By Kyle Roberts

If you visit Jonathan Bonner for more than 10 minutes, you will quickly realize that his spiritual gift lies in service.

Whether it’s the school bus he drives early in the morning or the ribs he smokes for his food truck at night, no matter what role he holds, he’s always about taking care of others.

And he especially beams when he talks about how he drives his students by bus.

“For me, it’s a goal to build a connection with the kids,” Bonner said. “I think in the climate we live in, there aren’t enough adults in their lives that they can talk to about what they’re going through. I try to be the voice of reason for some of these kids in my neighborhood that I don’t normally see outside of the school system.”

Doc Hoefler, transportation director for the Lincoln Parish School Board, echoed Bonner’s statement about his care of the children.

“Bonner is willing to help in any way he can,” Hoefler said. “If we have a field trip or tutoring session and can’t find a driver, he usually drops things off so he can take over. If a child falls asleep or gets on the wrong bus, he makes sure they get home. And he’s very accommodating if the weather isn’t ideal for the kids.”

Bonner, a 2002 graduate of Ruston High School, began his career as a driver for his late father’s local taxi company, Ruston Express Transportation, when he reopened the company in 2011.

When Bonner isn’t driving, he can be found manning a barbecue pit, preparing food for his own Big Boyz Smokehouse food truck. Bonner credits his passion for cooking as a way to stay in touch with his father, who sadly passed away in 2016.

“I spent a lot of my free time with him,” Bonner said of his father Leroy. “I learned a lot from him. To fill the void I had from not being able to spend time with him anymore, I just started cooking.”

It is certainly something that has brought joy to Bonner – and also to those who enjoy his cooking, which breathes life into him the most.

“I’m so grateful for the appreciation that people show me,” Bonner concluded. “I love it when someone orders something from us and is amazed at how heavy it is. Especially because in this economic climate, you don’t always get what you pay for.”