Caleb Caldwell at Fenton Mobility, gives School Transportation News Publisher and President Tony Corpin an up-close look at the future of wheelchair-accessible student transportation.
“This is the van school districts have been asking for,” Caldwell said, kneeling to demonstrate the Abilitrax removable flooring system. With a single tug, he unlatched the passenger seat and slid it forward twelve inches to lock back in place quickly and easily. “No tools, no drilling, no downtime. If a student’s mobility device changes tomorrow, we reconfigure the floor tonight. It also works with the Q’Straint tie-downs system.”
The AbiliTrax Modular Track System is rated to the current FMVSS & ADA safety standards yet remains infinitely adjustable. Districts can mix traditional forward-facing seats, flip seats, and multiple securement stations in the same vehicle without permanent modification.
Caldwell also demonstrates the Shift-N-Step with one smooth motion with a Braun Wheelchair Lift. “Attendees mouth dropped when they saw this innovative solution at the TSD Conference.”
Tony, Ryan and Taylor recap the lessons, experiences and takeaways from the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show last week. It covered evacuation training in a smoke-filled school bus, legal issues like onboard sexual assaults or objectionable clothing, tips to promote good student behavior, an in-depth session on deafness and much more.
The 2025 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference buzzed with energy as hundreds of school transportation professionals converged on the Frisco Convention Center. Amid packed breakout sessions and exhibit halls, one experience stood out: Transfinder’s Technology Demo Ride Along aboard Type C school bus.
School Transportation News Publisher & President Tony Corpin caught up with John Daniels, Transfinder’s Vice President of Marketing to learn more.
“This isn’t a static demo,” Daniels said, gesturing toward the large video display onboard the school bus. “Attendees will board an operational school bus from Garland ISD and experience our solutions in motion—exactly as drivers and dispatchers use them every day.”
The 20-minute loop around Frisco, Texas showcased Transfinder’s flagship platform RouteFinder Plus and WayFinder. Riders watched live routing adjustments respond to simulated traffic, AI-powered stop-arm violation alerts trigger instant notifications, and tablet-based driver workflows streamline pre-trip inspections. GPS precision down to the curb ensured every scenario felt authentic.
EverDriven CEO Mitch Bowling reviews how the alternative transportation company prioritizes safety standards and promotes collaborative brainstorming to provide safe service to the ever-growing population of students with special needs.
AlphaRoute CEO John Hanlon shares real-life stories about districts that have optimized daily operations by leveraging routing technology and discusses how the upcoming AI solution “Alphie” can help.
Keba Baldwin is the director of transportation for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and STN’s newest Transportation Director of the Year. He joins us to discuss his career history and leadership style.
FRISCO, Texas — When Lisa Navarra stood before a room of Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) and Special Needs Conference attendees, she didn’t see people who were “just” drivers, trainers, supervisors or directors. She saw leaders. Leaders who manage people, time and safety every day. Those who guide drivers to guide students to be consistent, calm and confident before the first bell even rings.
“Transportation is so much more than transit,” she reminded them durig her Monday morning keynote. “You create the environment that students step into each morning, one that can set the tone for their entire day.”
For Navarra, the journey from special education teacher to school transportation trainer was fueled by purpose, and a realization that behavior management, emotional regulation and growth mindset strategies weren’t just for classrooms. They belonged on school buses, too, she said.
Her message was simple yet transformative: When transportation professionals see themselves as educators and role models, they empower students to feel safe, regulate their emotions and be ready to learn.
She noted the process starts with meeting the kids where they were at.
“But where are we at?” she asked, adding another question to consider is, “What do I need to do to reach this child, to ride safely?”
Supervisors, she noted, need to support and empower drivers to better breakdown the silos between education and transportation.
She said when one sees themself as a professional who is prepared to manage challenges, it gives a sense a validation and thus a sense of purpose. Instead of waiting to see what students are capable of, be proactive in demonstrating and announcing behaviors they want to see on the bus, she advised.
Navarra asked, “Why are we making things so complicated?” She noted the impact of a positive school bus environment, speaking the language educators speak and creating a safe, meaningful environment that kids are ready to learn in.
Sometimes drivers need strategies on how to teach developmentally appropriate behavior, she said, adding that students might not know what safe behavior is. If they don’t explain what safe behavior should look like, she said students will never know how to meet expectations.
