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Texas Student Transporter Utilizes Technology to Improve Operations

22 November 2024 at 18:32

Valerie Williams said two quotes help her shaped her days. “With God all things are possible,” and “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Prior to transitioning into the public sector of pupil transportation, Williams spent 20 years in corporate America working in human resources management and customer service for companies such as the Austin Police Department, Dell Inc., Westinghouse Motor Company, Bank of the Hills and LaPetite Academy.

She said her pupil transportation career started in November 2011 as a crossing guard for Parkside Elementary School. At the time she owned her own wedding planning business and needed some extra cash for a vacation to New York.

Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.

She shared that her husband Terry is a school bus driver, trainer and third-arty examiner for Leander ISD transportation. He was the one who suggested to Williams that she come work for transportation as a school bus driver.

“But the bus is too big for me so in February of 2012, I joined the team as a bus monitor, which is what we were called back in those days,” she shared, adding that during this time she assisted the special needs router with processing the legal transportation documents.

Then, in June 2015, she was hired on as the part-time routing assistant to replace someone retiring. “In that role I had the privilege of working side by side with Tracie Franco, the full-time special needs router at that time and now the senior director of Leander ISD transportation,” Williams said.

She noted that over the years she transitioned from part-time to full time and progressed to senior router. As the senior router, she said her job consists of overseeing the daily performance of general and special education routers as well as field trip specialists. She also identifies opportunities for improvement, defines processes and puts systems in place to help the routing and transportation department manage the complexities of the operation. She is also the project manager for the teams responsible for the relaunch of transportation’s website, the implementation of the district’s Register to Ride bus registration process and documenting transportation’s standard operating procedures.

Valerie Williams was recognized for her commitment to creating more efficient operating systems and being proactive regarding transportation's needs
Valerie Williams was recognized for her commitment to creating more efficient operating systems and being proactive regarding transportation’s needs

“There are many things that I enjoy about my job,” she said. “First and foremost is working with a fantastic team. If I must pick the favorite part of my job, I would have to say that creating systems to improve processes so that everything operates like a well-oiled machine is very satisfying.”

Register to Ride

Williams explained that in an effort to “enhance security, ensure the safety of our students and staff, and improve the efficiency of our routes, we launched a new registration program for transportation.” For the first time this school year and in the history of Leander ISD, Williams said all eligible bus riders (new and returning) who wish to utilize transportation to and/or from school are now required to register for the service. She explained that they partnered with administrators, campus personnel, parents and Hillary Robbins, the regional partnership director at K12 Insight to launch a new and improved Transportation website using the Let’s Talk platform for the Register to Ride bus registration process.

“In the transportation industry as a whole, when someone wants to travel whether it is by plane, train, cruise ship, metro bus or rail, they are required to make a reservation or register to ride,” she explained.

In the past, she said routes for students with disabilities were based on actual riders, whereas routes for general education students were created for eligible riders. This year, general education routes will also be created based on actual riders.

She explained that by requiring registration, transportation can ensure that all riders have been registered and are approved riders. Other benefits are only actual riders have been assigned to bus stops and staff can now quickly identify when a bus is approaching its maximum seating capacity, thus limiting the number of over-crowded buses that the district previously experiences at the start of the year.

Williams added that staff also leveraged K12 Insight’s Let’s Talk platform to revamp its transportation process. Benefits include having all the Register to Ride information in one location, directly on LISD transportation website and allowing parents/guardians to register from the convenience of their home.

She added that registration forms are then loaded into Let’s Talk, which allows the customer to change the content into the language of their preference. Leander ISD transportation has 13 different languages available in their forms to better improve the customer experience.

“In the past, campus personnel submitted bus service request forms, on behalf of the parents, to the routing department,” Williams shared. “With those submissions we found that very often, parents were either not ready to start transportation, or they wanted service only in the mornings or only in the afternoons or vice versa.”

By using Let’s Talk, she said transportation is are putting the power in the hands in the parents and guardians to register when they are ready to use transportation for their children and can communicate with transportation directly what service they need.

