Car shoppers continue to prioritize fuel economy, according to the latest survey from Consumer Reports 96% of respondents said fuel economy was at least somewhat important when considering what vehicle to purchase Respondents believe the burden is on automakers more so than the government to increase fuel economy A majority of Americans support...

A brace of luxury brands are slated to get Tesla Supercharger access soon. Tesla recently updated the NACS page on its website to show BMW, Genesis, Lucid, and JLR (incorporating Jaguar and Land Rover) on the "coming soon" list of automakers supporting the Tesla's Superchargers. Specific timing isn't listed, however. After Ford kicked things off...

Audi will launch more plug-in hybrids in the coming year, likely as a hedge against fluctuating EV sales. The automaker launched several new models in 2024, with a restructured lineup creating a sharper delineation between internal-combustion and electric vehicles. Audi will continue building out that lineup in 2025, but with plug-in hybrids...

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV sees a small price increase for the new model year, but few other changes. After remaining unchanged for the 2024 model year, pricing for the entry-level rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ rises $850 to $106,400. All prices include a mandatory $1,150 destination charge that's unchanged for 2025. This single-motor version...

January 1st has come and gone, but Cadillac is still making New Year’s resolutions. They’re not aiming low either as Cadillac’s Vice President, John Roth, has told us they’re positioning the brand to become the “best-selling luxury EV nameplate in the U.S. in 2025.”

Speaking during a media briefing, Roth highlighted the success of the Lyriq which saw U.S. sales jump 210.3% to 28,402 units last year. That made it the “best-selling electric mid-size luxury SUV” in America and the executive revealed it’s also a conquest king.

More: Lyriq EV Sales Soar 210%, Making It Cadillac’s Second Best-Seller Of 2024

A whopping 76% of Lyriq customers come from a rival brand and that’s exactly what Cadillac needs to continue growing. Furthermore, half of those buyers are new to General Motors.

While the Lyriq has plenty of momentum, it’s being joined by a slew of new EVs. The Escalade IQ launched late last year and customers have already snapped up 670 units. The Optiq and Vistiq will arrive in the first quarter of 2025 and this will give the brand an electric entry in every major luxury SUV segment.

That’s a lot of new product, but Roth suggested there’s even more on the horizon. While the company didn’t go into many specifics, they revealed there are “more EV variants to come.”

More: These Are The Best-Selling EV Brands And Models Of 2024

There’s no word on what, but Cadillac has already shown the 2026 Lyriq-V. We’re also hoping for an entry-level Optiq as the current model starts at $52,895 which positions it uncomfortably close to the $58,595 Lyriq.

While only time will tell what Cadillac has planned, Roth suggested it will be another busy year.

Skoda introduced the Vision 7S concept nearly two years ago, but spy photographers have finally caught the production model. It’s expected to be called the Space and the company has previously confirmed it will be unveiled in 2026.

Caught undergoing testing in northern Sweden, the electric three-row crossover is heavily disguised but sports a Modern Solid design. Details are hard to make out, but we can see a rounded front fascia with sweptback headlights. They’re joined by a large central intake as well as angular air curtains.

More: Skoda Previews Six Upcoming EVs Including New Three-Row Crossover

Moving further back, we can see streamlined bodywork and flush-mounted door handles. Designers also gave the crossover an expansive greenhouse that appears to remain relatively faithful to the concept. The prototype also has a long sloping roof and aerodynamically optimized front wheels.

There isn’t much to see out back, but the model has been equipped with a large spoiler and vertical taillights. The latter flow into the liftgate and mimic the concept. It’s also worth noting that Skoda has previously said the model will  measure approximately 192.9 inches (4.9 meters) long, which would be roughly 9.8 inches (250 mm) more than the Enyaq.

SH Proshots

Spy photographers didn’t get a good look inside, but the crossover will have seating for up to seven people. Skoda has also promised the model will offer “flexibility and enormous interior space.” It also appears that the Space could be equipped with a 14.6-inch infotainment system in a portrait orientation, although that’s not entirely clear at this point.

Powertrain details also remain elusive, but the concept rode on the MEB platform and had an 89 kWh battery pack. This provided a WLTP range in excess of 373 miles (600 km).

