School Transportation Nation

Get a tease of STN's June issue, including an employee-focused approach to retaining talent. Additionally, our webinar series focuses on the essential technology and funding for fleet electrification as the EPA is set to open the Clean School Bus Program. It's Tony x2 as Tony Corpin talks with Antonio Civitella, president and CEO of Transfinder, on how districts can leverage technology to prepare...

Recap the exciting news around clean energy and electrification, as well as discussions on federal funding, from the recent ACT Expo. Sam Richter, scheduled keynote speaker at STN EXPO Indy, highlights awareness and leverage of information in today's digital age for a better personal and business reputation. Kevin Smith, president of First Light Safety, discusses current trends of distraction amon...

Reports on the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) and a State of Sustainable Fleets report show the excitement as well as the practical considerations around zero- and low-emissions school buses. Security expert Bret Brooks, a sergeant with the Missouri Highway Patrol and a trainer at Gray Ram Tactical, discusses societal trends that affect security concerns in and around school buses a...

Safety & security is the focus for STN's May issue and the annual NASDPTS survey is gearing up to record how bad illegal passing is still today. Also, details were released on the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, but questions arise on the feasibility of rapid electrification. Author and speaker Jason Hewlett, who will be presenting the entertaining, musical keynote "The Promise" at STN EXPO Indy i...

Exciting things happening at STN! The upcoming May issue covers many exciting topics such as smart cameras that can capture actions and provide training opportunities. Be sure to check out our site stnonline.com for numerous scholarship opportunities to attend STN EXPO in Indy or Reno.  Judith Crawford, CEO of the U.S.'s fourth-largest school bus contractor Beacon Mobility, discusses the importanc...

The electric buzz continues to spread as more districts, notably those in New York and Boston, embrace EV implementation. Conversations on replacing buses intensify as gas prices rise and federal clean bus funding grows. Eric Little, transportation director for Baldwin County Schools in Georgia, discusses collaboration with his superintendent, efforts to combat the driver shortage in the district,...

David Hartzell, director of transportation for Harrison School District Two in Colorado Springs and president of the Colorado Pupil Transportation, discusses the tragedy of an 11-year-old girl who was killed by her school bus as well as how student transporters are fighting through the dire driver shortage and building a team culture to keep students safe at bus stops. He also reviews the 4-day sc...

Industry veteran Nicole Portee discusses starting as assistant superintendent of operations for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina as well as the teamwork and technology necessary to support students at the 17 th largest district in the U.S. Read more about her at stnonline.com/go/nov18. Tony Civitella, president & CEO of technology provider Transfinder, talks about fleet optimization...

Ryan and Taylor discuss opportunities and considerations for districts as new federal funds open up for bus Wi-Fi and cleaner school buses. Stay updated at stnonline.com/green-bus and join the conversation at STN EXPO Reno's Green Bus Summit ( stnexpo.com ). Teresa Fleming, executive director of transportation at the School District of Philadelphia, discusses the value of diversity, meeting local...

Ryan and Tony talk March Madness picks, new stats from NSTA that shed light on the driver shortage, and the EPA's comment period on new emissions standards. School bus driver trainer Chris Rinesmith and driver Sherry Barnes discuss the impact of the Camp Fire of 2018 and then the COVID-19 pandemic on Paradise Unified School District in California, as well as how staff stepped up to help the commun...

Alternative fuel conversations surge as gas prices rise and the federal emissions standards are set to change. Learn more at stnonline.com/green-bus . In celebration of women's month, we highlight Carina Noble's leadership as president at contractor National Express and via the National School Transportation Association (NSTA). She discusses advocating for school transportation, fleet electrificat...

Mask requirements are being relaxed by the CDC as well as state and local governments as the pandemic becomes endemic. Additionally, international events continue to affect fuel choices and the supply chain. Wendy Moore serves as the superintendent as well as a school bus driver at Genesee Joint School District No. 282 in Idaho. She shares how involvement and support among both district staff and...