“Over the years we have observed that since the routing department is responsible for assigning students to bus routes, some people think that routing is responsible ‘for everything,’” she added. “However, that’s not true. In addition to drivers and bus assistants, we have a team of professional staff members who play a major role in pupil transportation including administrative assistants, assistant directors, dispatchers, mechanics, team leaders, technology systems specialists and trainers. Through Let’s Talk’s ability to support two-way communications, our customers (external and internal) can ask questions and share feedback while having the confidence that their question, concern or comment is getting to the right person in the right department.”

Hillary Robins, an ed tech specialist with K12 Insight, wrote in her nomination of Williams that she consistently demonstrates innovation, attention to detail and a deep passion to their community and team.

“Valerie’s commitment to finding more efficient uses of technology, including implementing a customer service platform for their transportation department, has greatly enhanced the services provided to families, showcasing her dedication to excellence and continuous improvement,” Robins wrote. “She has transformed their transportation department with the use of AI and by building registration forms to automate incoming inquiries. Additionally, she has effectively leveraged their customer service platform to monitor sentiment across the transportation department, ensuring a proactive approach to addressing community needs.”

Williams said internal and external communications go through Let’s Talk, plus they are dated and time-stamped so staff is better able to keep track of the conversations. The feature will allow the district to eliminate the need to monitor several different email accounts, as well as copy and pasted comments from various emails.

Challenges Amid School Start Up

Williams said one of the biggest challenges the routing department faced amid school start up was processing registrations that were submitted after the June 14th deadline. She noted they are a small team of 10, consisting of one routing supervisor, two senior routers, two general transportation routers, two special transportation routes, two field trip specialists and one field trip/routing assistant, that have to manage 11,000 active riders.

“With a shortage of drivers, our routers also are driving routes morning and/or afternoon so this limits the amount of time that they have at their desk to be able to process registrations and assign students to routes,” she said.

She noted the team is working to combat this with an “all-hands-on-deck” mentality. “In addition to the routing team, our administrative assistants, drivers, dispatchers, assistant directors, even our senior director of transportation have jumped in to help get students assigned to bus routes,” Williams said.

Department Goals

Williams added her goal is to ensure that 100 percent of Leander’s riders are registered. Additionally, she hopes to continue to collaborate with the K12 Insight team to find more creative solutions through Let’s Talk to help transportation streamline and automate its current processes. Other goals include continuing to improve the customer service experience and to look for opportunities to “work smarter, not harder.”

Finally, she said for the next school year she wants to enhance the Register to Ride campaign, with the goal of having 95 percent of riders Registered to Ride by this coming June 1.

Outside of LISD transportation, Williams said her and her husband enjoy volunteering with their ministry by conducting Bible study sessions with individuals, couples and families in their community. She also enjoys crafting, gardening, interior decorating, painting furniture and DIY projects.

Read the profiles on the Rising Stars in the November issue of School Transportation News.


Related: From School Bus Driver to Assistant Director: Journey of a Rising Star
Related: Passion for Transportation Shines Through Washington Rising Star
Related: Rising Star Dedicated to Providing Best Transportation for Students With Special Needs

The post Texas Student Transporter Utilizes Technology to Improve Operations appeared first on School Transportation News.

Zonar Debuts New Zonar Together User Conference Experience, Unveils New Innovations

By: STN
12 November 2024 at 20:13

DALLAS, Texas – Zonar, the leader in commercial vehicle fleet health and safety, convened fleet professionals from across North America at its redesigned Zonar Together User Conference. Customers, partners, and employees discussed the latest developments in transportation and strategies for improving operational efficiency and safety across vocational, pupil, mass transit, state and local municipalities, and commercial trucking industries.

In 25 sessions over two days, the conference featured keynote presentations from the Lutzie 43 Foundation and Google AI, and industry updates from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Additionally, the conference featured Zonar fleet management software trainings, customer-led sessions, and a panel on cross-industry challenges and successes.

