DES MOINES, Iowa — The National Congress on School Transportation completed a day early, something that hasn’t happened “in recent history,” steering committee chair Mike LaRocco told delegates when the final gavel sounded.

On-site chair Charlie Hood, a former NASDPTS president and retired state director for Florida, added Tuesday at the conclusion of the 17th NCST that it was the hard work of the committees, leadership team and delegates “who understood the importance of this process,” that attributed to the expedited timeline.

NCST is scheduled to meet every five years to update the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures. The congress last met in 2015 and was scheduled to meet in 2020, but it was canceled due to COVID-19. At this year’s congress, most delegates were newcomers to the process. Forty-eight states were in attendance, there were no representatives from New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington, D.C.

Especially noteworthy was the quick passage of crossing arms or gates affixed to the front bumper of school buses. The proposed change during the School Bus Specifications deliberations stated, “school buses shall be equipped with a crossing control arm mounted on the right side of the front bumper. When opened, this arm shall extend in a line parallel to the body side and aligned with the right front wheel.”

The delegation passed the proposal by a vote of 34 to 13 without discussion. It was the first proposal to be read at the congress Monday morning. Currently, 26 states require crossing arms in their state specifications or regulations.

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Two proposals failed in School Bus Specifications, the first being a requirement that school buses have two stop-arms on the left-hand side, one toward the front and one in the rear. State delegates noted that while dual stop arms are generally a good idea, they should remain optional as because of the price increase per bus. State delegates cited no data to support this assertion.

A Utah delegate noted the Beehive State already requires two stop-arms on the left side, but that hasn’t seemed to deter illegal passers. A New Jersey delegate added student transporters there, too, “found that the second stop-arm is irrelevant and has no affect whatsoever on people stopping or not. It should be an option.”

Proposal 25, the requirement for LEDs on “all exterior body/chassis lighting with the exception of head/park/turn combination assemblies,” also failed. A delegate from Pennsylvania noted that no financial impact of the requirement as listed on the proposal was an inaccurate statement. Another delegate from Wyoming noted that LEDs may be the current technology but inserting them into the specs would beholden districts to the technology, even if future technology proves to be a better option. A Texas delegate agreed, noting that the word “shall” restricts school districts from using improved technology. The proposal failed by a vote of 45 opposed to 2 in favor.

New to NCST this year was the alternative transportation committee for non-school-bus vehicles, a first for deliberations. The states approved criteria for driver credentials, driver training, vehicle design/equipment and special education policy considerations.

“The 17th National Congress on School Transportation has successfully completed its work,” LaRocco told School Transportation News. “Thank you to the NCST Steering Committee, all writing committees, the editing, technical, appendices, Terms and Definitions Committee and resolution committees, and most importantly the 48 state delegates that were present.”

According to conference attendees, six states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine, Kansas, Minnesota, and Louisiana) currently adopt the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures as written into regulations or law. This is a decrease from the last conference in 2015, when 11 states adopted the manual. School Transportation News was seeking to confirm these number at this report.

The dates and location of the 18th NCST were not announced. State delegates were surveyed about whether they felt meeting every five years was appropriate, or if they would rather meet every two or three years. Survey results were not available at this report.

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Not quite a month after Lippert Components acquired Trans/Air Manufacturing, the company announced it is adding Freedman Seating Company to its school transportation portfolio.

Lippert, a subsidiary of LCI Industries, announced Tuesday it acquired all the business assets of Freedman, an Illinois-based manufacturer of transportation seating solutions. The terms of the deal were not disclosed at this report.

Freedman has been a family-owned company since 1884, providing a variety of seating solutions to the bus, rail, marine, delivery truck, specialty and commercial vehicle markets. Following the acquisition, a press release states the seating operations will continue out of Chicago for the foreseeable future.

Dan Cohen, president of Freedman, told School Transportation News that over the years, many companies have expressed interest in acquiring Freedman Seating.

“We’ve always listened, but we’ve been very deliberate about saying no when it didn’t feel like the right fit,” he said. “It was never just about selling the business. It was about finding a partner who shares our business values, who respects the culture we’ve built and who sees the same potential in our people and products. After thoughtful conversations and a lot of due diligence, we’re excited we’ve found that partner in Lippert. This acquisition gives us the opportunity to build on our legacy, expand our reach and invest even more in our team.”

Cohen said Lippert shares many of the same principles that have guided Freedman for generations. These principles include a focus on quality, long-term growth and putting people first. Lippert is also a family-owned business dating to 1959.

“Under their umbrella, we’ll have greater resources to pursue new markets, improve customer experience and develop new products, all while continuing to invest in the incredible people that made this possible,” he continued.

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Cohen noted that for the most part, Freedman will do business as usual. There will be title changes due to the corporate structure, but the entire management team is staying on with Lippert.

“Customers should expect to receive the same great quality and service they have for over 130 years with new benefits coming from our being part of a larger organization with greater resources,” Cohen added.

Meanwhile, Ryan Smith, group president of Lippert’s North American OEM operations, said in a press release that Freedman is a welcome addition to the Lippert family.

“Between the two companies, we have almost 200 years combined of family leadership and there’s not too many organizations that can claim that,” he continued. “We’re excited to add Freedman’s seating line to our growing portfolio of bus and transportation vehicle products and with our combined leadership teams we will be able to offer a better-than-ever customer experience to our partners in these industries.”

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Over 12,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors gathered in Anaheim, California, from April 28 to May 1, for the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo.

The largest clean fleet conference, focused on trends such as artificial intelligence, software integration, clean fuels, and more. STN is a media sponsor of ACT Expo.

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Despite hesitancy with artificial intelligence, Denver Public Schools learned with partner HopSkipDrive to optimize its school-bus routes with AI-driven software.

“I think that there’s a nervousness that AI will take over the world and get rid of the need of routing,” said Tyler Maybee, director of operations for transportation services at Denver Public Schools. “I honestly think this is just seen as a time saver and a way to create a really functional base level of understanding for a particular routing team. I think it’s meant to be a support tool. It’s never meant to replace … I’m not looking to reduce my staff because I use RouteWise AI.”

Maybee explained that during the pandemic, DPS formed a partnership with HopSkipDrive’s alternative transportation services for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act transportation. He explained that busing students protected by the federal law is sometimes inefficient because they are often located far from their home schools.

It was around early 2022 that the company brought up its idea of an AI solution to DPS.

“We’re a very innovative district, and we always jump on board any type of chance to help push the boundaries of transportation,” said Maybee, who has a data background. Before joining DPS, he served as a data analyst for a non-profit, One Earth Future Foundation.

He explained that when HopSkipDrive presented the RouteWise idea, he thought it could work well for the district.

“We partnered with them, signed an agreement to share data, and we worked with them on parts of the tool that would be beneficial for our business. We created basically the whole thing together,” he added.

Corey McMahon, chief product and technology officer at HopSkipDrive, said RouteWise AI officially launched in 2023 and the software “is a planning tool that helps districts make smarter and faster transportation decisions.

“What it does is it analyzes all their data, ridership, vehicles, traffic policies and it gives them customized routing scenarios that can save them time, money, reduce emissions, reduce student time in transit, whatever their district priorities are,” he continued.

He explained that when districts sign on, they’re paired with the RouteWise AI team of experts, consisting of former directors, routers and consultants from the industry. McMahon said the experts sit down with the district to understand constraints, policies and goals. From there, they build out a custom AI model specifically to represent their transportation system.

“That AI model generates thousands of scenarios, and from those produces optimized results based on their priorities,” he said, adding that districts can then adjust, tweak or tune them through their existing tools. The software is routing software agnostic and integrates with the district’s existing routing software.

A new function is the insights dashboard, which compares data points on a national level. It launched at the start of the year and McMahon said it serves as a spot for district leaders to see all their data in one place. Recently, a national benchmark function was added, which gives district leaders a chance to compare student ride times, cost per student, and bus utilization rates against their peers.

Maybee explained that one of the data points DPS looks at on the dashboard is the utilization percentage. “For us, that’s kind of an important thing, making sure that our buses are full and that our buses are being well utilized,” he said.

Another function is its new feature for on-time arrival. “It kind of gives us the overall picture of which segments (segment is one run of service for a school) in our in a route package that are a potential risk for running late, based on the number of students that are on there … depending on the variability of traffic.”

McMahon said the lateness factor is determined by looking at how tight the routes are. “If everything has to go perfectly for a bus to be on time, it has a high lateness risk,” he explained. “If there is flexibility in the system for unexpected events, student comes out late, late traffic, etc., then your lateness risk is lower.”

