The Bus Stop

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes back returning guest Spencer Schiefelbein, Director of Channel Development at REI, a gracious sponsor and strong supporter of NSTA. Spencer starts by giving listeners an overview of REI, its mission, and its evolving role in the student transportation industry. He then shares his personal background, highlighting his journe...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes first-time guest John Barrington, Executive Director of School Bus Sales for IMMI/SafeGuard, NSTA Podcast Sponsor. John kicks things off by sharing his background in transportation and safety, offering listeners a glimpse into his career path and what led him to his current role at IMMI/SafeGuard. John dives into what spark...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes Doug Campbell, Director of Sales and first-time guest Kevin Smith, President and CEO of First Light Safety Products. First Light Safety is a School Bus Driver International Safety Competition and Annual Meeting & Convention sponsor. The trio have in-depth conversation about their backgrounds, professional journeys, and...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes back incoming NSTA President Patrick Dean, who also serves as president of Dean Transportation. Patrick warms up by celebrating the recent victory of Dean Transportation’s own Betty Nelson, who earned first place in the Conventional Bus (Type C) category at the 2025 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition. He the...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes back NSTA President Dan Kobussen, Owner of Kobussen Buses, for his final podcast as president. Dan takes us through the early days of Kobussen Buses and reflects on his earliest memories in the school bus industry. He then recaps his two-year tenure as NSTA President, highlighting key moments such as the return of the Schoo...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes back returning guest Martin Staples, CEO of Transportant. Martin gives a brief overview of Transportant and walks through his early career and military service that led him to his position as CEO of Transportant. He then shares pivotal lessons he's learned while being CEO, and the importance of listening to customers....

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes back Rudd Lowry, who now serves as CEO of Downtime Subrogation. Rudd shares his professional journey and the path that led him to this step in his career, and he outlines pivotal challenges and opportunities he encountered in launching the company. Curt and Rudd provide an overview of Downtime Subrogation’s mission and serv...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes first-time guest Patrick Girardin, Co-President of Q'Straint. Patrick shares a brief overview of his career and background in student transportation. He offers insight into Q'Straint’s mission, their work with WC19 wheelchairs, and the critical role they address in school transportation. The discussion moves on to...

This week at  NSTA: The Bus Stop  - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by returning guest Tim Weaverling, Partner at RWR Insurers Group. Initially, Tim shares his background, noting his 22 years of experience with RWR Insurers Group. He then provides an overview of the Keystone-RWR School Transportation Program, highlighting their longstanding strong partnership with NSTA. Tim then gives hi...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes a new guest Mike LaRocco, Director of School Transportation for the Indiana Department of Education and Chair of the recently held National Congress on Student Transportation (NCST). Mike begins by sharing insight into his background and how he first got involved in the student transportation field. He then covers his respo...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn welcomes first-time guest Kevin Kilner, Chief Safety Officer, Beacon Mobility. Kevin serves as NSTA Safety Competition Committee and School Bus Safety Subcommittee Co-Chair, and he shares his professional background - how he started his journey in the school transportation field, and his experience at Beacon Mobility. Kevin and Curt...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by returning guest Claire Miller, Chief Commercial Officer of First Student and a member of the NSTA Board of Directors. Claire begins by sharing her background and what inspired her to enter the school transportation industry with First Student. Claire and Curt explore the effects of daylight saving time, and the federal...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first-time guest Bethany Bertram, President of Trobec's Bus Service and the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association (MSBOA). Bethany opens up by talking about her background—growing up in the school bus industry and how that eventually allowed her to take a leadership role at Trobec’s Bus Service and MSBOA. She...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first-time guest Gerry Leonard, CEO of Transit Technologies. Gerry starts off by reviewing his professional background — from his start in the business world to eventually leading Transit Technologies. He discusses what inspired him to acquire companies like Bytecurve and Bushive, and he shares what were strong attracti...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by the Zenobe duo of Angela Shuck, Grant Manager and Maggie Clancy, Executive Vice President Business Development of Fleets. Maggie introduces Zenobe and their mission to make clean energy more accessible in the transportation realm, while Angela offers insight into the world of grant management for transportation projects...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first-time guest Denis Gallagher, Jr., Senior Vice President of Operations for Student Transportation of America (STA). Denis provides information about STA and its operations, and then he highlights his legacy of being fifth generation in private contracting. He then talks about his prior experiences before beginning h...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined Rich Kelly, founder & president of RC Kelly Law Associates in Lansdale, PA. Rich serves as NSTA Counsel, and he discusses issues on the frontlines of school bus contracting that he has encountered recently. Curt and Rich talk about the current regulatory environment they are seeing in the several weeks since the change...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first-time guest, Cherie Hime, Executive Director of the Wisconsin School Bus Association (WSBA) to close the March celebration of Women History Month on the podcast. Cherie outlines her background in the association management and how that led her to taking reins at WSBA in 2014. She talks about her day-to-day work as...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first time guest, Shannon Sawyer, Executive Vice President of Fleet & Midwest Bus Sales for Beacon Mobility. Shannon shares her background with the common theme of transportation and how her passion for safe, efficient, and reliable for high needs transportation led her to Beacon Mobility, and she then gives us a be...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by first time guest, Jenna Fromm, CEO of Palmer Bus Service. Jenna shares her history with the yellow school bus and what brought her to the current role as Chief Executive Director. Jenna then discusses the things that she believes are important that make up a leader. And lastly, Jenna gives a piece advice to those lookin...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by  Rachel Lane, Vice President of Electrification and Sustainability of Student Transpiration of America, Rachel also serves on the NSTA Board of Directors. Rachel delves into her background and what led her to Student Transportation of America. Rachel discusses being a woman in transportation and how her background helpe...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by  Gerry Wosewick, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Bus Association. Gerry and Curt delve into the Under the Hood Exemption and address some common misconceptions. The duo discuss the recent transition in the PSBA Presidency. Gerry highlights the upcoming legislative session in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvani...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by  Shane Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Palmer Bus Service, an NSTA Contractor Member and Member of the NSTA Board of Directors. Shane outlines his background and what led him to student transportation. Shane and Curt discuss the importance of working with other operators throughout the country through Associations. Sh...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by  Becky Weber, Managing Director, Prime Policy Group and NSTA Lobbyist. Becky provides updates from the first several weeks of the second Trump Administration in Washington D.C. Becky and Curt then preview the upcoming NSTA Webinar, " Capitol Hill Roundtable with Prime Policy A look at the first month under the seco...

This week at NSTA: The Bus Stop - Executive Director Curt Macysyn is joined by  Ted Thien, Vice President and General Manger of Tyler Technologies, an NSTA Vendor Partner Member. Ted outlines his background and his path to student transportation. The duo recap the recent session at the 2025 NSTA Midwinter Meeting "AI on the School Bus - What it Means Now and, In the Future" which Ted was...