“Zonar Together reimagined the user conference experience, offering a forum for collaboration and discussion around our shared goals to improve fleet health and safety,” said Mike Gould, president and CEO at Zonar. “We were excited to showcase what we’ve done, where we’re going, and how our customers will benefit from improved data analytics and AI innovations all to unlock new potential. Together, we’ll shape the future of transportation.”

Today, fleets are forced to manage more vehicles and assets with fewer resources, make informed decisions from vast amounts of data, and keep vehicles moving amidst increased pressure for safety and efficiency gains. These challenges are further exacerbated by talent shortages and changing government funding, regulations, and compliance mandates. To save critical time, money, and resources, fleets need a modern platform to manage priorities all in one place.

At the conference, Zonar unveiled its next generation Zonar Ground Traffic Control and an expanded 360-degree view camera system for Zonar Coach. With new features and reporting capabilities in the pipeline, fleets can better prioritize maintenance, optimize fuel use and reduce idle time, improve trip analytics for performance and efficiency, capture insights on driver behavior and speed management, track ridership analytics for compliance, and better understand planned versus actual routes for dispatch.

“Our new data model is the underpinning of our next generation Ground Traffic Control, allowing fleets to aggregate actionable insights into a consolidated view for faster decision-making,” said Pablo Supkay, vice president of product management at Zonar. “As we move to a world where innovation becomes standard, we aim to help fleets move from reactive to predictive approaches, transition from manual to automated actions, and more seamlessly translate insights into fleet management and maintenance recommendations to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.”

“At the conference, Zonar demonstrated a commitment to consistently exceeding industry standards and elevating solutions to the next level,” said Tony Cruz, desert southwest regional fleet manager at MasTec Communications Group. “This is essential because a company committed to excellence will succeed when its products are designed for long-term success.”

About Zonar:
Founded in 2001, Zonar has pioneered smart mobility solutions throughout vocational, pupil, mass transit, state and local municipalities, and commercial trucking industries. The Zonar mission is to enhance the safety, performance, and success of our customers by transforming the delivery of innovative insights for commercial fleets. Zonar achieves this by helping fleets of all sizes maximize the use of their assets with solutions dedicated to improving compliance, efficiency, maintenance, ridership visibility, safety, and tracking. Cloud-based services with open APIs drive Zonar smart mobility solutions by making it easy for fleet owners and managers to stay connected to their fleets and drivers and operators to dispatch. Headquartered in Seattle and part of the Continental family, Zonar also has a distribution center in West Chicago.

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WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap

11 November 2024 at 19:22

The 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in Frisco, Texas featured a full schedule of educational sessions, empowering keynotes, hands-on training, a product demonstration and onsite Ride and Drive event and more! Check out these daily recap videos from the conference.


Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference with Keys to Unlocking Autism
Related: Special Education Attorney Navigates Legal Bumps in the Road for Student Transporters
Related: Texas Team Takes Home Roadeo Crown at TSD Conference

The post WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap appeared first on School Transportation News.

Texas Team Takes Home Roadeo Crown at TSD Conference

By: Ryan Gray
10 November 2024 at 04:49

FRISCO, Texas — Plano Independent School District located just miles from the TSD Conference this weekend claimed the top two spots in the annual roadeo and training competition as Texas continued its dominance of the event.

The team of Andwain Coleman and Mohmed Omera tied coworkers Mohsen Al Asad and Nabila Audi with scores of 889 out of a possible 1,020 points. Alexandra Robinson, the lead coordinator for the roadeo organizer Women in Transportation. (wit.) group and a TSD Conference Tenured Faculty member, said during a banquet Saturday night hosted by lead sponsor Q’Straint/Sure-Lok that the roadeo judges broke the tie by comparing times for finishing the event.