By implementing the software, DPS has saved more than $500,000 annually. Maybee said the software is primarily being used to evaluate start times and adjust bell times. He explained that all secondary schools recently moved to an 8:20 a.m. or later start time, and DPS used the tool to inform decisions around bell time adjudgments, which resulted in the savings.

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“We’ve worked with them a couple more times to look at our current state route packages, and they’ve given us a couple suggestions on merging some routes together, or putting bus packages together into one bus and taking a bus off the road that has saved us money,” he said, adding that the software will also recommend taking one student off a particular route to save time. “Their tool is pretty service agnostic. It’s not going to favor putting students on a vendor over putting them on a yellow bus. Their philosophy is generally, if we make a school district’s transportation system healthy, then there’s a natural spot for [alternative transportation] to exist, because there’s always going to be students that are inefficient in the overall system.”

Maybee added that the software is not meant to replace an existing routing provider or routers.

“We’re never going to lose routers because of this software,” he said. “It’s meant to be an additional set of eyes and a starting point to build routes. There are always going to be things that our routers know that that system does not. I have kids that are better suited to be on a yellow bus, and we put them on a yellow bus, even if it’s quote, unquote not efficient, but it’s the right thing to do for that student’s needs. And that’s something that our routers know and that our computer system is never going to know, but it at least gives you an 85 percent solution to get you in the right direction, to provide you the space that you need.”

Data Driven

As for the safety element of using RouteWise AI, Maybee related back to the lateness factor of the program. “In terms of buses running on time, you’re reducing your risk of danger zone infractions, as students aren’t running to get on the bus quickly or crossing a dangerous street.”

He said the software understands the factors that a router inputs, such as right-side only picks up that eliminate the need for students to cross the street, no highway travel, etc.

“It manipulates routes with the data that you provide, so it wouldn’t put a bus stop, for example, in the middle of a busy street,” he said.

McMahon said the challenge for increased safety is the entire ecosystem from the strain of the school bus driver shortage to inefficient routes. “You have a lot of chaos at pickup and drop off, where you have late routes, you have overcrowded busses or underutilized busses, etc. And so, reducing that chaos, minimizing ride times, and making sure that people are where they need to be, when they need to be there,” he said of elements that make pupil transportation safer. “If you have busses arriving late, you have students waiting in unsafe areas. And there’s a number of safety implications, as you can imagine there.”

Maybee added that by using the software, the amount of time it has taken for the routing team to get the entire school year up and running has been significantly reduced. “We kind of have a starting spot with the solution presented for RouteWise AI, that we can then implement as our base layer and build from there,” he said. “We have massive time reductions within our routing team, which allows them to pay attention to detail better, and allows them to take care of the accommodations and take care of the students that need to be taken care of at the highest level, really providing better equity in terms of our service.”

McMahon said one of the greatest elements of the insight dashboard is the availability of more data. “What we’re really trying to do is build a transportation intelligence platform that allows leaders to look at data from all of these sources as they deploy new technology, whether that’s cameras or telematics or ridership tracking or anything out there, they need a way to make sense of it all, and so that’s really where the dashboard is trying to fit in.”

Maybee concluded by saying there is a fear about AI in student transportation. But he cautioned other districts to not feed into the misconception.

“We’re the content experts, and a computer is never going to fully know what we know,” he said. “And I agree with that statement, but I also think that a computer has a better sense of being able to understand the entire picture and giving a solution that has at least the context of the entire picture that you can then kind of manipulate from there. We were surprised with some of the combinations that it came up with. …It never makes sense to just turn on RouteWise AI have it create things and then just like, spit it out and say, okay ‘Driver, go do this.’ That’s not going to lead to beneficial day-to-day service.”

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Over the past couple of years, IC Bus has made significant moves in the school bus industry, both with internal leadership and new school bus announcements. At the end of 2022, IC Bus parent Navistar announced Trish Reed was transitioning from general manager of one of America’s largest school bus brands to vice president of zero emissions.

Meanwhile, Justina Morosin was chosen to return to IC Bus and succeed Reed. The two have nearly 50 years of combined employment at Navistar, now known as International Motors, a rebrand that was announced last September.

Morosin served as VP of sales for IC Bus from 2014 to 2017 and before that was a sales
manager for the school bus brand. She also has extensive experience on the truck side with
International, ranging from truck marketing manager and vice president of used truck and
commercial transformation, before leading the bus division.

“The used truck role was a really big undertaking and a very satisfying role for myself, just from perspective of building culture and building teams,” Morosin said.

She noted that she had a lot of different opportunities throughout her career at International in both the truck and bus space.

“I’m very dedicated to mentoring both men and women and all different functions within our organization, and I always encourage them to step out of their comfort zone, or where they feel most familiar, whether it’s truck, bus, whether it’s used truck, parts service,” she said. “There’s so many opportunities within our company, and to be able to go into a different function and experience, that builds your understanding holistically of the business. I was fortunate to be able to be given those opportunities along the way.

She said serving as VP and GM for IC Bus was a milestone in her career. “It was something I always aspired to do, and I was so excited to be in that role,” she said, adding that transitioning to her new role comes at a pivotal point in International’s transformation.

During her tenure leadig IC Bus, the brand launched the first CE Series redesign in 20 years, now offered in electric and diesel configurations. The launch was announced one day prior to the start of the 2023 STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada. The new CE Series emphasizes driver comfort while also offering collision mitigation technology as a standard equipment.

It was also during this time IC Bus announced its three-core strategy: Leading in safety and technology, fostering a healthy future, and offering best in class solutions.

“I feel like we’ve accomplished so much and we’re on such a good path going forward,” Morosin added. What she’s most proud of, however, was that she said IC Bus brands accounted for 47 percent of sales of all school bus purchases last year.

“That is a testament to say that our next generation is delighting our customers, and that our dealer network is doing everything to partner with our customers, to offer best in class services and solutions for our customers,” she said, adding that the CE Series was truly developed with the customer in mind.

As of February, Morosin returned to the truck side at International, serving as the senior vice president of sales and field operations, handing the IC Bus baton to Charles Chilton.
“It’s a natural path for me and a natural next step for me in this role, and it’s a really important one,” Morosin said describing her new responsibilities. She added that International recently introduced a new commercial truck strategy at its annual dealer truck meeting.

“I’ve always been very career-driven,” she said. “I always say to myself that this is going to be the last role that I’m in and then … I am an ambitious person. I always want to stretch myself to see what more can I do. What more can I take on? How much more of an impact could I have?”

She said she’s passionate about her latest opportunity, contributing alongside her team and working with the dealer network to continue to grow the business. “Being able to tailor solutions for our customers into the future to make them more successful into the future,” she said, adding that her new role encompasses everything from working with the national fleet, dealer networks, to leasing and used trucks.

Meanwhile, Chilton is no stranger to the school bus industry, logging a total of almost
24 years between two major OEMs. However, his time in the industry started years earlier like many others: As a school bus driver.

He started driving a school bus in North Carolina during his senior year of high school and the passion grew from there. After graduating from North Carolina State University, he began working for Thomas Built Buses in 1988 in various engineering positions, later
becoming a product manager and a program manager.

“I was very fortunate to start there and kind of grow up in the school bus [industry],” he said.

After almost 17 years with Thomas, he worked for E-One, a manufacturer of heavy-duty fire trucks and emergency vehicles, for three and half years before joining International in 2009. He was chief engineer before moving to director of product development, VP of product strategy and planning, and head of commercial market planning, where he spent the last three years until being named VP and GM of IC Bus earlier this year.

“I was on the global bus side trying to help expand the product around the world,” he said, noting that he worked with John McKinney, the former president of International’s global bus division. He also worked closely with Reed for several years after she became VP and GM of IC Bus.

“Trish is super respected in the industry, and [she] and I really locked arms together and really just love the school bus space,” he said, adding that the industry is all about safely transporting students. “That’s fundamentally the motivators behind all of this for me personally… yellow is my blood, as you can say.”

Then, Morosin took the reins, the CE Series was announced, and the brand continued to grow. “I never imagined going from being a school bus driver to, in my opinion, leading the number one school bus company in the world,” he said. “That’s kind of a wonderful experience. And so that’s why I’m super excited, and I’m loving every day.”

Chilton noted that by following in both Reed’s and Morosin’s footsteps, he plans on staying the course and building upon the strong foundation that IC Bus already has, while fully leaning into the company’s three key principles.

