Learn more about STN’s Innovator of Year in the new July issue and get excited for STN EXPO West this month. Additionally, Washington D.C. experiments with speed limiters.
Christopher Faust, transportation director for Sangamon Valley CUSD #9 in Illinois and a 2024 STN Rising Star, discusses leading a new district, surviving tornadoes and a windstorm that blew away part of a facility, facilitating technology and teamwork improvements, and anticipation for STN EXPO West.
A Flock camera on the Lac Courte Orielles Reservation in Saywer County. | Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner
The Lac du Flambeau (LDF) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribal Police Office in Vilas County has a resource most rural law enforcement wouldn’t imagine: a surveillance room with approximately two dozen screens that are monitored by a full-time staff of four and two part-time workers.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
Feeding images to those monitors are 160-plus cameras overlooking the central village area, less than one square mile of the reservation, including tribal administrative and commercial businesses.
There’s a good chance there isn’t another northern Wisconsin public space with such a high concentration of cameras or a staff to monitor the live images that are also recorded and stored for a minimum of 30 days.
A post on the tribe’s Facebook page by Clinton D. Isham, first revealed the extent of the tribe’s surveillance capabilities to the Wisconsin Examiner.
“Bro, all those cameras that the Tribal police put up better pay off. Police want to do surveillance on Indians to lock us up, but can’t use them to protect us,” Isham wrote.
Isham’s comment was directed at why those 160-plus cameras at LDF didn’t record any image of Melissa Beson, 37, a tribal member who was last seen on the reservation on March 17 – the site where Beson was last seen was just outside the area of the cameras.
LDF Tribal Police Chief T.J. Bill said there’s another tribe in the Midwest interested in replicating what LDF has created as a way to improve safety for tribal members.
The significant investment at LDF in surveillance prompted the question of whether other Wisconsin tribes have also secured surveillance systems to address safety concerns and whether they are considering acquiring additional surveillance technology.
The Examiner reached out to most of the other 11 federally recognized Wisconsin tribes about their surveillance, and along with LDF, three others responded: Oneida, Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO), and St. Croix.
Police chiefs of the four tribes said it appears that there is a high interest in using surveillance technology among the tribes, particularly a technology called Flock.
Overall, the police chiefs said tribal members are supportive of using surveillance technology, including a reported survey by one tribe that tallied over 80% support by its members.
While law enforcement officials said the use of surveillance technology and implementation of the Flock system was broadly popular among tribal members, the expansion of surveillance capabilities has drawn controversy elsewhere in Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department have recently been at the center of a debate about the use of surveillance cameras and Flock.
“It is critical that our community has a say in if and how invasive surveillance technologies are used, how they are deployed against residents, if and how their data is stored and shared with third parties, and whether spending our limited tax dollars on surveillance technologies is the best way to promote public safety,” the ACLU of Wisconsin wrote in a May letter to the Milwaukee Common Council.
Lac du Flambeau
Bill, the LDF tribal police chief, who began working with the tribe in 2013, stated that the surveillance system was already in place when he joined the department. He said that employees of the tribe’s IT department did the wiring and placement of the cameras, mostly between 2010 and 2011.
“It was directed by the tribal government, the tribal council, who wanted it for the protection of the people, for the safety of the public,” said Bill.
Bill said he didn’t know the motivation behind the creation of the surveillance system but noted that the LDF police department has been at the forefront of using technology and was one of the first law enforcement agencies in the area that had officers wearing body cameras.
“We don’t have 24/7 coverage,” he said of the cameras being monitored by staff, “but we strategically place them (staff) during the busy times, so it all depends on what’s going on, what our crime statistics tell us.”
Besides the 160 cameras, the tribe’s casino has its own internal surveillance system, which the casino monitors, a typical feature for casinos. The nearby LDF K-12 school also has its own surveillance system, which the police department can access and monitor.
With all the cameras in the LDF police department’s inventory, Beson wasn’t recorded because she was last seen in an area where there are no cameras. Bill said there have been efforts to put up remote cameras to monitor using cellular coverage, but cellular coverage is poor in the reservation and the county.
“We can’t rely on cellular-based equipment, especially during the summertime when our population goes from 4,000 individuals to 50,000 (including tourists and seasonal residents) because everyone is on their cell phones,” he said. “The cell service is horrible here in the Northwoods, so we have to rely on something else because we tried cameras in remote locations outside of the community where we can’t hook up electricity or fiber, and it doesn’t work.”
