A crossing arm came down on a school bus in Freetown, Massachusetts, as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) train passed by, reported ABC 6.

The incident reportedly occurred March 25, when a school bus transporting Freetown Lakeville Regional School District students stopped at the painted roadway railway crossing line to check for oncoming trains, as required by law. As the driver began to move forward, the crossing bells and lights came on.

The school bus driver reportedly reversed as the crossing arms hit the front of the bus. The train passed by about 45 seconds later. No one was injured at the time of the incident.

According to the news report, MBTA officials discussed the incident at a board meeting on March 27, claiming it resulted from human error.

The district said via the article that the bus company, which was not named in this writing, is in contact with the MBTA regarding the incident.

Related: Massachusetts School Bus Driver Crashes into Trees Due to Medical Emergency
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Related: Operation Lifesaver Releases New Training Videos on School Buses, Railroad Crossings
Related: Operation STEER Hands-On School Bus Emergency Training Expands in Texas

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When Bart Marksohn was involved in the day-to-day operations of New York school bus contractor WE Transport, he and his sister Helena attended the viewing of one of their father’s longtime drivers who had died.

After arriving at the mortuary, the woman’s daughter approached Bart and Helena. She expressed gratitude they had taken the time to pay their respects and told them how important the Marksohn family was to her.

She shared that her father was abusive, and her mother took her young children and fled their home. Suddenly on her own, without a car and mouths to feed, she saw a job posting for a school bus driver. A particular draw was that the woman read she could drive the school bus home every night after her route.

The woman, her daughter continued, intended to drive a school bus for a month until she got back on her feet. She continued to drive for WE Transport co-founders Walter and Edith Marksohn for the next 35 years.

“My father always looked out for her and her family,” Bart recalled. “I didn’t even know this, but these are stories that I heard at my dad’s funeral, and my mom’s funeral. This one just really had a big effect on me because that’s who my parents were.”

Bart Marksohn said the best lesson Walter and Edith — everyone called her Edie — taught him was the importance of compassion. It is the legacy of the company founded in 1959 to drive blind students to school on Long Island.

“There were no IEPs,” he noted.

WE Transport was sold July 2021 to Beacon Mobility and continues to operate it as a subsidiary.

Bart is the last Marksohn remaining at WE Transport, that is until the end of business Tuesday, when he retires from the company that has been his home since he was a boy, when he started helping with school bus maintenance. The Marksohn children learned the business from Walter each evening at the dinner table.

“It wasn’t about making money, it was really about life. It was really about people,” he continued. “And it was about the responsibility toward not just the people that you transport but the responsibility toward your family, meaning your employees, too.”

Bart Marksohn and his siblings also turned Walter’s compassion into a successful business, so much so that when Walter returned to work in the mid-1980s, he told his children they made more of a profit in two years than he ever had.

It took the first year of barely breaking even. But the following year, WE Transport turned “a nice six-figure profit,” Bart added.

“When we went into doing this, we survived the year, which was rather tough. I remember  we really didn’t know what we were doing. It’s one thing to fix brakes, it’s another to talk to school districts and be awarded contracts and win bids,” he continued. “My dad came back in … and he looked around and he said, ‘You guys did in two, three years, what it took me a lifetime to grow.’ It was his way of saying, I’m very proud of my boys and, really from then on, because now he didn’t know what was going on, we just took over and he had to learn from us at that point.”

WE Transport was truly a family affair, with Bart first serving as president until the sale to Beacon Mobility and then was voted chairman by his family. Jerry served as the chief information officer and Helena as the corporate secretary. Steve left the day-to-day business in 1998 but remained an owner. Carmen Tomeo, the son of Charlie Tomeo, who brought Walter and Edie on as a subcontractor nearly 70 years ago, was the CEO until retiring at the end of last year.

The Marksohns also got involved in school bus manufacturing. Bart became a 50-50 owner of what would become Type A school bus body producer Trans Tech with John Corr of The Trans Group. Several of the younger Marksohn generation went on to work for the company. One of them created the logo.

“His input in building one of the best school vans was immeasurable,” Corr commented.

The Marksohn family sold its remaining stock in Trans Tech in 2022.

For all his efforts, the National School Transportation Association inducted Bart Marksohn into its Hall of Fame last summer. The New York School Bus Contractors Association named him Contractor of the Year in 2018. Of all the awards he’s received, he said the two hold particular meaning.

“It’s cliche, maybe, but to be recognized by your own peers, and certainly the ones within the state who know you the best, was really rewarding. And then to go to Nashville (the site of NSTA’s annual convention in July) and be recognized [across] the United States, not just in a state you know, was kind of the acme for me, the peak,” he added.

“The New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Bart Marksohn and Carmen Tomeo of WE Transport on their well-deserved retirements. Over the past 30 years, they have been dedicated, thoughtful leaders in our industry, each bringing valuable experience from large family-run businesses. Their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safest ride for students every day has left a lasting impact. Both Bart and Carmen were honored with NYSBCA’s highest distinction, the Contractor of the Year award, at our Annual Convention Awards dinner in 2018. On behalf of the NYSBCA’s executive team, board members, and colleagues in the school bus industry, we thank you for your contributions, leadership, and care for our profession. We wish you both all the best in the years ahead.”

~ Thomas W. Smith, NYSBCA Board President.

As for what’s next in retirement, Bart said he is cutting ties to the school bus industry.

“You’re either in or out, you know? And I’m out,” he explained. But there will still be a loose connection, as the Marksohn family own land in New York City that that it leases to school bus contractors, including 11 bus depots to Beacon Mobility.

