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Meet the 2025 Transportation Director of the Year Keba Baldwin, director of transportation at Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland. Baldwin shares his leadership journey, communication strategies to enhance transparency and how he successfully manages transportation operations at the second-largest district in the state. Read the stories of the 2025 Rising Superstars as they share the stories of what led them to this award and what they love about this industry. Find articles about tablets onboard buses, the big three maintenance considerations of school bus garages, NCST delegates thoughts on LEDs, the responsibility of furthering school bus safety and more!

The STN EXPO conferences dates for 2026 have been announced, find more information about STN EXPO East in North Carolina and STN EXPO West in Nevada in the magazine.

Read the full November 2025 issue.

Cover Story

The Cornerstone of Effective Leadership
The 2025 Transportation Director of the Year, Keba Baldwin of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, knows how powerful communication and transparency are when responsible for safely transporting over 100,000 students daily.

Features

Finger on the Pulse
Tablets are closing the divide between dispatch, drivers and parents.

Back to Basics
School bus maintenance comes down to these big three equipment items. Vendor selection, driver behavior and maintenance cycles all play critical roles.

Rising Superstars
This year’s Rising Superstars demonstrate what it means to be a leader for their operations.

Special Reports

Lighting the Way?
While LEDs are the latest lighting technology for school buses, some say there could be better, future options—the reason National Congress on School Transportation delegates did not approve a new standard.

Feedback
Online
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
Paradise Lost, Paradise Gained

Thought Leader by Gilbert Rosas
Staying Focused on the Right Thing: Transportation (Success) Leads the Way to Sustainability

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Is Safety Everyone’s Responsibility?

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Technology is a helpful option for school district transportation departments looking to improve efficiency and cut costs, a transportation coordinator shared during a Thursday webinar.

Bryan Mitchell, marketing director for webinar sponsor Transit Technologies, reviewed current challenges related to on-time student transportation plagued by slashed budgets, driver shortages and increasing parent demands.

Rome City Schools in Georgia was facing a costly and inefficient payroll process, he said. With more than 100 transportation staff members relying on paper-based timesheets, including multi-colored paper for different shifts, Mitchell explained that the monthly task of preparing payroll was a logistical nightmare.

By using ByteCurve digital time clocks and payroll software, the district realized $30,000 in monthly labor cost savings totaling about $300,000 annually, even after wage increases. Jonathan Agenten, director of sales for ByteCurve, explained that the savings came from shaving a few minutes off each driver’s paid hours due to more accurate data collection. Christina Buffington, transportation coordinator for Rome City Schools, confirmed that no driver experienced a significant wage loss.

Buffington shared that the previous paper time sheet method would take up to a month to add up hours and verify before finalizing. She confirmed that the ByteCurve digital process has reduced the time it takes to complete the process and allows management to verify drivers’ route completion via GPS. Payroll errors were nearly eliminated and 10 hours were saved per week in driver communications and payroll reconciliation.

“It’s the work that drives the day – it’s the work that drives the pay,” quipped Agenten.

He reviewed the way ByteCurve streamlines and improves communication between the normally siloed transportation segments of routing, payroll and GPS tracking. The system provides a digital clock-in experience for drivers, an airport terminal-like dashboard emphasizing delayed or canceled routes that require staff attention, a real-time bus location view and the ability to automatically calculate complex pay scenarios based on district policies.

Related: Arkansas District Uses Technology to Save Money and Time
Related: (Recorded Webinar) Arkansas Transportation Department Saves $15K per Month with Bytecurve
Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?
Related: (STN Podcast E274) Can I Make a Difference? Tips From Top Transportation Team & Technology Super User

Mitchell and Agenten reviewed the rugged and reliable Vehicle Camera Systems and Driver-Facing Cameras offered by Vestige, a sister company to ByteCurve via parent company Transit Technologies. AI-Powered Safety Solutions include a Driver Monitoring System to detect drowsiness, distraction, smoking, and phone use as well as Advanced Driver Assistance System alerts for forward collision, lane departure and pedestrian detection.

Transit Technologies also offers FASTER maintenance software which it says was “purpose built to match how fleets operate, not how companies think they do,” and can save 10-15 hours per week with automated reports and real-time dashboards.

Also recently added to the Transit Technologies family of companies was field trip management software provider busHive.

Mitchell spoke to the company’s goal of offering an integrated tech stack to meet all of a school district’s transportation needs.

These technologies are beneficial as they discover savings and efficiencies in fuel and payroll, which are the two biggest expenses in transportation, noted STN Publisher Tony Corpin.

Agenten emphasized the “white glove” treatment offered by ByteCurve in initially setting up the systems to fulfill the needs of each individual district. From Rome City Schools, both Buffington and Director of Transportation Elander Graham praised the customer service experience.

Watch the webinar on demand. 

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STN EXPO East returns to North Carolina with six days of exciting and innovative educational, networking and training opportunities for the student transportation industry.

