School Transportation Nation

Big headlines include potential new money for clean fuel school buses as part of the Biden administration's Build Back Better plan. Kayne M. Smith, Ed. D., director of transportation services for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, displays stellar leadership and teambuilding skills which earned him the award of Transportation Director of the Year, yet he knows the value of relationship...

This year, School Bus Safety Week focuses on the 'Danger Zone' around the bus. Director of Transportation Shannon Weber shares how Arizona's Florence Unified School District #1 focuses on student training for increased safety and on driver recognition for improved teamwork. Randolph Jerreld, transportation director for Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central Schools, reviews the harsh school bus driver landsc...

Rick Walterscheid, director of transportation and special projects at Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District in Texas, is STN's featured Rising Superstar who graces the front cover of the October issue. He shares his story of struggle to leadership and what it takes to helm a transportation operation – including succession planning, school bus driver retention, informed uses of techn...

Conversations at the recent STN EXPO Indy showed how the school bus industry is crowdsourcing solutions to shortages in staffing as well as in materials due to shipping issues.  School Bus Safety Week is coming up Oct. 18-22, presenting an opportunity to shine a spotlight on student safety. Recent bus stop injuries and deaths show the need for increased community awareness and school bus driver tr...

Onsite at the STN EXPO in Indianapolis, Tony and Ryan are joined by Director of Transportation Nathan Oliver from technologically forward Monroe County Community School Corporation in Indiana, who shares how student tracking, tablets and lap/shoulder belts are improving both student safety and driver retention. He also discusses the district's current process of fleet electrification, resulting ma...

The school bus driver shortage is the latest pandemic sweeping the nation. Assigning National Guardsmen to driving buses, paying parents to drive their kids – are these actual solutions, or temporary fixes? Transportation Supervisor Anthony Pollard offers analysis, discusses what's going on at Alabama's Baldwin County Schools, and shares why specific training is crucial to driver retention. Read m...

Adjustments to CDL requirements are being considered to ease the burden on districts already struggling to find school bus drivers. Plus, new pressure from the Delta variant means more focus on getting company employees and children vaccinated. Tony and Taylor discuss the reception to such mandates. National Guard troops have been deployed in Massachusetts to help drive school buses. Chelsea Publi...

Vaccine and mask requirements, natural disasters like Hurricane Ida and the rise of illegal passing complicate the return to school, but student transporters are facing the challenges. Rosalyn Vann-Jackson, executive director of enrollment & support services for Oklahoma's Broken Arrow Public Schools, talks strategically managing school bus operations as students return to in-person classes amid a...

In-person conferences return with a passion as thousands gathered to discuss the intersection of transportation and technology at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo held in Southern California. Federal and industry interest continues to center on electric school buses. Transportation Supervisor Joseph Cervone talks operations amid the pandemic at New York's Sachem Central School – everyt...

States face internal struggles over mask and vaccine mandates, all while districts struggle to stay staffed with bus drivers for the new school year. Jennifer Vobis, executive director of transportation for Clark County School District in Las Vegas, talks leadership, driver shortages, technology, student safety, EV integration and more as she discusses the challenges and opportunities of taking ov...

Back to school adjustments for school districts include dealing with debates over mask mandates and the national school bus driver shortage, while keeping staff and families satisfied. Transportation Director Katrina Morris shares the current state of COVID-19 precautions and mask mandates for student health as Michigan's West Shore ESD reopens in early September. She also discusses how pursuing d...

The return to school is anything but simple as districts navigate driver shortages, staff vaccination requirements, state mask mandates or lack thereof, and EV funding that may be part of the federal infrastructure bill. Knox County Schools in Tennessee just restarted in-person classes. Director of Transportation Ryan Dillingham discusses proactive leadership, contractor partnerships, mask and vac...

With the new school year starting, school districts are deciding whether to require masks on the bus because of the COVID-19 Delta variant, as well as dealing with driver and mechanic shortages. Learn how rural Menahga School District #821 in Minnesota never closed during COVID-19. Transportation Supervisor Christina Albin also discusses operational facets like running a bus garage with one mechan...

