Former METRO and School Bus Fleet (SBF) Publisher Frank Di Giacomo died in Cherry Hill, N.J., on May 9. He was 84.

“Frank was not only my boss for many years, but also a friend and mentor,” said METRO Executive Editor Alex Roman. “He will not only be missed by me, but also the many people he touched at Bobit (METRO and SBF’s parent company), as well as in the public transit, private motorcoach, and pupil transportation industries.”

Di Giacomo was involved in the public transportation, private motorcoach, and pupil transportation industries since 1981, when Bobit Business Media hired him as eastern sales manager for METRO and SBF.

In 1991 and 1992, Di Giacomo was named publisher for SBF and METRO, respectively, where he set the direction and tone of both magazines, both in sales and editorially.

“Anyone who had the pleasure to work with Frank over the past 40-plus years through METRO Magazine and SBF can tell you that he was first class all the time — honest, trustworthy, and fair,” said Former Publisher and current Sales Director, North America Transit at WideSense, Mark Hollenbeck. “METRO and SBF have been the gold standard in the industry for years, because Frank has dedicated his career to create something the entire industry looked toward for knowledge and integrity.”

He was also an active member of APTA's Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG), serving on the history, bylaws, outreach, meetings, and marketing/communications committees, and was associate publisher of Business in Motion, the official newsletter of APTA's Business Members.

In 2002, Di Giacomo was named ATPA’s Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member for his contributions to the industry. The award recognizes a member of transit's business community who has made significant contributions and shown extraordinary commitment to the industry.

“To me, Frank was one of the first people to reach out to me and welcome me into the business members group. He took the me to introduce me to all the players in the BMBG and said that I should get involved. He told me that involvement in the group was not only good for me but a way to give back to an industry that offers so much for so many,” said Buddy Coleman, chief customer officer and current chair of APTA’s BMBG. “Frank was an inspiration, a mentor, a gentleman but mostly a great friend.”

Upon his retirement in 2021, Di Giacomo was named Publisher Emeritus for both METRO and SBF and was also honored with a lifetime membership in the BMBG.

In addition to work in public transit, Di Giacomo was also a longtime active member of the National Association of Pupil Transportation (NAPT), a fixture at the association’s conferences and trade shows over the past three decades, and received NAPT's Distinguished Service Award in 2014.

He was also a great champion for motorcoach operators everywhere, through his work with the United Motorcoach Association and American Bus Association.

“Frank mentored and guided generations of professionals with his integrity, dignity, and passion,” said Ray Melleady, executive VP at United Safety Corp. “His contributions and friendship will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire all of us in this close-knit community he cared so much about.”

Di Giacomo’s visitation and funeral will be held May 15 from 10:00AM to 11:30AM at The Catholic Community of Christ Our Light Church, 402 North Kings Hwy., Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30AM Wednesday. Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr, NJ. Arr. by BOCCO of Cherry Hill. To offer condolences to the family, please visit: www.BoccoFuneralHome.com.