The conference opens with a Welcome Reception at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa Thursday, March 26. The Transportation Director Summit begins Friday and continues Saturday with an off-site, all-day exclusive event focused on collaborative problem-solving and leadership development at Topgolf Charlotte Southwest.

Keynote speaker and author Jim Knight will address directors at the Transportation Director Summit Saturday, followed by conference attendees Monday with his presentation “Culture That Rocks: Set List on How to Amp Up the Company’s Culture (to Eleven) and Deliver Sustainable Results.”

The Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit will feature the latest best practices in green leadership as well as interactive demonstrations of technology offerings. The National School Bus Inspection Training will once again offer hands-on as well as classroom training.

Networking events will be held throughout the conference to give attendees time to interact and problem-solve with their peers, expert speakers and vendors. These events include the Road to Championship Networking Reception on Saturday, the Technology Demonstrations and Ride & Drive Reception at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, and the Trade Show/Networking Pit Stop Reception on Monday.

Attendees will also have a chance to tour the Thomas Built Buses C2 Plant in High Point, North Carolina, on Tuesday, March 31. Space is limited for unique experiences, so secure your space soon.

STN EXPO East will be held March 26- 31, 2026 at Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa. Save $200 on main conference registration when registering by Dec. 19. at stnexpo.com/east.

Related: STN Launches Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program at 2026 Conferences
Related: Roundup: Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO East Sounds Optimistic Tone
Related: WATCH: STN EXPO East 2025

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A Forest High School senior was killed after being hit by a car while walking to her bus stop in Ocala, Florida, reported Fox 35

The crash reportedly happened Monday around 6:20 a.m. Officers say 18-year-old Shannon Rushing was struck by a vehicle driven by a 60-year-old woman and died from her injuries at the scene.

According to the news report, school district officials identified Rushing as a senior at Forest High School who was known for her positive attitude and involvement in school activities.

Rushing’s older sister, Shanta Norton, had been raising her since their mother’s passing, Norton described her sister to local news reporters as a friendly and outgoing young woman who was active in her school’s Christian club and always eager to make others laugh.

She said Rushing, “knew how much we loved her, but she always said it to me,” recalling that just days before her death, she had told her she loved her.

Norton said the family will remember her as someone who was “always smiling and laughing.”

The Ocala Police Department said via the article, “We are heartbroken with this news and are supporting the family and school community during this difficult time.”

The crash remains under investigation at this report.

Counselors at Forest High School met with students and staff to help them cope with the tragedy.

Related: Teen Hospitalized After Hit-and-Run Crash in South Las Vegas, Motorist Faces Felony Charge
Related: 8-Year-Old Struck, Killed by Vehicle After Exiting School Bus in Texas
Related: Texas Student Struck and Killed by School Bus
Related: Louisiana Student Struck and Killed by School Bus

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In a partisan 51–47 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed four top leadership appointments to the U.S. Department of Transportation, marking a significant step for the current administration’s transportation and infrastructure agenda.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy welcomed the Oct. 7 confirmations of Derek Barrs as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) alongside Michael Rutherford as the first assistant secretary for Multimodal Freight Infrastructure & Policy, Gregory Zerzan as general counsel, and David Fink as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Duffy called them all “accomplished leaders” poised to advance safety, efficiency, and innovation across the nation’s transportation systems.

In a press release, Secretary Duffy stated his confidence in their ability to serve the American people and move the department’s goals forward. Among the group, Barrs has deep roots in commercial motor vehicle safety and law enforcement.

With more than two decades of experience, including leadership roles at the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Transportation, Barrs has also been a visible figure in the industry, serving as an associate vice president at infrastructure design firm HTNB and holding senior leadership positions within the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

CVSA publicly supported Barrs’ nomination, with Executive Director Collin Mooney saying Barrs has a unique blend of enforcement and industry experience and praising his leadership in modernizing safety practices and championing technological advancement. Barrs’ commitment to roadway safety is also reflected in his role on the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board.

Following his confirmation, Barrs stated that his mission is to “strengthen safety, demand accountability and deliver results that make a real difference,” emphasizing his commitment to working collaboratively with law enforcement and industry stakeholders. As FMCSA administrator, he now leads a nationwide team of over 1,100 employees tasked with regulating and overseeing safety in the commercial motor vehicle sector.

Related: Innovation Awards Returns to STN EXPO, Vote on Site
Related: Legislation Reauthorizing DERA Program Passes Senate, Held in House
Related: Giving Birth to Proper Leadership
Related:Federal Legislation Reintroduced to Permanently Extend ‘Under-the-Hood’ Exemption

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is doubling down on increased seatbelt usage in school buses following the Leander Independent School District school bus crash Aug. 13.

As School Transportation News previously reported, a 2025 Blue Bird school bus was traveling south on a two-lane divided road the first day of school for the Austin, Texas-area district. The school bus was occupied by the 78-year-old driver and 46 student passengers.