“I can’t really get away from school buses because of the real estate, but it’s a different obligation,” he added.

Retirement won’t mean sailing around the world, but as a pilot he might fly around it. Emphasis on “might.” More realistically, he’ll make more trips to the Bahamas and his annual summer trek to Colorado.

“It’s beautiful out West to fly through mountain passes and valleys. It’s just spectacular, and some of it feels a little white knuckle,” he said. “And maybe I like that rush. I’ve always liked the rush of bid openings, to see if you won. So, I guess my flying through mountain valleys is my bid opening moments.”

Related: Update: Supreme Court Reinstates Corporate Transparency Act
Related: Industry Mourns the Loss of School Transportation Leader, Contractor Van der Aa
Related: Historic Year for Minnesota School Bus Contractor Punctuated by NSTA Award
Related: The Evolution of Contracted Transportation Decisions

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – First Student, the leader in school transportation and electrification, today announced the deployment of 14 electric school buses in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools. This new deployment builds on a strong relationship between Tacoma’s Student Transportation Services and First Student, who currently provide around 5,000 students with daily school bus transportation.

The electric school buses will complement the school district’s existing fleet and uphold First Student’s key values of innovation and sustainability, representing a step toward a cleaner future for students who rely on school transportation every day. This initiative reinforces Tacoma Public Schools and First Student’s shared commitment to safe, reliable and forward-thinking transportation solutions.

Thanks to funding through the Washington State Department of Ecology for three buses and the US EPA Clean School Bus Program round two for 11 buses, the electric buses will offer a large benefit to students by providing a cleaner, quieter and safer ride while reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality. Electric buses require less maintenance and cut fuel costs, allowing Tacoma Public Schools to reinvest those savings into educational initiatives, classroom resources, and student enrichment programs.

“Our ongoing partnership with Tacoma Public Schools reflects our commitment to building a cleaner, healthier future for the communities we serve,” said Kevin Matthews, Head of Electrification at First Student. “As the industry leader with the most electric buses deployed in North America, we are proud to drive over five million students daily and have already logged nearly six million electric miles. At First Student, one of our core values is to care for students. Electric buses help us meet that goal by providing a smoother, quieter ride that helps students start their day focused and ready to learn.”

“Tacoma Public Schools is committed to making environmentally responsible decisions that benefit both our students and the community,” said Josh Garcia, superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools. “Partnering with First Student allows us to enhance our transportation services while reducing our carbon footprint, creating a more sustainable, safe and efficient future for our students and the environment. This initiative aligns with our strategic goals by improving health and safety through cleaner air, enhancing operational efficiency with modernized transportation, and strengthening partnerships that support student success. Investing in sustainable solutions ensures a safe learning environment that promotes academic achievement and well-being for all students.”

At a joint celebratory event held today, officials including Tacoma Public School Board Member Elizabeth Bonbright, Director of Transportation Zachary Midles, Clean Air Agency CEO Chrissy Cooley, Tacoma Public Utilities Board Chair John O’Loughlin, and two students from the Science and Math Institute, along with representatives from Pierce County Planning and Public Works, Pierce Transit, Tacoma Education Dream Fund, and the Washington State Department of Ecology and Air Quality Program touted the long-term, measurable benefits of electric school buses on our youth and gave community members the chance to ride in an electric school bus and feel the difference for themselves.

About First Student:
As North America’s leading school transportation solutions provider, First Student strives to provide unmatched care and the safest ride to school to 5.5 million students daily. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company will complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, scheduling, maintenance, and charter services. Its fleet includes about 45,000 buses.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Taking place at the famous Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit Technology Demonstration and Ride & Drive Experience showcased the latest advancements in green school buses and transportation solutions on March 23, 2025 during STN EXPO East.

Attendees were treated to a hands-on experience with various transportation technology demonstrations and green buses, including electric, propane and other alternative fuel vehicles. School transportation professionals were able to ride the latest models and learn about their features while driving around the Charlotte Motor Speedway track.

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(Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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A man in Kanawha County was arrested after driving around a school bus that had its stop sign out and nearly striking a student.

The incident took place on March 14 at approximately 3:41 p.m., when Kevin W. Webster illegally passed a stopped school bus and nearly hit a child.

Initially, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office released a statement asking the public’s help in identifying the driver of a white Lincoln sedan that drove past a stopped Kanawha County school bus.

Authorities released another statement thanking the community for their support in the investigation. Ultimately, Webster was identified as the driver of the white Lincoln sedan.

Webster was arrested on March 15, with additional reports from the Saint Albans Police Department further placing him behind the wheel of that vehicle in separate incidents.

According to the statement, police obtained video surveillance showing Webster pulling into a 7-Eleven just moments before the incident, which led to his identification.

Through an interview with Webster, law enforcement officers collected additional evidence that led to an additional charge of driving under the influence (DUI) as a habitual drug user.

In addition to the DUI, Webster was charged with reckless driving, overtaking and passing a school bus, and driving with a suspended license.

Authorities emphasized the importance of stopping for school buses and encouraged the public to contact the department if they had any additional evidence.

Related: Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology
Related: Ohio Bill Seeks School Bus Illegal Passing Fine Increase, Safety Fund
Related: Massachusetts Woman Charged After Illegally Passing School Bus, Critically Injuring Child
Related: Updated: Arkansas Man Arrested After Illegally Passing School Bus, Injuring Student

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A school bus driver inspired to give back to children in need, donated shoes to local organizations serving kids, reported Yahoo News.