The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) helped LDF set up a surveillance camera on Highway 70 near a former hotel that was being used for drug sales and possible human trafficking, but because that camera used a cellular connection, it wasn’t reliable.
Bill said the tribe has used recorded surveillance video to prosecute several offenses, including a string of burglaries.
“We went through the surveillance cameras and we found a couple of different vehicles, and we located one vehicle of interest and were able to track that vehicle through town, even though it was nighttime, and we were able to make an arrest for the burglaries,” he said.
They’ve also made several drug arrests using surveillance images.
“We’re able to watch individuals who make transactions,” he said. “The cameras are so good that we’re able to see into the cars where they’re doing the deals and catch them. We see the money exchanged in the car and a package delivered to the other person.”
A live feed from the convenience store showed a man lifting his wallet out of his pants and a small baggie with a white substance falling out, which alerted one of the monitors.
“He walked out of there and didn’t realize he had dropped it,” said Bill. “We went over there and we picked it up and it was a bag of cocaine.” Later, the man was charged with possession.
The big question is, do all the cameras make people safer, and do they deter crime?
Bill said the serious drug dealers know about the cameras and stay out of that area, but there are still some who forget about the cameras or think they hide their actions, but that’s pretty difficult when there are 160-plus cameras in such a concentrated area.
“For the most part, in my opinion, it is a deterrent,” he said. “To those we have arrested and interviewed, they’ll say they are doing the crimes, the transactions, outside the area of the cameras because they are everywhere, so it is a deterrent for them not to do their activity directly in the community, so they take their criminal activity outside that area.”
Having recorded digital evidence, said Bill, helps prosecute offenses.
“You go to court and you provide the evidence, that’s a huge part, not only to help with the investigation but also to protect the officer from allegations.”
Bill said there is support for expanding the surveillance system. This summer, the tribe is looking at using recently laid fiber optic lines to expand the system, allowing cameras to provide coverage of the more rural areas of the reservation such as where Beson was last seen.
Bill said there haven’t been complaints from tribal members over a lack of privacy or a “Big Brother” complaint about being observed by authorities when they are in the village area of the reservation.
“You get a complaint here and there, but it’s very few,” he said. “We don’t get the Big Brother concern. Overall, the community is in support of it.”
Oneida Nation
Eric Boulanger is the chief of police for the Oneida Nation in Northeast Wisconsin near Green Bay.
According to Boulanger, Oneida has a Security Department that is part of the tribe’s gaming commission that monitors cameras in parking lots outside the casino and several different businesses and buildings, and the school has a security department that monitors cameras within the school that the police also have the ability to access.
Over two years ago, Oneida also invested in four Flock cameras for use by the police department, which uses cameras and computers to record and track license plates. With Flock, Oneida has also integrated with the larger Flock system, which allows for searching and tracking vehicles in other communities.
Boulanger said what drove the investment in Flock is the positive reports from other local law enforcement.
“It’s a great law enforcement tool in general, not just for Oneida but any community that uses them,” said Boulanger. “It’s a fairly advanced system, and you’re able to search for vehicles and plates and that sort of thing. It lets you know if what you’re looking for is in your area.”
He added, “If you have an incident and you have any sort of vehicle description or if you have a suspect and you know their vehicle information, you can enter that into the system and then it’ll give you feedback on whether or not that vehicle was in your area.”
He added, “If you’re looking for a white Ford Bronco, you can put those parameters in there, and then they’ll show you pictures of those vehicles in a particular area.”
He was asked if the four Flock cameras are sufficient to cover the reservation.
“In the future, we may expand it,” he said. “Everything comes with a cost. They’re not real affordable, but you know where we have them placed, and with the other agencies in the area and the ability to use theirs, there’s pretty good coverage right now of our main thoroughfares, and highly trafficked areas.”
Asked if the surveillance cameras and Flock cameras help deter crime at Oneida, he said, “Well, you would think they would, but there are still plenty of people doing stuff they shouldn’t be doing.”
“The cameras aren’t hidden, so it’s quite obvious and it’s posted, the areas under surveillance, “but people still do what they’re going to do. So, I mean, I would imagine it would deter some people, but obviously, it doesn’t deter everybody.”
He noted that recorded footage is very useful in the prosecution of a crime.
“Jurors and judges and prosecutors and defense attorneys like to have video,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to dispute a claim on either side if there is video.”
