CONCORD, N.C. — Stress may be higher than ever for school transportation professionals, but it does not have to dictate performance or personal well-being. That was the central theme during an STN EXPO East conference opening general session, with a keynote that urged attendees to “care less without being careless” in both their professional and personal lives.

Bret E. Brooks, the chief operating officer and senior consultant with Gray Ram Tactical LLC, has worked in pupil transportation security training since 2007, drawing upon a 23-year career in law enforcement as well as 26 years and counting in the U.S. Army National Guard. His forthcoming book, “How to Care Less About Being Careless,” explores the new pressures many people deal with in addition to already demanding jobs.

Technology, 24/7 connectivity, staffing shortages, safety expectations and family responsibilities all collide, he said Friday at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord.

“We are experiencing more stress today than at any point in the past,” he added. “But it is possible to care the right amount.”

Brooks distinguished sharply between being careless and caring less. The latter, he explained, means not giving sufficient attention to critical tasks such as planning for traffic or driving safely, which can result in missed flights, preventable crashes or lax safety practices. Caring less, by contrast, is a deliberate effort to let go of excessive anxiety and over-attachment to minor outcomes so that leaders can think clearly, remain open-minded and solve problems creatively.

He termed this phenomenon the “law of reverse effect,” in which trying too hard produces negative results. He pointed to student-athletes, like his own daughter, who false-started in her first race the day before because she was too obsessively focused on not false-starting. Similarly, motorists who constantly change lanes in heavy traffic find they only continue to fall behind by over-correcting.

A turning point in his own understanding of stress came during a deployment to the U.S. southern border with the National Guard. Brooks was unexpectedly placed in charge of the Joint Visitors Bureau, responsible for planning every VIP visit along 2,000 miles of border, including trips by vice presidents, generals, governors and members of Congress. He described working 20-hour days, seven days a week for six weeks, losing weight, sleeping little and watching his internal “carometer” ping into the red.

Eventually, his commander pulled him aside and told him to care less, but don’t be careless. Brooks said that simple phrase forced him to reconsider whether a mayor waiting 10 minutes for a vehicle or a general missing a helicopter tour was worth sacrificing his health and effectiveness. That mindset later shaped his training work with school districts and conference audiences nationwide.

Throughout Friday morning’s session, Brooks reminded attendees that many of their current stressors did not exist 25 years ago. Streaming subscriptions, smart devices and constant Internet access now occupy mental space that once did not exist, he noted, yet much of that stress is optional and can be reduced. To make the point concrete, he asked attendees to privately write down their top three stressors and, later, their top three life priorities. He then challenged them to compare the two lists.

When stressors and priorities do not match, he said, leaders may be pouring energy into issues that do not support their long-term goals, either at work or at home.

Brooks encouraged participants to look at their lives from a “30,000-foot view,” like the perspective from an airplane window, and to distinguish between “meat” and “gristle” on their plate, citing the famous “Old 96er” scene in the 1988 John Candy movie “The Great Outdoors,” where the late actor John Candy’s character thinks he has finished a 96-ounce steak at a restaurant only to find out he also needs to finish the gristle.

The meat on our collective plates, Brooks said, represents truly essential tasks and responsibilities. The gristle is made up of duties and expectations that can be delegated, rescheduled or removed entirely.

He shared a story about insisting his son clear his plate during a celebratory family dinner to illustrate how easy it is to lose sight of the bigger picture. The point of the outing, he acknowledged in hindsight, was not caloric intake but celebrating his son’s achievement. But focusing on the uneaten food, he left the restaurant with a sick stomach and an unhappy family.

Citing leadership and time-management thinkers Stephen R. Covey and Simon Sinek, Brooks urged transportation professionals to clarify their “why” for being in pupil transportation, to explicitly name their top priorities, and then to schedule those priorities before filling the calendar with routine tasks. He echoed Covey’s guidance that what people do reveals their real priorities more than what they say, stating, “Action expresses priorities.” A leader may claim that spending time with family or focusing on recruitment and retention is a top priority, he observed, but if those items never appear on the daily agenda, they are not true priorities in practice.

Brooks recommended that attendees adopt the “WIN” framework by asking, “What’s important now?” whenever priorities collide. He acknowledged the tension between professional obligations and family events by recounting his own decision to miss his daughter’s regular season track meet to open STN EXPO East. The conference, he said, takes place on a single day and offers a unique opportunity to share information with peers nationwide, while his daughter will have multiple meets later in the season. In other circumstances, such as a state championship or once-in-a-lifetime family event, the equation would change and tip heavily toward making his home life the priority. The WIN question, he said, helps leaders sequence their commitments without abandoning their deeply held values.

The keynote further explored Covey’s urgent-important matrix. Brooks warned against living in the “urgent and important” quadrant, where every day feels like a wrong-way driver bearing down on a school bus. Constant crisis mode, he said, will inevitably push the carometer into dangerous territory.

Instead, he urged participants to move as much of their work as possible into the “important but not urgent” quadrant. In practical terms for school transportation, that means planning back-to-school, in-service training months ahead, forecasting routing, staffing and fleet needs well before school starts, and addressing long-term safety and recruitment strategies before they become emergencies. By contrast, he described much of what appears on television or in sensational news coverage as either “not important and urgent” or “not important and not urgent,” both of which can waste time and attention.

Brooks also addressed conflict management, encouraging a “win-win” mindset with parents, staff, administrators and outside partners. Using simple examples such as a customer buying a Big Mac at McDonald’s, he demonstrated how both sides can walk away with value when solutions are constructed thoughtfully.

He cautioned against turning disagreements into “mutually assured destruction,” where both parties end up worse off, and noted that adversarial approaches in marital or workplace arguments often land in a lose-lose outcome rather than the win-lose or lose-win people imagine.

Related: Arizona Mom Trades Stressful Job for Career as School Bus Driver
Related: Healthy Reaction to Stress Requires Mindfulness, Expert Tells NASDPTS Webinar
Related: STN EXPO East to Feature Timely Discussion on Managing Stress

Regarding work-life balance, Brooks rejected the idea that people should strive for equal hours on each side of a scale. Instead, he said, the real challenge for school transportation professionals is to weigh events appropriately. A routine workday is roughly equivalent to a routine family day. A major training event or the first day of school, with new routes and new drivers, may outweigh a standard evening at home. On the other hand, a child’s state championship, a wedding, a birth or a funeral should outweigh almost any ordinary work commitment. The goal, he said, is not a perfectly level scale but to ensure it tips in the right direction at the right time and for the right reasons.

Brooks closed by underscoring Covey’s seventh habit of “sharpening the saw.” He shared a story from his family’s farm in Missouri, where he spent a full day cutting trees in an overgrown field without taking breaks. His brother, who arrived later, paused often to hydrate and sharpen his chainsaw, and ultimately felled more trees.

The incident, Brooks said, taught him that grinding nonstop without rest or renewal eventually leads to diminished returns. For transportation leaders, sharpening the saw means attending conferences like STN EXPO East, taking real vacations without working through them, scheduling regular getaways with a spouse or family, and respecting both their own downtime and that of their staff. Calling employees during vacation for non-critical issues, he added, undermines their ability to reset and return ready to perform.