Bryant School District bus driver Jo Cahill went the extra mile by donating 75 pairs of shoes to a local organization that serves children in need.

Cahill told local news reporters that she has seen students getting on her bus that don’t even have shoes or socks on in 12-degree weather.

Last month Cahill went into a store with the mindset of running in and out. However, after passing the shoe aisle, she saw the shoes were on sale for $1.

According to the article, Cahill, who has been a driver for 10 years, purchased every pair with no plan on what to do with them. She said she prayed and remembered her superintendent, Dr. Karen Walters, is a member of the local Rotary Club, which was accepting clothing donations for the Kids Closet.

The community service project provides free clothes to children since 2008. It is supported through donations from local people of Saline County and is specifically geared towards those living in the area.

Pat Baker, who runs the Kids Closet, told reporters that Cahill’s donation was a blessing. Workers were left putting up shoes for many weeks.

Both Kids Closet’s and Cahill’s mission is making sure each student knows they have value.

Related: Kentucky School Bus Driver Gifts Pajamas to Student Onboard Bus
Related: WATCH: South Carolina Bus Driver and Monitor Save Children from House Fire
Related: Illinois School Bus Driver Finds Teen Wandering Alone
Related: Wisconsin School Bus Driver Saves Girl from Choking

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School bus manufacturing leadership has seen a flurry of activity over the past six months. True to form, Thomas Built Buses looked within the Daimler Truck North America family for its next president and CEO to succeed Kevin Bangston, who now leads Daimler Truck Financial Services. T.J. Reed got his start at Daimler Truck in September 1998 and has spent 19 years total with the company, and nearly another six years spent at Meritor heading its global electrification as well as front drive train businesses. He was tapped in October to lead Thomas.

“It feels like five, six years already, and that’s been a good thing,” he told School Transportation News last month. “Early on, I had my first trade shows. I was blown away [by] how the entire industry was really on the same page, not only the camaraderie and the spirit of working together [but] on a common mission. But it was OE’s, suppliers, districts, contractors really just loving what they do and being passionate about school buses. That’s rubbed off. And you can’t help but feel that when you’re in High Point at Thomas.”

Thomas would not comment on potential tariff impact, but the American Trucking Associations’ outlook is a potential price increases of up to $35,000 for a heavy-duty truck, granted those are made in Mexico whereas Thomas is not.

Meanwhile, Reed said employees are “pumping out” high-quality school buses every single day and benefitting from increased investment to accomplish the job. In July, the manufacturer announced its new Saf-T-Liner HDX2 school bus and moving production to the C2 SafT-Liner plant in Archdale, North Carolina, for increased efficiency and quality.

He also discussed the HDX2 as well as efficiency improvements to the second-generation Jouley electric school bus, the continued role of diesel, and more.

The following transcript was edited for clarity and space.

STN: Talk about why Thomas chose the Accelera e-axle to power the latest Jouley.

TJ Reed: I think the biggest thing, Ryan, and when you look at it, I would say the technical concept or the promise of an e-axle is you’re not only increasing performance from an efficiency perspective, you’re lowering the weight, you’re improving packaging. It’s ideally suited for school bus, even a last mile item. If you think about it, you’re taking a lot of components that are inside the frame rails that add a lot of weight, and you’re basically collapsing it down inside the housing of a carrier. And you got your traditional axle, you’ve got your motor and your transmission all in a compact space, and
that frees up a lot of room for batteries to be placed in between the rails, and you can shorten the wheelbase. That had been some of the challenges with the early generations. You were pretty restricted on the variation of the product. And as we know, school buses are pretty custom. So, this just opens up a lot of flexibility. And the other great thing is this continued maturity of components. The product’s been out in the market for a while, been operating in a heavy-truck configuration. We know it’ll live in the life cycle and certainly Cummins/Accelera is a great partner. They have a lot of resources and know-how. All those things come together. It could be just a much better experience for the districts and the bus operators. Just another step in the progression. This is great to see it come to market now.

STN: We have seen some electric school bus market consolidation recently. What is Thomas’ perspective on ramping up production to meet demand? How is Thomas positioning itself to meet that demand?

Reed: It’s a long-term play. As we like to say, we’re leading with the long view. At the end of day, school bus is the ideal duty cycle when you got majority of ranges under 100 miles a day. You’ve got overnight charging in the depot. You’ve got a lot of stop and go for regenerative braking. It’s ideally set so that it is specific to school buses. But you know, part of Daimler, globally we serve markets all around the world and want to lead in this space. With that, we work with a lot of different partners, from battery partners, drive systems, accessories, financial services. It’s a significant investment for our dealers as well. [Daimler has] continued to invest, like in the Greenlane [charging station joint venture]. Those things take time to put in place, and you don’t make investments on short-term plays. This is a long-term play, and this is an area that we think is going to be not only the right thing to do for our environment, for our communities, but it’s going to be the right long-term play for our customers from an efficiency and certainly from a health and community perspective, especially on school buses.

That’s why it’s important we have what I would call our core business based upon internal combustion engines. That generates the cash flow that allows us to invest in a lot of this technology. We’ve got, I would say, that very phased approach, where we install, we learn, we adapt, we perfect, we continue to move forward. That’s not only just with us, that’s with our customers, as we learn how to put these new vehicles in applications that they hadn’t been in before. We’ve been doing internal combustion engines for over 100 years, and that was always changing and evolving. So, there’s nothing different here. But it’s nice, too, from a Daimler perspective, we have the global toolbox, that know-how. There are components and systems that we can use that work for us in a school bus application, some that don’t. So, we have that optionality to really work with a lot of different partners, including ourselves. That gives us a lot of capability.