Boulanger hasn’t heard objections to the surveillance cameras or Flock.
“I haven’t heard any specific comments, nobody has directly addressed concerns with me about it, but I feel our community is pretty public safety cautious, so I think they’re probably more on the side of in favor of it than anybody would be against,” he said.
Lac Courte Oreilles
The Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian Tribal Chief Susie Taylor said the tribal police doesn’t have a surveillance system of cameras operated by the police department or a special security department. Still, police have used footage from the casino for investigations, and the K-12 school does have its own surveillance system of cameras.
She notes that former chief of police Tim DeBrot was instrumental in securing Flock cameras for the tribe, which were placed earlier this year.
Taylor said the Flock cameras record and track information about vehicles, but they will not be used for speeding violations. She said the primary use is in the investigation of crimes.
In March, Taylor put out a press release about the Flock cameras that was printed in the Lac Courte Oreilles News:
“Flock cameras are designed to enhance public safety by capturing objective evidence, including license plate information, to help law enforcement prevent and solve crimes. These cameras do not use facial recognition and are not intended for traffic enforcement. Instead, they serve as a valuable investigative tool to identify stolen vehicles, locate missing children and adults, and deter criminal activity.”
In the press release, Taylor noted that the data from the cameras is stored and then deleted after a certain number of days if it is not being used in an investigation, and access to the information is limited to “authorized personnel” and not used for “surveillance or tracking individuals without cause.”
She also noted to the Wisconsin Examiner that the Flock cameras, by tying into the larger network of cameras, allow for the sharing of information across jurisdictional boundaries.
“Many other law enforcement agencies across the country have implemented Flock cameras due to their effectiveness in reducing crime and enhancing community safety,” she said.
She noted there are Flock cameras off the region’s major highway, Highway 53, located in Washburn County, that would be very effective in helping track a vehicle that had been on the reservation in Sawyer County.
Joe Morey, public relations director for LCO, said a survey of tribal members had been conducted regarding the use of surveillance technology, and over 80% of respondents were in support.
St. Croix
Of the four tribes, the St. Croix Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians has the least investment and deployment of surveillance equipment.
According to police chief Donnie Holmes, in 2014-15, the St. Croix Tribal Police Department began using body cameras.
Holmes said his office will place stand-alone cameras to address individual complaints or for investigations. As an example, he mentioned that there were complaints at the Sand Lake basketball court and parking area, where robberies had occurred, so cameras were installed on the assumption that the criminals might return.
Individual tribal businesses have their own security system for recording video that could be used for an investigation or prosecution.
“Super expensive,” Holmes said of the cost of implementing a surveillance system for St. Croix similar to LDF’s or even Oneida’s. He said for St. Croix it would be even more of a challenge in that the reservation is located in pockets of land over four different counties: Burnett, Barron, Douglas and Polk.
However, St. Croix is exploring the acquisition of Flock cameras. The biggest factor against proceeding is the cost.
Holmes appreciates the capability of Flock cameras, especially for integrating with other Flock cameras to track a suspect’s vehicle. If a vehicle can be identified, Holmes believes Flock cameras would be helpful locating a missing person.
“The nice thing about Flock is they can alert to car movements with other cameras tied to the system,” he said.
Holmes was asked if tribal members would have any objections to having a more advanced surveillance system, and he noted that there is some interest in investing in technology, but he also wonders if there would be objections over privacy rights if a surveillance system became too expansive.
Flock
Holly Beilin, director of communication for Flock, said in Wisconsin three tribes are using Flock cameras and in the United States 24 tribes have it, but because of confidentiality, she cannot identify which tribes have it.
Boulanger, the Oneida Nation chief, was asked why he thinks tribes are showing an interest in Flock cameras.
“With technology it’s a useful investigative tool,” he said, “And if you know any tribal agencies or tribal nations that have independent police departments and can fiscally handle the cost, it is probably going to look towards some sort of Flock or surveillance system just because that’s the trend right now in law enforcement, using technology.”
Beilin objected when told that at least two of the police chiefs said the Flock system is pricey.
“We typically hear it is much more cost-effective than other solutions,” she responded.
One of the big issues across Indian Country is missing and murdered indigenous women and relatives. The Flock cameras can be especially helpful for missing persons because they are automatically tied to Amber Alerts for children and Silver Alerts for seniors.
