Technology experts explained how AI can help school bus drivers spot students in blind zones, prevent collisions and improve safety, without replacing driver judgment.

AI could give school bus drivers an extra set of eyes when students are most vulnerable: Boarding, exiting and crossing near the school bus, according to a Thursday webinar sponsored by Brigade Electronics. The company’s representatives discussed how AI-powered cameras can recognize pedestrians, cyclists and other hazards, then alert drivers before an incident occurs.

CEO Corey Heniser said traditional cameras provide visibility, but AI adds the ability to recognize people and issue active warnings.

“It can identify the human form and what we call it as human form recognition,” he explained. “That will identify individuals, pedestrians, as well as small students around a vehicle and allow you to take evasive action where needed.”

Protecting Students in Blind Zones

Steve Wenger, Brigade’s OEM business development manager, said school buses present significant visibility challenges because of their size and the number of students moving around them.

Wenger explained that AI-enabled, 360-degree camera systems can monitor blind spots and identify people approaching or moving alongside a bus. He added that the technology can support driver awareness during loading and unloading.

“Artificial intelligence is a human-taught technology,” Wenger said, explaining that developers train systems to recognize hazards and determine when to alert operators.

Brigade’s presentation highlighted a camera system with full 360-degree visibility and AI-powered pedestrian detection. Another application adapts technology originally developed to protect workers behind waste trucks to help monitor students around school buses, according to the slide deck.

Wenger emphasized that AI should complement established safety practices.

“Artificial intelligence is not necessarily replacing judgment or experience or the many trainings that an operator goes through,” he said, adding that instead, it can provide earlier warnings and better information when drivers need to make critical decisions.

Helping School Bus Drivers Prevent Crashes

Jeff Schweitzer, Brigade’s national sales manager, said AI offers particular value to districts experiencing driver turnover and increasingly complicated traffic conditions.

“Today’s drivers need more support [now] than ever,” he said.

Schweitzer explained that AI cameras can monitor high-risk areas and notify drivers while they still have time to respond. He contrasted that capability with traditional video systems, which primarily document incidents afterward.

“Prevention is more valuable than recording,” he noted.

Wenger also covered AI dashcams that can warn drivers about potential collisions, unsafe following distances and lane departures. Driver-facing cameras can identify fatigue, distraction and handheld-device use, while connected systems allow transportation departments to review events and provide targeted coaching.

Schweitzer said those capabilities can help newer drivers develop situational awareness.

“Experience definitely cannot be built overnight,” he noted.

Turning Safety Data Into Action

Heniser said districts could eventually combine AI camera information with telematics to identify near misses, recognize recurring hazards and tailor driver coaching for school bus drivers with more close calls.

Brigade’s slide deck also presented injury and fatality trends from 2013 through 2022. Heniser pointed to a general decline in injuries over the period, but he said fatalities remained comparatively steady outside the pandemic-related dip in 2020. He cited those trends while explaining the potential benefits of more proactive safety technology.

Heniser said districts can add AI camera systems to existing buses through aftermarket installations, while manufacturers may increasingly offer the technology on new vehicles.

Wenger cautioned that AI recognition remains imperfect and can produce false positives, but said timely warnings still offer safety benefits.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s extremely accurate,” he said.

Wenger also clarified that automated vehicle functions, such as braking, would require integration at the manufacturer level rather than a simple camera retrofit.

Starting With School District Safety Needs

Schweitzer encouraged transportation leaders to frame AI as a tool for protecting students, drivers and communities rather than employee surveillance.

“It’s not the big brother side of it,” he said.

Heniser advised districts to identify their most common safety challenges before selecting technology, whether those involve loading zones, blind spots or driver behavior.

“Really, it’s up to the fleet managers, fleet operators, drivers to identify where their most common problems are,” he concluded.

Heniser also emphasized that AI’s role in student transportation should remain focused on helping drivers create safer conditions, rather than replacing their judgement or student interaction.

“The goal overall is to create a safer environment while operating vehicles,” he summarized.

Watch the webinar on demand.