Coleman and Omera clinched the victory as their time was six minutes faster than that of Al Asad and Audi. Robinson said it was the first time in the roadeo’s 30-year history that such a tiebreaker was needed. It was the fourth consecutive win for a Texas team over the dating back to 2019. The competition was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team of Elizabeth Berninger and Jennifer Gue representing the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation took home third place with a score of 885 points. Ten teams competed at host Frisco ISD in 9 events or stations and also took a written test.

Coleman finished second in last year’s competition and said he partnered with Omera earlier this year after his previous partner was promoted to a different position. It was Coleman’s third consecutive year competing in the event. This was Omera’s second national competition.

When asked about their confidence following the competition, Coleman said, “Ain’t nobody perfect, I know we had some mess ups there, but I know overall we did pretty good.”

Coleman and Omera both have been driving for Plano ISD for the past six school years, with Coleman previously driving a truck for 20 years.

Looking ahead, Coleman and Omera confirmed they plan to compete at the roadeo competition and training next year, as they already won their Texas district competition. The next step is competing in regionals in March.

When discussing the challenges of their Plano ISD school bus routes, Coleman and Omera cited student behavior and other motorists on the road as the biggest daily challenges they face.


Related: Texas Teams Dominate Roadeo Competition Held at TSD Conference
Related: Texas Team Wins Return of TSD Roadeo from COVID-19 Hiatus
Related: TSD: Texas Team Takes Home First Place in National TSD Roadeo

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Gallery: Specialized Training, Ride & Drive at TSD 2024

9 November 2024 at 12:37

FRISCO, Texas — Consultant Jo Mascorro began day two of the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs Conference and Trade Show with her four-hour keynote on de-escalation with dignity.

Specialized hands-on training that day included: the NHTSA Child Passenger Safety on School Bus Training, the Wheelchair Securement Boot Camp Training & Certification hosted by AMF-Bruns of America, and the Wheelchair Securement Training plus Special Needs Roadeo presented by Q-Straint. Classes on driver and aide training as well as the foundations of special needs transportation were led by industry veterans Launi Harden and Alexandra Robinson, respectively.

The day closed with a Safety & Technology Product Demonstration and Special Needs Ride & Drive where attendees got up close and personal with buses and technology that could help in their operations.

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A TSD panel consisted of (from left): Steven Whaley, alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird; Tom Hopkins, business development manager for ROUSH CleanTech; Diana Mikelski, director of transportation for District 211 in Illinois; and Brian Raygor, national autogas business manager for Ferrellgas.
A TSD panel consisted of (from left): Steven Whaley, alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird; Tom Hopkins, business development manager for ROUSH CleanTech; Diana Mikelski, director of transportation for District 211 in Illinois; and Brian Raygor, national autogas business manager for Ferrellgas.
A TSD panel consisted of (from left): Steven Whaley, alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird; Tom Hopkins, business development manager for ROUSH CleanTech; Diana Mikelski, director of transportation for District 211 in Illinois; and Brian Raygor, national autogas business manager for Ferrellgas.

Images by Vince Rios Creative and Claudia Newton. 

The post Gallery: Specialized Training, Ride & Drive at TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

North Texas School Bus Engine Catches Fire, Students Evacuated Safely

1 November 2024 at 19:59

A school bus driver in DeSoto, Texas is being acknowledged for quick actions after safely evacuating students when smoke began to fill the bus, reported WFAA News.

According to the news report, the incident occurred on Oct. 25, when a DeSoto Independent School District shuttle bus was transporting students from one campus to another.

The driver, who was not identified in this writing, noticed the bus starting to fill up with smoke and pulled over and quickly evacuated all students from the bus, escorting them to a safe space away from the vehicle.

The article states a second bus was dispatched to complete the transportation. As the students were awaiting the replacement bus, the engine on the first bus caught fire.

The school bus front windows reportedly shattered, the driver’s side door was charred, and the window was also blown out.

It is unclear what caused the engine to catch fire. No one was reportedly injured, and the students were safely transported to campus.