Drawing upon his engineering and school bus driver background, he worked closely with Reed in the design of the CE Series school bus. He said together they set target goals and designed a product with driver comfort in mind. After all, being a school bus driver “is a hard job.”

“You’ve got 72 kids behind you, potentially making all kinds of noise,” he continued. “You’ve got all the distractions from traffic and patterns and stop lights.”

He noted that IC Bus wants to continue to help the school bus driving job be easier, whether that comes in the form of technology or ergonomic factors.

“We’re putting our drivers front and center to make it a great experience,” he said. “I think our latest product… demonstrates our commitment to making the driver experience the best it can be.

For example, a month into his tenure, IC Bus announced that First Light Illuminated School Bus Signs and Fully Illuminated Stop Arms are now standard on the next-generation IC Bus Electric CE Series school buses, effective immediately. First Light as standard equipment will extend to internal combustion engines in August.

Morosin noted that Chilton being the new VP and GM of IC Bus is a good path forward, especially with his history in the bus space. “Although much of it has been behind the scenes, he is the perfect person to take over,” she said.

Chilton said through his experience he’s learned to listen to what customers need. “I’m motivated by the safety of our kids and in the drivers experience and making sure it’s a great experience every day on the school bus,” he said. “…I enjoy being a thought leader and contributing to making the product better every day. Obviously, it’s a very big conversation around how we approach that, but it’s super important that we’re continuing to make ourselves better. So those are motivating factors for me, and throughout my career that’s what I’ve done: work to make things better.”

Recognizing Trends
Morosin noted that AI is a large trend that influences both the truck and bus space as well as how the company interacts with its customers now and into the future.

“I think that is just fantastic that we’re at this point in technology where we don’t necessarily have to have large buckets of offerings, but that we can actually tailor to a specific customer those types of offerings,” she said, adding that technology will play a role in evolution of selling vehicles.

In terms of the future of electric vehicles and the California Air Resources Board pulling back full implementation of its Advanced Clean Fleets rule, Chilton noted that it’s hard to navigate hypotheticals due to the constantly changing landscape. “But our core strategy is to be able to have a solution that’s ready for whatever the market needs are,” he said.

Moving forward, Chilton said he’s committed to providing solutions for customers and getting back to the fundamentals of being able to deliver buses on time. He said he knows the importance of buses being delivered at school start to provide service to students.

“Being a thought leader and pushing the school bus industry to better ways of working and operating,” he said of other goals for himself and his team at IC Bus. “I think it’s important for us to help the industry through this change with the best vehicle, there’s octane products out there, there’s diesel products. We really want to have a solution for all the needs, no matter where the market is.”

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

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo commenced Monday with the sixth release of TRC’s State of Sustainable Fleets report, which highlighted the shift in federal policy priority to conventional fuels, away from EVs, and the rise in renewable diesel.

Following the Biden administration, which delivered unprecedented funding to electric vehicles, including electric school buses, the State of Sustainable Fleets report highlights the Trump administration’s intent to roll back many of these programs. The 2025 report notes a period of peak uncertainty due to the regulatory transformation. It notes that the U.S. transportation policy landscape is evolving rapidly, and uncertainty remains on emissions regulations.

For instance, the report notes that executive orders have the potential to jeopardize the EPA Phase 3 GHG emissions regulations for heavy-duty vehicles and guidelines for power plants as well as halted the distribution of funds under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, creating uncertainty for alternative fuel funding.

Where federal funding falls short, state and local funding exceeds. The report notes that more than 600 state and local programs totaling over $13.5 billion remain available for zero-emissions and near-zero-emissions projects, including natural gas, battery-electric, hydrogen and newer diesel vehicles.

Nate Springer, vice president of market development at TRC, commented during a media call discussing the report on the transition from a zero-emissions-friendly administration to one now favoring conventional energy sources, one of which is renewable diesel. RD saw a 28 percent increase in production in the first half of 2024 and is on track to reach 7.257 million gallons per day by the end of the year, exceeding the goal of 5 billion gallons per day.

Plus, the report noted an overall surge in natural gas, thanks to the release of the X15N engine by Cummins, which has increased Class 8 tractor registrations this year, after two years of declining registrations. However, natural gas school bus registrations saw the steepest drop, down 54 percent to 89 units. The authors attributed, in small part, the decline to Blue Bird selling off its natural inventory in 2023 and discontinuing the school bus offering in 2024.

The renewable natural gas market continues to expand nationally. Springer said that there are over 400 facilities producing RNG around the country, a 234 percent increase over the past six years.

The report noted that in previous years, tax incentives such as the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit and Low Carbon Fuel Standards lowered the total cost of ownership of natural gas vehicles, but the evolving tax structure introduces new variables. The AFTC expired at the end of 2024, and while the new 45Z tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act aims to replace it, details are still emerging. Plus, LCFS is currently only available in California, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico.

“There’s still some uncertainty with 45Z and just the broader IRA policy,” Todd Ellis, general manager of sales, said during last week’s media briefing. “So, we are all waiting [for] clarity around IRA and the respective programs, and once we have that, then I think [the] industry will adjust and adapt to what those look like, but it certainly could be a driver toward broader adoption, if we get the policy right. …. I think we’re all watching closely and working across [the] industry to ensure that we are we are progressing this at the at the right pace.”

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Meanwhile, battery electric vehicles, despite policy rollbacks or funding pauses, continue to show market development and growth. School bus registrations rose 47 percent to 1,436 units, the report states. And despite a current lack of federal support, report authors highlight state sources and other policies to fund EVs.

In terms of the EPA Clean School Bus Program, the report notes that future funding is at a higher risk of being cut, as opposed to the CSBP rebates that have already been announced. The EPA announced last week that funds are flowing again for the 2023 rebate program and awardees are seeing money hit their bank accounts. But there was still no word on when or if the latest 2024 rebate would be awarded this spring.

The Sustainable Fleet report, based on a survey of over 200 commercial truck and bus fleets, states that federal and state funding programs continue to incentivize electric school bus deployments across the country. The authors did discuss a temporary backlog for school buses that could be on the horizon due to a limited number of manufacturers and constraints on production capacity.

“The surge in funding and subsequent orders may soon test the capacity of manufacturers, whose order books are full, potentially leading to temporary production bottlenecks,” the report states, citing four school bus manufacturers that produce the full Type A through Type D school buses, including Lion Electric that is currently being auctioned off after defaulting on multiple loans last fall that were keeping the company afloat. “Manufacturers maintain full production lines, and one manufacturer told TRC that capacity constraints could emerge once all orders are placed. This same OEM currently sees BEV lead times equivalent to their ICE lead times of six months or less, a milestone in production that could help ease any backlog. Adding further potential for an upcoming surge, many EPA grant recipients have requested and received project extensions, extending their completion deadlines from two years to three years. For instance, Blue Bird reported that 1,000 electric buses were either sold or are included in its firm order backlog during its fiscal 2025 first-quarter earnings call.”

The report adds that the commercial vehicle industry may soon face a “perfect storm” of heightened demand and containment as order delays and EPA regulatory extensions are pushing the bulk of deliveries into 2025 and 2026. The report also cited the challenge of higher electric school bus purchase costs compared to diesel models.

Where electricity in school buses is excelling is with vehicle-to-grid technology. The report states that school buses are an early adopter of V2G technology as many buses come equipped with bi-directional charging as standard. STN reported last year on the Oakland Unified School District in California that replaced its entire fleet of 74 school buses with EVs, and bi-directional charging. However, the V2G movement is slow to adopt in the pupil transportation industry, with many stating it’s not as beneficial as it is being marketed.

The report only made passing references to propane. TRC noted to School Transportation News that a supplemental report on propane would be available this summer.

The ACT EXPO continues to run through Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center. STN is a media sponsor of ACT Expo.

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The decision to mandate video cameras and monitors on school buses to allow improved detection of students at stops, effective November 2027, dates back to a 2020 Transport Canada’s Task Force on School Bus Safety. And while the so-called perimeter visibility systems are expected to improve school bus safety, questions remain.

Patricia Turner, territory manager for school bus video manufacturer Gatekeeper-Systems, was a member of the Task Force created by the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety. The goal was to review safety standards and operations inside and outside school buses.

Additional members included different levels of government, manufacturers, school boards, bus operators, labor unions and safety associations.

“We all came together to discuss what could be put on school buses to assist in keeping children safer,” she said, adding that the Task Force began with bi-weekly virtual meetings that turned into monthly meetings. “We were discussing what technology is out there that can help keep children safe.”