Written with the assistance of AI and a live session transcript.

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School districts feel the pinch at the fuel pump, await news on Clean School Bus Program funding, and deal with extreme weather events threatening operations. Plus, the TSD Conference presents advice on leveraging AI as a tool.

Prosper Independent School District in Texas is hosting the hands-on evacuation training as well as The Roadeo Competition at the TSD Conference in a few weeks. Director of Transportation Teri Mapengo talks operational teamwork to better serve student with special needs, as well as meeting school bus fueling and staffing challenges.

Read more about special needs.

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The post (STN Podcast E328) This, That & the Other: Fuel Frustration, AI As a Tool, Texas Training Partnership appeared first on School Transportation News.

Between driver’s ignoring stop arm cameras, bus drivers unable to see students outside of the bus, and inattentive students, the Kansas State Department of Educated estimates there are over 13,000 injuries in school-bus related incidents involving students, pedestrians, and vehicles.

In this presentation, we will discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly moving from concept to a practical safety tool for student transportation safety. AI-powered safety systems can help detect pedestrians and objects around vehicles, alert drivers to risky behaviors, and trigger real-time responses to specific safety events.

This presentation explores how AI is being used today to improve school bus safety, what technologies are most ready for adoption, and which applications may be further out. Attendees will learn implementation best practices, key considerations for evaluating solutions, and how evolving industry expectations and regulations may shape future fleet safety decisions.

Brought to you by Brigade Electronics

REGISTER BELOW:

Presenters:

Corey Heniser
CEO
Brigade Electronics

Corey Heniser is CEO of Brigade Electronics, Inc., bringing 30 years of experience focused on vehicle safety for on-road and off-road applications. His career began with municipal fleet technologies for safer winter road maintenance, then expanded into hydraulic braking systems and radar-based collision avoidance for major OEMs and international distributors. In 2009, Brigade invited Corey to help grow its North American business. Now in his 16th year with Brigade, he continues to introduce safety technologies for commercial fleets while contributing to ANSI standards, collaborating with OSHA, and supporting Vision Zero and Together for Safer Roads initiatives.

Jeff Schweitzer
National Sales Manager
Brigade Electronics

Jeff Schweitzer is a sales and business development leader with more than a decade of experience driving growth for Brigade Electronics Inc. As National Sales Manager, he leads U.S. sales teams, develops national accounts, and supports forecasting, budgeting, and quota planning. His work has expanded Brigade’s presence across the United States and Mexico while strengthening relationships with distributors, OEMs, body builders, and fleet operators. Jeff has helped grow Brigade’s vehicle safety solutions, including radar, alarms, camera systems, proximity sensors, and recorders. He brings multi-industry experience and a customer-focused approach to building strategic relationships and supporting commercial vehicle safety nationwide.

Steven Wenger
OEM Business Development Manager
Brigade Electronics Group Plc

Steven Wenger is a business development and engineering leader with extensive experience delivering technology solutions for OEMs, commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleets, and upfitters. He currently serves as OEM Business Development Manager at Brigade Electronics Group Plc, where he builds strategic partnerships and helps customers identify practical solutions for the commercial vehicle market.

Drawing on a background in project engineering, direct sales, strategic partnerships, and fleet applications, Steven connects technical capabilities with real-world customer needs. His work is focused on developing strong relationships and scalable solutions that support safer, smarter, and more seamlessly integrated vehicles.

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At school bus contractor B.R. Williams, Inc., the company president and CEO credits the
foundation of its success to its people. “We’re always telling our story ending with
that we are always looking for ‘good people’,” said Chloe Williams, president and CEO. “We can teach a good person to drive, but we can’t teach a good driver to be a good person.”

During its annual meeting in Denver, Colorado in July, the National Association of School Transportation (NSTA), in partnership with School Transportation News, presented B.R. Williams the Contractor of the Year Award. “B.R. Williams is a third-generation school bus contractor operating primarily in southern New Jersey. The current president of the company, Chloe Williams, is an active member of the NSTA board of directors and she
also served as past president of the New Jersey School Bus Contractors Association (NJSBCA),” NSTA executive director Curt Macysyn noted.