Related: Texas School District Updates Seatbelt Policy Following School Bus Rollover
Related: NTSB Investigating Texas School Bus Crash

The NTSB stated in its preliminary investigation that a forward-facing video from the vehicle showed the school bus drifting left across the centerline and then to the right, causing it to leave the road while navigating a left-hand curve. After leaving the roadway, the bus crossed an embankment, overturned and came to rest adjacent to the roadway. At the time of the crash the road was wet from light rain.

The investigation found that many students were not restrained in the available lap/shoulder seatbelts, which are required in each new school bus by state law, and were therefore displaced from their seats during the roadway departure and rollover event. Sixteen students were injured, ranging from serious to minor, and the school bus driver sustained minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation to determine probable cause. However, NTSB has issued three recommendations as a result of the preliminary investigation. To the state of Texas and Leander ISD, NTSB recommends establishing, distributing and requiring the implementation of enforceable policies and procedures for seatbelt use, with routine audits, to ensure that every student is restrained on every trip.

At a minimum, the NTSB said policies and procedures should include: “Mandatory pre-departure driver instruction to students to properly belt and periodic pre-departure inspection by drivers or other staff to ensure that each student is properly belted; periodic review of onboard video camera footage, when equipped, to verify seatbelt use; and

increased training and education of school administrators and staff, bus drivers, parents, and students about proper seat belt use and adjustment, seat belt policies and procedures, the safety benefits of seat belt use, and the importance of being properly belted.”

The state currently requires model-year 2018 or newer school buses to be equipped with three-point seatbelts. School districts can opt out if the school board determines that the cost exceeds the district’s budget and passes a vote during a public meeting.

Bagdad Elementary School Principal Monica de la Garza-Conness and Director of Transportation Tracie Franco shared in a letter to the community in late August that the district remains committed to reviewing its practices and strengthening reminders regarding seatbelt use.

“While state law does not hold districts legally responsible for seatbelt use, we expect students to buckle up whenever seatbelts are available,” the letter states. “To strengthen this standard, drivers will now check seatbelt use before departure. These expectations for our staff members will be added to our transportation and district handbooks.”

Related: School Bus Seatbelt Law Appears Imminent in Illinois
Related: Oklahoma Latest State to Introduce School Bus Seatbelt Bill
Related: Updated: NAPT Issues New Position on School Bus Seatbelts

Meanwhile, the NTSB called on the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), the National School Transportation Association, and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services to inform its members of the Leander ISD crash, the lack of seatbelt use, and the need for school districts to establish enforceable policies and procedures for seatbelt use on school buses.

In a letter to members on Oct. 28, the same day NTSB released its recommendations, NAPT informed its members of “the nature of the crash and the importance of using the belts when they are in place.” The organization pointed to its policy statement on the issue of lap/shoulder seatbelts, which encourages members to determine the use of the three-point restraints based on their local needs.

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After a year of being STN’s Transportation Director of the Year, Craig Beaver of Beaverton School District in Oregon joins us to discuss the ins and outs of running a large mixed-fleet school bus operation, pushing the limits with technology and data, navigating current federal changes, and looking to the future of the industry.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

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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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This year’s National School Bus Safety Week saw districts and transportation companies around the country sharing photos of driver appreciation events, student safety trainings and student transportation department highlights.

School Bus Safety Week is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Association for Pupil Transportation, and was recognized Oct. 20-24. It is held each year during the third full week of October.

1 of 95

Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: WATCH: West Virginia Releases Illegal Passing Awareness Video
Related: Pennsylvania Announces Winners of State School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest
Related: Dick Fischer Wins STN’s Lifetime Achievement Award

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Following a media report last month of a Waymo vehicle passing a school bus in Atlanta, Georgia, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a preliminary evaluation into the autonomous Uber option.

The evaluation is set to “investigate the performance of the Waymo (Automated Driving System) around stopped school buses, how the system is designed to comply with school bus traffic safety laws and the system’s ability to follow those traffic safety laws. During this investigation, NHTSA will seek to identify the scope of the issue presented by this incident and identify any other similar incidents,” the report states.

Waymo and Uber announced a partnership in select cities around the U.S., starting in Phoenix and expanding to Atlanta and Austin. Riders in these cities have the option to hail autonomous rides through the Uber app. Rides can also be booked through the Waymo app in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

However, the Waymo vehicle was captured on video Sept. 22 illegally passing a stopped school bus that was unloading children.

NHTSA opened the preliminary evaluation Oct. 17. In INOA-PE2503, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation states that a Waymo autonomous vehicle, or AV, failed to remain stopped “when approaching a school bus that was stopped with its red lights flashing, stop arm deployed and crossing control arm deployed.”

Related: Waymo Driverless Car Illegally Passes Stopped School Bus in Atlanta
Related: WATCH: West Virginia Releases Illegal Passing Awareness Video
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?