That’s not much to go on, but it’s possible the model could share some motors with the facelifted Enyaq. This means there could be rear- and dual-motor all-wheel drive systems that produce 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS).

The EV market in America might not be growing as fast as some automakers predicted, but it’s definitely still growing. New figures published this week show sales of electric vehicles in the US hit 1.3 million last year, up 7.3 percent versus 2023 when 1.21 million were registered.

Tesla Leads, But Its Grip Is Slipping

Tesla once again dominated the market, though its sales fell 5.6 percent to 633,800, dropping its market share from 48.7 to 44.4 percent. Ford came home in second place, and was up 8 percent (to 97,900), while Rivian (up 3.8 percent to 51,600) was the third biggest EV player. At the other end of the table Mercedes, VW and Volvo all struggled, each brand’s sales dropping by at least 40 percent.

Related: Porsche Buyers Snap Up Gas-Powered 718s Like It’s 1999 As Taycan Sales Tank

New arrivals that helped bump up the overall sales figures include the Chevrolet Equinox and its Honda Prologue brother, which notched up 61,900 sales between them, the Chevy Blazer (23,100), Tesla Cybertruck (39,000) and Kia EV9 (22,000), according to Cox Automotive.

Amusingly, the Prologue turned out to be GM’s best-selling EV, with 33,017 deliveries—easily outpacing the Cadillac Lyriq (28,402) and Chevy Blazer (23,115).

But some old timers enjoyed a resurgence, including the Subaru Solterra (+ 40 percent), Nissan Leaf (+57 percent) and Ariya (+47 percent), facelifted Hyundai Ioniq 5 (+31 percent), Ford Mustang Mach-E (+27 percent) and F-150 Lightning (+39 percent).

EV SALES USA 2024: BRANDS

Big Swings for Specific Brands

Toyota bZ4X’s also enjoyed a massive 99 percent upswing (no doubt thanks to heavy incentives), helping it overtake VW’s ID.4, which had a terrible year, registrations tanking by 55 percent to 17,000. The arrival of the much funkier, if pricier, ID.Buzz – 2025 NACTOY utility of the year – and a forced stop to production due to faulty door handles can’t have helped, and Ford ended the year having shifted three times as many Mach-Es as VW did ID.4s.

Sales of GM’s humongous Hummer mushroomed 331 percent from 3,200 to 14,000 and after a slow start Cadillac’s Lyriq also seems to have hit its stride. Lyriq sales climbed 210 percent to 28,400 ensuring it outsold its BMW iX rival by a factor of almost two to one.

Model Y Stays on Top, Despite a Dip

To no one’s surprise the Telsa’s Model Y remained top dog, even though its sales declined over the last 12 months. The egg-shaped SUV was purchased 372,600 times in 2024 but that figure was down 6.6 percent from 2023 when sales came within a hair of touching 400k.

Perhaps the just-announced facelift for the Model Y can help reverse the downward trend, though last year’s overhaul didn’t do the Model 3 much good. Its sales fell 17 percent from 230,000 to 189,900 despite a mid-year refresh.

EV SALES USA 2024: MODELS

Cupra has confirmed it will continue producing combustion-powered versions of the Leon into the next decade, but has also revealed that the model will eventually transition into an EV-only series. When the next-generation Leon finally makes the leap to electric, it will be built on the Volkswagen Group’s Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), the same versatile architecture set to underpin a range of future VW Group electric vehicles.

Interestingly, this transition could also spell the end of the Seat-branded version of the Leon, with Cupra potentially taking full ownership of the nameplate.

Read: Cupra Plans “Provocative Bodystyles” And “Iconic Cars” That Will Break The Norms

When the electric Leon does land, it’s expected to join Cupra’s growing EV lineup as the brand’s fourth all-electric offering, slotting alongside the Tavascan, Raval, and Born. While specifics about this distant model remain elusive, its SSP underpinnings suggest it will likely share battery packs and powertrain options with other electric cars in the VW Group portfolio.

Plenty of Time for Petrolheads

Don’t fret if you’re partial to the current Leon’s internal combustion engines or plug-in hybrid options. According to Cupra’s CEO, Wayne Griffiths, the existing model isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Speaking to Autocar, Griffiths revealed that the current Leon will stick around “well into the next decade.” In practical terms, that could mean nearly a decade before the EV version arrives, giving buyers plenty of time to snag the gas-powered Leon before it rides off into the sunset.