“Chloe has been an integral part of several projects at NSTA, and her school bus operation is viewed as a testament to best practices in pupil transportation,” he
continued. “She and the company engage with vendor partners in a collaborative way, and B.R. Williams is always looking to improve and enhance their systems to the benefit of the students and communities they serve.” The company serving Salem, Gloucester and Cumberland counties has been honored throughout the past several years as the “Best of Salem County – Transportation,” Williams noted.

B.R. Williams has been family-owned and operated since it start in 1935 by Chloe’s grandfather Benjamin Riley Williams, known as a hard-working farmer who took
his children to school after milking the cows.

Chole Williams grew up in the family business, going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Pennsylvania State University. She spent a decade working at Marriott Hotels as part of a task force opening properties and then served as
general manager for the company’s Courtyard division before returning to B.R. Williams in 1996 to continue the three-generation legacy with the stipulation her parents should travel and enjoy themselves.

B.R. Williams is known for “a flexible working environment and a longstanding reputation for safe, courteous transportation” as well as deep community involvement, said Williams, adding community involvement is important to her personally and in representing her company.

Upon learning of the NSTA honor, Williams said “grateful” is the first word that came to mind: Gratitude for “my family, who taught me that hard work pays off and our staff, who comes in daily wanting to do the right thing and with a caring heart to take care of ‘our kids.”

She expressed gratitude for the school transportation industry, specifically NSTA and the NJSBCA for “bringing together competitors and vendors who are committed to supporting one another and upholding the standards that make school transportation the safest mode of travel in the nation.”

Additionally, she indicated she is, “Gateful to God. He never lets me down.” Williams said staff members noted, “being considered for such a prestigious award is a great accomplishment.

“They were excited and proud to be honored for their service and that they are viewed favorably for showing their core values not just within the company, but throughout the community,” she added.

The company’s core values are “respect, professional, friendly, dependable” with a focus on ”our family safely transporting your family,” Williams noted.

Employees take special pride in “being part of a tremendous association made up of many deserving companies,” said Williams, adding they indicated while they “don’t do this for trophies, it sure feels good to be honored.”

Employees told Williams they were even more proud to wear the company’s logo and indicated “we’re a family here. It feels like a family celebration.” Williams indicated the company’s approach to driver recruitment is to be consistent and never stop recruitment efforts.

Cover all the bases: Billboards, placemats, social media, recruitment sites, yard signs, job fairs, New Jersey’s One-Stop Career Centers, radio, newspapers, sporting event banners, flyers, back-to-school nights, and school newsletters,” she said.

Williams also advised companies to sponsor community events and speak at local civic organizations and events as part of overall community involvement.

B.R. Williams’ Driving Academy offers people the opportunity to earn a CDL for driving a school bus at no cost, a $4,000 value, for those who agree to work for the company after graduation. For school transportation or field trips, the company offers a starting salary of $26.50 an hour starting 30 days after completing and passing the course, which requires five days of classroom study and 40 hours of behind-the-wheel, instructor-led training.

No prior experience or existing CDL license is required. Applicants must pass a drug test, background check and have a relatively clean driving record.

Williams noted her company is “constantly looking for new ways to make our routes safer and our staff’s work easier.”

Ninety-nine percent of the company’s fleet is equipped with GPS, camera systems with communication capability and maintenance telematics.

Williams noted the company constantly evaluates needs and adjusts current technology capabilities as needed, adding, “Every decision is made with a careful eye on value, budget and long-term impact.”

B.R. Williams uses artificial intelligence in its operations. “We love AI for simple daily tasks, assisting in writing letters, notes and policies, evaluating options. The list goes on,” she said. “Its greatest impact has been within our safety program. Our AI-driven camera technology has elevated driver performance, strengthened accountability and made it easier to track and support meaningful improvement. Learning and understanding
the capabilities of AI is ongoing and ever-changing.”

Williams emphasized company culture centers around the staff. “It may have originated from my grandfather and carried through the generations,” she added. “But on a daily basis, our staff shows up every day with a genuine commitment to doing what’s right and living our core values.