Related: West Virginia School Buses Damaged by Fire
Related: Colorado School Bus Driver Hailed Hero After Fire
Related: Massachusetts School Bus Catches Fire
Related: Connecticut School Bus Catches on Fire

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Router: Going from Pro to PLUS Made Work Fun

By: STN
1 November 2024 at 07:00

Imagine having fun at work.

Lyndsie Rodriguez says that’s what happened to her when her district, Lubbock Independent School District in Texas, upgraded from Routefinder Pro, once the industry’s Gold Standard for school bus routing, to Routefinder PLUS.

Lubbock ISD, located in the base of the panhandle, serves approximately 25,000 students, of which around 5,000 to 6,000 students are transported daily by the district’s buses. This involves managing 56 special education routes and 58 general education routes.

Lyndsie, Lubbock ISD’s router, says the district successfully made the move from Pro to PLUS, a seamless transition despite the size and complexity of its transportation system. Lubbock made the switch during the summer when transportation demands were lower.

She credits the smooth implementation to the support from Transfinder and the time taken to thoroughly test and adapt the system before the school year began. The district also took advantage of this time to retrain staff and work out any issues before fully launching the new system. This careful planning paid off.

“Everything has been really smooth,” she says.

The move from Pro to PLUS brought significant improvements to the district’s transportation operations. Lyndsie sheds light on the differences between the two systems and the positive impact PLUS has had on the district’s routing efficiency.

For Lyndsie, Routefinder PLUS represented a necessary advancement.

“Pro was good to start and learn to understand how everything works,” she says, “being brand new into [routing] and being taught by somebody who had been doing it for years. But PLUS was a necessary step to improve the quality of our routes, time management, and drivers’ understanding of where we’re going.”

One key feature that stood out for Lyndsie was the map-editing functionality in Routefinder PLUS. “I did not touch maps at all” in Pro, she says. In PLUS, Lyndsie finds the tools easy to use.

“It’s actually really fun. Sometimes I just sit there and create neighborhoods that we haven’t created yet,” she remarks, underscoring how user-friendly the map canvas and other features are in PLUS.

This improved user experience wasn’t just a matter of aesthetics or ease. According to Lyndsie, the enhanced features in Routefinder PLUS have directly contributed to more efficient routing and time management.

“We get stuff done a lot faster in PLUS rather than in Pro,” she notes. With Lubbock ISD often cycling drivers to other districts to help out with their transportation systems, PLUS has made it easier for drivers to understand routes and seamlessly assist other areas.

When asked whether she would ever consider going back to Pro, Lyndsie was unequivocal in her response:

“Absolutely not.” She adds that she encouraged the move to PLUS after her predecessor, who’d been routing for nearly three decades, retired. Comparing PLUS to Pro, Lyndsie says: “It’s cleaner. It’s prettier. It’s nicer. It’s more efficient,” emphasizing that Routefinder PLUS is more user-friendly and has the potential to unlock new levels of operational excellence for Lubbock ISD’s transportation department.

“There’s so much more potential here,” she says.

Lyndsie’s endorsement of the system is clear: the benefits of PLUS far outweigh any initial hesitation or learning curve that came with transitioning from Pro.

For other districts still using Routefinder Pro that may be hesitant to make the switch to PLUS, Lyndsie’s message is simple: “What are you waiting for?”

Although she admits to having initially sitting on the fence about the timing of the upgrade, not wanting to implement in the middle of the school year, she believes that moving to PLUS was a smart and necessary decision for Lubbock ISD.

And the Transfinder team, she says, was there all along the way.

“Everyone has been so amazing and helpful,” she says. “Y’all are so awesome, and I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever.”

Learn more at www.transfinder.com.

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

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TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions

By: Ryan Gray
16 October 2024 at 03:34

From new school bus monitor training best-practices to workshopping real-life transportation and management scenarios, next month’s TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas, offers transporters of students with disabilities and special needs the latest in innovative solutions and ideas.

The agenda highlights tried-and-true topics such as the Foundations of Special Need Transportation seminar on Friday, Nov. 8, which provides both new and experienced student transporters with vital information on the Individuals with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as well as the necessary operational considerations necessary of both school districts and vehicle contractors.