“The Cupra Leon and Cupra Formentor are both based on the same platform,” Griffiths told Autocar. “We will extend those well into the next decade. If we want to go into the next decade, then we’re always going to have to take care of those cars and revitalise them. We could expect facelifts or product improvements on both, to keep them going as long as we need to.”

But Griffiths made it clear that the Leon’s days as a combustion car are numbered, adding, “After that, the next generation of Leon will definitely be electric.”

Last year’s update

In the meantime, Cupra has already taken steps to keep the current Leon competitive. Just last April, the brand introduced a facelifted version of the model with several notable design updates. The Leon now sports a sharper, more aggressive front fascia, complete with redesigned triangular matrix LED headlights and an enlarged grille. The rear has also been refreshed, featuring updated taillights and an illuminated Cupra badge.

The current Leon is available in hatchback and Sportourer estate guises, but given that estates are losing popularity in favor of higher-riding SUVs, there’s no guarantee the future Leon will be offered as one.

Several real-world images of the thoroughly updated Tesla Model Y, codenamed project ‘Juniper’, have emerged from China, accompanied by reports claiming that up to 50,000 orders for the new EV have already been placed. The Model Y has consistently been a favorite in the Chinese market, and last year, it earned the title of the country’s best-selling car, with over 480,000 units sold.

Perhaps the two most interesting photos of the new Model Y were shared on Chinese social media, showing what seems to be Launch Edition finished in Glacier Blue (although the color looks more grayish in these pictures), as evidenced by the new badge on the tailgate.

This particular Model Y is positioned at the front of a long lineup of cars that includes both pre-facelift models and at least one other facelifted version. It’s highly likely that this is one of the first units to roll off Tesla’s Shanghai assembly line.

Read: 2025 Tesla Model Y Debuts With Cybercab Looks And Turn Signal Stalks

Admittedly, these images don’t do the updated Model Y any favors. Its proportions come across as a little awkward, with the roofline appearing unusually high and the body looking narrower than it is—likely an issue with the photography rather than the design itself. Official photos released by Tesla last week confirm that the vehicle’s proportions remain largely unchanged from the outgoing model, maintaining the same familiar stance.

Meanwhile, images from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology offer a better perspective on the refreshed design. The front fascia takes cues from the angular styling of the Cybertruck and Cybercab, featuring a split headlamp setup with thin LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and a light bar.

Around the back, redesigned taillights and an additional light bar give the SUV a more contemporary vibe. However, the black trim connecting the taillights has drawn mixed reactions. Some have likened the new Model Y’s taillight styling to that the Toyota Prius or, less flatteringly, the long-defunct Dodge Dart.

Specifications

Chinese regulatory data sheds some more light on the Model Y’s powertrain options in the country. The base rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variant will produce 295 hp (220 kW), while the all-wheel-drive (AWD) model pairs a 184-hp (137 kW) front motor with a 260-hp (194 kW) rear motor.

Both models come with some unique trim-related touches tailored to China, including a Plaid-like badge and Chinese characters on the tailgate. The AWD launch edition, branded as the Model Y+, includes the otherwise optional Acceleration Boost feature as standard, giving it an extra performance edge right out of the box.

Strong Demand

Despite a growing preference among local buyers for Chinese EV brands, the response to the updated Model Y appears to be positive. According to Chinese auto bloggers, as many as 50,000 orders were placed been placed on the day of its unveiling. CarNewsChina adds that Tesla sales staff in China have reported a surge of interest, with many receiving hundreds of orders shortly after the announcement. Local deliveries are expected to begin as early as April or May.

Tesla is betting that the refreshed Model Y will further bolster Chinese sales even further. Last year, 480,309 Model Ys were sold across the country, surpassing the 456,394 units delivered in 2023. December was an especially strong month, with 61,881 vehicles finding new owners.

Toyota’s in-house Japanese tuning arm, Modellista, has revealed its newest creation, the Concept Zero, at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon. Built on the fully electric Toyota bZ4x, the concept has a retro-futuristic flair reminiscent of 1980s visions of tomorrow. It also hints at potential styling upgrades for Toyota’s electric crossovers, offering a preview of what could define the next generation of Modellista designs.