“They bring heart, integrity and an unwavering sense of responsibility to the children we transport, always treating them as ‘our kids.’ Their dedication is the backbone of our operation,” she concluded.

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

Related: AI Takes a Larger Role in School Transportation Management
Related: Does your local superintendent prioritize the use of AI for student transportation services?
Related: Does your school district have a policy on how to use AI?
Related: District Says ‘No Looking Back’ After Using Artificial Intelligence Routing System

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Back to school safety is forefront as an illegal passing PSA features a retired Detroit Lions offensive lineman; meanwhile, a South Carolina student was fatally shot at a school bus stop. Plus, send your best school bus photos to taylor@stnmedia.com.

Special education attorney Julie Weatherly discusses how recent federal changes to the U.S. Department of Education affect school transportation and students with special needs, as well as issuing a caution on using AI in education planning. She will deliver a keynote at the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show this November.

Read more about special needs.

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The post (STN Podcast E320) Unpacking Updates: Legal Eagle Illuminates U.S. Department of Education Shifts appeared first on School Transportation News.

Brigade Electronics showcased its latest bus safety technologies at STNEXPO West in Reno, introducing attendees to advanced AI pedestrian detection, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree and passenger vision systems, and a new preventative solution designed to help protect students during loading and unloading.

This marked Brigade’s first participation in STNEXPO West, an informative and engaging event that brought together school transportation professionals focused on student safety. The expo’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired “Wonderland of Ideas” theme created a lively setting for conversations, demonstrations, and collaboration among attendees and exhibitors.

Edward Renna, Brigade Western Regional Business Development Manager, said, “STNEXPO West is an important event for Brigade. The energy and commitment of the attendees reflect the industry’s shared focus on student safety.”

Advanced bus safety technology introduced:

At the event, Brigade demonstrated a range of safety solutions, including advanced AI pedestrian detection technology, mobile digital recording, AI dashboard solutions, 360-degree camera systems, and passenger vision systems. The company also introduced its latest preventative solution focused on one of the most critical moments in student transportation: loading and unloading.

Although recent reporting indicates some progress in reducing incidents during student loading and unloading, the continued risk to students makes this an urgent area for innovation and improvement. The primary causes of these incidents according to NHTSA studies include:

· Students enter a bus driver’s blind spot while retrieving or carrying objects.

· Motorists illegally pass a stopped bus despite an activated stop arm.

· Students move through blind zones while crossing in front of or behind the vehicle, depending on the route and crossing path.

· Misinterpretation of a bus driver’s hand signal by another road user, creating confusion at the exact moment a student may begin crossing.

· Inattentive students during loading/unloading process.

Although stop-arm cameras have proven to be an effective enforcement and documentation tool, they do not fully address the primary causes of loading and unloading incidents.

Corey Heniser, Brigade Electronics Inc’s CEO, states “Presented with the issues, our engineering team was tasked with developing a truly preventative tool that would effectively warn the students and bus driver when a student was in danger. The result is a technology designed to go beyond recording and reporting by helping prevent incidents during the critical loading and unloading process.”

The new solution consists of a specialty radar, AI, and algorithms to detect time to collision between a student and the object moving towards them. When activated, the system monitors the detection zone, then provides an external audible and visual alert to those outside the bus of the danger when a moving vehicle is not slowing down and within 4 seconds of a probable collision. This gives the student or bus driver time to react to prevent the collision.

Brigade is currently beta testing this solution. Organizations interested in participating as real-world testers and providing feedback are encouraged to contact Teresa Prisbrey at Teresa.prisbrey@brigade-inc.com. Beta opportunities are limited and will be assigned in the order requests are received. Thank you to all the attendees that voted for our new safety solution and to the STNEXPO team for creating an event where ideas, education, and great times come together to keep our students safe.

The post Brigade Introduces Advanced Bus Safety Technology at STN West in Reno appeared first on School Transportation News.

