School Transportation Nation

Student transporters are resilient and dedicated to providing the best transportation service possible to support students' educational goals. Review the conversations, training and hands-on experiences taking place at STN conferences and elsewhere to deal with these challenges. Also, hear directly from TSD Conference attendees and STN staff members on what they have to be grateful for this year. ...

Gregg Prettyman joins Tony and Ryan at the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas, to discuss alternative student transportation and how the newly announced First Student service FirstAlt can help meet transportation needs for students. Read more at stnonline.com/tag/tsd-conference and stnonline.com/tag/alternative-transportation .

More districts make the move to electric fleets, school bus manufacturers announce new products and pilots, and the NASDPTS conference focuses on student safety. Kris Hafezizadeh, executive director of transportation & vehicle services at Austin ISD in Texas, discusses the process, logistics and nuances of taking the district fleet fully electric by 2035. Read more at stnonline.com/tag/electric-bu...

Excitement abounds as the much-anticipated Clean School Bus Program funding winners have been named, allowing districts and vendor partners to implement electric school buses. At the annual NASDPTS Conference in Washington D.C., Tony and Taylor catch up with its incoming president Mike Simmons, also the state director for Arkansas, to discuss his return to the industry as well as the organization'...

Local and national headlines support the need for technology and training. The STN team catches up with California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO) President Matthew Thomas, who's also transportation director at Garden Grove Unified School District to discuss EV implementation, bell time changes, driver shortages and more. Read more at stnonline.com/tag/california .

School Bus Safety Week is in full swing, an AI technology pilot yields positive results near Atlanta, there's a new NAPT executive director and the Department of Transportation is called on to address the bus chassis shortage. As the industry struggles with retaining school bus drivers and mechanics, Director of Transportation Services Kayne Smith provides a snapshot of current projects and techni...

Ryan, Taylor & Tony talk student security, feedback on the Clean School Bus Program, and federal reconsideration of drug and alcohol rules. Kristi Harden, executive director of transportation for Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina and a 2022 STN Rising SuperStar, discusses boosting staff training, dealing with a driver strike and upgrading fleet technology. Kevin Matthews, head of electri...

Read the new October magazine, which features 10 Rising Superstars in pupil transportation. Also rising is the amount of money in the Clean School Bus Rebate Program – it's doubling to nearly $1 billion due to demand. Evacuation is a crucial training for potential school bus crashes, fires, violent incidents and even harsh weather like Hurricane Ian that just hit the Gulf Coast. Consultant Launi S...

Big headlines as Elon Musk's SpaceX looks to equip school buses with Wi-Fi through its Starlink satellite connection. Also, gun security resurfaces as a student safety topic. Get a look at the business side of student transportation including fuel choices, bus procurement and maintenance. Matt Miles sheds light on this as he discusses his 10 years as director of transportation at Metropolitan Scho...

Jeff Cassel, president of the School Bus Safety Company, joins Tony & Taylor to discuss the results of the NASDPTS illegal passing survey and bus stop safety solutions like stop arm cameras and extended stop arms.  Michael Freeman, assistant director of transportation for Worcester Public Schools in Massachusetts, delves into the district's process of bringing bus service in-house, including drive...

Join Ryan & Taylor for a look at the multifaceted approach needed to seriously combat illegal passing and support student safety in the Danger Zone amid the upcoming annual NASDPTS illegal passing survey. Autism expert Jocelyn Taylor shares how transportation can support educational, developmental and behavioral goals for students with special needs. She will present on this topic at the TSD Confe...

Ryan and Tony cover headlines on exciting new technology, electric infrastructure challenges and school bus price increases. Jennifer Vobis, executive director of transportation for Clark County School District in the Las Vegas area, discusses new school year prep and collaborations: adding Safety Vision onboard video for student & employee safety, leveraging local media for driver hiring efforts...