One of the standout features of the Concept Zero are the new wheels, which sport a distinctive, aero-efficient three-spoke design. To create a more cohesive appearance, Modellista replaced the bZ4x’s stock black fender cladding with body-colored panels, giving the concept a sleeker, more seamless profile. Additional refinements include sportier side skirts that extend lower, covering a larger area on the profile.

More: Tokyo’s Wildest Lexus Concept Is Actually a Toyota GR 86 In Disguise

The custom front bumper has also been thoroughly reworked, incorporating an illuminated light strip in place of traditional intakes, along with headlight covers and a pronounced lower chin equipped with integrated fins. At the rear, Modellista applied a similar treatment with LED lighting and a diffuser extension, completing the look.

Inside, the Concept Zero builds on its futuristic theme with ambient lighting integrated into the dashboard and center console, creating a clean, high-tech atmosphere. Modellista branding appears throughout, while the armrests and glass roof feature matching graphics that echo the sci-fi-inspired exterior.

Photos: Modellista, Tokyo Auto Salon

While Modellista emphasized ride comfort and refinement during development, the concept doesn’t appear to include any chassis or powertrain modifications. It’s likely that the vehicle retains the stock AWD setup of the Toyota bZ4x, which delivers 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS) from its e-TNGA-based electric platform.

The Toyota bZ4x and Subaru Solterra twins were introduced in 2022. The EVs are expected to receive a mid-lifecycle update later this year. These updates could include performance-oriented variants, potentially with Gazoo Racing and STI branding, adding a sportier edge to the EV duo.

More: Modellista’s Wild Toyota Land Cruiser SEMA Concept May Spawn Production Parts

Judging from the timing of the Modellista Concept Zero’s launch, the Japanese tuner is already working on styling upgrades for the upcoming facelift.

In addition to the EV, Modellista’s display at the Tokyo Auto Salon featured an eye-catching automotive sculpture called Embryo. This artistic creation acts as a manifesto for the tuner’s future design direction, showcasing “flowing lines and sculptural surfaces that seem to have been carved away.” The sculpture embraces an “asymmetrical style” and incorporates indirect lighting that pulsates rhythmically, mimicking a heartbeat.

Photos: Modellista

With the Trump administration set to take the Oval Office next week, school districts nationwide are bracing for the possibility of immigration raids targeting students at school bus stops and at school sites.

Education Week reported in December that school district officials are contemplating whether immigration agents will carry out arrests at schools and how they should respond. While reports indicate Tom Homan, named by President-elect Donald Trump to become his border czar, is focusing on undocumented immigrants posing a public safety threat, it is unclear how his response will unfold and how many students could be affected.

Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, noted that the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyer v. Doe indicated “every child has the right to go to public school free of charge from kindergarten through 12th grade regardless of status.

“We interpret that as meaning unfettered access to school,” Saenz continued. “So, raids on school campuses are unconstitutional under that decision and should not occur. No enforcement action should occur on school grounds, because it interferes with the school experience of students based on their immigration status.”

The same should apply to school bus stops, he added.

“They should not be the place for any enforcement action nor should school buses themselves be the place for any enforcement action because that is an interference with the Constitutional right to attend school guaranteed by that Plyer decision,” he argued. “Despite the possibility that the new administration may eliminate the sensitive location memo, there would still be a Constitutional constraint on the ability to conduct immigration enforcement action in those settings that are directly related to school access.”

Saenz is referring to a 2021 U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo, Guidelines for Enforcement Actions in or Near Protected Areas, that lists schools and school bus stops as protected areas from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement.

“Our advice would be to any principal and superintendent that because of that Constitutional right, they are absolutely within their rights and indeed may be obligated to bar access to campuses absent a judicial warrant of some kind and a judicial warrant should be resisted because of that Constitutional right for kids to attend school regardless of their immigration status,” said Saenz.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration recently issued extensions of Temporary Protected Status to hundreds of thousands of people from Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela. This allows immigrants to remain in the country with work permits and provides a shield from deportation for another 18 months from the expiration of their current protection in the spring.

The move was designed as a roadblock to President-elect Trump’s ability to swiftly strip the benefit upon taking office on Monday.