The August issue explores the people, technology and strategies keeping school bus fleets running safely and efficiently. Learn how school districts are investing in modern maintenance facilities, meet this year’s Garage Stars, discover how routing analytics reduce fuel costs, and read key takeaways from STN EXPO West. Plus, find out why building a smarter parts inventory program is essential to maximizing fleet uptime.

Read the Full August 2026 issue.

Cover Story

Built for Uptime
School districts are making strategic investments in maintenance facilities, shop equipment and technology to improve fleet reliability, reduce downtime and prepare for the future of school transportation.

Features

The Sum of All Parts
Supply chain challenges and rising costs are making parts inventory management more important than ever. Fleet leaders share strategies for getting the right parts to the right technicians at the right time.

2026 Garage Stars
Meet the outstanding technicians, mechanics and maintenance professionals recognized in the 11th annual Garage Stars program for their dedication to student safety and fleet excellence.

Special Report

‘Routing’ Out Fuel Waste
Transportation leaders are using routing analytics, GPS, telematics and other data-driven tools to reduce fuel consumption, optimize routes and lower operating costs.

STN EXPO West: Insights in Action
From AI adoption and active-threat response to leadership and propane infrastructure, revisit key lessons and takeaways from educational sessions at STN EXPO West.
Conversations
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
The People Behind Fleet Uptime

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
It’s All About Them

The post August 2026 appeared first on School Transportation News.

RENO, Nev. — School districts nationwide are opening the new school year with less money for student transportation, and three sessions at STN EXPO West challenged directors to change how and to whom they make their case for resources.

Ryan Hahn of Strategic School Consultants presented back-to-back sessions, “Budgeting in Uncertain Times: Navigating the Fiscal Cliff Without Losing Ground” on July 12 and “Advocating for Resources: How to Get a Seat at the Table Before the Cuts Are Already Made” on July 13. Another session presented later during STN EXPO West on July 14 by Tim Purvis focused on using AI to help with budgeting decisions.

Hahn started as a school bus driver in college 26 years ago and went on to direct transportation, maintenance and operations for districts in Washington state and Oregon. He earned a chief business official certification through California’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), served as chief financial officer of a 25,000-student Washington district, and now owns Strategic School Consultants.

Federal pandemic relief is spent, Hahn said, and districts that used that one-time money to fund recurring positions are paying for it now. Add inflation, fuel volatility and liability costs — he said insurance at his former district rose 150 percent in 10 years — and operations departments are absorbing across-the-board reduction targets.

“Every operational unit is going to have to cut 10 percent of their budget,” Hahn said, describing a conversation he said is playing out across the country. “You cannot defer a bus ride.”

His central argument was that transportation directors lose budget fights before the budget is built. Most, he said, live entirely in an operational network — covering routes, filling trips, solving problems — and never develop the personal and strategic networks that determine who and what gets funded.

“Your value as the leader of the unit dictates what you get in your unit, every single time,” he said.

That means lateral and vertical relationships with principals, executive directors and the superintendent, not just the CFO. It also means translating requests into the language cabinet members already use. Hahn told attendees to find their board’s adopted strategic goals and tie every ask to one of them.

He urged directors to request a copy of their district’s position control, the roster of every funded position with wages, steps and employer-paid benefits. Staffing consumes 86 percent to 90 percent of a transportation budget, he said, yet many directors have never seen the document. Districts resist adding lines to position control because it shifts staffing ratios districtwide, he said, so directors who need to pilot a new function should ask instead for substitute dollars or contracted services, which are treated as temporary expenses.

Hahn also warned that efficiency can be punished in reimbursement states. After cutting roughly $1 million in overtime at an Oregon district, he said, his CFO called him into a meeting but not to thank him. The savings reduced the following year’s reimbursement. He was told to spend the money on purchasing new buses.

Funding models differ sharply, he noted. Oregon reimburses roughly 70 cents on the dollar. California reimburses about 60 percent of eligible operating costs but excludes capital purchases such as school buses. Washington funds based on ridership, routes and destinations and maintains a vehicle replacement fund, though the legislature recently extended the replacement cycle from 13 years to 15.