STN: We’ll get back to diesel in a moment. Obviously, range is a challenge with electric school buses. But infrastructure has been named by many as the biggest challenge to adoption and scalability. Does that continue to be the number one obstacle? Are there others?

Reed: We have a kind of famous calculation that we always talk about in the marketplace. You’ve got to have infrastructure readiness. You’ve got to have a vehicle that’s ready. Then, you’ve got to have basically the economics from a TCO of operation. If any one of those factors is zero, the calculation is zero. And certainly, we’re still in the very early days of infrastructure. So, for us to get to the point where we’re going to start to scale and see higher volumes, we’ve got to have infrastructure certainly coming in at a much greater pace. That’s not just only for school buses, that’s commercial vehicles, that’s passenger cars, that’s everything, in general. I think that theme hasn’t changed. We’ve seen investment, we’ve seen partnerships, but those need to continue to scale up. Then the second part of the equation is, we ’ve got the vehicles. They’re ready. They’re performing in the market today, and they’re getting better and better every day. And as they do that, that’s going to increase volume. As volume increases, that’s going to start to bring the cost down to help with the TCO parity. All those three things need to line up, and infrastructure remains the biggest challenge, not just in the school bus industry but really across the board.

STN: What role has the EPA Clean School Bus Program played in terms of pricing electric school buses compared to supply chain congestion?

Reed: There’s certainly circular logic when it comes to supply and demand in how that impacts costs. I would say this, from a technology development what we’re looking to do in our longterm plans [is] for component systems that drive down costs, that are getting, I would say better performance, more range. The reality is, in the near-term, those are still very low volume systems, and you know that at the end day that battery-electric
vehicles will be significantly more expensive than internal combustion engines from a
scale perspective. There was the [viewpoint] that battery cell cost was going to start to come down, and then you really saw the supply chain crunch… I would say commodities that go into battery development spiked. So, prices went up. We were dealing with that. And now, too, it is absolutely true in these early days [that] funding is critically important to kind of drive the early development of those early adopters. And as that either steps down or is removed, then the cost obviously goes up, and that then kind of lowers volume. I wouldn’t say it’s going to stop our progress, but it will certainly have an impact and slow it. But again, we see it as a long-term view, that it’s not an if, it’s a when. Now that one, I can’t tell you, but it’s still a situation where we probably got to have the infrastructure coming back in. There’s got to be some level of subsidies for that. In the meantime, we’re all working in unison to bring better technology to market at a lower cost, so that takes time to do, collectively.

STN: We’ve also seen an industry trend toward bigger electric school buses. Do you have any plans that you’re willing to talk about as to an eventual electric HDX2?

Reed: I’ll foreshadow this. Some great news is coming. But what I would tell you is we absolutely see the need in the market. We absolutely see the need in our product portfolio, and we have some great solutions, so stay tuned.

STN: Daimler Trucks North American recently added investment into Detroit Diesel, and the California Air Resources Board ceased seeking additional federal waivers to fully implement its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule for heavy-duty trucks. How do these developments impact the school bus market?

Reed: The Detroit Diesel investment, that’s more for our heavy-duty products, more on the truck side. Everything that we do on the school bus is medium range. That’s Cummins, our partner there. When you look at that, just in terms of diesel, we believe you need all types because the applications are so vast, that the use cases are so different that you need a lot of different technologies to drive to zero emissions. Diesel has a critical role to play. And you’re right, with a lot of investment not only by us in our proprietary engines but our partners from Cummins and our competitors as well, it is continuing to lower emissions. You’ve got GHG phase three that will be coming in 2027. There’s additional tailpipe reductions. All those are being engineered into our buses now. I mean significantly lower NOx and particulate matter, even over the last 10 years. These are much cleaner running engines today. There are requirements, yes, for the ACT rule, where in some states, in order to be able to sell internal combustion engines, you have to have a certain number of battery electric. But that’s been, I would say, one of the success stories of the Clean School Bus Program. It’s seeded enough diesel capability or opportunity in some of these states, we haven’t had an issue with that. Diesel is going to continue to play a role as well as other modes of propulsion. We’re invested in all.

STN: And in terms of gasoline or octane, Thomas is also coming out with an option provided by Cummins in 2026 or 2027.

Reed: We’re making investments across different modes of propulsion, different emissions technologies. You’ve got to have answers for all your customers, no matter what their duty cycle is. And octane, you know, gasoline will play a big role for that. We’re excited about that as well.

STN: Thank you

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

Related: (STN Podcast E251) Making Safety Safer: Seatbelts, Technology, Training & Electric School Buses
Related: The Tricky Part About Electric School Buses: Planning and Paying For the ‘Fueling’ Infrastructure
Related: Are you forecasting to purchase more diesel school buses this upcoming cycle than previously planned?
Related: Future of Electric School Bus Funding Remains Unknown, Warns Expert

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Bullets struck a school bus while it was transporting students with special needs in the Bronx, New York, reported ABC 7.

The incident occurred on Friday just before 2:20 p.m. The minibus drove through gunfire and pulled up to an address located about half a mile away from where the shooting took place.

Jose Polanco, a coworker of the school bus driver, told local news reporters that the driver told him he kept driving because his first thought was to get the children somewhere safe.

The bus was reportedly struck at least three times. One bullet struck the back window and two struck the side of the bus. The bus was transporting half a dozen students with special needs. No one inside the bus was injured.

