School Transportation Nation

Transfinder announced its annual Top Transportation Teams award winners, the industry is concerned about autonomous vehicles ignoring school bus stop arms, and two federal grants provide opportunities for school transportation emergency training. Veteran transportation leader Jim Schiffler draws on his personal and family experience in the school bus industry to offer thoughtful advice on building...

Summer plans, school bus driver fatigue, diesel dominance and a student transportation safety reminder after an elephant killed a mother walking to school with her kids in India. Director of Transportation Richard Jimenez shares why AI is not something to fear and how he leverages it in his operations at Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in Southern California. He will participate in a...

Tony and Taylor are back with their recommendations on sessions you must attend at STN EXPO West in July. It's a packed conference and trade show including an in-demand mentorship program, CEO Tech Talks, military-inspired leadership and the Best of the Dick & Pete Show. Dr. Michael Hout, professor of psychology and kinesiology at New Mexico State University, joins Ryan to discuss research into il...

We examine a school bus shooting in Pennsylvania, how the federal BUILD 250 Act would cut Safe Streets and Roads for All funding, and transportation's role in student absenteeism. Speaker, author and branding expert Bruce Turkel shares why it's important for school bus operations to build a brand in an age of increasing multi-modality, discusses leveraging emotions over facts to reach the right au...

Summer break is upon us but student transporters are already ramping up for the new school year amid financial challenges. Plus, the June issue of School Transportation News magazine is out, and a camera caught a scary illegal passing incident that injured a student in Florida. Ryan Hahn, owner of Strategic School Consultants and a former transportation director, sheds light on current school dist...

We analyze what 188 school districts shared in a survey about fuel prices, the impact of world events and the upcoming Clean School Bus Program, timely discussion planned for STN EXPO West in July, and a California school bus driver recognized by the state. With 10 years' experience in the industry, Griffin Scott, supervisor of fleet advisory and analytics at RTA: The Fleet Success Company, discus...

We discuss fuel cost anxiety and the impact of a proposed federal fuel tax suspension, plus safety lessons to learn from the latest student pedestrian fatality in New York City. What should you consider before buying a bus? Isaac Linson, CEO of BusesForSale.com, joins us to discuss current school bus market trends and tips for buying or selling buses remotely. Read more about operations. Episode s...

Tony and Ryan discuss takeaways from the ACT EXPO this past week in Las Vegas, which took a deep dive into clean fuel choices, autonomous vehicles, robotics in manufacturing, electrification interest and more. Director of Transportation Anthony Jackson joins us to discuss the operational, cost and health benefits of propane usage at Bibb County School District in Georgia. Read more about green bus...

More U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news and webinars on funding, plus how clean energy demand intersects with AI's need for resources. Conversations continue at ACT EXPO this week and the  Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO West in July. "The tragedy will never leave you." Shocking real-life stories abound in this special extended episode as 91-year-old industry legend and consultant Richard "Dic...

Safety and training are forefront as the NTSB is investigating a Tennessee school bus crash that killed two teenage girls and an Oregon school bus driver was arrested for allegedly transporting students while intoxicated. Plus, new Clean School Bus program details are incoming, just in time for STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada this July. Jim Levine, founder of the School Transportation Active Threat...

We cover industry shoutouts, conference connections, a terrifying bus vs. train encounter and Diesel Emissions Reduction Act updates. "One thing about transportation [is] it's never boring."Transportation Supervisor Melody Best offers a behind-the-scenes look at how operations are handled in Kenai Peninsula Borough School District in Alaska amid adverse weather, multiple school closures, budget cu...

Conversations on a fatal Texas school bus crash that killed two girls last month, a new funding strategies playbook that includes transportation opportunities, and the National School Bus Inspection Training Program offered at STN EXPO East and STN EXPO West . Keith Corso identified operational challenges while riding his high school bus, then went on to co-found technology provider BusRight. Now...

Tony and Taylor review the most compelling takeaways from STN EXPO East in Charlotte, Noth Carolina this past week. From rock star leadership and workplace culture advice, to a bus mirror training that went viral, to the latest in cutting edge tech shown on the Trade Show floor, attendees and vendors connected in meaningful ways. Last year, bus window and glass provider Lippert acquired seating su...