“Life is not an eating contest where you have to finish everything on your plate,” Brooks told the audience. “You can push some things off. You can care less about the right things and still never be careless where it counts, especially when it comes to student safety.”

Article written with the assistance of AI.

The post ‘Care Less Without Being Careless’ Urges Security Expert to Student Transporters appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Clarksville-Montgomery County School System school bus traveling on a field trip crashed on the final day of Spring Break, resulting in at least two student fatalities.

STN received initial information about the Tennessee crash Friday, but details were limited at this report. Law enforcement officers are on scene in Carroll County, where the crash took place around noon Eastern Time.

“First and foremost, our hearts are with the families impacted by this devastating loss,” the Tennessee Highway Patrol released in a statement.

Twenty-four students and five adults were on board the school bus at the time. Individuals were transported to the hospital, some via life-flight, while others were taken by ambulance. Two students were pronounced dead at the scene.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol stated via a press conference that in a preliminary crash investigation, the school bus collided with a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck and a passenger vehicle.

Lap/shoulder seatbelts are believed to not have been installed on the school bus. Additional information on the nature of the crash remained unknown at this time.

Related: Tennessee School Bus Bursts Into Flames Moments After Children Evacuated
Related: Tennessee Bill Would Lower Minimum Age for School Bus Drivers to 21
Related: Tennessee School Bus Bursts Into Flames Moments After Children Evacuated

The post Tennessee Crash Kills 2 Students During Spring Break Trip appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. — School transportation leaders across the country are bracing for continued financial strain as flat federal funding, shifting state policies and rising operational costs converge to create what an industry expert described as a “fiscal cliff.”

During the first day of the STN EXPO East conference, Tim Ammon, owner of Ammon Consulting Group and a longtime industry insider, warned that school districts are entering a period where funding uncertainty and reductions are colliding with increasing expenses, which will impact transportation departments.

“Flatline funding associated with increasing cost is, in effect, a cut,” Ammon said, noting that federal education appropriations remaining steady year-over-year fail to keep pace with inflation and rising service demands.

While federal funding accounts for roughly 10 percent to 15 percent of school district budgets, the remainder comes from state and local sources — both of which are facing growing funding uncertainty. Meanwhile, transportation makes up around 10 percent or less of the overall district budget. Declining income tax revenues at the state level and widespread property tax reform efforts are expected to reduce or constrain funding streams that districts rely on.

COVIDE-era Funding Runs Out

At the same time, pandemic-era relief like federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds are expiring, removing a critical financial cushion many districts used for staffing and operations. Ammon emphasized that the combined effect is forcing school systems to reconsider how they deliver services.

“What we will be thinking about … is how do we have to manage services to reflect a set of cost increases that are outstripping the available funding that we’re getting?” he asked.

Transportation departments often operating on tight margins are particularly vulnerable. Rising fuel costs are also adding new volatility, with some districts already reporting budget concerns tied to the War on Iran’s impact on oil prices.

Compounding the issue are demographic trends. Declining student enrollment in many regions is reducing funding tied to the number of students while not necessarily lowering transportation costs. In fact, data Ammon presented showed that in districts with declining enrollment, 83 percent still experienced rising transportation expenses.

“Your job doesn’t get easier because there are fewer kids. It gets harder,” Ammon said, pointing to longer routes, dispersed populations and unchanged service requirements.

Policy changes are also reshaping the funding landscape. The expansion of school choice programs and private school vouchers means funding increasingly follows students out of traditional public school systems. This reduces district revenue while leaving many transportation obligations intact.

Additionally, mandated services such as special education transportation and McKinney-Vento services for homeless students continue to grow, further straining limited budgets.

Ammon described the current environment as a convergence of multiple pressures: Funding reductions, policy shifts and operational changes. Together, these factors are making long-term planning more difficult and increasing the likelihood of significant service adjustments.

Districts may soon face tough decisions, including reducing routes, consolidating stops, adjusting bell times or even eliminating buses. In more severe cases, school closures and major system redesigns could follow.

Related: Action Plan Puts National Spotlight on Hidden Toll of Illegal Passing
Related: Bus Stop Fight Claims Life of 12-year-old Georgia Girl
Related: Industry Veteran to Address Student Transportation Funding Uncertainty at STN EXPO East

“I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but it’s coming,” Ammon said. “Somebody [will be] coming down the hall and saying … ‘I need you to cut 10 buses next year because we’re going to get less funding.’”

Explore Alternative Funding

To prepare, transportation leaders are encouraged to better understand their funding sources, track enrollment trends and collaborate more closely with district planners. He also suggested exploring alternative service models and reevaluating traditional routing strategies to improve efficiency.

Ultimately, the message is clear: School transportation is entering a period of structural change. Those who proactively adapt to evolving financial realities may be better positioned to maintain service levels, while others risk being forced into reactive, and potentially disruptive, decisions.

As Ammon noted, the challenges are not isolated to specific regions or district sizes but represent a broader, systemic issue facing public education nationwide.

Article written with the assistance of AI.

The post Funding Uncertainty, Rising Costs Intensify Pressure on School Transportation Operations appeared first on School Transportation News.

Friday at STN EXPO East began with the National School Bus Inspection Training Program, an intensive, full‑day course designed to train technicians on how to conduct regular vehicle inspections, above and beyond state or federal Department of Transportation guidance.

Security expert Bret Brooks presented two sessions, one on realignment and refocusing of priorities for managing stress and work-life balance, and the other on recognizing early signs of violent behavior. Other session topics Friday included navigating funding cuts and budget issues, and multi-modal transportation.

Transportation directors gathered in the late afternoon for a leadership discussion to kick off the two-day Transportation Director Summit (TD Summit). Led by Tony Corpin, STN president and publisher, the transportation director participants gathered with vendor partners to discuss current challenges and share solutions.

The TD Summit continues Saturday. The event requires prior selection based on completion of a survey and a review of job qualifications and experience.

1 of 41

Photos by Vince Rios Creative and STN staff. 

The post Gallery: Special Training, Focused Sessions at STN EXPO East appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Georgia school bus driver is being hailed as a hero after stopping her route to alert and safely evacuate a family from a house fire, reported FOX 5 Atlanta.

Marlene Davis, a Morgan County school bus driver, was on her morning route March 20 when she noticed smoke and flames coming from a home, according to the news report.

“I saw the big flame coming from inside the house,” Davis told local news reporters. “I just had to stop the bus and go to the door.”

Davis, who had one student on the school bus at the time, pulled over and rang the doorbell until someone answered, the report said.

A man inside, who had been asleep, answered the door and was unaware that the home was surrounded by flames. Davis helped him and others inside to evacuate safely. Everyone inside the house did not suffer any injuries, and the fire was later contained.

Davis said she later realized how serious the situation was after receiving a message from her supervisor indicating the residents had been asleep.

“It was the only thing that I could have done, and it was the right thing to do,” she said. “And I couldn’t just leave them.”

Later that day, the homeowner where the evacuated family lived flagged Davis down by flashing his vehicle headlights to give her a card and express his gratitude for her actions. Family members and loved ones also expressed gratitude for the driver’s quick thinking, which may have prevented serious injury or worse.