Dive into the upcoming September "Technology" issue and the parole of the last 1976 Chowchilla kidnapper of a school bus full of students who later escaped. They show how technology, and the training on how to use it, are crucial to school startup. A school bus driver trainer and a school board director at two separate Washington state school districts, Sherri Darrow gives insights on hiring and t...

Ryan and Tony break down what the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act and the application deadline for the first round of Clean School Bus Program monies means for clean school buses. How has the school bus technician job changed over the years? How can districts attract new applicants? Working on electric school buses is new territory – do they run out of charge or will the batteries explode?...

Collaboration and innovation are key as school starts back up and school bus manufacturers continue to face supply chain challenges. Mike Warner, associate director of fleet maintenance at Cobb County School District in Georgia, discusses the changes he's seen while managing buses through the years, as well as how the district is being affected by clean school bus discussions, the mechanic shortag...

Latest electric headlines include EPA details on the Clean School Bus Program and new repower options. Dive into how economic trends affect school bus delivery issues, as well as thoughtful ways to electrify a fleet, with John McKinney, owner of bus dealer Midwest Transit Equipment. Additionally, get some insight from Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella on going back to school and soli...

From a Women in Transportation (WiT) panel at STN EXPO Reno to the over 150 nominations received for our 2022 Garage Stars feature, the student transportation industry is filled with amazing, dedicated people. However, a nagging problem remains the lack of new school bus technicians. Our guests today are from New Albany Floyd County Schools in Indiana. Diesel mechanic Hannah Hunt, one of STN's 202...

STN EXPO Reno featured the latest technology and developments in clean school buses of various fuel and power types. Attendees experienced new electric buses, insights from a representative from the EPA, a Ride & Drive including all major school bus OEMs, and more. Today's guest shares about the popular "Cow Fart Bus" that was on display at the trade show.  Read more at stnonline.com/tag/stn-expo...

Got questions about electric school buses? Alex Cook has answers. The chief engineer leading contractor First Student's road to fleet electrification won the inaugural Innovator of the Year award from STN and NSTA. Cook joins Tony at STN EXPO Reno to discuss electrifying a school bus operation, planning requirements and technical tools, and cutting-edge developments including his team's scalable,...

California may be changing how many students it transports to and from school, while NHTSA focuses on a new state crash data system and a review of safety technology used during student loading and unloading. Stacey Hanke, author and strategist on communication and influence, previews her keynote speech at STN EXPO Reno on determining one's influence, soliciting honest feedback, and being an impac...

The July issue is out, state conferences are in full swing, and recognition is in order for innovative persons and school districts in the industry.  Merrill Mueller, transportation director at Algona Community School District in northern Iowa and vice president of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association, discusses equipping buses with Wi-Fi and lap/shoulder belts, how rising fuel prices are aff...

Ryan and Taylor review the complexities and assistance behind implementing electric school buses, as well as new transportation mandates that may be coming to California. Shannon Weber, director of transportation for Florence Unified School District #1 in Arizona, discusses driver retention strategies, alternative fuel thoughts, incident response training, thoughtfully implementing technology for...

Constantly rising fuel prices, supply chain disruptions leading to late bus deliveries, and a running driver shortage are among the elements forcing school districts to adapt. While electric buses are an enticing option, correct planning and partnerships are crucial to success.   STN EXPO Indy provided eye-opening insights on various aspects of running a safe and efficient pupil transportation ope...

Onsite at the STN EXPO Indianapolis, Ryan talks with Executive Director of Transportation Shay Coates from Newport News Public Schools in eastern Virginia, his alternative fuel choices and experience with implementing propane buses, school bus security strategies in light of his Army career and a recent shooting in his district, and plans for the new school year while dealing with driver shortages...

Heartbreak and security are front of mind in light of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting. Ryan & Tony provide updates as progress is made on distributing federal funds for school bus Wi-Fi and clean fuel buses. Gilbert Rosas, who oversaw fleet electrification as transportation manager for Stockton Unified School District in California and is now director of sustainability & adaptation for Modesto C...