Christopher Faust, transportation director for Sangamon Valley CUSD #9 in Illinois and John Daniels, vice president of marketing for Transfinder, discuss utilizing multiple "finder" technologies to assist in operational and procurement challenges at the district. They also share how and why to participate in the Top Transportation Teams challenge, which is led by Transfinder and currently acceptin...

Learn more about our upcoming April magazine, inflation and fuel prices, internet for school buses, record revenue for Zum, district efforts amid ICE enforcement, and a driver dressing to impress. Michael Signer, chief policy and legal officer for EverDriven, discusses the evolution of alternative student transportation from safety and regulatory perspectives to help school districts meet student...

We examine the impact of the war in Iran and Clean School Bus program updates on district fuel choices, as well as a Pennsylvania school bus driver arrested after driving over 50 students while intoxicated.  We are joined by Nate Springer, vice president of market development at TRC Companies, the presenter of the upcoming Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) EXPO. He unpacks the reasoning behind v...

We unpack the National Action Plan for School Bus Safety which sheds light on the non-fatal effects of illegal passing, as well as transportation director comments on green buses during a recent EPA Clean School Bus webinar. Denise Donaldson, the editor and publisher of Safe Ride News Publications and a frequent trainer at STN EXPO and the TSD Conference , previews her STN EXPO East workshop on wh...

More updates on green bus funding from the EPA via the Clean School Bus Program. Plus, we dive into our March issue on optimization and efficiency, whose cover features the smiling school bus team from Loudoun County in Virginia. We see mirrors on school buses every day, but how much have you thought about the decisions behind their placement? Dave McDonald, president of Safe Bus Consulting and re...

We consider what recent headlines mean to the school transportation industry: proposed updates to the Clean School Bus Program, Blue Bird fully acquiring Micro Bird, Trump tariffs being struck down and safety conversations at STN EXPO East this March. Mike Ippolito, chief operating officer of School Radio, discusses the future of bus communications – including multi-carrier SIM cards and satellite...

We discuss the potential impact of the national jobs report on school district budgets, the DOT's non-domiciled CDL final rule and cutting-edge technology takeaways from the Geotab Connect conference.  "It's all about service: I went from servicing my country to now servicing my community." Bernando Brown, director of student transportation for DeKalb County School District in Georgia, shares how...

Insights on national school bus contractor First Student's purchase of Chicago area contractor Cook Illinois Corp., the Blue Bird 2026 Q1 earnings report, and a California study on lap/shoulder seatbelt efficacy. "Make sure the right people are on the right seats on the bus." Heather Perry, superintendent of Schools for Maine's Gorham Public Schools, was named as one of four finalists for the 2026...

The February edition of STN magazine is out, where we continue discussions on the oversight of autonomous vehicles and alternative student transportation. Plus, sign up for school bus inspection training and many more learning opportunities at STN EXPO East in Charlotte, North Carolina, this March. In the aftermath of a high-profile school bus rollover last August at Leander Independent School Dis...

We cover a harsh winter ice storm, takeaways from the 2026 NSTA Midwinter Meeting, updates to the U.S. EPA's Clean School Bus Program and illegal passing by Waymo autonomous vehicles. Industry consultant Tim Ammon gives tips for transportation budgeting and business efficiency while maximizing educational access for students. He will lead sessions at STN EXPO East this March in Charlotte-Concord,...

Ryan and Taylor discuss upcoming student transportation awards, the NTSB investigation of a fatal school bus dragging, and a Florida bus aide arrested for child abuse. "Education, engineering and enforcement." Student safety is a passion of Derek Graham, an industry consultant and former state director of pupil transportation with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as well as past...

Back-from-break headlines cover winter weather conditions, rockstars and leadership at STN EXPO East, updates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and what impact recent developments in Venezuela could have on the school bus industry. Keynote speaker and best-selling author Jim Knight, who rubbed shoulders with musicians and celebrities during his tenure with Hard Rock International, dis...