The report states that Waymo AV approached the right side of the school bus from a perpendicular side street. “The AV initially stopped but then drove around the front of the bus by briefly turning right to avoid running into the bus’s right front end, then turning left to pass in front of the bus and then turning further left and driving down the roadway past the entire left side of the bus. During this maneuver, the Waymo AV passed the bus’s extended crossing control arm near disembarking students (on the bus’s right side) and passed the extended stop arm on the bus’s left side,” the report continued.

At the time of the incident, the Waymo AV was operated by Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System and no safety operator was present in the vehicle. The report noted that Waymo has surpassed 100 million miles of driving as of July, approximately 2 million miles logged per week.

“Based on NHTSA’s engagement with Waymo on this incident and the accumulation of operational miles, the likelihood of other prior similar incidents is high,” the report states.

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Declining birth rates in and of themselves aren’t news. They have been well-publicized for years across the U.S. and Canada. China is even worse off. Throw a dart at a map, and any country you hit is likely experiencing a drop in births. There are many reasons for this, but they are all inconsequential except that they impact education and student transportation.

The National Center on Education Statistics recently published data that projected a decline in overall K-12 public school enrollments through 2030. It does not refer once to falling birth rates, but we know they are central to the issue. (NCES does refer to the effect of dropouts, transfers to and from public schools and state-level migration.)

COVID-19 unsurprisingly resulted in a 2 percent decrease in public school student enrollment. The real eye-opener, according to NCES, is that enrollment decreases will rise 6 percent over the next several school years.

Meanwhile, private charter school enrollment, which spiked during COVID, has “significantly slowed,” according to the Cato Institute. Yet competition remains high for public school bus transportation in states like Ohio, a microcosm for how the issue could affect the rest of the nation. One of several states that requires publicly funded school buses to transport students attending private and charter schools, Ohio’s challenge has been exacerbated over the past several years by a dramatic expansion in the enrollment of private school students, about 90,000 of them.

Not all these students need transportation service, true. Still, local news outlets reported last month that for the second-straight year, many public high school students were left without school bus service because the vehicles were dispatched instead to transport their private and charter school peers. Ohio public school districts are mandated to transport K-8 students to their private or charter schools and offer the same transportation service to private high school students that public high school students receive.

The publication the74million.org reported this summer that 16 states offer public funding for private school tuition to any student in the state. On one hand, this means inevitably more transportation, which theoretically is a good thing. But then factor in one of if not the biggest startup challenges: the school bus driver shortage.

Over the past year, several readers have bristled at the term, “shortage.” One told me the industry is not suffering a driver shortage, or a shortage of any other transportation staff, for that matter. No, instead they said the industry has a retention problem. No wonder with pay, though increased out of necessity, hardly if at all keeping up with inflation and school bus drivers stretched thin over routes with multiple tiers and no rest in between. An issue experienced by many readers but rarely discussed by the media are school bus drivers “calling out” sick when perhaps they aren’t. Everyone needs a mental health day. But in larger and urban school districts, I’m told callouts can run rampant, and the cases aren’t always legitimate. Many drivers are now salaried employees. If they aren’t sick, then what is the real issue?

Maybe they are sick of their job or more aptly sick of the organizational culture. Find another job, one might argue. That is hardly a constructive response to an issue that undermines the very reason student transportation operations exist.

Now, more than ever responsible leadership is fundamental to transportation success. In addition to coaching the operational “X’s and O’s,” provide a pathway to employees that encourage them to stay behind the wheel, at the dispatch desk, or in the maintenance facility. This goes for the transportation leaders, too. What is keeping them in their current role at their current school district, or encouraging them to look elsewhere?

In addition to exploring school startup challenges, this month’s edition shares examples and perspectives of how proper leadership is helping transportation operations not only navigate the many pressures laid out before them but succeed at their missions of delivering students safely and efficiently to school and home again. And having fun while doing it.

I’ve written this before, and I’ll write it again. STN co-founder and Editor and Publisher Emeritus Bill Paul repeatedly would tell me that as long as parents keep making children, there will be a need for the yellow school bus. The iconic vehicle certainly has competition today in many forms, birth rates being just one of them. Don’t let your organizational culture be another.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the October 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E277) Make the System Better: Safety Leadership Training & D.C. Insider on Disability Supports
Related: School Bus Safety Company Unveils New Leadership Training Course to Elevate Safety Leadership
Related: (STN Podcast E279) Encourage, not Discourage: NY Top Transportation Team Talks Work Culture
Related: How concerned are you about the data security of your student transportation operations?

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Every year during National School Bus Safety Week, PennDOT sponsors a school bus safety poster contest for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Winners are recognized during an awards event to further highlight the week and promote safety around the school bus.

Similar to the national poster contest conducted by the National Association of Pupil Transportation, PennDOT also had a new theme this year.

“The theme for the contest, Safety First – Safety Always, reminds everyone of the important dynamic between students and their school bus drivers, who navigate commonwealth roadways daily to deliver students to school and home without incident,” PennDOT said.