For drivers who are stuck in a rut or look at driving as “just a job,” she encouraged attendees to remind them that they are managing the learning environment. Raymond Forsberg, director of transportation at Mesquite Independent School District in Texas, said he tells his school bus drivers they manage people, time and money.
“I remind them how they’re leaders. I compare what they do, to what I do. I tell them how they manage people, time and money,” he said. “Let them know they are part of the ownership. Remind them of how they are leaders. We’re all here for the paycheck. The people drivers manage are the students, for time they have keep to the schedule and the money part is the 150,000 vehicle they’re driving.”
Additionally, Navarra provided examples and research that illustrates the importance of not praising the ability, but the process and effort that students or even drivers give.
Phrases like “great job” or “you’re so smart” don’t provide the student with context into what type of behavior is correct and needs to be recreated. Instead, she advised, saying phrases like, “You did a great job being safe when you entered the bus and put your seatbelt on.”
Other examples of behavior-specific praise are:
“I have noticed how you are trying your best to speak quietly today. Thank you.”
“I admire the way you are trying to keep your feet out of the aisle.”
“You took a breath when the bus got noisy, and you stayed calm.”
“You were very thoughtful when you said hello to the new student.”
She underscored the importance of using behavior-specific praise with action and outcome, which can lead to a learning experience. Navarra continued, saying general praise can sound encouraging, but it does not clearly communicate the behaviors we want students to internalize and demonstrate independently.
She provided factors to consider, such as the setting (private or public) and the type of praise (non-behavior specific or specific.)
She provided the following guidelines on how to praise:
Be sincere
Be specific
Praise students on the ‘what’ they can change
Be mindful when praising easily earned achievements
Be mindful when praising for doing what they love
Encourage mastery of skills instead of comparing themselves to others
Bobbi Bican, the transportation account manager for Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, said following the keynote positive feedback and not settling for non-specific phrases like, “Great job” resonated for her.
Instead of settling for non-specific praise, she said she’s going to try and re-phrase her praise by saying, “Great job, sitting down in your seat today, being safe.” She noted that she learned the importance of showing the behavior and building that safe environment.
“I’m so excited to have learned that today,” she said, adding she plans to put some systems in place with her drivers and team to “give them the power.”
FRISCO, Texas. – Sunday evening featured a Tailgate Reception with dinner and drinks on the Trade Show floor among vendor booths. Attendees were encouraged to wear their favorite football jersey.
Then on Monday, attendees had another chance to network with vendors and view the best products and services on the school transportation market.
Marty Savino, national account manager for School-Radio, shares how reliable bus radios support student safety and provide dependable communication services for school bus operations.
For the three-year anniversary of the founding of FirstAlt by First Student, Vice President Gregg Prettyman addresses common misconceptions about alternative transportation safety standards, as well as a Samsara partnership incorporating live video for added oversight.
Tim Logan, director of transportation for Garland Independent School District in Texas, and John Daniels, vice president of marketing for Transfinder, discuss how Transfinder technology helps the transportation department streamline operations and better serve students with special needs and their families.
Fugate, a school bus driver for Mansfield ISD located about an hour south of the conference hotel Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco, signed up for the roadeo event but didn’t have a teammate. Neither did Roland. The event, organized by the industry group Women in Transportation., or Wit., usually attracts set teams of bus drivers and attendants but allows individuals to register and later be teamed with another lone participant.
Fugate and Roland were a logical pair, unbeknownst to them. They discovered ahead of Saturday’s competition held at nearby Prosper ISD, that they have a lot more in common than arriving solo.
Both are employees of Manfield ISD but their paths had never crossed. The school district has over 200 drivers, they explained at the roadeo banquet on Saturday night sponsored by Q’Straint/Sure Lok, moments after their names were called as winners of the competition. The competition is comprised of navigating nine hands-on stations — a pretrip inspection, wheelchair loading, wheelchair securement, student behavior management, car seat securement, railroad crossing, serpentine, rear alley, and emergency evacuation — as well as a written exam.
It was the fifth consecutive roadeo win at TSD Conference for a team from Texas.
Roland obtained her CDL three months ago and is driving for Mansfield after working as an attendant for the previous two years. Fugate is also a driver for the district and has been for the past couple of years.
Fugate, who played the role of the driver during the roadeo, said the most eye-opening aspect for her was the proper securement of children in a car seat as well as wheelchair securement. Roland, the attendant, agreed that the car seat competition was the most difficult for her along with managing student behavior.
