School Transportation Nation

Kristi Hartzel, driver trainer and lead dispatcher for Campbell County Schools in Kentucky and a 2023 Rising SuperStar, joins us at STN EXPO Indy to discuss driver coaching and technology implementation with regard to student safety. STN Senior Editor Taylor Ekbatani also interviews Zach McKinney, director of transportation for Indiana's Hamilton Southeastern Schools and the president of the Schoo...

Tony, Ryan and Taylor report on the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Las Vegas this past week, the clean school bus manufacturers and suppliers who showed up, the industry conversations on evolving clean transportation, and what districts are seeing in their green bus operations. Read more about green buses .

Ryan and Tony dive into the State of Sustainability report released ahead of the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo being held this week.  Transportation Supervisor Kenni Jean Schrader from Three Rivers Community Schools in rural Michigan, a 2022 Green Fleet Award winner, discusses end-of-school-year operations, driver retention challenges, electric school bus implementation, and the STN EXPO Indy...

Learn more about the captivating speakers planned for STN EXPO Indy, the closure of a New York stop arm camera law loophole, the "great debate" over school bus lap/shoulder seatbelts in Ohio, and positive business updates from industry suppliers. Transportation Supervisor Andrew Krokowski pulls back the curtain on operations, driver retention, technology, electrification and more at the small but...

Get the latest on federal developments that affect school transportation, including a legal battle over E-Rate funding for school bus Wi-Fi, the new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Final Rule on automatic emergency braking in buses, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's push to relax marijuana classification.  Nina Haiman and Vinny Riscica from the New York State Energy Res...

Ryan and Tony discuss the new $1B Clean Heavy Duty Vehicles Grant Program, use cases of renewable diesel vs. battery electric, and a video of student abuse by a Colorado bus aid. Speaker, author and cancer survivor Christine Cashen discusses the role of humor in dealing with hardships and de-escalating work or personal situations. See her STN EXPO Reno keynote in July, "How To Stay Inspired When Y...

Safety technology and training are forefront after a fatal Texas rollover crash and a bus striking a bicyclist. Join us at STN EXPO this summer to learn and discuss more. "Goats are like kindergarteners!" Valerie Higley, school bus driver for First Student at East Lyme Public Schools in Connecticut, wrote a children's book on school bus safety featuring her goat, Shaman, and shares insights on car...

How will the increasingly popular four-day school week affect student transportation operations? Also, learn more about opportunities to recognize your innovative, hardworking peers in the school bus industry. Bret Brooks, senior consultant at Gray Ram Tactical and frequent STN EXPO presenter, looks at lessons learned (or not learned) on the 25th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting and gi...

Mobile electric school bus charging solutions, and more details on the EPA GHG (greenhouse gas emissions) regulations. Get a detailed look into the state of clean student transportation, perspectives from school bus manufacturers, legislature to watch, and more with Nate Springer, vice president of market development at TRC Companies, the producer of the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) EXPO in...

Ryan and Tony analyze the impact of new stringent EPA greenhouse gas emissions regulations on the school bus industry, as well as aspects of a fatal Texas rollover crash involving a school bus not equipped with seatbelts being hit by a concrete truck whose driver had taken cocaine. "There's no I in 'team' but there's an I in 'win,' and when you want to win you've got to have the right individuals....

This week's headlines include updated EPA regulations for light- and medium-duty vehicles. Will McDermott, head of student services for First Student, shares how the FirstServes program aims to bridge the gap between the ride to school and the classroom experience. "There were some wet, heavy flakes coming down, kind of that picturesque city snowfall… three hours later, you couldn't see out our wi...

The NTSB is investigating a tragic crash that killed a school bus driver and 3 preschool passengers. Meanwhile, the District of Columbia is in legal hot water over the busing of students with disabilities.  Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, another AASA finalist for Superintendent of the Year, and Business Administrator Brian Cisneros share how they work with a transportation contractor,...