Best Practices for the Training of School Bus Monitors & Aides seminar, also on Nov. 8, is new this year. It defines the critical roles and responsibilities aides and monitors have during commutes in school buses and other vehicles, and it explores how to pull all the information together into a handbook for training and oversight.

Praesidium, a leading training organization that seeks to prevent abuse, makes its inaugural appearance at TSD Conference this year. A representative will present Preventing Sexual Abuse During Transportation. The general session, which immediately follow’s special education attorney Betsey Helfrich’s Avoiding the Bumps and Legal Hazards session, will address how abuse happens, current trends, and best practices for mitigating this risk with updated policies, training on boundaries and red-flag behaviors, and supervision strategies.


Related: (STN Podcast E229) October Updates: Green Funding, Cellphone Bans & Special Needs Legalities


Several sessions pinpoint the collaboration needed between school districts and contractors for either traditional school bus routes or non-traditional alternative vehicles. A general session on Monday, Nov. 11 features a discussion ahead of the National Congress on School Transportation, where state delegations will weigh standardized verbiage for guiding how student transporters weigh the different services available and provide oversight.

One of the closing general sessions on Tuesday, Nov. 12, is What’s the Worst That Could Happen? On-the-Spot Decision Making. The panel discussion will present four real-life scenarios to attendees split into groups can develop solutions in a matter of minutes with only the information they have at the time.

Meanwhile, collaboration between school districts and school bus contractors returns as a much-needed topic during breakout sessions on Sunday, Nov. 10. It will expand on information that attendees will receive during Foundations of Special Needs to start the weekend.

Another scheduled session on Sunday will look at the intricacies of transporting medically fragile students and the training that school bus drivers and aides need as well as the information sharing required with health care providers. The topic of risk management of follows, as Joanie Arnott, the risk manager for the Texas Association of School Boards, fields a panel discussion about everyday operational issues that can create headaches for student transporters.

The 2024 Transportation Director of the Year selected by School Transportation News will also be honored during a special presentation Saturday morning, Nov. 9, sponsored by Blue Bird.

A ride and drive event is joined Friday night, Nov. 8 by a technology demonstration. The TSD Trade Show opens Sunday evening and continues Monday morning following the general session panel on alternative transportation choices.

The full agenda and registration instructions are online.


Related: Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference to Help Student Transporters Better Understand Autism

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Holt Truck Centers Acquires Kyrish Truck Centers

By: STN
14 October 2024 at 17:20

SAN ANTONIO — HOLT Truck Centers, a HOLT Group operating company, announced today that it has acquired Kyrish Truck Centers, a leading provider of new and used on-highway trucks that operates 20 International Motors, Fleetrite Truck Parts, Idealease, and Longhorn Bus dealerships and service centers in Texas.

The acquisition brings the combined number of HOLT Truck Centers locations to 35, making it the third largest International Motors dealership in the United States, a significant milestone for the company’s growth and innovation.

HOLT Truck Centers is an authorized dealer for International, IC Bus, and Idealease at dealerships in Oklahoma and in North and East Texas. The company also operates seven sales and service locations across Texas, providing comprehensive parts and service for all makes of trucks, RVs, and trailers, including engine rebuilds, diagnostics, maintenance, and emergency services like brakes, drivelines, and transmissions.

“As a family-owned company, this acquisition marks an important milestone in our growth and allows us to expand while staying true to our roots,” said Bert Fulgium, senior vice president of HOLT Group. “Our commitment to putting our customers first remains at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud to welcome Kyrish Truck Centers into our family. Together, we will continue to provide the same level of service and dedication that define us.”

Headquartered in Houston, Kyrish Truck Centers has been family-owned and operated since 1976, selling medium-duty, heavy-duty, and severe-service duty trucks, and leading Texas as an International and IC Bus dealer.