Officials have not released additional details about the cause of the fire. The investigation is ongoing.

Article written with the assistance of AI.

Related: California Farmworkers Hailed as Heroes After Rescuing 20 Children from Burning School Bus
Related: Minnesota School Bus Driver Hailed Hero for Avoiding Head-On Crash With Semi
Related: Colorado School Bus Driver Hailed Hero After Fire
Related: Florida School Bus Driver Hailed Hero for Protecting Hit-and-Run Victim

The post Evacuated Family Grateful Georgia School Bus Driver Sees House Fire appeared first on School Transportation News.

MERIDIAN, Idaho – Durham School Services had the special opportunity to provide two school buses to support the Meridian and Garden City Police Department’s Bus Hostage Rescue training for their Special Tactics Group. The training involved learning about the configuration of school buses and identifying challenges that may occur during vehicle-based and confined-space emergency scenarios. The training also helped the group to fine-tune their training strategies to better ensure the safety of students and staff when emergency situations occur.

For the training, Durham provided two types of buses – a regular, standard sized bus and minibus/van. A Durham trainer was also on-site to offer insight into the operation, structure, and different components of the bus, as well as to answer questions. The training lasted approximately four hours and was a successful, productive session that resulted in valuable knowledge and key takeaways for the tactics group team members.

“It’s collaborations like these with our community partners such as Durham School Services that allow us and our team to provide the highest quality of service possible to the community,” said Sergeant Justin Rogers, Meridian and Garden City Police Department. “By being provided a realistic training environment and knowledgeable school bus professionals to answer questions, we are able to elevate our training and thus are better prepared to respond to these types of critical incidents. We are thankful for the opportunity and look forward to continuing these partnerships in the future.”

Durham began serving the Meridian community in 2024. As part of its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program, the team has supported Meridian and its community members through various events such as providing transportation for the Special Olympics Athletes’ Winter Regional Games and participating in and becoming a sponsor for the West Ada Education Foundation’s 36th Annual Linking Up FORE Kids Golf Tournament.

“As a Partner Beyond the Bus, when instances arise to lend support to community partners, we are more than happy to participate and help in any way we can,” said Eric Fedorco, Meridian General Manager, Durham School Services. “When the Meridian Police Department reached out for assistance with their training, there was no hesitation in my mind, especially since it was related to safety. My team and I have a strong sense of duty when it comes to the safety of our students and community, so we are glad to have played a vital role in enhancing safety measures that will protect their wellbeing when the least expected happens. It was a meaningful opportunity to safeguard our community, and we would be honored to assist again in the future.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services and its sister brands, Stock Transportation and Petermann Bus, are dedicated to the safety of our students and People. Collectively, for more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services and its sister brands have earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities they serve.

The post Durham School Services Provides Buses to Support Meridian and Garden City Police Department’s Rescue Training appeared first on School Transportation News.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools district leaders in Indianapolis prioritize a drive toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

That commitment was recognized earlier this month when the district was named 2026 School Bus Fleet of the Year by Drive Clean Indiana, the state’s clean cities coalition, recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy, during the organization’s annual Breakfast of Champions in Indianapolis.

The March 16 recognition occurred alongside Work Truck Week, where industry stakeholders gathered to celebrate advancements in clean transportation. The Breakfast of Champions featured a keynote address by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, underscoring the broader connection between performance, innovation and energy.

The award highlights a year of progress for one of Indiana’s largest school districts. In June 2024, School Transportation News visited Hamilton Southeastern Schools ahead of its STN EXPO East conference in Indianapolis. At the time, Director of Transportation Zach McKinney said the department had one electric school bus purchased in 2022. McKinney was recognized as a 2020 STN Rising Star. He currently serves as president and director-at-large for the School Transportation Association of Indiana.

Related: (STN Podcast E213) Onsite at STN EXPO Indy: Driver Shortage & School Bus Safety Convos
Related: Technology Return on Investment Isn’t Solely Monetary, Session Advises
Related: 2020 Rising Stars Announced: Recognizing Those Excelling in the Industry

McKinney previously told STN the electric transition has been a good experience, and now he and his staff have the knowledge needed to provide feedback to others. However, he added it’s hard for the district to subsidize the cost financially without the aid of grants.

“It’s not obtainable by most school districts,” he said last June, adding that he’s not going to sacrifice the purchasing two and half diesel buses for the same money it takes to buy one electric bus.

However, McKinney shared with STN last week that Hamilton Southeastern was awarded funding for nine more electric school buses.

The post Electric School Bus Adoption Leads to Award for Indiana’s Hamilton Southeastern Schools appeared first on School Transportation News.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is moving to crack down on motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses with new legislation aimed at enhancing the state’s current law that a Minnesota appeals court saw a loophole in.

S.F. No. 3623 seeks to amend Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.444, subdivision 1, the state law on the safety of schoolchildren and the duty of motorists in school zones, to enforce stricter rules for approaching school buses. It heads to the desk of Gov. Tim Walz for signature.

The bill would continue to require motorists to stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus, but only with its red lights flashing, removing language mentioning federally mandated stop arms. This is due to a motorist’s appeal of an illegal passing conviction that made its way to the Minnesota Court of Appeals last year.

In that case, motorist Allison Waln challenged her conviction by arguing that the school bus video evidence showed the stop arm was not fully extended. The appellate court ruled in her favor in September due to ambiguity of how the law defined the word extended.

“In sum, we hold that the plain meaning of the term extended, as used in Minn. Stat. § 169.444, subd. 1, requires a school bus’ stop-signal arm to be fully stretched out before an approaching driver must stop,” the court found.

Legislating a Fix

This led legislators to try and close the loophole by rewriting the traffic code to reinforce that the flashing amber lights notify motorists that the school bus will begin loading or unloading students. The legislation adds language to the state law that motorists must prepare to come to a complete stop when they see the pre-warning flashing amber lights on school buses, which signals drivers that the bus is preparing to stop and activate its red flashing lights. Under the bill, vehicles must not encroach within 20 feet of a school bus when those amber lights are flashing, reinforcing the need for caution in school zones.

The bill also prohibits vehicles from moving until the stop arm is retracted and the red lights stop flashing by replacing the previous language of “shall stop” with “must stop.”

S.F. No. 3623 advanced quickly through the legislative process. Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart introduced the bill, which was referred to the Transportation Committee on the same day, Feb. 17. The committee recommended the bill for passage Feb. 26, and it underwent a second reading. The bill passed its third reading in the Senate March 9 by a vote of 19-7. The House unanimously passed the bill Monday by a vote of 133-0.

The bill would go into effect as law the day after its final enactment rather than the normal date of Aug. 1 for passed and signed legislation.

Related: Action Plan Puts National Spotlight on Hidden Toll of Illegal Passing
Related: Waymo Driverless Vehicles Continue to Illegally Pass School Buses
Related: Minnesota School Bus Driver Rescues Missing 4-Year-Old from Lake
Related: Minnesota Mom Helps Evacuate 22 Students from Burning School Bus

The post Minnesota Passes Bill to Strengthen Law on Illegally Passing School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

School districts in major cities like Los Angeles and Miami are taking steps to reassure families and protect students amid heightened fears of federal immigration enforcement operations near schools and bus stops.