Police said four suspects, all wearing black, were shooting at each other and the school bus got caught in the crossfire.

The shooting took place near a playground, with a school just down the block. The name of the school was not reported, at this writing. Teachers said the shooting sent the school into lockdown, sheltering nervous students and staff in place for about 30 minutes past dismissal.

The suspects fled on foot. One was wearing white stripes and black plants. The investigation is ongoing.

Related: Ohio School Bus Transporting Multiple Students Hit by Gunfire
Related: Pennsylvania Student Arrested After Allegedly Bringing Gun on School Bus
Related: 15-year-old Shot and Killed While Getting Off School Bus in Georgia
Related: New York School Bus Struck by Bullet

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A Kentucky school bus driver saves the day after he gifts a pair of pajamas to a student on board, reported Goodnews Network.

According to the article, a child identified as Levi was crying when his bus driver, 35-year-old Larry Farrish Jr., arrived at his stop to pick him up.

Farrish told local news reporters that he quickly asked the child what was wrong. It turned out that it was Pajama Day at Engelhard Elementary School, but Levi didn’t have any, so he was going to miss out on the fun.

After dropping Levi at school, Farrish, who has been both a truck driver and a correctional officer but found his calling with driving children to school, rushed to a store and bought some pajamas then hurried back to Engelhard and surprised Levi in class.

According to the article, Levi hugged the pajamas closely and thanked his bus driver for the gift.

Related: Georgia School Bus Driver Named “Hidden Hero” After Saving Student’s Life
Related: Colorado School Bus Driver Hailed Hero After Fire
Related: Durham School Services Bus Driver Pat King Recognized for Saving Life of Fellow Bus Monitor
Related: (STN Podcast E249) Mr. Bus Driver: Celebrating & Promoting the Yellow School Bus on Social Media

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A 5-year-old died after being hit by a Granbury Independent School District school bus.

Granbury ISD released a statement confirming the death Monday of an Emma Roberson Early Learning Academy student. The student’s name was initially not released but a second statement released by the district indicated the family of Exodus Crockett granted permission. A vigil will be held March 20 with the boy’s viewing and funeral scheduled for March 21.

The district said it directly communicated with all the families of students that were on the bus when the incident occurred and is closely working with local law enforcement.

Authorities said the school bus was traveling northeast on Pecos River Drive when the driver stopped to pick up students. As the driver started to pull away, a child ran up from the right front side of the bus and was struck. No other students were injured.

“I know you share in the devastation of this loss and may have many questions. We all have the expectation that students will be safe on our buses and in our district. We are already working to fully understand the situation and will share more information after we have had the time to investigate the incident,” said Granbury ISD Superintendent Courtney Morawski.

It is unclear if the school bus driver is expected to face charges. The incident remains under investigation.

Related: Kindergartner Stuck and Killed by School Bus
Related: New York Student Struck and Killed by School Bus
Related: 7-year-old Struck and Fatally Injured in Canada
Related: Wisconsin Child Fatally Struck by Car While Waiting for School Bus

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A middle school student is facing charges after allegedly bringing a weapon onto a school bus in Grady County, Georgia, reported WCTV News.

According to the article, the student, who was not identified in this writing but attends Washington Middle School, is charged with possession of a weapon on school property and making terroristic threats. The district confirmed via Facebook the March 11 incident.

Duke Donaldson, chief of the Grady County School Resource Officers , reportedly assured parents the isolated incident was handled accordingly.

“It’s a zero tolerance for weapons on school property. If you’re making a threat of any sort to any kid, you’re going to be charged according,” he said via the article.

No students or adults were injured in the incident. Along with being charged, the student is also suspended from school.

Related: Pennsylvania Student Arrested After Allegedly Bringing Gun on School Bus
Related: Arizona Student Found with Gun on School Bus
Related: Iowa Student Found with BB Gun on School Bus
Related: North Carolina Student Arrested for Shooting Gun on School Bus

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Two Camden County School District school buses and one car were involved in a crash that left seven injured in North Carolina.

The incident occurred March 7, when a teen motorist was driving a 2013 Hyundai Sonata and traveling westbound on Scotland Road alongside one of the buses. The second bus was traveling eastbound on the same road, according to a statement released by the district.

The teen motorist, who was not identified at this writing, crossed the center line and collided with the eastbound bus, causing the bus to then crash into the westbound bus.

Both bus drivers, the motorist and four children were injured during the crash. They were all transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to local news reports, the teen was charged with failure to maintain lane control.

Related: Over a Dozen Injured in a New Jersey School Bus Crash
Related: New York School Bus Crash Leaves One Dead, Others Injured
Related: Six Students Hospitalized in Massachusetts School Bus Crash
Related: Minnesota School Bus Driver Hailed Hero for Avoiding Head-On Crash With Semi

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More than a dozen people were injured after a school bus crashed on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, reported CBS News.

The incident reportedly occurred March 10 at approximately 7:30 p.m., when the Rabbinical School bus from Lakewood was heading to New York to attend a post-wedding celebration.

According to the news report, the school bus was seen on its side facing the wrong way on the highway and skid marks were visible on a nearby embankment. There was no immediate information on what caused the school bus to overturn.

The New Jersey State Police said via the article that 15 people, including the 44-year-old bus driver, were treated for injuries. One of the passengers suffered serious injuries. Police said in a statement the 14-year-old boy is fighting for his life after he was pinned under the overturned bus.