By February 2020, the Task Force released a report, Strengthening School Bus Safety in Canada, that identified four ways to improve school bus safety: Infraction cameras, extended stop signal arms, exterior 360 cameras, and automatic emergency braking.

While the Task Force report did not recommend three-point seatbelts, it recognized “that seatbelts can provide an additional layer of safety on school buses in certain rare but severe collision scenarios,” the report states. “As such, it would be prudent to continue working through the considerations associated with seatbelt installation and use (e.g. consequences of misuse, emergency evacuations, liability) and to encourage manufacturers to develop additional occupant protection features to complement the school bus design, such as energy-absorbing side structure padding and inflatable ‘curtain’ airbags.”

Turner explained that the Task Force selected Gatekeeper as a pilot project supplier for testing perimeter visibility systems initiative in April 2021. The company installed 360 Surround Vision and Student Protector systems on school buses in British Columbia and Ontario.

Transport Canada announced Feb. 3 that, “the Government of Canada is mandating perimeter visibility systems as a new feature to improve school bus safety,” a press release states. “These systems help drivers detect children around the bus while it is stopped or traveling slowly.”

The statement continues, “This technology offers enhanced visibility beyond what mirrors alone can provide.”

Starting in November 2027, all new school buses are to be equipped with perimeter visibility systems with the option to install stop-arm infraction cameras. Canada becomes the first country to require new school buses to be fitted with cameras.

Turner explained that Gatekeeper’s 360 Surround Vision System consists of four high-definition, wide-angle external cameras mounted strategically around the school bus—front, back, left and right. These cameras capture and stitch together real-time, panoramic video, giving drivers a comprehensive, live view of the vehicle’s perimeter to eliminate blind spots. While the Transport Canada mandate does not require camera systems to include recording capability, and the cameras would only be viewable for live look-in, Gatekeeper’s system can easily be upgraded to record video footage with Gatekeeper’s Mobile Data Collector (MDC) for easy retrieval and review.

“This will be an aid to the drivers to even going around the corner, making sure that they don’t take the corner too sharply,” she explained. “And [it’s] one more tool to keep them feeling empowered to keep children safer.”

Turner added that school buses are the safest way to transport children to and from school, more so than any other means of transportation. However, she noted that personal vehicles are being equipped with upgraded technology and that same technology should be applied to school buses.

“That is because school buses are built, inside and out, to protect children, noting that while buses, particularly school buses, are among the safest modes of transportation available, there are opportunities for improved safety,” she said.

Related: As Camera Systems Evolve, IT Collaboration Necessary
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Yet questions about the requirement remain. Rich Bagdonas, vice president of business development for school bus contractor Switzer-CARTY Transportation Services, said he was “surprised” to hear the mandate when it was announced in February.

“Safety is paramount,” he said. “[Cameras are] a tool, but we can never have an over reliance on technology, because we still need to have the drivers trained very thoroughly. This is something that we will be able to add to enhance safety. But we always have to keep in mind that when we train drivers that we have to always have our eyes open on the road all the time, too. And we cannot just rely on the technology to provide the safest school ride possible.”

He explained that he doesn’t want the cameras to be a distraction to school bus drivers. For example, he fears they will watch the cameras and not the road.

He added that bus operators won’t see the full effect of the systems until September 2028. Currently, Switzer-CARTY does not have any external cameras on its buses but does have internal cameras on about 10 percent of its fleet based on customer specifications.

The company is in the process of testing external camera systems and installing a couple on school buses in anticipation of the new regulation, “just so we have a bit of a bit of an idea of what it is,” Bagdonas said.

Unlike the interior cameras and exterior stop-arm cameras that record footage, he noted the mandated systems will provide live feeds.

Camera Upkeep & Cost 

Bagdonas said there are still questions to be answered on the new regulation. For example, how much will the cameras cost to add to the buses, and what will maintenance of the systems look like, especially in the winter.

“Sometimes you get some dirt on the back of the [cameras], so we’re going to have to monitor and ensure proper maintenance of the camera systems to ensure the technology is working the way it’s intended,” he said. “And then also there’s going to be a cost component. We don’t know what that cost component is, but that cost component is going to be transferred to us in the cost of the bus, and then we’ll have to determine on how we can see about getting some compensation for this safety feature from our customers.”

All camera systems require ongoing maintenance, Turner said. She noted that while there should be a minimum annual inspection to ensure correct positioning and the connections are functional, they will also need to be cleaned, especially during winter months.

She explained that Gatekeeper’s camera systems are specifically designed and tested to perform reliably, even in harsh winter conditions. She recommended that during routine pre-trip inspections, drivers should quickly verify that camera lenses are clear of residue, snow, or dirt and clean them as needed to ensure optimal visibility.

Bagdonas said Switzer-Carty customers are aware of the new mandate and the company is engaging with stakeholders and bus operators on next steps. He added that because the mandate doesn’t take effect for another year and a half, there’s still time to work through the details.

The post Canada Becomes First Country to Mandate External School Bus Surveillance Feeds appeared first on School Transportation News.

A 13-year-old South Carolina middle school student is the first reported school bus passenger death of the 2024-2025 school year, based upon School Transportation News research.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol stated that at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, a 2021 Blue Bird school bus was traveling southbound on Interstate 77 when it traveled off the road to the right, struck a guardrail and overturned.

According to a statement from the Lexington School District 2, three school buses were transporting students home from a field trip just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. A tire blew out on one of the school buses, causing the crash. That school bus was carrying three adults and 35 students, 21 of whom were injured, and one was killed.

Several of the injuries are reportedly “critical” but limited information was available at this report. According to local media outlets, the Chester County Coroner’s Office identified Jose Marie Gonzales Linares, an eighth grader at Pine Ridge Middle School, as the victim killed. STN reached out to the coroner’s office for more information but had yet to hear back at this writing.

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An update to the district’s statement Friday noted a total of 35 students and four adults were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation, including a few passengers from the other two buses in the caravan. While those buses were not involved in the crash, they reportedly maneuvered around the overturned bus.

“A reunification site was set up nearby at Exit 48 for Pine Ridge Middle School families,” the school district stated. “Riders on all three buses cleared by EMS after a medical evaluation were taken to the reunification site for pickup.”

No information on how Linares died was provided at this report. The crash remains under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The incident has ignited increased conversations about equipping school buses with seatbelts. Currently, seven states require three-point, lap/shoulder seatbelts in school buses. South Carolina is not one of those states.

Related: Updated: NAPT Issues New Position on School Bus Seatbelts
Related: (STN Podcast E251) Making Safety Safer: Seatbelts, Technology, Training & Electric School Buses
Related: School Bus Safety Act Renews Call for Seatbelts, Other Safety Improvements

The post Eighth Grader Killed in S.C. School Bus Tire Blowout, Crash appeared first on School Transportation News.

It’s common for technology inside the school bus to talk to one another —  especially when it’s provided by the same vendor. If school buses aren’t already connected, it’s surely a priority for most school districts.

But what if there’s more to the connected technology conversation? A general session at STN EXPO East on March 24 says there is. “School Bus V2X & Transit Planning” by Bob Riebe, the vice president of transit for Applied Information, Inc., discussed a new layer of connected technologies. Technology is connected not just to the vehicle but the surrounding community in the form of stop lights, infrastructure and other vehicles on the road.

Riebe explained that Applied Information’s Glance Transit Signal Priority system combines hardware and software into a solution that gets transit buses where they need to be — on time. School buses can be equipped with this technology, too, which ensures transportation operations are never losing communication with the bus. Applied Information’s Connected School Bus System has already been piloted on Georgia’s Fulton County Schools buses with partners Audi, Blue Bird, and Temple, Inc.

Cellular Vehicle to Everything or C-V2X technologies communicate with motorists driving in school zones. Riebe explained that distraction is at an all-time high and the technology tells motorists if they’re speeding and provides advanced warning that a school bus stop is approaching, right on their dash. (Currently, the technology is only available for a select few vehicle manufacturers, but the TravelSafely app leverages Smart City technology and alerts motorists of upcoming red lights, emergency vehicles approaching, as well as school zones.)

Related: School Bus Safety Technology Showcased on NBC Today Show
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Additionally, the technology can communicate with stop lights using routing information, as well as speed, time, location and stop information, on when the school bus is supposed to arrive at the stop. The technology is able to communicate with the stop lights, which turns the signal yellow then red for perpendicular traffic and the light green for the approaching school bus. This is beneficial if a school bus is running late. The school bus driver would only experience green lights along their route.

Riebe added this also decreases the amount of time school buses are idling at red lights and reduces fuel consumption and the number of emissions being admitted into the air. These can result in improved on-time performance, additional cost-savings, and increased school zone safety.