The following are the winners in grades Kindergarten to 2nd Grade:

First place
Angelina Mumford
Roberts Elementary School
Wayne, Montgomery County

Second Place
Joshua Morgenstern
Roberts Elementary School
Wayne, Montgomery County

Third Place
Rosalyn Killian
William R. Croman Elementary School
Troy, Bradford County

Division 2, consisting of Grades 3-5, was awarded to the following:

First Place
Lipi Kairi
Baker Elementary School
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

Second Place
Akshay Subash​
Franklin Elementary School
Sewickley, Allegheny County

Third Place
Olivia Cullison
Robert’s Elementary School, Wayne
Montgomery County

Finally, Division 3 winners in grades 6 to 8 are as follows:

First Place
Arjun Kairi
Fort Couch Middle School
Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County

Second Place
Emma Harriger
Brockway Area Sr/Jr High School
Brockway, Jefferson County

Third Place
Arya Subash
Ingomar Middle School
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

PennDOT added that no qualifying entries were submitted this year for the Special Education and Computer Aided categories.

Meanwhile, PennDOT announced the winners of the 2025 Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safety Competition, which the Pupil Transportation Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania School Bus Association hold every June to test driver knowledge of safety rules and safe school bus operation. This year, around 60 drivers from across the state participated.

The winners are also recognized during the National School Bus Safety Week event. There were no transit-style buses entered in the competition this year.

The winners in the conventional bus category this year are:

First place
JoAnne Cowan, Krapf School Bus in Chester County

Second place
Angie Martin, Brightbill Transport in Lancaster County

Third place
Patricia Carey, Krapf School Bus in Chester County

“PennDOT would like to congratulate all of the winners and say thank you to all of the students who participated in the School Bus Safety Poster contest and all school bus drivers for keeping our children safe on a daily basis,” the press release stated.

Related: NAPT Annual Poster Contest Winners Announced
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
 

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A webinar hosted by the Propane Education & Research Council outlined the benefits of propane-fueled school buses with transportation professionals that are currently using them in their fleets.

“Blue Bird loves to make buses, and we love to make options,” said Steve Whaley, alternative fuels manager at Blue Bird during the Wednesday webinar. He discussed a comparison with propane to other fuels in terms of cost differential, as he said perception of alternative fuels is that they tend to be more expensive.

With over 20,000 propane buses on the road, Whaley said that savings are significant with average fuel and maintenance costs of about $3,700 per year per bus. As opposed to other clean fuel options and even when compared to diesel, the infrastructure costs are the lowest of any other fuels because propane evaporates leading to fewer regulations from the EPA. Since so much propane is sourced in the U.S., Whaley said transportation departments can avoid the cost instability that comes with outsourcing fuel from outside the country.

Whaley quoted Mike Bullman, director of transportation for the South Carolina Department of Education, as saying, “We don’t need funding for propane, those things pay for themselves.”

To discuss the health benefits of propane, Bailey Arnold from the American Lung Association presented statistics on the high rates of lung cancer in the U.S. As the director of healthy air solutions, Arnold said the organization is committed to fighting the high rates of lung cancer that lead to nearly 125,000 lives lost every year.

He noted that implementing propane is one of the things society can do to combat these mortality rates and health issues as well as high CO2 emissions, explaining that while emissions are commonly measured and analyzed on a yearly basis, “they stack up and have a cumulative effect.”

He said that he would encourage school districts to consider propane now as it will only get more difficult to reduce overall emissions. Arnold referenced a recent NREL study that found that using propane would save 147 tons of carbon emissions in three years, while renewable propane would save 360 tons over the same period.

Amy Rosa, director of safety and transportation at Wa-Nee Community Schools in northern Indiana, is currently running 25 Blue Bird propane buses out of the 56 buses in her fleet that transports 3,000 students. She said losing two parents to lung disease in recent years spurred her passion for cleaner fuels. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen mitigation trust grant funding contributed a lower cost of implementation for the new propane buses. She said her district is always looking to save money to benefit the students and taxpayers, and that propane buses helped do that.

She said the transition was seamless, and that partnerships with the suppliers were supportive. Mechanics and drivers were on board. She said that the drivers appreciate the quieter engines, which “reduces tension with students and drivers” and that these quiet, clean, warm buses are improving student behavioral student issues. In a cold state, she said the quick heating ability of propane buses with no need for auxiliary heaters has been a benefit, and that her drivers have told her, “I love knowing my bus will start no matter how cold it gets.”

Whaley noted that Diane Mikelski, the recently retired director of transportation at Illinois’ Township High School District 211, will be speaking about her experience with propane buses at the upcoming Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in November on the benefits of a quieter bus on student behavior.

Sam Corson, the bus and automotive maintenance manager at Newport News Community Schools in Virginia, said he has seen immediate positive results from using propane buses. He said with wide city borders, which requires school bus drivers to often log 100 to 200 miles a day, long-range buses are necessary. He said Newport News has had no issues with propane buses doing around 340 miles on one tank.