A New York Times article outlines other efforts now underway to address what may come. New York City school staff members have been instructed to ask immigration agents arriving at a public school to wait outside while they contact a school district lawyer. Since 2022, the school system has enrolled about 40,000 students who are immigrants.

Mount Diablo Unified School District northeast of San Francisco, California, is a case in point where parents anxious about deportation may be reticent to send their children to school, noted Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark.

The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 noted that “all ICE memoranda identifying ‘sensitive zones’ where ICE personnel are prohibited from operating should be rescinded. Rely on the good judgment of officers in the field to avoid inappropriate situations.”

Project 2025 called upon states to “pass legislation that requires public schools to charge tuition for unaccompanied migrant children as well as children who are in the U.S. with their illegal-alien parents.

“Such legislation would draw a lawsuit from the Left, which would likely lead the [U.S.] Supreme Court to reconsider its ill-considered Plyler v. Doe decision that had no basis in law,” Project 2025 continued. “This reconsideration is warranted because the large number of unaccompanied alien children and mass illegal migration have significantly changed circumstances for states and localities.”

As reported on Dec. 11 by NBC News, the incoming Trump administration intends to rescind the Department of Homeland Security policy that has prevented ICE agents from arresting undocumented people at or near so-called sensitive locations as soon as the first day he is in office in what he has said he wants to be the “largest deportation operation in American history.”

Educators Seek Guidance

Education Week reported that to address uncertainties in ICE enforcement procedures, experts are suggesting schools should be proactive in educating staff about school policies on ICE interactions and in reminding families of their rights.

When contacted, some school districts expressed a reluctance to respond to questions from School Transportation News on this topic. One of those was California’s Oakland Unified School District was one of the declining contacts.

Denver Public Schools “has not been directly involved in the establishment of any sanctuary or safe zones for students” and “does not collect immigration status on any of our students,” noted Scott Pribble, the district’s director of external communications.

Pribble echoed the observation of others that the DHS’ lists marked or known school bus stops as protected areas in addition to the physical school site.

The National Association of School Resource Officers has not developed any guidance on the immigration issue, noted spokesperson Jay Farlow.

In preparing for potential ICE impacts, school district measures may include creating safe zone resolutions protecting students from immigration enforcement on school grounds and training staff including school bus drivers on how to respond if ICE appears at a school or bus stop, including understanding the students’ rights under state and federal law.

Protecting student privacy and providing resources to families — including emotional and psychological support — is another potential measure as well as collaboration with local governments for support and engaging in advocacy.

In November, Los Angeles television station KABC reported that Los Angeles schools reaffirmed their stance to protect students and their families regardless of citizenship status, with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) school board unanimously reaffirming its commitment to being a sanctuary district.

Since 2017, LAUSD has had a policy of refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement actions, including sharing information about the immigration status of students and their families, the station reported.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo indicated one concern is splitting families apart, where a student may be a natural-born citizen, but a parent is not. He said he has been working on a plan that includes training in multiple languages for school staff.

The Migration Policy Institute indicates some 5.5 million children, representing about 7 percent of the U.S. child population, lived with an unauthorized immigrant parent in 2019. Of those children, 726,000, or 13 percent are themselves unauthorized.

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Related: What Happens When the School Bus Stop is a Crime Scene?

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In mid-December, the California Department of Education announced State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is sponsoring Senate Bill 48, legislation that aims to keep ICE agents off California campuses by establishing a one-mile radius safe zone around schools, as well as protect against the use of school data for deportation efforts.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-33) on Dec. 16, would prevent schools from experiencing a drop-off in student attendance due to immigration concerns, which would directly and negatively impact critical funding.

The bill also doubles down on the commitment by the California Department of Education to safeguard students and families, maintaining schools as spaces where everyone has the right to an education.

In early December, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released guidance and model policies to assist California’s K-12 Schools in responding to immigration issues. For example, the guidance notes that schools are not compelled to provide ICE agents with access to student records if they only have an administrative warrant as opposed to a warrant signed by a judge nor should schools release private student information without parental consent as per federal law.

The guide includes model policies school districts could adopt.

In mid-December, Wendy Cervantes, director of immigration and immigrant families at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), released a statement that “any plan to rescind the protected areas policy is just part of a wider effort to instill fear in immigrant communities and deter parents from taking their child to the hospital or dropping them off at childcare or school.