The Trump administration last year rescinded a 2021 Department of Homeland Security memorandum that recognized schools along with churches and healthcare facilities as safe havens from Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. All children regardless of their or their parents’ immigration status retain the right to public education, per the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v Doe.

No confirmed reports exist ICE agents conducting operations directly at school bus stops, detaining individuals on school buses, or targeting children at these locations. However, operations have reportedly occurred in the vicinity of schools in areas including Los Angeles and parts of Florida, contributing to community anxiety, enrollment drops in some districts and concerns about safe travel to and from school.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second-largest school system, officials have emphasized campuses and bus stops as safe havens. In January, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who was placed on paid leave earlier this month amid an unrelated FBI investigation, said schools must remain places of stability amid fears that “fear doesn’t have a border” and shows up in neighborhoods and school communities.

The school district launched initiatives including the “We Are One” campaign, which provides “Know Your Rights” immigration resources, legal referrals, mental health support, community food distribution, and a 24/7 family hotline. LAUSD has also distributed “Family Preparedness Packets” in multiple languages, outlining steps if approached by immigration officers.

LAUSD affirmed it will not ask about or share a student’s immigration status unless required by law and maintains safe zones around schools.

To address transportation fears, LAUSD is offering individualized school bus routes, expanded transportation options and access to its virtual academy for families preferring online learning. Partnerships provide legal support, and staff have been deployed in high-risk areas for visible presence during drop-off and pickup times.

Bus Driver Training and Protecting Safe Routes to School

In Florida’s Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Collier County Schools across the state on the Gulf Coast, officials have encouraged calm preparation while re-affirming policies. The districts do not collect immigration status information on students or families and will not release records without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.

School personnel, including bus drivers, are instructed to request agent identification and a valid judicial warrant if approached by ICE. Without credentials, bus drivers are to deny entry to non-public areas. Staff have received training on responses, including the right to remain silent. Districts are assisting families with emergency plans, such as designating alternative child pick-up contacts if parents are detained and offering mental health support for students facing fear or trauma.

Meanwhile, Safe Routes to School programs focused on safe travel for students walking or riding to school have adapted to support immigrant families. California’s Alameda County Office of Education and community partners in the San Francisco Bay area have organized foot patrols and rapid response networks near campuses and bus stops. Volunteers receive reflective vests, whistles and air horns for visibility during pickup and drop-off. Trainings cover immigrant rights and protocols if ICE is spotted.

In nearby areas like Hayward, community groups have emphasized collective action, care and visibility to help families feel safer. Transform, an advocacy organization, highlights these efforts as ways ordinary people can protect children during expected enforcement actions, as seen in instances where community readiness coincided with lower attendance on anticipated raid days — though large-scale operations did not materialize.

Related: Florida School Districts on Edge About Possible School Bus Immigration Raids 
Related: District Responds to Parents Fears About Immigration Raids on School Buses
Related: School Districts Seek Student Protections from Immigration Enforcement
Related: Volunteers Help Immigrant Parents in Chicago Participate in Walking School Bus

The post Immigration Enforcement Fears Addressed at School Bus Stops with Increased Resources appeared first on School Transportation News.

When I began working with transportation professionals throughout Brazil, I quickly realized that pupil transportation in the country cannot be understood through a single framework. Brazil is vast in geography, diverse in terrain and decentralized in governance.

To truly understand how students reach school each day, one must travel from the dense urban centers of São Paulo to rural interior roadways and meet with government officials and politicians in the nation’s capital of Brasília. My experience working in both urban and rural regions of Brazil has provided a unique vantage point, especially when viewed alongside my work in pupil transportation across the U.S.

While the operational structures of Brazil and the U.S. differ in important ways, there is one highly visible and symbolic similarity between both nations: The yellow school bus. In the U.S., the yellow school bus is an unmistakable national symbol. The color itself—National School Bus Glossy Yellow—was nearly 80 years ago because it is highly visible in early morning light and poor weather conditions. Across suburban neighborhoods, rural highways and city streets, the yellow bus signals one consistent message: Children are present and safety must take priority.

Brazil, particularly since the launch of the federal Caminho da Escola or school transportation program in 2007, has adopted a remarkably similar visual standard. The “Ônibus Escolar Amarelo” is now widely deployed throughout rural regions. Like its American counterpart, it is painted a highly visible yellow and clearly marked “Escolar,” the Portuguese word for school-related.

I was struck by how familiar they appeared when first observing these buses operating in Brazil. Although I was thousands of miles from home, the visual message was the same. The yellow bus communicates protection, structure and official oversight.

The similarity in appearance is not accidental. Both countries recognize that visibility enhances safety. The bright yellow exterior improves driver awareness, reduces the likelihood of collisions, and creates a distinct identity separate from other commercial vehicles. In both Brazil and the U.S., the yellow bus is not simply transportation. It is a public safety device.

The Yellow Contrast in Brazil

Despite the shared symbolism, the systems supporting these buses differ. U.S. pupil transportation is typically managed at the local school district level with strong state oversight and federal safety standards governing vehicle manufacturing. School buses are purpose-built with compartmentalized seating, reinforced structures, flashing light systems, and strict inspection requirements. The system operates largely independent of public transit. Students ride fleets dedicated exclusively to school transportation.

With Brazil pupil transportation, municipalities are responsible for operations, but the federal government plays a larger role in procurement. Through Caminho da Escola, the federal government negotiates large-scale purchases of school buses and distributes them to municipalities at reduced cost. This centralized purchasing strategy allows smaller or economically challenged communities to access standardized vehicles that meet national safety criteria.

In rural Brazil, the yellow buses are engineered for durability in ways that reflect environmental necessity. Many operate on unpaved roads that become muddy during rainy seasons. Elevated chassis, reinforced suspension systems and structural adaptations are essential for reliability. In some regions, the bus must withstand terrain conditions that would challenge standard suburban routes in the U.S.. Yet the mission remains identical: Transport students safely and consistently.

Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at U.S., Australia
Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at U.S., Germany
Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at the U.S. and Colombia
Related: Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at the U.S. and India
Related: What Differs Between Pupil Transportation in the U.S. and the U.K.?

Urban environments reveal another contrast. In most American cities, even large metropolitan districts operate their own dedicated yellow bus fleets. Public transit and pupil transportation are separate systems. In Brazil’s largest cities, however, many students rely on municipal bus networks or metro systems for pupil transportation. Student transit passes are common, and integration with public infrastructure is routine. While yellow buses operate in certain urban districts, especially younger students or specialized routes, the system often blends with general transit operations.

This integration model reflects infrastructure development patterns unique to Brazil. However, in rural regions where public transit is unavailable, Brazil’s yellow bus functions almost identically to its American counterpart. Routes are established, drivers are assigned and communities rely on the bus as the primary gateway to education.

A Road to Equity

Both nations face rural transportation challenges. In the U.S. Midwest and Mountain West, students may travel long distances on paved highways. In Alaska, geographic barriers sometimes require alternative solutions. Brazil shares similar distance challenges but adds terrain and environmental complexity. In the Amazon Basin, rivers serve as transportation corridors. School boats operate in tandem with buses, ensuring that students in riverine communities have access to classrooms.