On electric school buses, Hahn advised directors to follow board priorities but to be candid about range and infrastructure limits. Remaining grant money, he added, generally requires an older diesel bus as a trade-in. He cautioned against buying every technology product from a single vendor.

“It costs a lot to get divorced and remarried to another product,” he added.

Deferred maintenance was a recurring theme. Directors should cost out preventive maintenance cycles, track fuel economy and failures by brand, and bring trend data, not feelings, to the business office. Hahn told the room not to volunteer training and conference dollars when cuts are demanded.

For advocacy beyond the district, he recommended working through state school business and transportation associations rather than lobbying independently and aligning with the National Association for Pupil Transportation where interests match.

Related: (STN Podcast E316) Recap STN EXPO West: Harmonicas, Great Gatsby & Transportation Teambuilding
Related: Fuel Choice, Budgets & Fresh Ideas
Related: (STN Podcast E309) Summer’s Here & So Is a Budget Cliff: Advocating for Transportation Solutions
Related: State Budget Calls for Real-world Range Testing for Electric School Bus Sales

The Role of AI

In a separate session, Purvis, principal and founder of consultancy Pupil Transportation Information and a former California director of transportation with four decades in the industry as well as a California FMCAT member, walked attendees through using artificial intelligence in budget decision-making. His message: AI is a tool, not a decision maker, and its value depends almost entirely on the prompt and the data behind it. And, of course, verify the result.

Purvis demonstrated a case study built from an actual client — 58 approved driver positions with 12 vacancies, 20 general education routes, 30 special education routes, an aging fleet and rising overtime. His actual prompt ran more than two pages. The output flagged driver vacancies as the leading cost driver, projected expenditures rising from $4.8 million to $5.8 million over four years, and recommended stabilizing labor before expanding the fleet. It also provided bell schedule optimization, which Purvis called one of the largest budget levers after labor, without being prompted.

The three-year projection, he said, is what secured the school district with a fully funded vehicle replacement schedule.

He cautioned against uploading a proposed budget that has not been adjusted midyear, said inaccurate data should be left out entirely, and warned that student identifiers routinely appear in routing exports sent outside the district. Once uploaded to an AI system, he said, it cannot be recalled.

“Verify all calculations,” Purvis said. “We’re human, we make mistakes.”

Article written with the assistance of AI and session transcripts.

The post Learn Budget Language Before Cuts Come, STN EXPO West Consultants Advise appeared first on School Transportation News.

RENO, Nev. — STN EXPO West 2026 took place July 9-15 in Reno, Nevada, offering a week of professional development, leadership training, technology demonstrations and networking for student transportation professionals.

The conference began with registration, a kick-off reception and a poolside welcome event. Friday and Saturday featured specialized training on school bus inspections, active-threat response, mobility securement, reasonable suspicion and transportation supervision. The Transportation Director Summit kicked off that night with leadership discussions and an interactive session at Lake Tahoe the next day.

Main conference programming began Sunday with the Innovator of the Year Award, Green Bus Summit and Bus Technology Summit. Sessions explore alternative fuels, electric school bus infrastructure, artificial intelligence, routing, cameras, illegal passing and student safety. The day concludes with the Ride & Drive and live technology demonstrations.

Monday opened with the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence and a keynote presentation by Bruce Turkel. Breakout sessions address fleet management, communication, employee fatigue, artificial intelligence and safety technology. Attendees can later visited the “Wonderland of Ideas” Trade Show and networking reception.

Tuesday included a state-of-the-industry presentation, a leadership-focused general session with military veterans and the second day of the Trade Show. Afternoon sessions covered dispatch, budgeting, fleet operations, personnel productivity and practical uses of artificial intelligence.

The conference concluded Wednesday with an executive training session led by NAPT Hall of Fame members Dick Fischer and Pete Baxter. The session focused on safety leadership, emergency preparedness and recognizing warning signs before incidents occur.

Throughout the event, attendees connected with industry peers, explored new products and gained practical strategies for improving student transportation safety, efficiency and leadership. (Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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