“We’ll be back,” Roland said when asked if she and Fugate will try to defend their title next year.
Fugate’s and Roland’s training at Mansfield ISD paid off with a cumulative score of 947 points out of a possible 1,000. Second place went to the team of Elizabeth Berninger and Sheri Peterson, representing the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation as the state’s special needs roadeo champions from Kent School District. Andwain Coleman and Mohmed Omera of Plano ISD near Dallas, Texas, finished third.
FRISCO, Texas – A Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference panel featuring three female special needs routing specialists explored how technology tools for routing, communication and real-time updates can help school transportation teams respond quickly to keep students safer and give parents peace of mind.
Garland Independent School District near Dallas, Texas, transports 1,000 students on 77 daily special education (SPED) routes. During the Sunday Lunch and Learn sponsored by Transfinder, special needs router Sierra Long said paper route sheets and siloed communication posed challenges that were fixed by implementing Transfinder technology. The technology streamlines information and disseminates it to the school bus drivers who need it.
The fleet is equipped with tablets, which both drivers and monitors were trained to access information specific to the student riders they transport. While switching from paper was challenging for veteran drivers, Long said they can troubleshoot over the radio if needed.
She added that operations got a safety boost now that school bus drivers are not glancing at paper route sheets and directions displayed on tablets can be quickly updated due to road conditions or blockages.
Long confirmed a “significant lack of calls” from parents who are now accustomed to finding their child’s bus information on the Stopfinder parent communication app.
She related an incident in which a parent berated a substitute driver who unknowingly released a student to an unapproved person. She said Transfinder customer support modified settings to show drivers pertinent notes on what students with IEPs need and who is approved to take custody of them.
With so many students to route for and paperwork to get in order, Long praised Routefinder’s capability to route dozens of students per hour, saving her team time.
“We don’t set our drivers up to fail,” she said. “We held a lot of trainings and we were very supportive of our staff.” The Transfinder suite was rolled out starting with a pilot program so as not to overwhelm staff.
Melissa Independent School District, also near Dallas, Texas, transports about 170 students with special needs.
Bailey Wouters, special education routing coordinator, said the district previously used different routing software but switched to the more user-friendly Transfinder. She said it took a little while for drivers to come around but once they did, implementation was smooth. The district can utilize an auto-routing feature and then tweak the routes according to student needs.
“The parent calls decreased because all the info is much more accessible,” she confirmed.
Geographic filters were set up so parents can see when the bus is approaching predetermined locations and notifications can be sent to affected families if a bus is delayed due to frequent construction in the area.
Wouters praised Transfinder tech support and customer support. With one click, she said she can see all the SPED students populated on a map and can easily consolidate or split routes.
“You can focus more on the child because the route’s just going to fall right into place,” she declared.
Meanwhile, Yvonne Morrison, special needs coordinator for Widefield School District #3 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, transports just over 200 students with disabilities on 27 routes.
The district is using paper ridership records and attendance sheets in addition to separate routing and GPS providers. Plus, she said, it is a manual process for drivers to check students on and off the bus. It can get heated when a parent is on the phone and wants answers as to their child’s location, she said to knowing chuckles in the audience.
Routefinder Plus routing software is in use and the Wayfinder driver app is being rolled out, with Morrison’s stated goal being to get all pertinent information in one place.
“Try and keep everything on one platform so it’s quicker and easier to access,” she advised attendees.
All three panelists spoke on the importance of digital records in cases of an emergency. Wouters and Long confirmed that RFID cards have proved helpful in pinpointing student locations. When route changes occur, student information is prepopulated in messages sent to parents through Stopfinder.
“Parents want to make sure their students are in good hands and they are where they need to be,” Long added.
She confirmed that risk management staff have access to Transfinder systems so if an accident occurs it can be quickly determined which students and families are affected. Additionally, educators are given access to Viewfinder so special education teachers can see where their students are.
An attendee noted that routes sometimes need feedback from drivers on the road so planned vs. actual routes line up. Long confirmed that things like right-side pickups and drop-offs can be stipulated in Routefinder systems.
Zach Moren, sales engineering lead at Transfinder, noted that technology is not always easy, but knowledgeable student transporters can make it work for their districts.
FRISCO, Texas — Several TSD Conference sessions were held on cultivating safe, inclusive and comfortable transportation for students with special needs.
Plus, a hands-on evacuation training for students with special needs and preschoolers was hosted at Prosper Independent School District.