Funding structures also illustrate differences and similarities. In the U.S., transportation funding varies by state and is often influenced by local tax bases. Wealthier districts may operate newer fleets, while underfunded districts face maintenance pressures. Brazil’s PNATE policy provides federal transfers based on rural student enrollment, helping reduce disparities between municipalities. While funding challenges persist in both countries, the commitment to providing transportation as a means of educational access is evident.

Safety culture remains central in both systems. The U.S. enforces strict stop-arm laws and driver certification standards, creating a nationally recognized safety environment. Brazil has made significant progress in standardizing vehicle procurement and improving oversight. While enforcement consistency may vary across municipalities, the growing presence of standardized yellow buses has strengthened safety expectations nationwide.

Working in both Brazil and the U.S. has reinforced a powerful truth for me. The yellow school bus is more than paint and steel. It is a shared commitment to children. Whether rolling through an American suburb at sunrise or navigating a rural Brazilian roadway at sunset, the yellow bus represents society’s promise to protect students on their journey to education.

Despite differences in governance, infrastructure and funding models, both nations use the yellow bus as a visible expression of pupil transportation creating educational equity. It signals that geography should not determine opportunity. From U.S. neighborhoods to Brazilian riverbanks, the daily movement of students remains one of the clearest indicators of national priorities translated into action. The yellow bus, in both countries, stands as a symbol of safety, reliability, and the enduring importance of getting children to school.

Bret E. Brooks is the chief operating officer for Gray Ram Tactical, LLC, a Missouri-based international consulting and training firm specializing in transportation safety and security. He is a keynote speaker, author of multiple books and articles, and has trained audiences around the world. He can be reached at BretBrooks@GrayRamTacticalTraining.com.

The post Pupil Transportation Around the World: A Comparative Look at U.S., Brazil appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Bibb County school bus driver is being praised for his quick-thinking by steering a bus full of students to safety at a local fire station during a tornado warning, reported 13wmaz.

Alfonso Ponder, who drives for Bibb County Schools, told local news reporters that he began his March 12 route around 5:45 a.m. and expected a routine morning before conditions quickly deteriorated.

“Everything was pretty, pretty good until about 6:30 [a.m.] maybe,” Ponder said via the article. “[Then] I got an alert to my phone saying we was up on a tornado warning and take shelter. Dispatch had told us to take shelter also.”

With about 15 students on board headed to Howard High School, Ponder was driving near a fire station when the alert came through and winds intensified. He decided to pull into the station.

“I had about 15 kids on the bus at the time, and I had decided to pull up because the wind was blowing so hard,” he told reporters. “When I pulled up, the firefighter welcomed me along with 15 kids in for safety.”

Ponder said he had been monitoring the worsening weather and had already identified the fire station as the safest nearby option.

“The weather was kind of getting bad,” he said. “So, I already had to figure out, OK, if they tell us shelter in place, I was gonna try to make it to the fire station, because that’s about the safest place around I can make it.”

Students Kept Safe as Tornado Warning Passes

Firefighters brought Ponder and the students inside, where they remained for about 20 to 25 minutes until the tornado warning expired, and it was safe to continue the route.

The storm frightened many of the students, Ponder stated. “Most of them [were] telling me, ‘Can you please get me back to the house?’” he said. “I said, ‘No, I cannot. I got to get y’all to safety.’ And that’s the only thing was on my mind at the time, getting the kids’ safety, my safety.”

Ponder, who has been driving school buses for about three years, said the experience was his first encounter with a tornado warning while on the job. Afterward, several parents contacted him to express gratitude for protecting their children.

Capt. Keith Carter said his crew at Bibb County Fire Station 3 acted immediately when the bus arrived. “My 25 years, that was my first school bus pulling to the station,” Carter said. “I knew something was wrong. We assisted them getting off the bus, coming into the station. Mr. Ponder; he did follow his protocol. So, he came to the nearest, safest place. We wake up every day wanting to help different people.”

Ponder said he remains thankful that everyone made it through the storm unharmed.

“I want to give a special thanks to the Bibb County Fire Department for allowing me and the kids to get to safety,” he said. “I’m glad all the kids and my coworkers, everybody, was safe.”

Related: (STN Podcast E264) Tornado Warning: Illinois Rising Star Discusses Leadership, Operations
Related: Payroll Technology Saves Georgia School District Thousands of Dollars
Related: Oklahoma Student Hailed Hero After Helping Bus Driver During Medical Emergency
Related: Colorado School Bus Driver Hailed Hero After Fire

The post Tornado Warning Doesn’t Faze Georgia School Bus Driver During Route appeared first on School Transportation News.

Police arrested a suburban Denver school bus driver on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child.

Officers for the Lakewood Police Department were notified March 11 of a possible assault involving a 10-year-old student and the child’s school bus driver, identified as 64-year-old Robert Charles Watters, according to authorities.

A child reported that the Jefferson County Public Schools driver had engaged in what investigators described as an “inappropriate relationship,” prompting an immediate investigation.

Watters turned himself in March 12 and was taken into custody. He was arrested and faces charges on suspicion of sexual assault on a child involving a pattern of abuse and a position of trust, police said.

The allegations stem from what police called an inappropriate relationship. No further details were provided.

“As part of this investigation, detectives are asking anyone who may have information or believes they may have been a victim or witness to come forward,” police said in a March 13 statement posted to Facebook, urging the public to contact the Lakewood Police tip line.

Watters remained in custody at the Jefferson County jail as of March 13, authorities said.

According to police, Watters has worked as a school bus driver for Jefferson County Public Schools near Denver since 2018. He drove Hutchinson Elementary School students on the C-49 route from 2021 to 2023 and had been assigned to the C-31 route since August 2023.

Officials emphasized that the charges are allegations and that Watters is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact authorities. The investigation remains ongoing.

Related: Maryland School Bus Aid Charged with Sexual Assault
Related: Louisiana School Bus Driver Arrested Amid Sexual Assault Charges
Related: Connecticut School Bus Driver Charged After Alleged Failure to Stop Assaults
Related: Virginia School Bus Aide Arrested for Alleged Assault

The post Child Sexual Assault Charge for Colorado School Bus Driver appeared first on School Transportation News.

Learn more about our upcoming April magazine, inflation and fuel prices, internet for school buses, record revenue for Zum, district efforts amid ICE enforcement, and a driver dressing to impress.

Michael Signer, chief policy and legal officer for EverDriven, discusses the evolution of alternative student transportation from safety and regulatory perspectives to help school districts meet student needs alongside yellow buses.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Conversation with EverDriven.

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

The post (STN Podcast E299) Meeting Needs: Answering Questions on Alternative Student Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

A school bus aide on Long Island was arrested and accused of physically abusing multiple students with special needs, including restraining them by pushing and sitting on them, reported People.com.

According to the news report, police took 37-year-old Devone Medlock of Amityville into custody on March 17, following an investigation into an incident reported in January.

Detectives said Medlock, who worked as an aide for school bus contractor First Student and served a local school, became “physically and verbally abusive with multiple children who are special needs students.”