Corson said that about 80 percent of district routes are covered by the 180 propane buses out of 306 total in the fleet,. Cost savings are evident, with diesel buses costing 38 cents per mile to operate compared to 29 cents on propane.

“I noticed all the things [a propane bus] does not have that I was continuously fixing on a daily basis,” he shared, and continued that he has seen a reduction in bus breakdowns.

Learning maintenance was simple for his team, he said, noting that the local Blue Bird dealership led training for all the mechanics to make sure they were comfortable with the new buses. Corson said that due fewer regulations and overall positive reactions to propane buses, the district decided to not decommission and replace the fuel tank.

Both Rosa and Corson praised the ROUSH CleanTech fueling software that allows them to keep track of fuel levels and that suppliers have been consistent. They also noted that they did not have to invest in new additions for their maintenance facilities when implementing propane.

When asked what she would tell another director who is considering buying propane buses, Rosa said, “No hesitation…the choice is a no-brainer for kids and for your mechanics, for bus drivers. It’s just a really good choice all around. I couldn’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t.”

Corson said his advice is to “jump in 100 percent.”

“I couldn’t see myself buying [another] diesel unless I was forced to,” he continued, adding that maintenance is much simpler on propane buses and any issues that do come up are usually easy fixes.

Watch the webinar on demand.

Related: Ride and Drive, Technology Product Demos Return to Texas in November
Related: Propane Best Immediate Option For Greening Fleet, Says Rural Missouri School District
Related: Students, Staff at Illinois District Approve of Propane School Buses

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Expert speakers at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference will provide attendees with a solid foundation to provide transportation for students with special needs.The “Foundations of Special Needs Transportation” session will be held on Friday, Nov. 7 to open up the conference. The three-hour session will feature panelists Alexandra Robinson, president at A. Robinson Consulting, and newly inducted NAPT hall of famer, Katrina Morris, executive director for Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT), and John Benish, chief operating officer at school bus contractor Cook-Illinois Corporation.

The panelists will discuss federal laws and regulations pertaining to the transportation of students with special needs, including a breakdown of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the meaning of a free and appropriate education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment (LRE), and McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act details.

The instructors will also cover operational considerations, including child passenger safety equipment, training for drivers to accommodate student needs, how to make sure transportation needs are included in student Individual Education Plans or IEPs and vehicle specifications. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and review scenarios to determine what best practices for transporting students with special needs would be.

The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes dozens of educational sessions, hands-on training, networking events, product demonstrations and keynotes all focused on transportation of students with special needs.

Related: New TSD Conference School Bus Attendant Seminar to Provide Training Guidelines
Related: TSD Keynote to Outline Legal Considerations When Transporting Students with Disabilities
Related: Former OSERS Leader, Advocate for People with Disabilities to Keynote TSD Conference

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A video quickly circulating online showed a father boarding a school bus and telling his daughter to hit another student. The man has now been arrested by local police.

The incident occurred Oct. 9 on a Ferguson-Florissant School District near St. Louis, Missouri. On Tuesday, the Ferguson Police Department identified the father as Maurice Fox, 36, in a statement.

In the video footage released by the department, Fox is seen onboard the bus telling his first-grade daughter to assault another student saying, “This one? Yeah, do what I told you to,” and “Don’t put your hands on my daughter no more because if I find out you’re touching her again, your parents will have to talk to me.” The daughter then begins punching the other student. When she stops, Fox says, “Again, I want her crying.”

Fox later posted on social media that he felt he did what he needed to do to teach his daughter to defend herself from bullies

A news article reported that before Fox was taken into custody, he created an online fundraiser seeking donations for his legal defense. But a spokesperson for GoFundMe said the platform’s terms of service prohibit people charged with violent crimes from raising money for their legal defense. The fundraising page was removed and donations were refunded.

The article also said that according to an affidavit, the school bus driver tried to stop Fox, but “he pushed the driver’s arm out of the way and continued walking.” The video blurs the faces of all others on the school bus, but the school bus driver appears to be seated at the front of the vehicle.

The statement said that Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle confirmed that Fox turned himself and is being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center with a $100,000 bond.

Prior to Fox’s arrest on Monday after turning himself in, police said he was being sought on an at-large warrant from the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Fox is now also facing charges of one count of first-degree harassment, two counts of assault in the fourth degree and trespassing on a school bus.

“This incident is extremely troubling on many levels. As adults, we have a responsibility to model appropriate behavior and teach our children how to resolve conflict peacefully. Encouraging violence among children — especially in such a public and frightening way — is unacceptable. We are grateful this individual chose to turn himself in, and we hope this brings some measure of accountability,” said Police Chief Troy Doyle.

He continued, “No child should ever be exposed to that kind of behavior, especially in a setting that should feel safe, like a school bus,” he said. “We encourage parents and guardians to work with school officials, counselors and community resources when facing conflicts involving their children. Collaboration and communication, not confrontation, are how we keep our kids and schools safe.”