Kimberly Raney, executive director of procurement, warehouse & transportation business operations for Oakland USD in California, discusses everything from new electric buses to technology's assistance with COVID-19 health cautions as she shares how the district works with its vendor partners to prepare for a return to school. Also, Transfinder President & CEO Antonio Civitella shares how procedure...

School bus driver trainer Donna Lopez muses on lessons learned from 30+ years of driving buses and shares her unique solution to the driver shortage – a training facility she opened in California. Read more at stnonline.com/tag/bus-driver-shortage . Ritu Narayan, founder & CEO of Zum, shares the transportation company's plan to get 10,000 electric school buses on the road in 4 years. Read more at...

Lea Bogle, president and CEO of technology provider Premier Wireless, discusses the need for school bus Wi-Fi and how the Emergency Connectivity Fund helps districts support students in this way. Director of Transportation Manuel Campos Jr. shares how Somerset ISD near San Antonio is using federal COVID-19 funding to improve operations and prepare for the 2021-2022 school year by equipping its sch...

Tony and Ryan review the industry impacts of federal legislation currently being developed, as well as recent leadership changes at school bus manufacturers Thomas Built Bus and Blue Bird. Rene Sanchez oversaw adding Wi-Fi on buses at Indiana's South Bend Community Schools Corporation and is now bringing improvements to transportation operations and technology in his new role as Superintendent at...

Coming off the Independence Day weekend and a heat wave affecting parts of the U.S., get details on the Emergency Connectivity Fund deadline for school bus Wi-Fi and $15 billion in federal funding for electric buses & infrastructure. Gregory Dutton, director of transportation for Renton School District #403 in Washington state, talks summer school ops, prep for the 2021-2022 school year, and meeti...

Big headlines for the school bus industry and upcoming deadlines to be aware of. Tony & Taylor discuss new federal funding for onboard Wi-Fi, CERTS Act funding relief finally opening for contractors, and the STOP for School Buses Act being considered again. Jeff Cassel, president of the School Bus Safety Co., explains why and how student transporters should prepare for MAP-21 driver training rules...

Fleet Manager Raymond Manalo discusses running what is currently North America's largest electric bus fleet at Twin Rivers USD in Sacramento, California, the importance of staff training, and how EV operation may help combat driver and mechanic shortages. Bus manufacturer BYD, a new entry into the school bus market, recently announced their upcoming electric Type D bus. Hear more about the signifi...

Fleet optimization is crucial to student transporters for both summer school and the 2021-2022 school year. Transfinder's President & CEO Antonio Civitella discusses technology considerations for bell time changes, bus routing and parent communication. Additionally, Tim Farquer, superintendent of Williamsfield Schools in Illinois, shares how V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technology ties into school bus op...

Tony and Taylor discuss handling school bus driver/mechanic shortages in a new way, as well as market disruption caused by new players and offerings in the electric bus space. Hays Consolidated Independent School District in Texas is open for summer school. Assistant Transportation Director Anthony Shields shares how operations have changed since relaxation of COVID-19 rules & discusses planned im...

Approval of COVID-19 vaccines for 12- to 17-year-olds may help student transportation get back to normal. Federal legislation targets transportation infrastructure and school bus safety. Brian Trask, director of transportation, facilities & technology at Unatego CSD in New York, shares how technology like routing software and parent communication has helped his district adjust its school bus opera...

As districts go back to in-person classes, summer school plans and federal funding for school bus Wi-Fi hotspots target student success to make up for lost learning time. Two California transportation directors discuss how to provide the best support and customer service when transporting students. Technology is helping Del Norte County Unified School District, while Corona-Norco Unified School Di...

Things are returning to normal with in-person classes expected nationwide for the 2021-2022 school year, but online learning, bus cleaning, ventilation, and mask usage seem they could be a permanent result of COVID-19. Dawnett Wright, transportation director for University Place School District in Washington state, discusses running propane & electric school buses and shares how decreased ridershi...