Medlock is reportedly accused of pushing, slamming, restraining and sitting on the students during the incident, which was first reported Jan. 13. He was arrested at his Long Island home.

Police charged Medlock with six counts of third-degree assault, six counts of menacing in the third degree, and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was scheduled to be arraigned last weekend.

School District Responds

Uniondale School District Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said Medlock was immediately terminated following the allegations coming to light. The school also district notified law enforcement.

“We have been cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as this matter proceeds through the legal system,” Darrisaw-Akil said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring any individual or individuals responsible for any abusive or harmful behavior towards any of our students are held accountable.”

First Student also said the alleged conduct was unacceptable, and confirmed Medlock is no longer employed by the company.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have been a victim or has information about the case to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at at 1-800-244-TIPS.

Related: School Bus Driver Arrested for Allegedly Asking Student to Hike Skirt
Related: Florida School Bus Aide Arrested on Child Abuse Charge
Related: Former Arizona School Bus Driver Arrested on Child Molestation Charges
Related: Florida School Bus Attendant Arrested for Inappropriate Behavior with Young Girls

The post New York School Bus Aide Arrested for Allegedly Abusing Children appeared first on School Transportation News.

It’s alarming: A staggering 8,000 drivers illegally passed a stopped school bus, with the stop arm deployed and red lights flashing between mid-August and Feb. 10 in Austin, Texas alone.

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) partners with BusPatrol to install cameras on every bus in the district. When a car illegally passes a stopped school bus with the red flashing lights and stop arm deployed, police issue a $300 citation after confirming a violation on video provided by BusPatrol. Every school district should be capturing the license plate of offenders. BusPatrol system has no up-front cost for a school district because they fund the program out of the revenue from fines.

The City of Austin passed an ordinance in 2015 allowing the school district to implement the program. The fine is an effective deterrent because only 1 percent of drivers who are issued a ticket re-offend. Since mid-August, 25 Waymo driverless taxis have blown by stopped school buses illegally.

Three Ways to Look at These Statistics
1. Waymo’s 25 violation are small in comparison.
2. There are 2.1 million vehicles in the greater Austin area and just over 100 Waymo autonomous vehicles. One out of every 263 normal vehicles illegally drove by a stopped school bus but one in four Waymo vehicles did. On a per vehicle basis, Waymo has 65 times more illegal drive-bys than average motorists.
3. Human drivers have a 1 percent repeat rate. Waymo AVs repeated the mistake 24 times in the last seven months.

School buses are designed to have the highest visibility possible. They’re painted bright yellow. They have flashing red lights when stopped and an arm that comes out into traffic.

Alarmed about these incidents, Kris Hafezizadeh, Austin ISD’s director of transportation, got in touch with Waymo and offered to run tests in a safe parking lot in early December so that Waymo engineers could solve this problem. Waymo updated its software a couple of weeks later as a result, but violations still have occurred since the updates.

Hafezizadeh and Austin police suggested to Waymo representatives, that until the problem is resolved, Waymo not drive during the hours that school buses are picking up and dropping off students. Waymo representatives refused and said that the cars will keep driving.

The video documentation of these violations is an important part of this story because without this evidence, Austin ISD would not know the extent of the threat that children face and the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would not have had the data that prompted their investigations.

A Waymo spokesperson is quoted by Reuters as saying, “Our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers” But it depends on how you look at the numbers.

In an interview with Bloomberg on Feb. 11, Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana would not unequivocally confirm the problem has been solved.

Frightening Figure: National Epidemic
Every year, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) conducts a voluntary, one-day study to document how many cars illegally pass stopped school buses. Last year, bus drivers in 36 states and D.C. participated. The data was annualized and extrapolated to cover all U.S. jurisdictions. The figure is frightening: 43.5 million illegal passes a year. A NTHSA study as to why this is happening is equally disturbing: Over 30 percent didn’t care, 25 percent were in a hurry, 24 percent said they didn’t know the law, and 12 percent were distracted.

A staggering 94 percent of car crashes are due to driver error. As a result, 44,000 people are killed every year in car accidents in the U.S. and another 2.6 million end up in the hospital. So, the long-term promise of driverless vehicles is great. No more drunk driving, no more distracted driving accidents. However, currently there is a big, yawing gap between the promise and the practice.

Why Is This Important Now?
This is important right now because there is a rapid expansion of driverless cars in certain jurisdictions. In July, Waymo reported that it had completed 100 million fully autonomous rides and 250,000 paid rides per week. We are in an era of rapid expansion of driverless vehicles. This makes it critical to fix this problem as soon as possible.

Waymo operates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Atlanta and Miami and plans to expand into Washington, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Diego, Denver and nine other U.S. and international cities this year. The service will hit more than 1 million paid robotaxi rides a week in the U.S. by the end of 2026, up from the current 400,000 paid rides a week, according to Mawakana.

It’s not just Waymo that’s rapidly expanding, all car manufacturers are deploying autonomous features. China is the most advanced market globally with 3,500 robotaxis deployed, but Goldman Sachs predicts that there will be 500,000 robotaxis across 10 Chinese cities by 2030, and UBS predicts there will be four million in China by the late 2030s. China shows us a vision of our own future. So, this problem is going to intensify.

The Way Forward
Waze and Google Maps are both owned by Waymo’s parent company Alphabet. Why not require Waze and Google Maps to publish all the school district locations on their maps and verbally warn human drivers to slow down in school zones and pay attention to stopped bus flashing lights and force Waymo vehicles to do the same?

Today, driverless vehicles only react to what they can “see” with Lidar and cameras. Future V2X technology will enable communication between autonomous systems. So, school buses will broadcast signals that Waymo and other driverless vehicles will detect and, as a result, be triggered to slow down and stop.

Predicting Illegal Passing
Safe Fleet has an AI-based Predictive Stop Arm. It looks at the speed of a vehicle and predicts whether it will illegally drive by the bus. This allows the bus driver to prevent students from getting off the bus. The system also comes with loudspeakers on the under side of the bus that warn children of a car that is not going to stop and to not cross the road.

Many school districts face serious budget cuts and constraints. The violator-funded model is not only a good deterrent but also makes the program financially possible. Districts might consider launching a public education campaign on media and social media similar to the highly effective ones launched by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Jim Harris is a one of North America’s foremost thinkers, authors and on-air analysts on AI, disruption and innovation. He keynotes internationally at more than 50 in-person and virtual conferences and events a year. Association magazine ranked him as one of North America’s top ten speakers. Jim has published five books. Blindsided! was released in 80 countries and is a No. 1 International bestseller.

Related: NHTSA Investigates Autonomous Waymo Rides After Illegal School Bus Passing
Related: Waymo Driverless Vehicles Continue to Illegally Pass School Buses
Related: Investigation into Waymo Driverless Vehicles Continues Following Latest Collision with Student
Related: (STN Podcast E297) Deep Dive into Safety: Illegal Passing & Child Restraints, Plus Green Bus Funding

The post Intersection of Autonomous Vehicles and School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

In today’s rapidly changing fleet management environment, navigating the costs and benefits of fuel types can be increasingly challenging. Evolving regulatory demands and emission standards are creating greater complexity and volatility.