With this acquisition, HOLT Truck Centers will expand its presence in Texas to locations in Austin, Houston, and the Rio Grande Valley. The 550 current Kyrish Truck Center employees will become employees of HOLT Truck Centers and will continue to operate from current locations. Longhorn Bus will continue to operate under that brand and is the authorized IC Bus dealer throughout Texas.

For more information about HOLT Truck Centers, visit www.HoltTruckCenters.com.

About HOLT Truck Centers

HOLT Truck Centers is the authorized International and Idealease dealer in Oklahoma, North Texas, and East Texas. Additionally, HOLT Truck Centers has dedicated truck engine service bays throughout its full-service facilities, with the necessary components to provide bumper-to-bumper diagnostics, maintenance, and emergency service, including brakes, drivelines and transmissions for all makes and models of on-highway trucks, RVs, and buses.

With a large selection of new and used on highway trucks, trailers and specialty equipment, HOLT Truck Centers has the inventory to meet your needs. Other manufacturers available at HOLT Truck Centers include IC Bus, Isuzu commercial trucks, Ottawa, XL Specialized, Battle Motors, Load King, and HI-VAC specialty vehicles. HOLT Truck Centers has 35 locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma.

For more information, visit HoltTruckCenters.com.

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Texas Grandmother Receives Birthday Greetings from School Bus Riders

11 October 2024 at 22:55

Students on board a Lindsey, Texas, school bus made a special stop to celebrate an elderly community member, reported KXII.

Elvira Flusche told local news reporters that she enjoys waving to the students as they drive by on the school bus every day. She was not expecting the bus to stop on Monday morning so the students could sing happy birthday to her.

Flusche said she loves children and that her four kids, 11 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 31 great-great grandchildren are what keep her going. She continued that the students’ gesture was wonderful and made her very happy.

The school bus driver, Carolyn Snuggs, told reporters that the students were looking forward to singing and now want to do it every day.


Related: Colorado School Bus Gives Students Experience in the Food Industry
Related: Florida Fathers and Father Figures Join Students for Walking School Bus
Related: Virginia School Bus Driver Retires After Over 50 Years of Service

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Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference

24 September 2024 at 21:16

Registration is open for the annual roadeo training and competition held during the Transporting Students with Special Needs and Disabilities (TSD) Conference.

Presented by School Transportation News and Women in Transportation (wit.), and sponsored by Q’Straint/Sure-Lok, the event invites any transportation teams of drivers and attendants from across North America to participate, even if they have never participated in a previous state, provincial or national roadeo competition. The only pre-requisite is that participating teams download and complete the Roadeo Competition Knowledge Test and bring it with them to the event.

The roadeo competition will begin on Friday, Nov. 8 with a Hands-On Securement Training provided by Q’Straint/SURE-LOK. On Saturday, Nov. 9, roadeo teams will be transported to Frisco Independent School District for the competition, which will be followed by an evening Roadeo Competition Banquet & Awards ceremony.

The teams will conduct real passenger pickups, railroad crossing, parking in a confined space, and handling an unauthorized parent boarding the school bus. The student passengers are played by adult volunteers portraying various special needs or disabilities such as visual or hearing impairment or intellectual disabilities. Teams will be judged based on factors such as pre-check inspection, wheelchair loading and securement, child safety restraint securement, and the handling of simulated emergency events.


Read more about the 2023 Roadeo Competition Winners


Teams will attend a Sunday, Nov. 10 debriefing meeting with roadeo judges.

All roadeo teams are invited to attend the TSD Trade Show Tailgate Reception as well as the trade show on Monday. They will also receive entry to any educational sessions and events held Friday through Sunday, including the “De-escalation with Dignity” workshop as well as the Lunch and Learn, afternoon educational sessions and the Safety & Technology Product Demonstration & Special Needs Ride & Drive.

A full schedule and list of other conference sessions that roadeo-only registrants may attend is available at www.tsdconference.com/roadeo.

In addition to the roadeo, this year’s TSD Conference will feature over two dozen educational sessions and workshops, hands-on wheelchair and child securement training, product demonstrations, a trade show and other networking opportunities with peers and vendors.