The Woodcliff Lake Fire Department was the first to arrive at the scene said Mayor Mike Ghassali in a statement on Facebook. The Montvale Volunteer Fire Department and other firefighters that assisted, lifted the bus and rescued the 14-year-old boy [that was pinned under the bus] and 28 other boys along with two adults.

The 14-year-old, who is fighting for his life, the bus driver and 13 other boys were transported to local hospitals. Their current condition is unclear at this moment.

The crash remains under investigation.

Related: Alabama School Bus Driver Falls Asleep at Wheel, Crashes
Related: Six Students Hospitalized in Massachusetts School Bus Crash
Related: New Jersey School Bus Driver Struck, Killed by Another School Bus
Related: New Jersey School Bus Driver Arrested for DUI

The post Over a Dozen Injured in a New Jersey School Bus Crash appeared first on School Transportation News.

A school bus driver is dead after a crash involving two school buses in New York.

The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office released a statement March 7 confirming the fatal crash between two Holland Patent School District school buses.

According to the statement, one of the school buses operated by Michael J. Page, 57, was transporting three students when he crossed the center line into the path of an oncoming school bus for the same district.

The second bus, operated by Jean C. Marsden, 58, was transporting two students in the second Holland Patent School District school bus.

Marsden was pronounced dead at the scene. The two students on her bus were transported to Wynn Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Page was also transported to the hospital for a foot injury, and the three students on his bus were all evaluated at the scene before being signed over to their parents.

The crash is still under investigation. But authorities indicated the weather conditions of wind-blown snow appeared to be a factor.

Related: New York Mother and Child Struck by School Bus Following Drop-Off
Related: 79-Year-Old, 9-Year-Old Struck by School Bus in New York
Related: South Dakota Teen Bicyclist Dead After School Bus Crash
Related: Motorist Dead After Colliding with Ohio School Bus During Drop Off

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JACKSONVILLE, Flo. – Pat King, school bus driver for Durham School Services, has been recognized as a heroine for performing life-saving CPR on her fellow bus monitor during a sudden medical emergency. Pat performed CPR for approximately 20 minutes while waiting for medical staff to arrive, and it was thanks to her quick thinking and CPR training that her fellow bus monitor and friend is recovering. As a result of her heroic actions, Pat received the “Frontline Hero Award” from Durham School Services and was also recognized and interviewed by local media.

“That’s the first thing I saw, it was that dummy that we have to do the training on,” said Pat King during an interview with local news media outlet, Action News JAX. “Her chest wasn’t moving. I listened for her heartbeat, heard nothing. She’s my friend, you know. She wasn’t breathing. I had to do something. I couldn’t just let her lay there.

All Durham School Services school bus drivers are required to participate in various safety trainings, and specifically in the state of Florida, take courses to obtain five safety certifications. The certificates include CPR/ First Aid, Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse, Seizure Training, Human Trafficking Training, and Florida Mandated Reporter Course Training. Team members are re-certified for CPR Training every two years.

“We are glad Pat is getting the recognition she very much deserves. She is a hero, and we were extremely proud to present her with an award and witness her gain further recognition from the community for her life-saving actions,” said Brad Kerrigan, Area General Manager, Durham School Services. “Instances like these prove the importance and need for safety trainings such as CPR/First Aid and further demonstrates our Company’s commitment to safety.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. 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 has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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Editor’s note — A previous version of this article insinuated blanket advocacy of three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelt usage. Instead, NAPT said it is aligning itself with NTSB’s recommendation that lap-shoulder seatbelts be required on all new, large school buses, and that decisions to purchase the occupant restraints be made at the local level.

Citing technological advances and repeated recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) said three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelts in all school buses.

The position marks a significant evolution in NAPT’s stance on seatbelts, though it has always called for local control of the issue. The paper encourages members “to recognize and manage issues related to driver liability and adherence to school policies in the implementation of any district program related to the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts.”

Still, the association said further testing on lap-shoulder seatbelt effectiveness by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is long overdue.

NHTSA’s limited testing resulted in the 2011 requirement of lap-shoulder belts on school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds because those vehicles closely resemble crash forces absorbed by smaller passenger cars and trucks in collisions.

However, in that same rulemaking, NHTSA declined to mandate lap-shoulder belts on larger school buses but did provide specifications to be used by operators opting to install them. In 2015, NHTSA recommended that school bus operators should install and use lap-shoulder belts on large buses because, while school buses are the safest vehicle on the road, the belts would increase safety for student riders.

NAPT has been calling on NHTSA to revisit the issue for years.

“In the absence of a scientifically based mandate from NHTSA, NAPT believes it is important that the decision to install and utilize lap-shoulder belts is made at the local level and that our efforts should support and facilitate those decision-making processes,” the paper states. “NAPT sees our role as encouraging informed conversations at the local school district level and, where appropriate, at the state level, and enabling our members to engage in those discussions with reliable and timely information.”

NAPT said its decision to issue this position paper stems from ongoing debates and evolving circumstances surrounding school bus safety. NAPT pointed to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations that have highlighted instances where the absence of seatbelts contributed to injuries and fatalities. These findings, NAPT said, coupled with advancements in safety technology, prompted a reassessment of its previous stance and the need to provide updated guidance to its members.

“Accordingly, at this time, the board of directors has determined that NAPT should adapt our posture and statements on the issue of lap-shoulder belts on school buses to recognize the value and importance of NTSB’s recommendations, and the evolution of school bus safety technology,” the paper notes.

NAPT said it also firmly opposes the installation and use of two-point lap belts. It also continues to recommend that decisions regarding the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts should be made at the local level, supported by informed discussions and reliable information.