That’s why Thomas is working collaboratively with districts to help them manage their unique transportation challenges by providing an array of fueling options. The launch of the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline expands Thomas Built Buses’ powertrain lineup to include diesel, electric and gasoline, giving districts the flexibility to choose the solution that best fits their operational needs.

The Power of Options

For school transportation directors already managing the demands of daily operations, having the right fuel solution is essential. Thomas gives school districts greater flexibility by providing options designed to fit the fueling needs of school districts of every size and stage while supporting their existing infrastructure, budget parameters and regulatory requirements. Adding to its industry-leading diesel and electric powertrain options, Thomas’ new gasoline engine option for the Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus rounds out its full range of fuel options.

Announced at STN Expo East in Concord, N.C., the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline from Thomas Built Buses features the B6.7 Octane engine produced by global power leader Cummins Inc. Its introduction supports Thomas’ commitment to empowering fleet managers with real choices designed to ensure their long-term success. This new gasoline engine option provides diesel-like durability and performance while expanding Thomas’ powertrain lineup, so it now encompasses electric, diesel and gasoline solutions. While the new gasoline option expands fuel flexibility, it also delivers operational advantages for districts seeking lower maintenance complexity.

Gasoline-powered Innovations

Designed in partnership with customers to address current school transportation needs, the gasoline-powered Saf-T-Liner C2 bus delivers key advantages in total cost and serviceability, such as better fuel economy than competitive gasoline engines and the ability to run on regular 87-octane gasoline—making it easy to refuel within existing gasoline infrastructure. The gasoline-powered C2 also delivers 2 to 3 times longer service intervals, including oil and filter changes up to 15,000 miles.

A purpose-built, durable, turbocharged gasoline engine for medium-duty applications, the Cummins B6.7 Octane is the first of its kind in the category. With up to 2 million miles logged before production, the engine features a flat torque curve that mirrors Cummins’ trusted B6.7 diesel platform. The B6.7 Octane by Cummins will be available in the Saf-T-Liner C2 Gasoline in 220- and 260-horsepower ratings, delivering up to 600 lb-ft of torque.

In addition to robust performance, it’s designed to offer familiar drivability and smooth power at low speeds. Another feature of the gasoline-powered Saf-T-Liner C2 bus is an optional compression brake for improved vehicle control and reduced brake wear.

Built on the proven Saf-T-Liner C2 platform, the gasoline-powered model also supports technician and driver familiarity—streamlining training, simplifying maintenance routines and reducing the learning curve that can accompany new vehicle introductions. For districts with mixed fleets or those transitioning between fuel types, this consistency is a genuine operational advantage. This new gasoline-powered Cummins engine offers Thomas customers the reliable power and performance they have come to expect from its diesel counterpart, while providing an alternative that meets evolving emissions standards.

Partnering for Success

There is no single fuel solution for every district—only the right fit for each organization. By adding gasoline to its portfolio of diesel and electric options, Thomas gives fleet managers the flexibility to select the powertrain that aligns with their infrastructure, budgets and regulatory requirements. Each option is backed by the company’s time-proven reliability, durability and responsiveness to fleet operations. With its full range of powertrains, Thomas makes it easier to choose the best fueling option without compromising on safety, performance or peace of mind.

To learn more about the Saf-T-Liner C2 gasoline, visit the Thomas Built Buses website.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Gasoline Engine Expands Thomas’ Future-focused Fleet Fueling Options appeared first on School Transportation News.

A webinar sponsored by Zonar saw Katrina Falk, director of transportation routing and training compliance at Madison Consolidated Schools in Indiana, share tools and tips that help her maximize student safety and school bus routing efficiency.

Falk, also a certified pupil transportation specialist through the National Association for Pupil Transportation and frequent speaker at events organized by School Transportation News, Transfinder and Zonar, said Thursday technology provides accountability and efficiency opportunities for managers dealing with ever-rising fuel costs, which have increased to over $5 per gallon for diesel in her area.

When it comes to evaluating planned versus actual routes, she said she uses Zonar maps and reports to carry out route reviews or high-level audits in mid-August and during spring break.

“We do a quick shakedown to make sure everything is going to work properly when school is in session again,” she commented.

She explained that she works with route sheets turned in by drivers, updated student housing or eligibility information, and special education or related accommodations. Her audit keeps safety as the bottom line by confirming safe and appropriate bus stop locations, verifying that students end up where they need to be, and ensuring drivers comply with state and local laws.

She shared the benefits of updated, accurate route sheets, including reduced operational costs, fuel savings, route consolidations or reduction, accurate information on parent apps and therefore happier parents, and improved driver adherence.

Quality data received means quality decisions made, not “garbage in, garbage out,” Falk quipped. She explained that decisions the transportation department makes rely heavily on information flowed in by parents and schools, such as enrollment information and authorized bus stop locations.

She noted that small data entry errors can create large operational and money-wasting problems, such as a bus repeatedly going miles out of the way on a country road to pick up a student who is not there because they moved. Accurate, timely updates about new enrollments, withdrawals, or schedule changes are essential, she said.

Related: From First Day to Fine-Tuning: Webinar Gives School Bus Routing Tips
Related: Ins, Outs of Routing Software Discussed at STN EXPO Reno
Related: New Technology Provides Data to School Bus Routing
Related: TSD Conference Panel Discusses Routing for Students with Special Needs
Related: (STN Podcast E263) Not an Easy Button: Expert Gives School Bus Routing Technology Tips

Falk reviewed two scenarios of school bus drivers deciding to deviate from planned routes for seemingly innocuous reasons that created major safety concerns. In one case, a time-saving change canceled planned right-hand curbside stops which forced students to cross an unsafe curved road with a history of speeding and stop-arm violations.

The other scenario was a driver adding an unauthorized shortcut, which backed the bus down obstructed roads and an uncontrolled intersection. A bigger issue was the driver habitually running late on her morning run and attempting to make up time by making these on-the-spot decisions.

“This is an accident waiting to happen,” Falk pointed out.

A third situation involved incorrect geocoded locations keeping students from showing up on the routing software, preventing almost 1,000 students from being routed correctly. Suitably utilizing technology and manually reviewing it to catch glitches prevents issues from snowballing, Falk stated.

Bryant Maxey, product marketing manager for Zonar, reviewed triggers such as opened doors or stop-arm deployments that capture data points managers can later review, comparing where the bus really went to where it was supposed to go.

Alerts can also be captured for illegal passing incidents, but Falk added that proving stop-arm violations requires data showing bus performed the stop procedures correctly.

Falk advised transportation supervisors to regularly check their incoming data and request updated information or suggestions from drivers.

“Your local knowledge cannot be replaced with technology,” she declared.

Leave the office, take the wheel of a bus, or watch your routes in real-time, she encouraged.

“Make deliberate, decisive changes backed by data and your local knowledge,” Falk said. “All of these pieces have to be there for the puzzle to work.”

Concluded Maxey: “At the end of the day, we’re all trying to be the most efficient and optimized we can be.”

Watch the webinar on demand. 

The post “An Accident Waiting to Happen”: Transportation Director Gives Routing Advice appeared first on School Transportation News.