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Left to right: Tony Corpin, publisher & president of School Transportation News; Sierra Long, special needs router for Garland Independent School District in Texas; Bailey Wouters, special education routing coordinator for Melissa Independent School District in Texas; Yvonne Morrison, special needs coordinator for Widefield School District #3 in Colorado; and Zach Moren, sales engineering lead at Transfinder.
Select TSD attendees participated in a school bus evacuation drill on Nov. 9, 2025.
FRISCO, Texas — Federal and state special education policy expert Glenna Wright-Gallo delivered a transformative message Sunday at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference about moving beyond mere compliance by creating meaningful educational experiences for students with disabilities, particularly through transportation services.
The general session underscored a fundamental message: transportation is not about moving students from one place to another, but about creating opportunities for learning, growth and inclusion.
Wright-Gallo, the former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services during the Biden administration and currently vice president of policy for assistive technology company Everway, began by challenging the audience views on the traditional approach to compliance.
“Compliance for the sake of compliance isn’t effective,” she stated.
She illustrated this point by comparing compliance to speed limit signs — many motorists don’t naturally slow down simply because a sign exists. Instead, she urged student transportation professionals to view their work as a critical component of student learning and access. “No matter what happens, no matter what political party is in the majority, education is a bipartisan issue, and children don’t have time for adults to get it together, right?” she said as as the audience applauded.
The presentation dove into recent policy shifts, highlighting how federal guidance is evolving to view transportation as more than a logistical challenge. “Transportation is access,” she emphasized, explaining that recent joint guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Transportation now explicitly frames transportation as a civil rights issue directly linked to student attendance and academic success.
During interactive group discussions, attendees revealed significant challenges in interdepartmental communication. One participant shared an example of managing a student who has an autism spectrum disorder, describing how they created reasonable modifications like positioning the student behind the driver to manage specific behavioral challenges. Another transportation director discussed the complexities of coordinating with special education departments, noting frequent communication gaps and last-minute changes that impact transportation planning.
Technology emerged as a potential solution to these challenges. Wright-Gallo encouraged innovative approaches, with one participant sharing how they used AI to create monthly training modules that build upon each other.
“Using AI, I made a training for every month that builds upon the previous months. I present it to my coordinators when we have our monthly meetings, and then they take it out and give it to their drivers that work under them,” explained John Haas, transportation director for Onslow County Schools in North Carolina. “That way, my whole district is being trained on the same thing.”
The funding landscape presented another critical challenge. Wright-Gallo acknowledged the uncertainties at state and federal levels, with many states still struggling to pass budgets. She proposed creative solutions, including exploring alternative funding sources and developing more collaborative approaches between different educational departments.
A key moment came when Wright-Gallo challenged participants to think beyond traditional compliance metrics. “It doesn’t matter what decision we make if it doesn’t result in something different for a student,” she declared, urging participants to focus on meaningful outcomes rather than bureaucratic checklists.
The discussion around technology was particularly nuanced. While embracing innovation, Wright-Gallo also cautioned against wholesale technological adoption. “Whatever goes into a learning management system comes out of it,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of high-quality initial content and training.
Participants were particularly engaged when discussing strategies for inclusive training and professional development. One transportation director shared their approach of coordinating annual in-service training with the special education department, demonstrating the type of collaborative approach Wright-Gallo advocated.
She concluded her keynote with a powerful call to action: “Lead where you live. Don’t wait for someone to give you the title of leader. Do what’s right.” She challenged participants to identify one concrete action they could take in the next 30 days to improve transportation services for students with disabilities.
Thursday afternoon, Wright-Gallo also presented a breakout session on transforming complex Department of Education guidelines in the form of “Dear Colleague” letters into practical, everyday applications.
She highlighted the intersection of key federal laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504, demonstrating how these regulations directly impact transportation services. She shared compelling stories illustrating policy gaps, such as substitute school bus drivers incorrectly denying service animals or mishandling students with neurodivergent conditions.
Regarding service animals, allowed by Section 504 of the ADA, Wright-Gallo clarified that only dogs and miniature horses qualify, and that districts can only ask two specific questions when presented with the request for service: Is the animal is required due to disability rather than being an emotional support animal, and what specific tasks does it perform?
She stressed the importance of avoiding blanket policies that might inadvertently discriminate against students with disabilities.