Save $100 on main conference registration with the Early Bird Discount, available through Oct.4. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda. The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 7 through Nov. 12.


Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference to Help Student Transporters Better Understand Autism
Related: Emotions Run High During TSD Conference School Bus Evacuation Class

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National Express School Technicians Advance Skills Through Thomas Built Training for EV and Standard School Buses

By: STN
18 September 2024 at 21:09

ANN ARBOR, Mich. GREENSBORO, N.C., and IRVING, Texas – National Express School team members have once again demonstrated their dedication to cultivating and perfecting their craft through their latest participation in Thomas Bus Institute’s three-day advanced training sessions for both electric and standard school buses.

Team members in Ann Arbor, MI, participated in a three-day advanced level (HV3) electric school bus training session taught by Thomas Built. The advanced training session is the final and most advanced level of electric training provided by Thomas Built and focuses specifically on high-voltage processes and tests such as insulation integrity and high voltage ground resistance and de-energizing the battery electric vehicle (BEV).

Prior to advancing to the final level of training, team members are required to complete two other training sessions – level one (HV1), which focused on familiarizing technicians with the features of electric vehicles and illustrating the differences between maintaining and owning an electric vehicle (EV) fleet vs. a standard school bus fleet, and level two (HV2), which trained technicians on low and high-voltage systems with an extra emphasis on safety processes.

In addition to EV school bus training, advanced training sessions for standard school buses took place in two locations – Greensboro, NC and Irving, TX. At the training sessions, participants received hands-on training focused on advanced diagnostics on different engine platforms, advanced electronics, and other bus components.

Eleven technicians attended the training sessions that covered the following topics:

Advanced Electrical Skills
Advanced Multiplex Systems
Air Conditioning
Coolant Class
Detroit and Cummins Engine and Aftertreatment
Electrical Charging systems
Electronic Resources
Introducing Electric Thomas Bus Familiarization
Seating Systems
Wheelchair Lifts
Type C Conventional reviews the multiplex electrical system, troubleshooting information, and software available.

“We understand the importance of continuously providing our teams with training opportunities to help them flourish in their craft and expertise,” said Wayne Skinner, Senior Vice President of Maintenance, National Express. “The trainings also help ensure that our technicians possess the necessary and most up-to-date skills to maintain our fleet at the highest standards while also increasing engagement and productivity. We will continue developing our relationships with our original equipment manufacturer and electric vehicle partners so that we can ensure our technicians are always performing at their best and able to reach and further advance their potential, and ultimately, their careers.”

About National Express:
National Express LLC (NELLC) is the North American subsidiary of Mobico Group, one of the premier global mobility firms. We operate across 34 states and two provinces. Our organizations share a strong commitment to provide the highest level of safety, quality, outstanding customer service and positive employee relations. National Express School (NEXS) operates more than 15,590 school buses, serves more than 429 school districts and contracts in 30 states and two provinces, and transports more than 1.3 million students on a daily basis.

The post National Express School Technicians Advance Skills Through Thomas Built Training for EV and Standard School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

8-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit by School Bus Near San Antonio, Texas

19 August 2024 at 21:50

Amid back to school, a Texas school bus driver hit an 8-year-old student.

Pofficers were notified that a Schertz Cibolo Universal City Independent School District school bus was involved in a collision with a pedestrian at around 3 p.m. on Aug. 16 — the second day of school. The unidentified 8-year-old female who attends Sippel Elementary School, located about 23 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio, was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Schertz Police Department stated on Facebook that officers are working with the school district and the victim to determine ow the incident occurred.

The investigation is ongoing.


Related: Addy’s Law in Georgia, Targets Illegal Passers of School Buses
Related: Troubling Trend of Illegal School Bus Passing Continues, National Survey Reports
Related: NHTSA Releases Estimates on Traffic Fatalities

The post 8-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit by School Bus Near San Antonio, Texas appeared first on School Transportation News.

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