The system monitors real-time traffic and knows exactly where the school buses are located and when they would arrive at the stop light. If two school buses approach an intersection and are traveling perpendicular to each other, Riebe said the vehicle green light priority is on a first come, first serve basis. He added that the technology also provides 16 levels of priority, and different school buses could be set at a higher priority than others.

Riebe noted to integrate such a system into cities takes working with officials to allow devices be placed in the stop lights. If interested, he advised to start meetings with the local transit authority and speak with school bus OEMs to learn if they would put transponders on every school bus.

He noted the use case makes the most sense for bigger cities because there is more routes and traffic congestion. Riebe added that the Federal Communications Commission approved the technology to move forward and its use is growing throughout cities and districts.

The post C-V2X Technology Hold Promise of School Bus Time, Cost Savings appeared first on School Transportation News.

Delvico ‘Vec’ Dunn, the new executive director of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in Charlotte, North Carolina, started his career as a school bus driver for CMS. He uses that experience to lead by example, especially since his CDL remains current.

Dunn started in pupil transportation in August 1997 as a school bus driver. When he was 18 years old, his parents told him he had to get a job, he shared. “I was one paper from signing up for the military, and a buddy who still drives now said, ‘Hey, they’re hiring bus drivers.’ ‘I said that’s something I would never do.’ But once doing it, I got the passion for it,” he said. “Never did I think it would be a career, though, just something to do. But as time passed and promotions started, I said ‘Hey, I like this.’ It was just about being in the community, being around others, meeting new people, and also seeing things and individuals.”

He transitioned to a lead driver with more office responsibilities and then became an operations technician that oversaw driver and monitor payroll within his area. He left CMS in 2006 to work at neighboring Union County Public Schools, in positions ranging from transportation specialist to operations manager to assistant director.

In 2014, Dunn returned to CMS as a transportation specialist and was promoted within a year to director of operations. In 2020, he became the director of fleet, which encompassed support services.

“Now here we are in 2025, I’ve come full circle to the highest position in our industry, within the CMS sector as the executive director of transportation,” he said. “So basically, starting from the bottom, going through different positions, going to another county and to run one of the largest transportation systems around the country.”

Starting his career as a school bus driver for the same department he’s leading, shapes his daily perspective and priorities. Because he sat in the bus driver’s seat, he said he knows what drivers deal with. And some of the same people that he drove alongside, still drive for CMS.

“To sit in every seat that we have within our department, it shows that I know each level. When an employee says you don’t understand, I fully understand. I drove a bus, I worked in office, I did payroll,” he explained “That’s the advantage I have, which made me more able to adjust to the role of being the executive director. So, the cliche, you don’t know where I come from, I truly do.”

Dunn noted he is following in the footsteps of Adam Johnson, who left CMS earlier this year to become the senior executive director of transportation for Atlanta Public Schools in Georgia.

“Me and Mr. Johnson have been tied to the hip for over 20 years,” Dunn said, adding that he was a supervisor when Dunn was a lead driver. Johnson was also the transportation director when Dunn returned to the district after working at Union County.

“He set high standards,” Dunn added.

He noted that he wants to continue to promote Johnson’s vision but also put his own spin on it. He shared that his leadership style has always been straightforward, and that the administration is only as strong as the front-line employees.

Leveraging Social Media at Transportation’s Level: Share your Story

 

When Thomas Miner ran the district-wide social media platforms for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, he repeatedly saw that transportation operations were being highlighted on the district’s main accounts. This kickstarted his  transfer to work with transportation exclusively. He’s now the the operations specialist in charge of sharing transportation’s stories.

Miner said that while his position existed in transportation before he joined the department two years ago, former transportation director Adam Johnson incorporated more social and digital media elements into his role, which included creating transportation-specific social media accounts. Miner now not only manages department social media but also creates newsletters and distributes internal department messaging.

“We really do try to emphasize as much as we can in the department,” Miner said of using social media for transportation. “We try to share good news from across the department. When you have over 800 drivers, there are stories happening on our buses and throughout our department every day. So, we try to lift up as much of our good news as we can and show the community how we’re serving students and how we are working with schools and principals to make sure that we get students to and from school safely and on time.”

He said having their own social media channels gives transportation an avenue to share their story through photos and videos.

“We get to lift them up and kind of show the community what’s happening in transportation,” he said.

He noted that having a social media dedicated to transportation has changed the dynamic with parents and students in a positive way.

“The district itself has a real focus on communication and customer service, so we prioritize that in all the conventional ways,” he explained. “But we also use our social media tool to directly connect to students and parents. Sometimes they’ll send us messages of compliment. Sometimes they’ll send us a message of something that we need to look into. We really utilized that tool as one more avenue to connect and engage with parents and in the community.

“When we win awards, when we’re doing community service projects, we get to lift that up and show our side and show our story,” he continued, of potential posts. “So often, the news around school districts can be a little negative. We use this as an opportunity to lift up as much good as we can, and to use our platform to share our story.”

“We can’t forget about the drivers, the monitors, our area supervisors, our mechanics, our maintenance supervisors, they do the day-to-day nuts and bolts. If they’re doing their job effectively, it makes, as the executive director or manager, your day run smoothly,” he noted. “I truly believe the top is only strong as the bottom. If the foundation is shaky, the top will be shaky no matter how good or a true leader you have. To have the buy-in, that speaks volumes.”

He added that hiring an internal candidate to fill his role offers stability, but he noted it also comes with challenges as everyone is comfortable in their ways. “I make sure the folks know what my vision is, in parallel to what our district vision is: our goal is to transport students to and from school safely,” he added.

Operational Breakdown

CMS operates about 1,100 pieces of equipment, 838 of which are routed school buses. When Dunn first started driving, he said, CMS had over 1,000 routed buses. He explained that across the nation, student ridership is increasing, but drivers are diminishing.

“Everybody is seeing that shortfall around the industry,” he said, adding that retention is key. That can entail ensuring applicants have other driving job options once they receive their CDL.

He explained CMS was short 27 drivers for the 838 routed bus in mid-March. The biggest hurdle to overcome is driver retirements. “Every year we want to recruit, retain and retrain,” he said, adding that when an industry veteran retires, the district loses that level of 20 to 30 years of experience.

Related: WE Transport’s Marksohn Bids Goodbye to School Bus Industry with Retirement
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Related: STA’s Lane Uses Transportation, EV Experience to Share Sustainability Advice
Related: Durham School Bus Driver Saves Colleague, Receives Award

To help combat this, he said CMS offers over $20 per hour starting pay for new drivers. But in addition to finances, there is a positive culture to maintain, not necessarily within the department but on each school bus with student behavior. Dunn said the district prioritizes professional development and training to de-escalate conflicts when they arise. Additionally, transportation focus on self-incentive awards to recognize staff.

“It always can’t be monetary, but sometimes it’s that simple,” he said of recognizing drivers and showing appreciation. “Thank you for the service you’re doing.”

The district will also be holding its annual Bus Rodeo, which provides drivers with an outlet to compete against one another. “We try to keep them engaged and but it’s all about talking in those open lines of communication,” he said. “And also, my door is always open, as well as their area supervisor’s door.”

He said CMS also has a bus driver committee, represented by all the 14 service areas the district operates out of five facilities. It’s a chance for drivers to not only bring concerns and questions to administrators needing answers to transportation leaders. This, he said, instills in the culture that managers aren’t simply making a given decision, but do so after getting buy-in from all staff members and making them feel a part of the team.

Technology Through the Ages

Two of the five CMS transportation locations, including the one where this interview was held, were updated within the past year. “That’s a first in my tenure because when I started in 1997, the newest bus garage had just opened up,” Dunn recalled.

In terms of bus technology, Dunn said CMS has GPS, camera systems and tablets. He added that a wish list item, pending available budgetary resources, is RFID card technology. Dunn said the district has an app that can shows the bus location, but it doesn’t alert parents or guardians if their child is on the bus or if/when they got off.

He said another technology solution he’s eyeing is turn-by-turn directions on the tablets. He noted that whether the technology is a distraction has been debated, but he thinks a paper route is more dangerous than following an audible command.

When he started in the industry, Dunn said he and his fellow drivers didn’t even have radios, and the loading doors had to be manually opened and closed. “Now everything is on the steering wheel and buses have air conditioning,” he commented.

In his day behind the wheel, he said air conditioning was driving downhill with the windows open, or “all 32 down,” to catch a good breeze.