Funding emerged as another critical theme, with Wright-Gallo revealing multiple potential funding streams for transportation services, including innovative uses of federal funds for training, hiring and supporting student needs. She encouraged transportation directors to explore creative funding approaches and build cross-departmental partnerships.
Assistive technology received significant attention, with Wright-Gallo defining it broadly—from low-tech picture boards to high-tech communication devices. “Assistive technology does not replace a teacher or driver, it enables participation and independence,” she explained, emphasizing that these tools must be accessible during transportation and all school activities.
James Haas, director of transportation for Onslow County Schools in North Carolina, discusses use of AI to help with training during the Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 keynote at TSD Conference.
Baldwin, the director of transportation and central garage at Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) in Maryland, thanked his mother as well as past and present transportation families.
“I’ve worked in North Carolina. I’ve worked in Virginia. Now, being in Maryland, I cannot go without saying thank you to those team members because what they provided to me was the willingness to share their thoughts, their honesty, their collaboration to help me grow, help them grow,” Baldwin said during his acceptance speech. “There’s a little saying that I always have kept in mind, from my athletic days, ‘you’re only as strong as your weakest person.’ The goal is to build everybody together.”
He thanked those team members for their collaboration and dedication. Addressing his current transportation team at PGCPS, he shared the slogan, “Gorgeous, Prince George’s.”
Baldwin added his team at PGCPS has challenged him to do good things.
“It’s really through your resilience that you have the perseverance,” he said. “These are folks that have been in this industry since day one, since first job out of high school. This is what they’re done for 15 years to 48 years of service. Folks that are in our transportation field and have a strong passion, just like you [all in the audience] have, and so all of this goes to them, because without them, their effort and their push, I’m not here doing this.”
He said it’s the support from various departments that helps drive what transportation does every day. He showed appreciation for his administrative support team, many of whom were in the audience to support him when receiving the award.
“Then finally, to all of you, this is a great venue. I want to say thank you to STN. Thank you to Blue Bird for just creating an opportunity for us to continue to come together, to network, learn from one another,” he concluded. “Each time we come, you meet new people, you learn new ideas. We need that. That’s how we get stronger. So again, thank you to Tony, STN and Bluebird for all that you do for us, it just makes me feel incredibly humble to accept this award, not only for myself, but for my team members past and present. Even with all of you, we’re going to this work happen for our students that we serve.”
Steven Whaley, alternative fuels manager of award sponsor Blue Bird, introduced Baldwin as a data-driven, technology-savvy director. “It’s my honor to present this award to someone whose career journey is as inspiring as his leadership” he said.
PCGPS transports over 85,000 students, over 4,500 of which are students with special needs transported on the school bus. it is the 10th largest school district in in the U.S.
Baldwin is featured in the November edition of School Transportation News magazine.
FRISCO, Texas — Transportation safety experts gathered at TSD Conference to address a critical challenge: Teaching school bus safety to students with disabilities through innovative, personalized approaches that go beyond traditional instruction methods.
The session presented Saturday by Jill Metcalfe, a former executive director of student transportation and founder of STSB Training, highlighted the transformative power of social stories and visual aids, revealing that students with disabilities often learn best through carefully crafted, individualized communication strategies. She emphasized the importance of creating visual narratives that speak directly to each student’s unique learning needs.
“If I was in a wheelchair and had never ridden a school bus before, I would lose my mind,” said Metcalfe, a transportation safety specialist, highlighting the overwhelming experience many students with disabilities face during daily transportation.
Her powerful statement underscored TSD Conference’s central messages: Safety education must be compassionate, individualized and carefully designed.
Metcalfe emphasized the transformative power of social stories, describing them as more than just instructional tools.
“These are not just stories,” she explained. “They’re personalized narratives that help students see themselves successfully navigating bus safety.”
By inserting a student’s name into carefully crafted stories and using their own images, educators can create powerful, relatable learning experiences.
The session revealed innovative visual strategies that make safety education engaging and accessible. Educators are now using creative methods like dinosaur figurines to demonstrate safe bus stop positioning, LEGO figures to act out safety scenarios and customized digital checklists that help students track their own safety behaviors.
“We want to make safety learning fun,” Metcalfe noted. “If we can engage a student’s imagination, we can help them understand complex safety procedures.”
She shared examples of social stories that incorporate personalized details, such as teaching a student she named “Anthony” about proper school bus boarding techniques through a narrative specifically designed for him.