In the comments on the police statement, many people commented on the difficult emotions of knowing a child is being bullied, but that there are better ways to handle the situation.

School Transportation News reached out to Ferguson-Florissant School District for comment and received the following statement from their communications department:

“We fully cooperated with law enforcement as they addressed this matter. Student and staff safety is always our top priority, and we will not tolerate anything that compromises their safety. School buses are an extension of the school campus. Trespassing on a school bus and engaging in the behavior described in this incident are completely unacceptable.”

Related: School Violence Grant Provides Opportunity for Threat Assessment Training
Related: Florida District Introduces Innovative Safety Training for School Bus Drivers
Related: 9-Year-Old Arrested for Bringing Loaded Gun onto Florida School Bus

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MESA, Ariz.,- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, continues its commitment to National School Bus Safety Week (October 20-24) by providing a toolkit promoting safe school transportation to communities nationwide.

Passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended is illegal in every state, yet nearly one in four drivers are unaware of this law, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a leading provider of school bus stop arm enforcement technology, Verra Mobility recognizes the importance of education around school bus safety and invites communities nationwide to help spread awareness.

The need for education is urgent. Children are vulnerable to being killed or injured when boarding or deboarding a school bus, and illegal school bus passing violations can lead to devastating consequences. During the 2023-2024 school year alone, victims included a 15-year-old student in Alabama, a 15-year-old student in Texas, and an 8-year-old student in Georgia, all of whom were boarding or exiting their school bus while the school bus’s stop arm was extended with lights flashing.

To encourage communities and organizations to raise awareness around school transportation safety, Verra Mobility created its toolkit with ready-to-share social media posts, educational messaging, and statistics. The toolkit equips communities with ready-to-use resources, including social media posts, digital collateral, educational messaging, and statistics to emphasize the importance of safe driving around school buses.

To download the free materials and share this important safety message, visit www.verramobility.com/national-school-bus-safety-week-toolkit.

“Children – our most vulnerable citizens – must be able to get to and from school safely,” said David Dorfman, senior vice president, Verra Mobility. “This week is a great reminder that we can all make a difference and help improve safety for our children. We’re proud to once again partner with communities nationwide to raise awareness around the importance of safe driving near school buses, and to remind drivers that a child’s life is not worth saving a few minutes.”

One available resource that can help reduce illegal school bus passings is Verra Mobility’s school bus stop arm program which works when the bus’s stop arm is deployed. AI-enabled cameras capture video evidence of vehicles illegally passing the stopped school bus; the violation is then transmitted to a secure platform and reviewed by law enforcement.

These programs have been shown to change driver behavior, with 98% of drivers who are issued a violation for illegally passing a stopped school bus not repeating their behavior, and with some programs experiencing up to a 67% reduction in issued citations when comparing the beginning of the school year to the end.

“Verra Mobility has equipped thousands of school buses across the country with life-saving technology that helps communities improve school transportation safety,” said Dorfman. “This week allows us to highlight the positive impact of these efforts while educating parents and students on how they can prevent school transportation-related tragedies.”

To learn more about the school bus stop arm safety program, visit
www.verramobility.com/government/school-bus-safety/.

About Verra Mobility
Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility’s transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.

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PASADENA, Calif. — At RIDE, every mile matters, especially when it comes to the safety of our children. As we celebrate School Bus Safety Week Oct. 20–24, we’re proud to highlight how RIDE 100% battery-electric school buses are redefining safety and sustainability through advanced innovation.

“Safety isn’t just a feature — it’s our foundation,” Patrick Duan, Co-CEO RIDE Mobility said. “Our Blade Battery, built on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology, sets the industry standard as the safest and most reliable battery system available today.”

Designed to withstand extreme conditions and prevent thermal runaway, the award-winning and innovative Blade Battery ensures every school bus ride is as secure as it is smooth. Through rigorous testing, the Blade Battery delivers unmatched protection for children. Parents get the assurance and peace of mind they need, knowing their children are safe on their way to and home from school.

Beyond safety, RIDE’s all-electric, zero-emission buses eliminate tailpipe pollution, creating a quieter, cleaner cabin environment and contributing to a healthier community, directly benefiting the long-term respiratory health of our communities.

Based in Pasadena, California, RIDE is committed to protecting students and giving peace of mind to parents, drivers, and communities across the country. Visit ride.co to learn how RIDE is shaping the future of clean, safe student transportation.

About RIDE:
Headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., with a 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Lancaster, Calif., RIDE, founded in 2023, is the US spinoff of BYD. RIDE builds award-winning battery electric school buses, transit buses, motorcoaches and trucks for the U.S. market. RIDE is a union employer with a unique community benefits agreement that offers opportunities to those who have faced previous barriers to employment. A global force in clean energy and transportation, BYD is the world’s leading battery and EV manufacturer. Visit our website RIDE.CO to learn more.