“We witnessed how immigration enforcement efforts under the first Trump administration impacted participation in early childhood programs and deterred parents from accessing lifesaving services, creating stress for families, care providers, and entire communities,” she said. “The principles behind the protected areas policy are rooted in the recognition that immigration enforcement does not have to come at the cost of the health and well-being of children, including U.S. citizen children in mixed-status families.”

“With or without a formal DHS policy, we stand ready to ensure that families and care providers are informed about their rights and that families are able to meet their basic needs. We will not allow fear to stand in the way of human dignity.”

CLASP offers a guide to creating safe space policy for early childhood programs.

ImmSchools, a Texas nonprofit partnering with schools throughout the U.S. in creating a welcoming environment for immigrant students and families, concurred with others that districts should establish their own policies addressing responses to immigration enforcement.

The organization also offers school districts training for educators so they can best understand immigration laws and policies, so families know their rights.

The post School Districts Seek Student Protections from Immigration Enforcement appeared first on School Transportation News.

Analysis on the series of wildfires that rocked the Los Angeles area, school bus manufacturing data, and OEM developments.

Scott Welle, author, consultant and upcoming STN EXPO Charlotte keynote speaker, discusses his background and passion for training others to “outperform the norm” in their personal lives as well as the line of work they are in.

Read more about business.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

 

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The School Bus Safety Company (SBSC) announced today they have just completed the update and re-creation of their Train the Trainer Instructional Course for school bus driver trainers. The Train the Trainer Instructional Course is an advanced educational course for trainers in the school bus industry. It can be delivered online or from a thumb drive. The course includes seven programs and a 50 question final exam.

Jeff Cassell, President of SBSC, explained, “The most important factor in providing safe student transportation is the training received by the drivers. The quality of this training is a direct result of the knowledge and skills of the trainers providing the training. In many cases, a trainer is a promoted senior driver who has never been properly trained to be a trainer and is left to navigate the process without guidance.

Going through this course ensures that every trainer knows all the techniques and methods to provide the most effective training to the drivers. This will result in them doing it right, the first time, every time in everything they need to do to safely transport students.

There are many techniques to maximize information retention when providing the training to the drivers. This course explains all the techniques and how and when to use them to instill the safest behaviors into the drivers. Our original Train The Trainer Certification Course is now almost ten years old and we have included many improvements in this new updated course.

If you already have a thumb drive copy of our original course, upgrade to this updated course for a discounted price. If you access our courses online, you will automatically have access to this new course for no additional cost.

Good trainers are rare because we never make the time and effort to help them become professionally trained trainers. They are usually left to figure it out for themselves. Trainers going through this course will have a whole new set of skills to become the best trainers they can be.”

The post The School Bus Safety Company completes the update and re-creation of their Train the Trainer Instructional Course. appeared first on School Transportation News.

A man from Opelousas, Louisiana stole a school bus and then drove recklessly causing a four-way crash, reported KATC 3.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, after a 26-year-old man escaped while being transported to a mental health facility. He then stole an unoccupied school bus and drove recklessly into oncoming traffic.

According to the news report, the man caused a crash involving four vehicles where authorities confirmed several people were moderately injured.

Authorities say via the article that the man ran from the scene and stole a truck belonging to a bystander who had stopped to help with the crash.

Police reportedly tracked the truck to the Rayne area, where the man, who was not identified in this writing, was apprehended.

The man could be facing multiple charges related to the crash. The incident remains under investigation.

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Related: Alabama Stolen School Bus Found, Man Charged
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Related: 24 Catalytic Converters Stolen from Texas School Buses
Related: Stolen Car Crashes into School Bus in Wisconsin

The post A Major Crash in Louisiana Involving a Stolen School Bus appeared first on School Transportation News.

A mother in North Providence, Rhode Island, was waiting for her son to come home from school when instead the wrong child was brought to her door, reported WPRI News.

According to the news report, Sarah Batista’s son, who has autism, was set to return home on Monday afternoon. Durham School Services is responsible for bringing her 3-year-old home from school every day.

Batista told local news reporters that she was told they were at her door with her son and nobody was answering. However, when she went downstairs and opened her front door, nobody was there.

