one of the first times since his departure on March 5th for the 2016 Mark Conference. 

There was never a silent or boring bus ride with Stan.

But one day in 2013 Stan’s unforgettable two year journey with Rutgers came to a controversial end.

After openly praying for a wheelchair-bound student on the bus one day, it is said he was given the option to resign as a result of a safety violation not revealed to the public, rather than his prayer.

Although the NJ Transit company said they respected his faith, Stan and many students believe the reason behind his being asked to resign was his religious action.

A petition to bring back Stan ensued and gathered more than 8,000 supporters but was to no avail.

November 2013

Now, Stan is back for this event to share his love and inspiration once again with his beloved Rutgers students.

This year, the Mark Conference will not only be bringing back one familiar face, but along with it special stars we’ve all come to know. One of these speakers will be Ron Clark, the principal who was cool enough to do the nae nae with his students, which turned into a viral video.

Speakers will include: Kacy Catanzaro, the first American Ninja Warrior, deaf rapper Sean Forbes who was signed to Eminem’s Production Company, social movement founder Alex Sheen as well as Rutgers alum and Time Person of the Year Ella Watson-Stryker.

In past years, the conference has hosted Laverne Cox from Orange is the New Black and even the White House Pastry Chef, who are there to encourage and inspire the students with their words about how they may leave their “mark” on the world.

The event is known to bring 20+ speakers, including nine student speakers, who give TED Talk-type speeches, in which the speakers tell their story and how they made their mark in the world.

Student and Mark Conference PR guy Aaron Desire was one of the nine student speakers at the event last year and said it was one of the best times he had here.

The conference is unconventional, mixing up the motivational speeches with breakout sessions, meet and greets and energizing activities such as laser tag, African Drum Circle and balloon pit.

The event will be held in the Livingston Student Center from 10am to 6pm, food included.

Tickets are on sale for $20 until Monday, at which point they’ll go up to $25.