The approach recognizes that students with disabilities require more than generic safety instructions. For students on the autism spectrum, this might mean creating highly structured visual guides with predictable, step-by-step instructions. For students with physical disabilities, visual aids might demonstrate wheelchair accessibility procedures or safe boarding techniques.
“The key is preparation and understanding,” Metcalfe stressed. “We need to help students feel comfortable and confident, not overwhelmed.”
This philosophy extends to creating visual aids that reduce anxiety, such as showing exactly where to sit on a bus or how to interact with a driver.
Crucially, the session stressed the importance of collaboration between transportation departments and special education teams. By working together, these professionals can develop tools that are not just informative, but truly inclusive and empowering.
Positive reinforcement emerged as another key strategy. Attendees in the room shared success stories of using certificates, tracking charts and playful incentive systems to encourage safe bus behaviors. The goal is to make safety learning a positive, rewarding experience that builds confidence and independence.
The rise of AI and technology tools like Canva can help educators and student transporters more easily create social stories, though she cautioned that actual student information should never be inputted into AI engines so child’s identity is protected.
“Remember,” Metcalfe concluded, “we’re approaching bus safety calmly, consistently and with care. The stormy period will pass if we remain patient and committed to our students’ success.”
FRISCO, Texas — Saturday featured a keynote from special education attorney Betsey Helfrich and numerous breakout sessions on collaborating across departments for the safety and support of students with special needs.
Additionally, the Roadeo Competition was coordinated by Women in Transportation (wit.) offsite at Frisco Independent School District.
A Lunch & Learn saw Blue Bird and Zonar client representatives discuss fuel of choice and technology case studies.
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Diane Mikelski, right, discusses the benefits of propane school buses when transporting students with disabilities as well as for general operations on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Diane Mikelski, right, discusses the benefits of propane school buses when transporting students with disabilities as well as for general operations on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
From left: Todd Silverthorn, transportation supervisor for Kettering City Schools in Ohio, participated in a TSD Conference 2025 session on technology with STN Publisher Tony Corpin and propane advocate Diana Mikelski.
From left: Todd Silverthorn, transportation supervisor for Kettering City Schools in Ohio, participated in a TSD Conference 2025 session on technology with STN Publisher Tony Corpin and propane advocate Diana Mikelski.
From left: Keba Baldwin, the director of transportation for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, and Quanika Dukes-Spruill of the Newark Board of Education in New Jersey, and Julie Hrebicek of Magnolia Independent School District in Texas spoke on a panel at TSD Conference Nov. 8, 2025.
From left: Keba Baldwin, the director of transportation for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, and Quanika Dukes-Spruill of the Newark Board of Education in New Jersey, and Julie Hrebicek of Magnolia Independent School District in Texas spoke on a panel at TSD Conference Nov. 8, 2025.
Transportation Director of the Year Keba Baldwin accepted his award at TSD Conference on Nov. 8, 2025.
FRISCO, Texas – Transportation Supervisor Todd Silverthorn shared how Kettering City Schools in Ohio improved efficiency, safety and accountability by integrating technology and promoting hands-on staff engagement.
Silverthorn said in Saturday’s Zonar-sponsored TSD Conference Lunch and Learn session that Kettering City Schools was looking for a technology solution to help with issues such as drivers being unfamiliar with routes, two-way radios not working in communication blackout spots, and the need to improve on-time performance.
Pairing Transfinder routing information and ByteCurve driver management with Zonar GPS helped the transportation department discover efficiencies and eliminate multiple routes, he said. Tracking the school buses helps direct mechanics to a broken-down vehicle or locate a one when a parent asks where it is.
Payroll issues are also solved faster as each driver’s route is tracked so it can be determined, for instance, if they were on a field trip route on a day that they missed clocking in. Turn-by-turn navigation has replaced paper route sheets and digital report keeping allows the pulling of data requested by law enforcement, Silverton explained.
To assist with implementation, the district took a “train-the-trainer” approach and educated several employees who then instructed the rest of the staff. It also received National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) grants to help offset the cost of the software and subscriptions.
Silverthorn advised not to add too many technologies at once. He underscored the importance of involving staff in planning discussions and building in time for troubleshooting. He said he shows his drivers that both he and the data are there to support them, not simply surveil them “Big Brother” style.
He added that the data from his technology stack facilitates fuel savings, route efficiencies, streamlined payroll, DVR storage, easier driver navigation and conflict resolution.