The March issue of School Transportation News magazine is out! Read about driver wages, student Medicaid reimbursement, onboard behavior, the supply chain and more at stnonline.com/go/mar22 . Amy Tiedens, transportation manager at Intermediate District 287 in Minnesota, talks about her passion for students with special needs. She discusses using vans, working with contractors and training staff to...

Thanks for being with us for 100 episodes of our podcast! Join us for some stats on our journey since March 2020, as well as analysis on conversations still happening two years later, such as onboard masking and the driver shortage. Starting school bus driver pay going from $17.50/hour to $25/hour? Better believe it. Josh Rice, president for the Texas Association of Pupil Transportation, discusses...

Derrick Agate, retired transportation supervisor for Hopkins Public Schools, two-time past president of the Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation and now a consultant, joins Ryan to highlight Black History Month, the struggles of being a black transportation director years ago, black representation in the industry, and the impact of connections between bus drivers and their student riders...

Our podcast guest got hit with some winter weather, so Ryan & Taylor hold down the episode and talk about February highlights like incoming snowfalls, the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day and Love the Bus month. There are some exciting keynotes for STN EXPO Indy, STN is conducting research into school bus driver training & compensation, and a California bill proposes universal school transportation. Ge...

Tony and Taylor discuss the latest headlines: STN's February magazine release, new online articles, the Feb. 7 ELDT deadline, federal clean transportation funding and new mask recommendations. Matthew Stevenson, the new president & CEO of school bus manufacturer Blue Bird, talks people-focused leadership, opportunities amid COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions, future predictions, and alternative...

Schools are closing due to COVID while the federal government is distributing 400 million free N95 masks which are actually not designed for students. Meanwhile, districts will soon be able to use ESSER funds for bus cleaning and student health. Tony speaks with Transfinder CEO Antonio Civitella on technology trends for 2022, such as increased student tracking for parent peace of mind. "Take the s...

Conversations continue on how wages and the CDL process affect the driver shortage. Districts are struggling with a new wave of school closures and reduced bus ridership because of COVID-19, but is this an endemic rather than a pandemic? Tony and Steve Whaley, Director of Autogas Business Development for the Propane Education & Research Council, discuss propane school buses, infrastructure, implem...

Ryan and Tony discuss headlines bringing us into the new year: impacts of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the status of the federal Build Back Better plan and school bus electrification strategies. Transportation General Manager Jenny Robinson recaps a full year of 2021 operations at Bethlehem Area School District in Pennsylvania, including safety concerns like illegal passing and MAP-21 driver trai...

Tony, Ryan and Taylor take a look back at an eventful 2021 in which districts continued to serve students in the midst of COVID-19 uncertainties, staff shortages, supply chain delays and more. STN resumed its three in-person conferences this year, where attendees engaged in thought-provoking conversations on everything from leadership and workplace culture to clean school bus implementation. Read...

STN Editor-in-Chief Ryan Gray catches up with Tim Shannon, director of transportation at Twin Rivers Unified School District near Sacramento, California, at the STN EXPO in Reno, Nevada. Shannon, a pioneer in electric school bus implementation, discusses the district's journey, funding sources, resulting benefits in his operations and on student riders, vehicle-to-grid charging and the exciting ch...

At the Transporting Students With Disabilities and Special Needs Conference and Trade show this past week, Ryan caught up with industry veterans and conference trainers Alex Robinson and Theresa Anderson from the Women in Transportation (wit.) organization. They agreed that both new and seasoned attendees in this field display impressive passion and heart. Together, wit. and the TSD Conference fos...

Mike Mason, former FBI agent and member of the marine corps, and now a school bus driver for Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia, joins Ryan to discuss why he wanted to join this workforce to make an impact. He looks at driver training, assigned duties, on-the-job safety and the driver shortage from a law enforcement perspective. Additionally, he lends insight into specifically transpor...

Recent illegal passing incidents, gun violence and school bus crashes have left school bus drivers and student riders injured or killed, highlighting the need for constant vigilance and safety focus. The COVID-19 vaccine is becoming more mainstream, recently receiving CDC approval for 5-11 year olds, but how will this affect its acceptance? Patrick Mulick, a board-certified behavior analyst and au...