Beilin said Flock is working on incorporating the new federal alert for Native Americans, called Missing and Endangered Persons (MEP), which will be implemented later in 2025 and will be known as Turquoise Alerts.
“If a vehicle is associated with an Amber Alert, the license plate passes a camera in real time and will alert local law enforcement, so that law enforcement know, like, OK, that vehicle just passed this camera and is going in this direction, so it’ll be, you know, at this location, in five minutes,’” she said, “and they can actually go, hopefully, and apprehend that person.”
However, she noted that those who use the Flock system don’t have to tie into the larger network of Flock cameras and instead can just use them locally. She also noted the local user is responsible for how long information is stored.
“No customer has to share,” she said. “So if a tribe wanted to share with local law enforcement nearby, they could, and if they wanted to just have their own police get those alerts and use it for investigations. That would also be fine,”
She was asked what is Flock’s appeal for tribes.
“It actually works,” she said. “It solves crime, and it helps find missing persons. I mean, we just really see that as soon as the cameras are installed, it starts to actually help these agencies or these tribes. You know, the vast majority of crime has some kind of a vehicle involved, right? Which makes sense. We all literally drive daily, and as do folks who commit crime.”
As for whether the Flock system infringes upon privacy rights,“We don’t own the data, the agencies or the tribes do, so they can choose what to do with it,” she said. “We can never sell it or share it without their permission. They can set or legislate their own retention period, so maybe they only want to keep the data for. Our default (to erase data collected) is 30 days, but it could be even less.”
Cameras in the Southwest
Sergio DeSoto is a consultant from Arizona who works with tribes in the Southwestern areas of the United States on surveillance systems. He said that most tribes he has worked with invest in camera security after an incident has raised safety concerns.
“We hear, ‘we want to make sure our people are safe,’” he said.
DeSoto said surveillance cameras are typically requested for housing, administration, courts, and border security, and most tribes have staff who live-monitor cameras.
The safety concern can be over external issues like sex trafficking on the reservation, or internal issues of domestic disputes or alcohol or drug-related issues.
He said the No. 1 motivation for the tribal nation he deals with is personal safety.
“They’re not interested in the assets; they’re more interested in the people,” he said.
Typically, he said, there is an issue or an incident that drives a discussion about how to raise safety at a particular location, such as a homicide in tribal housing. Once the surveillance system has been in place for a while, the tribe often requests help focusing on other areas on the reservation.
DeSota said the tribal councils are also learning the importance of educating tribal members before implementing a new surveillance system.
“With the elder center in Quechan (Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe in Yuma, Arizona), the tribal council did a super good job communicating with them that we want to make sure everybody’s safe,” he said.
Regarding the question of whether surveillance cameras help deter crime and increase safety, DeSota said he doesn’t have any data to support that contention. However, he noted that when tribes consistently seek to expand their systems, it would indicate that they are receiving positive feedback.
As schools, parents and students prep for the school year, so do school district and contractor bus fleets. Operational planning, vehicle maintenance, fleet technology implementation and driver training set the tone for the rest of the year. Clean out the cobwebs. Shake off the dust. And make sure your fleet is ready to roll.
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Gaurav Sharda attends the ACT Expo in April. He is putting people at the heart of technology decisions for Beacon Mobility companies. Cover design by Kimber Horne. Photo by Vincent Rios Design.
Meet the 2025 Innovator of the Year, Gaurav Sharda! As the chief technology officer of Beacon Mobility, Sharda is approaching innovation with a people-focused and technology based mindset to create positive outcomes for the industry. Read more about Sharda’s story as well as contracting focused features on the future of AI, safety in alternative transportation, NCST resolutions, and guidance for non-yellow school bus transportation.
‘Here to Serve’ People With Technology
Gaurav Sharda of Beacon Mobility, STN’s Innovator of the Year, focuses on developing AI-based and people-principled technology designed to make easier the jobs of transportation end-users.
Features
Ensuring Student Safety, No Matter the Vehicle
Alternative transportation vehicles are ingrained in student transportation operations, as the recent National Congress on School Transportation proved. Several service providers weigh in on how they are meeting recommended safety measures.
Leadership Perspectives on the Future of AI
Executives with the leading school bus contractors in North America discuss their thoughts on artificial intelligence and the impact on their operations as well as the students, parents and school districts they serve.
Special Reports
Does Safety Save Money?