The post Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s New Transportation Leader Came Through the Ranks appeared first on School Transportation News.

Rachel Lane joined Student Transportation of America in 2022 and has since been instrumental in driving the company’s green fleet initiative.

Lane, the school bus contractor’s vice president of electrification and sustainability, earned her degree in electrical engineering from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Soon after, she joined the U.S. Air Force to follow in her family’s military tradition, serving as a chief engineer and flight commander.

During this time, she designed essential communication networks and supported special operation missions in South America and the Middle East. She focused on implementing tactical communications, satellite links and air traffic control systems at various air force bases, as well as leading and motivating over 150 enlisted troops and junior officers.

Lane entered civilian life in 2004 and joined defense contractor Northrop Grumman. For over five years, she worked in various roles such as a field service engineer, deputy program manager and systems engineer, and a systems test and integration lead.

She went on to work with several other companies. Prior to joining STA, she worked for electric utility PSEG Long Island in New York, where she served as a project manager for large capital construction projects.

Her LinkedIn profile states she was responsible for the performance and operations of PSEGLI’s Electric Vehicle Program and supporting New York’s nation-leading greenhouse gas reduction goals by increasing EV adoption on Long Island from 20,000 vehicles in 2021 to 178,000 vehicles this year.

“I animated the EV charging infrastructure on [Long Island], partnering with developers and internal teams, by managing the program to fund customer-side infrastructure costs and execute the utility-side build-out to the charging station,” she told School Transportation News in March for Women’s History Month. “I also improved system efficiency by managing our customer programs to encourage installation of residential chargers and charging during off-peak hours and presenting data detailing EV impacts on the electric grid.”

In September 2022, STA hired Lane for her current role.

“It was a great opportunity for several reasons, and I’ve been here for about two and half years,” she said. “Since joining the company, my scope has expanded as we’ve added more electric buses to our fleet. I’ve also taken on our carbon accounting program and other efforts to encourage sustainable practices across the business.”

Lane shared that her day-to-day responsibilities vary. From working with sites on a new electric school bus delivery to answering questions to troubleshooting an issue.

“I work with our sites and infrastructure partner on progressing construction at our locations installing chargers,” she said. “I also work with our grant team to apply for new funding or follow up on compliance items, or I could be working with our bus OEM partners on a training item or a new feature that’s coming down the line. I also have my hand in anything that has a marketing or advocacy aspect for electrification.”

Related: WE Transport’s Marksohn Bids Goodbye to School Bus Industry with Retirement
Related: Durham School Bus Driver Saves Colleague, Receives Award
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However, serving in a variety of different roles is her favorite part of the job.

“The days are never dull, especially with electrification being a relatively new space for the industry,” Lane said. “And I work with great colleagues. The team at STA has been outstanding in providing me the background on transportation operations, while allowing me to bring my contributions.”

Lane noted that something she’s most proud of is when drivers at a location come to love their electric school buses. She said that sometimes a location can be hesitant to make the change to EVs, but STA has learned so much from each delivery and continues to improve the process.

“My advice is the same to both men and women. Ask a lot of questions,” she said. “But also share your perspective, too. Don’t be afraid to make a change. You might have to take a lateral move to get more skills or go to a new company to get that promotion. Know your boundaries and what you and your family can—and cannot accept—for your work and your life in relation to your work. You have to advocate for yourself.”

Lane concluded by sharing she’s proud to be part of an industry that provides essential service for the nation’s children and families.

“Getting students to school safety and reliably is a mission that resonates with everyone,” she said.

The post STA’s Lane Uses Transportation, EV Experience to Share Sustainability Advice appeared first on School Transportation News.

School bus driver Pat King received the “Frontline Hero Award” from Durham School Services for saving a colleague.

King, a Durham School Services employee who drives routes for Duval County Schools in Jacksonville, Florida, preformed life-saving CPR for 20 minutes on a school bus monitor when they experienced a sudden medical emergency on Feb. 10. She reportedly continued performing CPR until medical staff arrived, ultimately saving the life of her co-worker.

Frontline Hero Award 

 

A spokesperson for National Express explained the Frontline Hero Award. “Frontline Hero Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, dedication and selflessness in the face of adversity. It honors those who go above and beyond to make a significant impact on the lives of others, whether through acts of bravery, leadership in times of crisis, or consistent efforts to inspire positive change within our organization. Further, this award serves as a reminder that heroes come in many forms, whether through quiet, everyday acts of kindness or extraordinary feats of bravery.”

“That’s the first thing I saw, it was that dummy that we have to do the training on,” recalled King in a statement. “Her chest wasn’t moving. I listened for her heartbeat and 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.”

Durham explained that its school bus drivers are required to participate in various safety training, and team members must be certified in CPR every two years. Florida requires school bus drivers to take courses that result five safety certifications: CPR/first aid, identifying and reporting child abuse, seizure training, human trafficking training, and the Florida Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect course.

“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 for 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.”

Related: Becoming an Outperformer
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Related: Update: Love the Bus Month Underway, NAPT Seeks Recognition Year-Round

The post Durham School Bus Driver Saves Colleague, Receives Award appeared first on School Transportation News.

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.)

The post Gallery: Ride and Drive at Charlotte Motor Speedway appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. — STN EXPO East in North Carolina wrapped up with a Trade Show featuring vendors from technology companies to OEMs to alternative transportation providers and more.

The night ended with a reception featuring food and drinks with a theme fitting for the postseason college basketball tournaments. Vendors and attendees were encouraged to show team pride by wearing their favorite basketball jerseys, team colors, or sporty chic attire.

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(Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.) 

The post Gallery: STN EXPO East Trade Show/Networking Madness Reception appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. — There are three ways a person can transition themselves into a top performer: Win the mental game, own the day, and adapt and thrive.

That was the message author and trainer Scott Welle provided to attendees with his keynote address on the penultimate day of STN EXPO East and its inaugural year hosted in North Carolina.

Win the Mental Game

Welle said the average person has 50,000 thoughts a day, 80 percent of which are negative. But starting with a negative belief translates to thoughts, behaviors and results.

He shared that his brother has always been extremely smart, and growing up the speaker developed a belief that he would never be as smart as his brother. Welle said he felt demotivated, which led him not applying himself to his schoolwork. That resulting in Welle being an average. Receiving C grades, he added, furthered his belief that he was not smart.

That was until one day in college, when he decided he was going to apply himself.

“I remember waking up one day [thinking], ‘You’re paying a lot of money to be average,’” he recalled. “… It got the spiral going back in the other direction.”

Welle eventually got a master’s degree in sports psychology.

He said without his realization, he would have never had the courage to start his own business, write books and be standing in front of STN EXPO attendees Thursday morning at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord convention center. He asked attendees to think about the belief system their operation under and the story that they’re telling themselves.

Having better thoughts, gives better feelings, which leads to better results.

Out-performers are intentional, Welle commented. That not just with what they need to do every day, but how they want to show up to everything they do, every day.

“What one word/phrase describes how you want to show up on the field that represents the best version of you?” he asked attendees.

Todd Silverthorn, transportation supervisor with Kettering City Schools in Ohio, said he wants to come into any situation “full force” and be his authentic self. Being vulnerable in certain situations shows leadership, he said.

The audience shared several suggestions to be a strong leader: Make it fun, be solid, stay above the line, be positive, and stay present.

Welle said it’s important to show how you want to be perceived because that represents the best version of you. He added that defining what one actually does for a job or in life, in the very deepest meaning, rather than what they say they do provides connection on a greater level.

For example, school transportation employees don’t just drive or route school buses, they provide access to transportation. Remind yourself of your purpose, when days are longest and arduous, and when having unpleasant parent conversations, he advised.

Own The Day

The next piece of advice Welle provided was owning the day before the day owns you. He said the hardest part of the day is getting something started. He provided ways to own the day, such as being grateful, challenging oneself, focusing and organizing, self-care, and exercise.

He asked attendees to turn toward to their neighbor and share one thing that they’re grateful for. Many shared they’re grateful for family, career, health, and to be at STN EXPO. He said the human brain can’t have simultaneous competing thoughts, meaning one can’t be grateful and also negative, jealous or angry.

Welle said changing one’s mindset to think about what’s good doesn’t allow them to reflect on the bad, or what is lacking. One attendee shared she lost her two parents, a step-parent) and her two brothers within a seven-year span. That resulted in her being grateful for her life. She said she couldn’t let herself fall into depression but instead had to fight through the pain and keep going.

The attendee said when she says good morning, she means it, because it’s another day she wakes up alive.