A third of his fleet transports students with special needs and on-time performance is huge for this population, he said, noting how crucial it is to pinpoint specific bus locations. He recounted one incident in which a bus on the highway needed immediate assistance due to a student having a meltdown. The live GPS tracking allowed a trained aide to be dispatched there quickly.
Being able to monitor bus locations and provide parents with answers as to where their children are helps prevent said parents from showing up to bus stops and becoming aggressive with drivers, said Silverthorn, who is also the executive director of the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation.
In answer to an attendee’s question on data security, Silverthorn said that the data is simply a livestream within the routing software and does not leave that environment.
FRISCO, Texas – An Illinois transportation director shared the story of how propane school bus implementation turned things around for students with special needs.
Recently retired Diana Mikelski has 32 years of experience in student transportation and, until this summer, served as director of transportation for Township High School District 211 in Illinois, overseeing 163 buses and 45 vans transporting nearly 9,000 students more than 7,700 miles each school day.
She recalled in the Blue Bird-sponsored TSD Conference Lunch and Learn Saturday afternoon that the construction of a new parking lot necessitated a change to where the school buses were parked. When school bus drivers started the ignition on the diesel vehicles, the smoke penetrated a nearby school building. Things got so bad. the principal came running out to alert the drivesr of the issue.
Seeking a cleaner energy option, she said district administrators consulted with nearby districts and chose propane as the new fuel to transition to. She received a budget of $1 million approved by Township High School District and paired it with EPA grant money to initially purchase and implement 15 propane buses, in what she described as a “seamless” process working with Blue Bird, ROUSH CleanTech, fuel provider AmeriGas, and local vendors.
Mikelski reviewed the extra particulate matter filters and treatment that older diesel buses require, which means more work and more money spent. District bus mechanics adjusted to propane well, she said.
“My shop was fine. If you can handle diesel and gas, you can handle propane,” she stated.
Fuel currently costs her $1.25 per gallon for Township, which frees up funds for bus air conditioning and other perks.
The propane buses were a boon for special needs students, Mikelski said. An amazed special education teacher called to inform her that students were coming into school calmer, de-escalated and ready to learn. Together they discovered that the propane buses the students were riding were quieter than the diesel ones, so both drivers and students could communicate without shouting. They could actually hear the music they used to soothe themselves, and some students did not need their normal noise cancelling headphones.
“Everyone was calmer, happier getting off the bus and going into the building,” she confirmed. “It is a marked improvement.”
STN Publisher and session moderator Tony Corpin recalled that Saturday morning’s keynote by Betsey Helfrich discussing legal aspects like Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) noted that parents seeing these benefits may request propane buses in their child’s IEP.
In addition to the sound-level reduction, Mikelski shared that students in wheelchairs did not have to create makeshift blanket shields against noxious diesel fumes while loading the school buses, as they sometimes had to do. She confirmed that propane buses do not have to idle longer than 15 minutes to warm up, even in Illinois winters.
“These buses are running cleaner than anything right now,” she said, referring to the ultra-low nitrogen oxide levels of 0.02 g/bhp-hr that ROUSH CleanTech propane fuel systems are certified to meet. She added that Ford, Blue Bird and ROUSH CleanTech were more than satisfactory partners, noting she is not anxious about winter operations.
She corrected common misconceptions that propane could literally blow up the whole bus operation. Corpin reviewed the domestically produced, clean and safe nature of propane, which is commonly used to cook food via burners and grills. Mikelski said she even performed a test using a white hanky test to illustrate that propane school bus tailpipes don’t emit black soot like older diesel models can.
“Know that you’re supported,” she said. “This is a very easy way to move into an alternative fuel without a lot of angst along the way.”
School bus driver training is well recognized as a crucial part of safe student transportation, but it’s equally important to make sure attendants are fully equipped for their role, especially when working with students with special needs or disabilities. New training at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference will dive into this important aspect of student transportation.
Launi Harden, a former transportation director at Washington County School District in Utah and now consultant at Launi’s Transportation Solutions, will lead this session alongside Josy Campbell, operations manager at Harrison Schools District Two in Colorado. During this three-hour training on Monday, Nov. 10 at the TSD Conference, Harden and Campbell will provide an overview of the importance of attendants in safe student transportation and guidelines to ensure they receive adequate training for their role.