With insurance costs skyrocketing, technology like video cameras and telematics combined with driver training are tools to help student transporters mitigate their liability.
Q&A: Historic Endeavor
Tyler Bryan, the National Congress on School Transportation alternative transportation committee chair, discusses the importance of the newest addition to national specifications and procedures and breaks down the process for creating the proposals from scratch.
The long-awaited verdict from the U.S. Supreme Court is in regarding a 5th Circuit decision that the Universal Service Fund (USF) was unconstitutional.
Friday’s 6-3 ruling in favor of an FCC appeal of the lower court’s ruling for now safeguards school bus Wi-Fi eligibility under E-Rate. The program provides discounts of 20 to 90 percent on the costs of internet connectivity, as well as equipment installation based on a school district’s poverty level and rural location.
The 5th Circuit had ruled that the $9 billion per year USF, the accounting and funding mechanism for E-Rate based on fee collection and the Universal Service Administration Company represented taxation not approved by Congress. The Court disagreed.
As reported by Broadband Breakfast, Justice Elana Kagan wrote that the 1996 amendment of the Communications Act, “provided the Commission with clear guidance on how to promote universal service using carrier contributions. Our precedents do not require more.”
But school bus Wi-Fi proponents aren’t out of the woods yet. Sen. Ted Cruz has led the charge in Congress questioning the constitutionality of expanding E-Rate beyond the original intent of funding internet in classrooms and libraries, arguing that Wi-Fi on school buses could lead to unsupervised access to inappropriate content like TikTok. But school bus Wi-Fi providers and users counter that robust content filters in unison with school district networks block inappropriate student internet searches.
“Today’s ruling marks a victory—but not the end of the work. EdLiNC urges Congress, the FCC, and policymakers at all levels to continue protecting and modernizing the E-Rate program and the broader USF,” EdLiNC stated. “Ensuring sustained, affordable broadband access for schools and libraries is not just a policy imperative—it is a moral one. E-Rate remains one of the federal government’s most effective tools for promoting educational opportunity. We look forward to working with federal leaders to uphold and expand this critical program for the benefit of every learner, in every zip code.”
The Universal Service Program was created by Congress in 1996 with the passage of the Telecommunications Act and is administered by the FCC. It has since served to provide funds to libraries and schools to have basic internet connections.
Over the years, the FCC has updated E-Rate to fund not only connected libraries and schools but also to cover services like installing Wi-Fi hotspots throughout school buildings. However, school buses, despite their frequent mention as extensions of the classroom had never been included under the same umbrella, and school transportation has remained left out of the funding pool, until former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcels’ Learning Without Limits initiative passed in 2023.
The Milwaukee County Courthouse (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, calling on the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) to work with the community to create a regulatory framework for the use of facial recognition technology. MCSO is currently exploring an agreement with Biometrica, a data company that provides facial recognition technology to local police departments.
“Facial recognition technology has been proven to disproportionately affect communities of color and young women,” said Sup. Juan Miguel Martinez. “The more facial recognition technology, the more people are able to criminalize people executing their First Amendment rights. I feel this is an issue not left or right.” Miguel Martinez also expressed concerns about the use of facial recognition technology to aid immigration enforcement or to surveil protests.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
Privacy concerns have been heightened during the Trump administration’s surge in immigration enforcement and crackdowns on dissent. In Milwaukee, several people were arrested by federal agents after attending regular hearings at the county courthouse. In April, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and accused of obstructing federal agents after she directed a man sought by immigration officers out a side door in her courtroom that led into a public hallway.
MCSO leaders said they aim to use the technology to identify people after violent crime incidents.
Nevertheless, members of the public and some elected officials raised concerns about the technology. The resolution contains language stating that facial recognition technology can be inaccurate and could negatively affect certain groups including people of color, LGBTQ people, activists, immigrants and people seeking reproductive health care.
The resolution states that the county board supports pausing any future acquisition of facial recognition until regulatory policies can be developed. It also calls on the county’s Information Management Services Division, Corporation Council and MCSO to collaborate with “relevant stakeholders” including privacy and free speech advocates, in developing that policy framework. Out of this collaborative effort will eventually emerge recommendations to the county board as to whether facial recognition technology:
Should be prohibited or strictly limited without the informed knowledge and consent of the individual being scanned, except under narrowly defined circumstances, such as during active criminal investigations,
Whether the types of data collected by the technology should be defined and limited, as well as strict retention periods for data,
Prohibit facial recognition data from being shared with third parties, unless authorized through a rigorous, transparent approval process which itself would be subject to oversight,
And whether departments using facial recognition should be required to submit annual reports detailing its use, including metrics of deployment, effectiveness, and analysis on the impact on communities of color, immigrants and other vulnerable groups.