Batista reportedly realized the bus was at the wrong house and after directing them to the right location, she was stunned when a boy who was not her son got off the bus.

According to the article, Batista told the bus monitor that it was not her child. The bus monitor went back to the bus and got another backpack but brought back the same child, to which Batista once again stated that it was not her child.

When her son finally got off the bus, Batista reportedly stated she immediately noticed something was off. She told local news reporters that her son had no jacket, no backpack and, did not seem like himself. The next day, her son refused to go to school.

Batista suggested that drivers should create a checklist for students on their bus routes to make sure each one is dropped off at the correct house.

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Related: Mississippi Student Left on Bus for Hours
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Related: Wrong Drop-off Forces 8 Year Old to Fend for Himself
Related: 6-Year-Old Left on School Bus for Hours

The post Rhode Island Woman Claims School Bus Monitor Tried to Drop Off Wrong Student appeared first on School Transportation News.

A common thread throughout the 33 years of the National Conference on Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs, better known as TSD, has been collaboration and communication. Student transporters must be vocal early and often with special education community peers to ensure their perspectives are considered when developing individualized education programs for students.

The impact on transportation as a service, as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the individual transportation plans that result from IEPs is profound. TSD is the place where not only student transporters gather to learn and problem-solve. So do special educators, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, and speech pathologists. All these professionals play a supporting role satisfying the right of students with disabilities satisfy to receive a free and appropriate public education and in the least restrictive environment.

This is what makes transporting students who are medically fragile so complex, and it’s vital student transporters get things right. In November, a panel consisting of a transportation director, school nurse and physical therapist that was moderated by consultant and TSD tenured faculty member Sue Shutrump discussed the critical importance of collaboration and communication between all stakeholders involved in transporting students with these complex needs.

Panelist Laura Beth Blankenship, a pediatric physical therapist with Knox County Schools in Tennessee, noted the increasing number of students riders with ventilators, tracheostomy tubes and severe positioning needs. Further complicating matters, she said some students lack personal adaptive equipment, affecting how a student is positioned and secured on the school bus.

As a result, more and more is asked of school bus drivers and monitors, observed fellow panelist Kenny Mulder, the director of transportation for the Special School District of St. Louis County, Missouri. Angela McDonald, the school nurse consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education, added that mainstreaming students with these various health conditions on general education routes necessitates comprehensive training for all transportation staff, especially when administration of medication is involved.

For all these reasons and more, student transportation needs to be better integrated into the IEP process from the beginning, rather than being left out of the loop.

To do so, the panel suggested:

• Develop a transportation team that include representatives from nursing, special education, physical/occupational therapy, and other relevant departments. This team can create guidance for IEP teams on key transportation-related questions to address.

• Advocate for transportation staff to attend IEP meetings, when possible, especially for students with significant medical, behavioral or mobility needs. This ensures their input is heard and transportation-specific accommodations are included.

• Provide training for all school bus drivers, not just those on specialized routes, on common medical conditions, emergency procedures, and safely assisting students with complex needs. Leverage school nurses, therapists and other experts to provide this training.

• Work with state and local lawmakers to ensure transportation is treated as a related service under IDEA, with clear requirements for training, staffing and equipment. Use regulations to push for the resources needed to transport students safely.

• Foster open communication and relationships with parents. Parents can be powerful allies in ensuring their child’s transportation needs are met, and they may be willing to share critical medical information that the school district lacks.

The goal, the panel shared, is for school districts to develop comprehensive training programs for all school bus drivers and aides so they are equipped with information they need when transporting students who are medically fragile. Could a system, perhaps within routing software, flag student medical conditions and intervention plans? Could a centralized directory of student medical conditions and emergency plans be created and distributed to transportation staff? Do transporters have access to student emergency medications on the bus? How are student transportation requests received, and do they include the necessary medical plans and information? Important questions all of them. What more could you ask in your operations and of your school district?

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the January 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: (STN Podcast E236) TSD 2024 Recap: Supporting Students with Special Needs as Unique People
Related: TSD Panel Offers Necessary Considerations When Selecting Alternative Transportation
Related: ‘Rising Star’ Dedicated to Providing Best Transportation for Students With Special Needs
Related: Recommended Do’s and Don’ts for Meeting the Challenges of Transporting Children with Disabilities

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