Ryan & Tony analyze New York's aggressive electrification push, as well as an uptick in school bus driver DUIs and arrests .  "Districts take the flavor of their superintendent." Superintendent Dr. Martha "Dr. Z" Salazar-Zamora, COO Dr. Steven Gutierrez, and Director of Transportation Sandy Dillman from rapidly growing Tomball Independent School District in Texas, join us for a conversation on the...

Concerning business updates and new federal resources in the ever-shifting world of school bus electrification. Hypnosis, mind expansion, and trance-formation! Speaker and entertainer Wayne Lee previews his keynote session at STN EXPO Indy on elevating performance in both one's personal life and workplace. Paul Hasenmeier, fire chief for Hernando County in Florida, talks about his new book "School...

Conversations on the role bus drivers can play in student safety reopen after a missing Texas student rider was found murdered and several students were struck and killed by their buses.  From working on a dairy farm to becoming transportation and logistics administrator for Cache County and Logan City School Districts in Utah, Wayne Reese looks at safety techniques, technology and training to pre...

Transportation lighting and safety company Clarience Technologies acquired safety technology company Safe Fleet and a Super Bowl ad slammed Tesla's full-self driving mode used around school buses.  Tony and Taylor share highlights from the School Superintendents Association's National Conference on Education, where top level student transportation conversations took place and Dr. Joe Gothard of Sa...

We analyze the latest, including Blue Bird's earnings report, green energy opportunities, a student killed in the Danger Zone, and a change in CDL regulations.  Clark County School District in Las Vegas has more unique features than just being down the street from Super Bowl LVIII. Executive Director of Transportation Jennifer Vobis, also the winner of the 2022 STN Transportation Director of the Y...

Tony, Ryan and Taylor discuss the Collins Bus acquisition by Forest River. The safety conversation intensifies around recommendations but no seatbelt mandate from the Ohio school bus safety group following a fatal crash last August. Read the STN February issue all about safety at stnonline.com/go/feb24 . Keep updated on industry headlines & analysis at stnonline.com/safety .

Tony gives updates from the National School Transportation Association midwinter meeting and Ryan shares what a new Department of Justice report on the Uvalde shooting can teach the industry about emergency response.  Shelly Hall, senior vice president of health and safety for national pupil transportation contractor Student Transportation of America, discusses the implementation and benefits of S...

Danger Zone safety and training are forefront after a Florida student ran back under his school bus and was killed. There's also a lot of focus on and controversy in federal electrification efforts.  Ken Martinez, transportation manager for Salt Lake City School District in Utah, discusses various aspects of electric school bus implementation, including their impact on students with special needs,...

The Clean School Bus Program shifts in response to feedback and electric buses continue to roll out. But it's an election year and what will the future hold?  Trish Reed, vice president of zero emissions for IC Bus parent company Navistar, takes a holistic look at supporting school districts through applying for funding, receiving electric buses, and implementing the vehicles in operations.  Read...

We break down industry trends as reported in the all-new 2024 STN Buyer's Guide and special needs transportation analysis from our new January issue . Keith Krueger, CEO of the Consortium for School Networking, delves into what districts need to know about the Federal Communications Commission ruling allowing E-Rate funds to be used for school bus Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as how to use technology f...

CEO Antonio Civitella joins the podcast to discuss holiday preparations, reflect on Transfinder's accomplishments, including recognizing 6 Top Transportation Teams from school districts nationwide and winning best Hardware and Software at STN EXPO Reno , and talk about exciting new projects.   Get your updates & analysis on the school transportation industry at stnonline.com .

Tony, Ryan and Taylor review the top news stories of 2022 and what the tragic or shocking tales can teach us about operational management, student safety, staff training, parent relations, industry trends, and more.  Get your updates & analysis on the school transportation industry at stnonline.com .

Senate conversations on emissions, clean fuel developments from bus manufacturers, and what that means for the student transportation industry. We also recap interesting sessions and conversations from the TSD Conference . Alfred Karam, director of transportation for Shenendehowa Central School District in New York, gives insights on translating his history in the Marines to school transportation...