The family of a 12-year-old Georgia girl who died days after collapsing following a fight near her school bus stop is calling for a transparent investigation, as authorities review evidence and await autopsy results.

Jada West, a sixth grader at Mason Creek Middle School in Douglas County west of Atlanta, was hospitalized after a fight on March 5 in her Villa Rica neighborhood, according to family members. She died days later.

Cellphone video of the fight shows West briefly wrestle with another girl before they both fall to the ground. It appears West hit her head on the asphalt but gets up and walks away. Within minutes, police officers were dispatched after receiving a report of a juvenile in cardiac arrest in the street.

“When we actually arrived, paramedics were on the scene, and they were already loading her up and performing CPR,” Sgt. Spencer Crawford, a police spokesman, told local news reporters. “Paramedics told us there was an adult on the scene performing CPR when they arrived.”

Investigators are reviewing evidence, including the cellphone video of the fight. They will thenconsult with prosecutors, who will decide whether any charges will be filed.

Cellphone video of the fight, which has circulated widely on social media, shows two girls arguing at an intersection near West’s home as a group of students looks on. The footage shows both girls setting down their backpacks and exchanging punches before falling to the pavement. After a brief struggle, both stand up as an adult intervenes. West appears to walk away at the end of the clip.

It remains unclear what happened next. Authorities said West did not make it home before collapsing.

West’s mother, Rashunda McClendon, posted on social media asking for prayers when her daughter was hospitalized. A relative later announced West’s death in a separate post.

Douglas County District Attorney Dalia Racine told local reporters her office is aware of the investigation but declined further comment.

West was described by Douglas County School System in a statement to local reporters as “an upbeat, kind, and vibrant student.” The school district reiterated that the incident did not occur on school property or during school hours, and there was no indication the bus stop fight was related to prior on-campus activity.

Shaquille O’Neal Donates to West’s Family

Meanwhile, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal said he is covering funeral expenses for West after learning about her death.

“Jada’s story touched my heart the moment I saw it in the media,” O’Neal said in a statement to local news reporters. “As a father, my heart goes out to Jada’s family. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and if there is anything I can do to ease even a small part of that burden, then it is the right thing to do.”

O’Neal, who serves as director of community relations for the nearby Henry County Sheriff’s Office, said the community should support the family during the difficult time.

“Our community must surround this family with love, support, and compassion during such a painful moment,” he said.

Near the scene of the fight, a small memorial was erected in West’s honor. A sign read “RIP JADA WEST” alongside flowers and other tributes.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Related: School Bus Driver Charged with Hit-and-Run Death of Brooklyn Girl
Related: High School Senior Killed Walking to Bus Stop in Florida
Related: Two Students Killed in Georgia School Shooting
Related: 5-Year-Old Hit by Car While Running to Catch School Bus in Utah

The post Bus Stop Fight Claims Life of 12-year-old Georgia Girl appeared first on School Transportation News.

A North Carolina man was arrested after authorities say he exposed himself at a neighborhood school bus stop, where children and families were gathered, reported Fox 8.

Police arrested Angel Esteban Marte, 24, March 5 and charged with felony indecent exposure after the incident in Harnett County.

Deputies said Marte exposed his private parts at the bus stop, and investigators said the act was committed “for the purpose of arousing and gratifying the defendant’s sexual desire.”

Marte also faces a misdemeanor indecent exposure charge in connection with the incident.

The exact location of the bus stop was not specified. The offense is listed as a violent crime on a condition of release order.

According to the article, Marte was being held without bond at the Harnett County Jail. He was scheduled to make his first court appearance.

Related: School Bus Driver Arrested for Allegedly Asking Student to Hike Skirt
Related: North Carolina Registered Sex Offender Arrested After Trespassing on School Bus
Related: Florida Man Arrested After Boarding School Bus, Threatening Driver
Related: Florida Man Arrested for “Exposing” Himself to Kids on School Bus

The post North Carolina Man Accused of Indecent Exposure at School Bus Stop appeared first on School Transportation News.

DENVER, Colo. —EverDriven, the nation’s leader in Alternative Student Transportation, today announced the launch of its Consolidated Routing Services, unifying routing across yellow buses, vans, and alternative transportation as a continuously optimizing solution. Designed as a complement to a district’s existing routing strategy, it acts as an accelerant on top of current approaches — pairing advanced route intelligence with deep human expertise to make every route deliver the best outcome

The launch marks a pivotal shift in how districts approach transportation planning. Many districts manage separate, disconnected processes for every mode. This is a fragmented reality that can drain budgets and slow down service. EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services replaces that with a unified solution that learns, adapts, and improves in real time — driving measurable cost savings, faster ride times, and district-wide operational performance.

As the pioneer in the industry, EverDriven has spent 20+ years tackling the hardest transportation challenges in K-12 education — from students with disabilities to those experiencing housing instability. Consolidated Routing Services brings that same depth of knowledge to every student a district serves. Working alongside leading AI-enabled technology that layers real-world expertise on top of a district’s current approach — analyzing ridership patterns, modeling route adjustments, and surfacing optimization opportunities before they become challenges, in ways that automation alone cannot deliver.

“Over the past 20 years, we’ve learned a lot and gained deep expertise supporting the students who need it most — and now we’re bringing that same rigor to every student a district serves,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “What sets this solution apart is the combination of industry-leading technology and the deep human expertise to act on it. Our Consolidated Routing Services give leaders a reliable way to modernize planning, operate with greater confidence year-round, and ensure every student arrives at school safely and on time.”

Following a thorough evaluation of a district’s routes, EverDriven’s team gets to work delivering measurable results: up to 15% reduction in route costs, shorter ride times for all students, stronger on-time performance, and faster turnaround when daily changes arise. For transportation directors, CFOs, and superintendents, one of the most immediate opportunities lies in identifying vacated and unassigned routes. These hidden costs often compound over time and can go unnoticed without the right level of visibility. Through EverDriven’s ability to optimize routes and improve fleet utilization across the entire operation, districts gain clear insight into these inefficiencies. This creates a straightforward and compelling case for action, especially for districts operating under increasing budget pressure.

“Fragmented routing is one of the most expensive invisible problems in K-12 transportation,” said Greg Jackson, General Manager of School Bus Services at EverDriven. “Most districts are managing separate processes for general education, students with disabilities, and McKinney-Vento students—creating daily inefficiencies that add up fast. By delivering visibility and unifying those workflows, we help teams cut costs, shorten ride times, and deliver more consistent service for the students who depend on it most.”

EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services support districts with:

Cost-neutral routing services.
Route-building prior to each semester.
Two weeks of dedicated on-site planning and testing timed with back to school
Ongoing route optimization as student needs change.
Technology-agnostic integration that works alongside your existing routing software.
Comprehensive end-of-year data analysis and performance report.
Districts ready to explore the impact of consolidated routing can learn more at everdriven.com.

About EverDriven:
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 36 states, the company completed over 2 million trips last year, 99.99% of them accident-free with 100% safety compliance. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

The post EverDriven Launches Consolidated Routing Services Unifying Student Transportation Planning Across Every Mode appeared first on School Transportation News.