NAPT Executive Director and CEO Molly McGee Hewitt told School BusRIDE the new position was shared with the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, the National School Transportation Association, and state association affiliates.

“We have also shared them via email with the relevant federal agencies and will meet with them over the spring months as they transition to new leadership,” she added. “We will also bring the statement to other national education associations like the superintendents, school business officials, and the PTA. This kind of sharing will give our members a basis for support back in their districts.”

NAPT said it will provide future informational sessions in the form of webinars, conference sessions and podcasts to assist and support members in the making decisions on whether or not to specify lap/shoulder seatbelts on school buses.

An NAPT spokesman said the position paper was completed and approved in the fall. It was publicly announced in a School BusRide article on Tuesday.

Related: School Bus Safety Act Renews Call for Seatbelts, Other Safety Improvements
Related: Oklahoma Latest State to Introduce School Bus Seatbelt Bill
Related: Blue Bird Announces Standard Lap/Shoulder Seatbelts on All School Buses
Related: N.Y. Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Students to Wear Seatbelts on Chartered Trips

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. – HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care, today announced four new safety initiatives designed to further enhance the company’s commitment to safe, reliable student transportation.

Following the recently released sixth annual Safety Report, which highlighted that 99.7% of rides in 2024 were completed without a safety-related concern, HopSkipDrive is introducing new measures to improve critical aspects of student transportation safety.

“These innovations reflect our data-driven approach in continuously improving the student transportation experience from end-to-end,” said Jen Brandenburger, SVP of Safety at HopSkipDrive. “Each initiative addresses a specific aspect of our platform, but together they represent our holistic approach to safety and our commitment to relentlessly raising the bar.”

The four new safety initiatives include:

1. CareDriver Trends – Recently launched, this significant update to CareDriver ride insights replaces previous weekly Success Cards with comprehensive metrics on cancellations, on-time arrivals, missed check-ins, telematics scores, and more – all accessible whenever CareDrivers need them, directly within the app. Located in a new dashboard, CareDriver Trends consolidates safety and experience indicators into an easy-to-understand trends rating, helping CareDrivers further improve their safety and receive actionable insights into their driving behavior.

2. Improved Must be Met Process – For rides where a responsible adult must be present at drop-off, HopSkipDrive is introducing a significant update that will introduce more structured protocols and bring greater clarity and consistency for parents, school staff, and CareDrivers. Ride Organizers will be able to define authorized individual groups and select specific verification requirements, while simplified protocol options for both Ride Organizers and authorized responsible adults at drop-off (meet at car, meet at door, meet inside) will appear in the Ride Organizer and CareDriver apps.

3. Customized Trauma-Informed Training with The National Organization for Victim Assistance – This new partnership with NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) will implement specialized trauma-informed training for Trust & Safety and Safe Ride Support teams. With over 45 years of experience, NOVA stands as the nation’s longest-serving victim assistance organization, bringing unparalleled expertise in compassionate care and support to help further strengthen HopSkipDrive’s ability to better serve students with diverse needs. This new training will be implemented later this year.

4. Dedicated Rider Support Line – Recently launched as a pilot program in the Bay Area, this feature provides riders with direct access to the Safe Ride Support team through a text message sent before each ride, containing a phone number they can call if needed. Riders can connect directly with a member of the team who can provide immediate assistance, offer guidance during their ride, or help resolve any issues that may arise. This pilot will expand to additional markets throughout the course of the year.

At the heart of these initiatives lies a fundamental belief that innovation in safety isn’t just about metrics, it’s about unlocking educational access and opportunity. With each new feature, program, and protocol enhancement, HopSkipDrive strengthens the bridge connecting students to their potential. These improvements build upon the company’s 50+ existing safety products and features, reflecting the reality that reliable transportation is foundational to ensuring students have access to the educational opportunities they deserve. As HopSkipDrive continues evolving its safety framework, the mission remains clear: to create opportunity for all through mobility.

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading routing software, RouteWise AI. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than five million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

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RICHMOND, Va. — The 2025 Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference (SEPSTC) will be held jointly with the Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation (VAPT) at the Marriott Richmond during the week of July 7-11, 2025. A half-day trade show will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center the morning of Thursday, July 10.

A highlight of the conference will be an off-site school bus fire training exercise to be held at the Richmond City Fire Training Academy. According to VAPT president Darrin Wills, “Safe evacuation simulations aim to minimize panic during an emergency and we are pleased with the partnerships that will allow us to bring this important demonstration to
SESPTC and VAPT conference attendees.”

Other important program elements include a TSA Cybersecurity Exercise, two NAPT professional development courses and more. SESPTC president Kevin Harrison expressed appreciation for the collaboration with VAPT.

“SESPTC is excited to be partnering with VAPT this year to provide this opportunity for pupil transportation staff from across the Southeastern States to gather and learn from each other. VAPT has a wonderful team that is focused on providing superior educational opportunities to attendees from not only Virginia, but the other 13 Southeastern States as well.”

Founded in 1951, the SESPTC is the oldest regional pupil transportation conference in the nation. Pupil transportation professionals from school districts in the southeastern states, and from school bus operators providing transportation to those school districts, are invited to attend.

Registration is now open at www.sesptc.com.

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More than 200 transportation and emergency response professionals gathered recently for the second annual Operation STEER (Student Transportation Emergency Education and Response), a hands-on school bus safety training initiative aimed at improving emergency preparedness for school transportation personnel statewide.