The session will help guide attendees through crucial aspects that should be covered in attendant training, such as safety best practices, federal regulations and policies, emergency procedures, proper usage of safety restraints and securement of wheelchairs, behavioral reinforcement, sensitivity training, effective communication, an introduction to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), boarding and deboarding techniques, pre-trip checks, and more. Throughout the interactive session, attendees will have a chance to ask questions from the expert speakers and discuss practices with student transportation professionals from districts around the country.
This session will follow other integral educational sessions throughout the conference such as “Foundations of Special Needs Transportation,” “Understanding & Appreciating the ‘Federal 13’ Exceptional Abilities of Students,” “Top 10 Occupant Restraint Concerns When Transporting Preschoolers & Students with Disabilities,” “Teaching Bus Safety to Students with Disabilities: Strategies Across Ages and Abilities,” “Safe Transportation of Students with Sensory Challenges,” “Utilizing Educational Ecosystem Partnerships to Model Onboard Behavior for Students,” as well as hands-on training for wheelchair and passenger safety securement. Together, these sessions will provide attendees with a holistic and practical approach to improving best practices in the transportation of students with special needs and disabilities.
The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes dozens of educational sessions, hands-on training, networking events, product demonstrations and keynotes all focused on transportation of students with special needs.
The “Mental Health First Aid Supports for Transportation” session will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8 and presented by licensed school counselor Kemberly Edwards. She plans to detail the best practices that can put student transportation staff in a better and healthier mental space, which in turn can expand their bandwidth to support and de-escalate students as they work through behavioral and emotional challenges. Edwards plans to go beyond generic self-care techniques and provide concrete strategies to benefit transportation staff as they navigate the day-to-day challenges of their work and help forge strong connections with their students.
Edwards, former director of counseling at Mesquite Independent School District in Texas and and manager of the district’s CARE Clinic, has been in the education field for almost 30 years. As a licensed professional counselor, she has a passion for assisting students and educational professionals amid a spike in mental health challenges.
The CARE clinic opened in 2017 to provides free services to Mesquite ISD students, their families and district staff. The clinic held over 12,000 counseling sessions last year. Edwards, who specializes in trauma therapy and has worked closely with her district’s transportation department, described her work as “wraparound services,” covering emotional and social wellness as well as self-regulation. Edwards is currently an educational consultant and has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling.
The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes dozens of educational sessions, hands-on training, networking events, product demonstrations and keynotes all focused on transportation of students with special needs.
On Sat., Nov. 8, Helfrich will present her keynote “Transportation of Special Education Students: Avoiding the Bumps and Legal Hazards.” Attendees will hear from a practicing lawyer in special education law practical strategies to ensure student safety and minimize liability for districts. Helfrich plans to review landmark case law as well as current hot topics to give TSD attendees a roadmap of the legalities of the transportation of students with disabilities.
Helfrich will also conduct an afternoon breakout session, “Don’t Turn a Blind Eye” later that afternoon on the importance and intricacies of video footage review to identify issues on the school bus to avoid repeat cases and resulting lawsuits.
Helfrich practices special education law in Kansas and Missouri before the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to running her own practice, she also provides counsel to school districts on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA). She has successfully represented school districts against a variety of claims in state and federal courts and presented at the LRP Media Group’s 38th and 39th Annual National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individuals with Disabilities. She has also spoken at National Business Institute, the National School Board Association Council of School Attorneys, and the International Society for Technology in Education Conference.
Save $100 on main conference registration with the Early Bird Discount, available through Oct. 3. The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes four keynotes and dozens of educational sessions all focused on transportation of students with special needs.
“American Sign Language for Student Transporters” will be the closing general session at the TSD Conference. The three-hour class is taught by ASL instructors from the Texas School for the Deaf, an educational organization based in Austin that supports students from birth to age 22 with the creation of a language-rich environment, to ensure their educational success by working with the students themselves as well as caretakers, educators and families.
Founded in 1856, it is the oldest continuously operating public school in the state. The school has over 10,000 students and alumni and looks to continue fostering achievements, education and growth for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
The Nov. 11 seminar will shed light on common misconceptions about deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Instructors will also share challenges related to accessible transportation and strategies for districts to integrate ASL training for transportation staff as part of the overall special education program. Attendees will learn and practice ASL phrases that will aid them in creating a safe and inclusive environment for the students on their school bus.
Save $100 on main conference registration with the Early Bird Discount, available through Oct. 3. The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes dozens of educational sessions, hands-on training, networking events, product demonstrations and keynotes all focused on transportation of students with special needs.
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