“A lot of kids don’t hear good morning from their parents,” she said of the importance of sharing joy with students. “We have to remember who we are servicing.We have to be resilient.”

Welle also lost both of his parents in the before his 38th birthday. He added that there were days he couldn’t get out of bed. But he, too, had to focus on being grateful and carrying on his family legacy through the lessons his parents taught him.

The road construction in life is the barriers and distractions that are blocking you from focusing on the things that matter and that you can control, Welle added. To be in control, one needs to automate, delegate and eliminate.

“Outperformers think strategically on how to clear the path to make it simpler to have success,” he said.

Related: How Out-performers Optimize Resources
Related: Gallery: Second Day of STN EXPO East Green Bus, Technology Session
Related: Donning a Leadership Cap
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Adapt & Thrive

“Shift happens,” Welle said. “We have to be able to respond to it. How do we adapt and thrive, when, not if? Change happens, stress happens, uncertainty happens.”

He said the people who experience the most hardships, suffering and adversity become the most resilient. He said people all know they need to get back up, but they want to have to get knocked down first.

He asked attendees to recall a difficult time in their life when they couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. He said to use that experience as a reference point, as it taught resilience, strength and internal dialogue.

“If I got through that, I can get through this,” he said, adding that outperformers use their experiences to show what they’re capable of. “Don’t discount the tough stuff that you’ve been through in your life.”

However, Welle said, no one outperforms without the support of others. He recalled running a 100-mile ultramarathon. There was a point he wanted to quit, but his friends pushed him to keep going.

“As you think about adapting and thriving in your life, choose the people you surround yourself with wisely,” he said. “People that don’t just love and support you, but who will also call you out and tell you what you don’t want to hear but what you need to hear.”

He said it’s the small wins that stack up over time that lead to massive movements and massive outcomes. He said it’s not about getting to the top of the ladder, but just to next rung. What is the next milestone, benchmark, small win?

Becoming an out-performer happens one step at a time.

“The main thing is, [Welle] made me realize who I am as a person, that I don’t give myself credit, that I have a lot on my plate, but I do a good job with it,” Paul Johnson, transportation manager for Wicomico County Public Schools in Maryland told School Transportation News following the session. “It motivates me to go further.”

Johnson said he related to Welle. All through his life, he said he felt that he was the average person. He added that he believes he has other levels to achieve and wants to show his drivers, associations and specialists that they, too, can reach another level.

The post Becoming an Outperformer appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. — More questions than answers currently exist on what the funding future of clean school buses will look like, following program cuts, elimination of EV mandates, and executive orders from the Trump administration.

Joe Annotti, the vice president of incentives for TRC Clean Transportation Solutions, attempted to provide some clarity in “an era of deregulation” on Sunday during STN EXPO East in Charlotte. He noted that despite the belief stated by media that President Donald Trump is making unprecedented changes and reevaluations of agencies and programs, the actions are normal. Annotti relayed that presidents come in all the time, stop and relook at programs, before funds get flowing again.

He referenced 2005, when former President Goerge Bush altered federal grant structures to states by moving to “blocks,” and when former President Barack Obama immediately cut 5 percent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) operating budget.

What is unprecedented, however, is the amount of funding being allocated to school buses, primarily clean school buses. That, by way of the Clean School Bus Program, is now in peril.

Meanwhile, Annotti said there are currently over 700 clean transportation state and local incentive programs. Of those, 124 could fund school bus projects, whereas 26 prioritize or exclusively fund school bus projects. He said $3 billion is available from the combined 124 programs, yet more than half of that ($1.8 billion) funds the 26 school bus eligible programs.

In his opinion, he said those 26 programs are the ones on the Trump administration’s chopping block.

“Gone are the days for the flat rate voucher incentives,” he said, adding there’s a renewed focus on cost-effectiveness. Federal programs covering 80 percent of the cost of the bus is probably a thing of the past.

Of the 124 programs that could fund school buses, 25 are exclusive to battery-electric and 50 of them are located in California, he added.

He discussed expectations, such as federal agencies may terminate award programs that no longer effectuate goals or agency priorities. He noted that multiple grant programs across agencies are cancelled or modified or modified.

Annotti answered attendee questions and said that in terms of the EPA Clean School Bus Program funding, rounds 3 and 4 are where he sees disruptions. Round 1, he said, is done. Round 2 awards were issued, and most are under a contractual agreement, which he said leads him to believe they are safe.

Round 3 has not yet been awarded, and the EPA has not yet issued funding decisions, which may never happen, he noted. He said Round 4, which was supposed to be announced later this year or early next, is not on his funding calendar at all.

He clarified that if the program is cut, projects would be funded up until the day that announcement is made. Any purchases made prior to a decision would still be funded.

As for the possibility of manufacturers raising their school bus prices due to the impending Trump tariffs, he said the EPA won’t allocate more award funds than called for in the original contract agreement.

Related: Blog: The State of Green School Buses
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Annotti advised attendees to assess what stage in the federal reward process they are in, whether they’ve actually won award, if they’ve spent federal money, or they’re in the process of purchasing. He advised fleets to act cautiously, as money is not guaranteed, adding that when writing grants fleets need to recognize the changed priorities and tailor their message to the audience.

“Change your tune when asking for funding,” he said, noting that attendees need to consider how their proposed project is benefiting the EPA’s latest priorities. “Match with what they need to hear, not what you want to say.”

He said current unpopular topics with the feds include: Regulations, DEI/community engagement, and renewable energy. Popular topics include: Tariffs, deregulation, economic development and fossil fuels.

TRC is hosting the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo next month in Anaheim, California. School Transportation News is an official media sponsor of the event.

The post Future of Electric School Bus Funding Remains Unknown, Warns Expert appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. – A mock casualty drill teaches school bus drivers how to evacuate children quickly and first responders how to access a school bus that’s been involved in an incident.

Developing such exercises with local first responders help a transportation operation become proactive, if an emergency event were to occur. While student transporters can’t prepare for everything, transportation directors and a fire chief discussed the importance of involving all stakeholders when administering such an event during a panel discussion at STN EXPO East on Saturday.

Paul Hasenmeier, chief and public safety director with Hernando County Fire Rescue in Florida, presented prior to the panel discussion about how emergency responders mitigate challenges and prepare for emergencies. Hasenmeier shared case studies and provided examples of where emergency responders would cut the school bus to rescue trapped children or school bus drivers.

In an interactive panel discussion, Katrina Morris, transportation director for West Shore ESD and the president of the Michigan Association of Pupil Transportation, explained that she rolled a bus on its side and the fire department cut through it at precise locations. They also set a school bus on fire, which surprised first responders as they didn’t believe the bus would burn as quickly as it did.

Peggy Stone, the transportation director for Lincoln County Schools in West Virginia, added that her staff also flipped a school bus on its side. She said because the district is very rural and firefighters are volunteers, she knows the response time will be long if an incident was to occur. Stone added that the event was a school bus driver’s idea.

She added that driver and student volunteers portrayed injured patients needing assistance.

Stone added that once a year Lincoln County fogs a bus and holds a driver competition to determine who can save the children, life-sized dolls, the fastest. She advised when considing a mock drill to start small like fogging a school bus with hidden training dolls inside.

Casualty Training for Students with Special Needs

Morris, whose operation serves primarily students with special needs at several member school districts, said that even if an emergency drill can’t be performed with every student, the process should be documented.

She also advised inviting law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS visit schools to speak with students, especially those with disabilities so they become familiar with the emergency vehicles and personnel.

Attendee Beth Allison, safety and training instructor for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia, said she was driving a school bus when a student had a seizure. Because she wasn’t the normal driver on that route, she said she didn’t have training on what to do and relied solely on her instincts.

“If we don’t prepare for something we don’t want to talk about, when it happens it’s going to be chaos,” said Hasenmeier, who moderated the panel.

He advised setting up a time with first responders to sit on the school bus for a route with students with special needs to get a better idea of behaviors.

Another attendee shared that a parent told their child to never exit the school bus unless they had arrived at home or school. That presented a challenge when the school bus broke down on route, and the child wouldn’t leave.

Morris said emergency training can be challenging and advised giving students jobs so they can help in a situation.

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Other considerations when creating casualties are language barriers and the fact that most students have cell phones and can call their parents at any moment. Morris said she utilizes some law enforcement officers and school administrators who are bilingual to help communicate, but a language barrier wasn’t covered in the mock drill.

Meanwhile, another attendee shared that after a crash, parents arrived on scene and picked their children up before the district and first responders arrived. He asked the attendees how to communicate the plan with parents.