Hosted by Region 6 Education Service Center (ESC) on March 1 and in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, the full-scale training event held at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District Transportation Training Facility near Austin provided live emergency simulations for school bus drivers, first responders and education officials. Attendees represented over 65 Texas school districts, reinforcing the program’s growing statewide impact.

Diane Wilson, the school bus safety training specialist for Region 6 ESC, first conceived Operation STEER after attending an emergency evacuation training session at the TSD Conference in November 2023. The immersive experience, led by Launi Harden, Denny Coughlin, Diandra Nugent, and Aaron Harris, places participants in high-pressure crisis scenarios, including evacuating a smoke-filled school bus, securing and handling training dolls representing children of various ages, and practicing emergency techniques such as seatbelt cutting, fire extinguisher use, and proper evacuation methods.

“The ability to remain calm and take decisive action in a crisis can be the difference between life and death,” Wilson said. “I wanted to bring that level of preparedness to Texas so that our school transportation teams and emergency responders could experience firsthand what it’s like to manage these high-pressure situations.”

Related: Texas Program Enhances School Bus Safety Through Simulation Training

By expanding on the TSD Conference’s core training elements, Wilson designed Operation STEER to offer school districts a realistic, scenario-based approach to handling transportation emergencies. The program also prioritizes assistance for preschoolers and students with disabilities, ensuring all children receive the specialized care and securement they need during an evacuation.

Operation STEER is made possible through a collaboration between Region 6 ESC and a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation, with support from industry partners and vendors that contributed resources, expertise and donations to enhance the training experience.

“Their contributions were essential in delivering a comprehensive and impactful training experience,” Wilson said. “With the support of these industry leaders, we’re able to continuously expand and improve our training efforts, ensuring that school transportation professionals and first responders receive the most effective hands-on experience possible.”
Participation in Operation STEER has grown significantly compared to its inaugural year. This year’s event brought together over 200 attendees, including transportation dispatchers, bus drivers, transportation directors, school bus driver trainers, firefighters, EMS students, and first responder trainees.

“This diverse group of professionals creates a richer, more collaborative learning environment,” Wilson explained. “It’s not just about training school bus staff, it’s about ensuring that emergency responders, transportation leaders and safety professionals are working together as a unit to handle real-life scenarios.”

With the program’s train-the-trainer model, school districts can implement Operation STEER’s lessons within their own communities, ensuring that best practices reach transportation teams across Texas.

The event featured interactive emergency response exercises, equipping participants with critical life-saving skills through immersive, real-world scenarios. Key demonstrations included:

• Live extrication exercises with Travis County Fire Rescue, simulating school bus rescue scenarios using specialized equipment.
• Smoke-filled bus evacuation drills, allowing participants to practice safe student extraction in low-visibility emergency conditions.
• Fire extinguisher training, teaching bus drivers how to control small fires before they escalate.
• CPR, first aid, and “Stop the Bleed” training, provided by the Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC).
• Special needs student securement and evacuation, in collaboration with BESI and Q’Straint, focusing on the unique challenges of assisting students with disabilities.
• Emergency railroad evacuation drills, conducted with Operation Lifesaver and Leander  Independent School District, reinforcing best practices for evacuations near railways.
  Wilson emphasized that the curriculum is continuously evolving based on industry best practices and feedback from past participants.

“This year, we placed a greater emphasis on special needs student securement and evacuation procedures,” she said. “We wanted to ensure that transportation personnel are equipped to assist students with a wider range of disabilities during emergency situations.”
Wilson said she is already planning expanded future Operation STEER events.

Related: TSD Evacuation Class Emphasizes Importance of Training
Related: WATCH: South Carolina District Highlights Emergency Training
Related: In Case of an Emergency

Wilson shared she and her team are considering introducing new training modules, including active assault/weapon response scenarios and extreme student behavior management, to better prepare transportation professionals for complex crisis situations.

“We want to make sure that transportation staff are fully equipped to handle complex, high-stress situations in real time,” Wilson noted.

In addition to expanding the event’s content, Wilson said she has her sights set on broadening the program’s geographic reach.

“Our vision is to take Operation STEER to all regions of Texas, ensuring that every school district and emergency responder has access to this essential training,” she said. “We’re also exploring ways to share this experience at a national level, helping other states strengthen their student transportation safety measures.”

This year’s sponsors were: Holt Truck Centers; Longhorn Bus Sales; Smart Tag; IMMI/Safeguard; United Safety and Survivability; BESI, Inc.; First Services/First Student; Q’Straint/Sure-Lok; and Adroit.

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A Mason County school bus driver was indicted after allegedly driving a bus under the influence of drugs with students on board, reported WOWK News. 

The incident reportedly occurred last April, when a 911 call was placed about a school bus driver who was driving erratically and in the opposite lane with students on board. The caller also claimed that the driver made several wrong turns and was falling asleep at the wheel.  

A blood analysis the police reportedly took from the bus driver, 54-year-old Leslie Watterson, revealed she had taken three different drugs that affect the central nervous system. Watterson was arrested in May of on warrants filed by West Virginia State Police.  

According to the news report, Watterson was indicted March 5 on 54 counts of gross child neglect creating substantial risk of serious bodily injury and one count of DUI with minors. The three drugs in her system were identified to be Phentermine, Oxazepam and Temazepam.

Related: Massachusetts School Van Driver Faces DUI, Child Endangerment Charges
Related: Round Up: School Bus Drivers Arrested for DUIs
Related: North Carolina School Bus Driver Charged with DUI
Related: Vermont School Bus Driver Arrested Due to Crash on Suspicion of DUI

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