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A school bus fire in Bethel, Minnesota, turned into a dramatic rescue earlier this month when a mother helped evacuate 22 elementary students just moments before flames engulfed the vehicle, reported CBS News.

According to the news report, Kari Thorp was waiting for her daughter’s school bus when she noticed smoke and flames coming from underneath the vehicle as it stopped in front of her home. She quickly alerted the driver, Rick Gratton, and the two acted fast to get the children off the bus safely.

“It was crazy. I’m just thankful that he was very calm,” Thorp said via the article.

Thorp’s Ring doorbell camera captured the scene as students from East Bethel Elementary gathered on her lawn, visibly shaken while flames spread rapidly through the front of the bus.

“Kids were crying. Kids were scared and freaking out,” Thorp told local news reporters. “It was quite emotional and kind of frantic.”

The fire escalated quickly. Within 15 minutes, the front of the bus was fully engulfed, and the intense heat even melted part of the road in front of Thorp’s house.

Though some backpacks, lunch boxes and the bus itself were lost in the fire, no injuries were reported. The students’ safe evacuation is being credited to the swift response of Thorp and Gratton as well as the children’s recent school bus safety training.

Both Thorp and Gratton were recognized for their “heroic efforts” in getting all students to safety by St. Francis Area Schools. Thorp reflected on how different things might have turned out if she hadn’t been outside at the time.

“I don’t think he would have gotten very far. And I don’t think we would have been able to get those kids off the bus as fast,” she said via the report. “A lot of little ones sit up front, and that’s where it all started.”

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

Related: California Student Honored for Quick Thinking During School Bus Fire
Related: Missouri Students Learn School Bus, Fire Safety During Back-to-School Bash
Related: WATCH: Fire Expert to Lead School Bus Evacuation Training at STN EXPO West
Related: Electric School Bus Catches Fire in Montreal, No Injuries Reported

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Registration is now open for the 2026 ACT Expo, which returns to Las Vegas, Nevada, in the spring.

The 16th ACT Expo, held May 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will feature sessions on AI and autonomy as well as zero-emission vehicles. Originally called the Advanced Clean Transportation, ACT Expo for short, will now be known solely as ACT Expo, which event producers TRC Companies, said reflects the “expanded scope across advanced, autonomous, connected, and clean transportation technologies.”

TRC noted that ACT Expo can no longer “be simply defined as the clean or advanced technology show — it has become so much more.”

ACT now stands for the following:

• Advanced, Autonomous, Alternative, AI, Analytics, Adaptable, Assets
• Clean, Commercial, Connected, Cost-Effective, Compliant, Charged, Carbon-free
• Transportation, Technology, Transition, Trailers, Telematics, TCO, Tires

The event, which annually attracts over 12,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors, “offers end-users the most current insight into the key technology trends driving the market today and in the years ahead, practical lessons from peers, direct access to every major OEM and industry supplier in the market, strategies to boost competitiveness and accelerate the use of high-tech and clean vehicles and fuel, and the relationships that drive long-term success,” a press release on the event states.

The ACT Expo traditionally has hosted one school-bus-specific session each year and features school buses on the trade floor from various manufacturers. This year, however, TRC Companies said ACT Expo will place a greater emphasis on the digital frontier, reflecting industry investment in software-defined vehicles, real-time data collection and analysis via the use of AI and autonomy.

Related: (STN Podcast E257) The Paths Forward: AI, Clean Energy, Manufacturing Discussed at ACT Expo
Related: ACT Expo Heads Back to Anaheim, Agenda Released
Related: School Bus Wi-Fi Solution Now Available for Districts Left in E-Rate Cold
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week

“Through end-user case studies, the event will highlight how these cutting-edge technologies are improving performance, safety, and ROI, while giving attendees a clear view of where and how they are scaling,” the release states.

In addition to the technologies, the conference will continue to highlight ultra-clean vehicles and low-carbon fuels, spotlighting infrastructure.

“The pace of change and acceleration of advanced technologies in commercial transportation is phenomenal; it’s unlike anything we have seen before,” stated Erik Neandross, president of Clean Transportation Solutions at TRC. “From the boardroom to the show floor, ACT Expo is the one place where C-suite representatives from fleets, OEMs, and infrastructure partners engage directly to shape real-world progress and the future of their businesses. It’s where fleet leaders learn what’s actually working in the field, what’s just around the corner, and where they can better understand proven strategies that can deliver both economic and environmental results.”

School Transportation News is a media sponsor of the event.

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For National School Bus Safety Week, the West Virginia Department of Education partnered with the state police department to create a video that is a sobering reminder of the dangers of illegal passing. The video shows footage of a student getting off the school bus and nearly being struck by a motorist driving past the stopped bus. Jimmy Lacy, the transportation director for the state’s Department of Education, and Sgt. Travis Bailes of the Charleston Police Department outline the impact on student safety and state regulations regarding illegal passing.

Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: Wisconsin State Police, School Bus Association Promote School Bus Safety
Related: Gallery: National School Bus Safety Week 2024

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