Morris said she set up specific communications district-wide. She said the announcement will indicate that an incident occurred, and an updated will be provided in 15 minutes, “but don’t go to the scene.”

She added it’s important to train drivers to not release children directly to their parents.

Stone noted that her district requires children to be signed out.

Stone said all agencies met following the mock drill and discussed lessons learned, such as school drivers who are on the radio too much and need to keep channels clear for emergencies.

Morris added that besides the school bus drill, her staff held another drill consisting of a school evacuation, where they ran into a couple of glitches.

“We don’t look at them as failures, but instead opportunities on where we can improve,” she said.

Tips & Tricks

Stone discussed the importance of inviting the media to attend the mock casualty drill. She underlined the importance of building a relationship with the media, so that when things do go wrong, they call before publishing or airing one-side of the story. She added it’s important to inform the parents as well, so that they don’t panic when they see an overturned bus on the side of the road.

Attendee Allison added that first responders didn’t know her school district had electric school buses in the county for nearly two years. Now that they have propane school buses, she said it’s important to make them aware so they can be better prepared.

Hasenmeier said the responsibility of producing mock drills should not fall fully on the school district. Instead, he said that first responders want to be involved. He advised having someone at the drill taking notes and documenting with pictures so that the event can be reviewed with participants and the training can be shared with others.

“Use it to help you gain credibility to the community,” he said.

Morris added that her event was also a morale booster because it was training specifically designed for the school bus drivers. She said it strengthened the bond the drivers have.

The post Importance of Mock Casualty Training, Involving all Stakeholders appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. — According to a 2023 study by the U.S. Justice Department and Education Department, 22 percent of K-12 students were involved in a physical fight and 13 percent of students carried a weapon to school. More school shooters are also getting to school via the school bus.

Seven percent of students were threatened with a weapon and 5 percent of students are afraid of being attacked, the study found.

Over the past five to six years, Bret Brooks, the chief operating officer and senior consultant of Gray Ram Tactical, noted that school violence is trending up, due in part to COVID-19. Because of this increase, he said during his March 21 opening general session presentation at STN EXPO East, schools “should emphasize intervention techniques to address underlying causes of student violence.”

He stressed the need for a broad set of tools to be tailored to each school and that all staff should undergo training provided by quality and professional trainers.

Breaking Down the Seven Triggers:

 

Family: When you threaten family, one could naturally respond violently, said Brooks. This response includes extended family and even a community or nation.

 

Order: Brooks said this refers to the social order of things, such as when someone cuts in line.

 

Restraint: This is the feeling of being held back or stopped. As a law enforcement professional, Brooks said the most dangerous time when apprehending a suspect is the moment handcuffs are about to put on.

 

Resources: Food and water are among basic human necessities.

 

Mate: Similar to family but a separate trigger, according to Brooks. When someone takes a spouse, the response is usually very violent, he said.

 

Insults: Intentional or unintentional.

 

Life or Limb: Danger to one’s livelihood or that of a bystander. This is why there are self-defense laws, Brooks noted.

Brooks broke down the influence and triggers of violence to stop the acts from occurring and how to de-escalate incidents with students. He explained that anyone can respond violently in certain situations situation. He noted the example of an abduction of a child.

Brooks noted that violence is a biological process that occurs in the brain. How to mentally deal with a situation differs from person to person. Violence is a response to stress, fear and losing control or feeling mistreated. It is a fiery rage as a response mechanism.

He explained that school-aged children are experiencing greater underlying stressors today compared to years past due to factors such as online bullying, social networks and the pressure to be as “good” as Mom or Dad.

Brooks said if any of the seven triggers (see sidebar) are felt, the more triggers felt at once will determine how violent one will be become. “Underlying stress compounds the emotional stress and even more increases the likelihood the person will lash out,” he said, adding that underlying stress can be the death of a pet, a sick loved one, etc.

Violence in Children

Brooks noted that students are being exposed to more violence. “[By] 18 years old, the average American child will have seen 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence depicted in violent movies, television and video games.” he shared.

Video games often offer rewards for killing other players, and desensitize players to real-life violence, he explained.

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Video games like virtual reality, he added, provide controllers that require the user to mimic the actions of using certain weapons, i.e., learning how to stab, slash and shoot.

He added that society has lost the causal relationship to justifiable violence, noting that when ordering chicken nuggets, for example, no one is thinking of someone killing the chicken to make the meal.

Moving Forward

Brooks said students riding the school bus who feel confined or uncomfortable, hot, unable to use Wi-Fi or listen to music can be prone to violent outbursts. He advised attendees to keep this in mind amid school bus driver shortages and increased numbers of students per bus and route.

He said violence is never going to end, especially without social changes. The trend of more deaths will continue.

“It is imperative we can identify warning signs ahead of time and then mitigate or avoid violence,” Brooks said, adding that school districts should implement a layered system of protection.

He underscored the importance of proper training and how critical it is for school bus drivers to be trained on indicators of violence, de-escalation techniques, concealed weapon identification, active shooter/intruder/hijacking response, and medical response.

The post Security Expert Discusses How to Understand Violent Triggers at STN EXPO East appeared first on School Transportation News.

Amanda Davila was sentenced to three years in prison for the death of 6-year-old Fajr Williams, who fatally choked on a Somerset County, New Jersey school bus while wearing an improperly secured safety harness.

Davila faced up to 20 years in prison for the charges of aggravated and reckless manslaughter. Instead, a jury found her guilty of child endangerment on Jan. 13. On March 7, a judge sentenced her to three years in prison.

Davila, who was 27 at the time of the Julu 17, 2023 incident, testified in her own defense during the trial and claimed she was at fault but only partially. The defense argued that a family member of Williams improperly buckled her into her wheelchair that day. Davila also reportedly testified during the trial that she wasn’t trained properly on wheelchair securement and made a mistake. However, the school bus contractor she worked for provided monthly training sessions.

Davila’s lawyer said she shared responsibility with the family, who should have ensured the young girl was secured properly. Davila was the assigned bus monitor to Williams, who had Emanuel syndrome, was non-verbal and in a wheelchair. She was being transported to an extended school year program at Claremont Elementary School in Franklin Park New Jersey.

Related: Over a Dozen Injured in a New Jersey School Bus Crash
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Related: Operation STEER Hands-On School Bus Emergency Training Expands in Texas

As School Transportation News reported at the time, Williams was strangled by her wheelchair’s harness on the bus ride. The student reportedly slumped forward in her wheelchair after a series of bumps. She was wearing a 4-point harness that secured her to the wheelchair, but ultimately became too tight around her neck, blocking her airway.

Video from the bus ride showed Davila seated in front of Williams, on her cellphone and wearing earbuds, a violation of policies and procedures.

The case was also discussed during the 2023 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference.

The post 3-Year Prison Sentence for School Bus Aide Convicted in Choking Death appeared first on School Transportation News.

Dr. Walter Gonsoulin, Jr., the superintendent for Jefferson County Schools in Alabama, was named the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year during the National Conference on Education in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the first Alabama superintendent to receive the award since the program began in 1989.

Gonsoulin accepted the award Thursday evening in front of the 45 state superintendent awardees and the three other finalists: Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, superintendent of Peoria Public School District 150 in Peoria, Illinois; Debbie Jones, superintendent of Bentonville School District in Bentonville, Arkansas; and David K. Moore, superintendent of School District of Indian River County in Vero Beach, Florida.

AASA, alongside award sponsors Corebridge Financial and Sourcewell, recognized Gonsoulin for promoting school choice, tackling complex problems with the goal of improving learning environments for students, and thinking beyond high school by championing other ways to support students in the path they want to take.

During his acceptance speech, he thanked the Jefferson County School Board, the parents, and the 35,000 students. He also thanked the district’s 4,500 employees, calling out bus drivers and maintenance workers specifically.

Watch Gonsoulin’s acceptance speech on Facebook

Gonsoulin spoke with School Transportation News last month about the importance of transportation in getting students to and from Signature Academy Programs. Additionally, he was instrumental in a project to put Wi-Fi hotspots on all school buses, so students can be connected during their long bus routes.

Read more about Gonsoulin and the transportation operations led by Kevin Snowden. Plus, listen to Episode 248 of the School Transportation Nation podcast.

Related: 2025 National Superintendent of the Year Award Finalists Named by AASA
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Related: (STN Podcast E246) Internet is Foundational: Why Universal Services Fund Matters to School Buses

The post First Alabama Educator Named 2025 AASA Superintendent of the Year appeared first on School Transportation News.