The resolution passed by the county board calls for a final recommendation to be established no later than May 2026. By December 2025 the county board expects a status update, according to the resolution.
The essential dispatch and payroll solution designed to improve on-time performance and slash hours of tedious payroll processes, Bytecurve can help its users drive significant payroll savings by linking pay to tasks and routes – not simply hours assigned.
Learn how Russellville, Arkansas School District Transportation Department saved $15,000 per month in payroll by implementing Bytecurve.
Russellville Transportation Director Chris King will share his experience onboarding a new GPS solution that powered the Bytecurve solution – and drove ~$150,000 in annual payroll savings.
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Presenters:
Christopher King
Transportation Director
Russellville School District
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Payroll Specialist
Russellville School District
Legislative and geopolitical updates that will affect school bus Wi-Fi, clean fuel decisions, bus manufacturing and more.
Kerry Somerville, CEO of Transportation Planning Solutions, shares tips on routing technology, AI and data security. Join him for a deep dive in his “School Bus Routing 101” session at STN EXPO West on July 11, 2025.
AUBREY, Texas – Durham School Services and the Aubrey Independent School District have extended their partnership for another five years through 2030. This extension signals the school district’s strong, continued trust and confidence in Durham’s transportation services.
Durham began providing transportation services to the school district over twenty years ago and currently runs 37 routes for the school. Over the last 20+ years, the team has fully integrated itself and became part of the community by participating in and supporting various community outreach events as part of its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program. These community outreach efforts include donating to the Aubrey Education Foundation, participating in community parades, and more.
“Aubrey ISD is excited about the expanded partnership with Durham School Services, which brings significant enhancements to student transportation through innovative tracking technology and improved scheduling,” said Eric Hough, Assistant Superintendent, Aubrey Independent School District. “The district is particularly pleased with the new three-tier system, which reduces student wait times, and the addition of RFID tracking that keeps parents informed about their children’s bus activities. With these comprehensive improvements—including enhanced field trip coordination and new activity buses—the district looks forward to providing the smoothest school start possible while continuing to elevate transportation services throughout the contract period.”
“Being able to serve Aubrey ISD the last 20+ years has been honor and we are looking forward to the next five years,” said Regional Manager Brian Gibson, Durham School Services. “The Aubrey team is an exceptional team that always strives to exceed expectations and improve their service to their students and the community. The school district also has the same sentiments and as a result of that, has continued to put their trust and the safety of their students in our hands for over two decades and counting. We truly cherish and are grateful for their unfaltering support and confidence in our team and will continue to provide the safe, reliable service they have trusted and expect.”
About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.
As 9-year-old Luke sat idly on the school bus to his after-school activity, anger swelled in a seat not far away. The animosity soon boiled over, initiating a loud and intense struggle between Luke and an older student.
Hearing the altercation, the driver immediately tapped her event marker, triggering automated actions from her contractor’s fleet management software. These actions would ultimately help the bus contractor resolve Luke’s event within minutes.
What actions were triggered? How did they facilitate a speedy resolution?
For answers, let’s look at ARMOR Software Suite, the contractor’s wireless, cloud-based fleet management tool, and the integrated REI surveillance system.* While the suite offers many automated features, the two triggered by the event marker involved event alerts and video downloading.
Automated Event Alerts
Seconds after the event marker’s activation, ARMOR auto-generated an alert and sent it to the contractor’s cellphone. Anxious about the alert, the contractor accessed ARMOR’s live look-in feature to assess the situation.*
The real-time, high-definition view from the onboard camera system revealed the irate older student standing over a much smaller Luke. While the incident appeared to have ended, Luke still cowered as if injured. The contractor immediately called the driver’s two-way radio to notify her about Luke’s condition, then returned to ARMOR to watch video of the entire incident.
Automated Video Downloads
Because ARMOR was configured to auto-download all event videos from vehicle DVRs, the contractor didn’t have to wait long to view it. What’s more, the video included padding and showed all actions before and after the altercation.
Within minutes of its occurrence, the contractor obtained full event details. A misunderstanding between Luke and the older student resulted in repeated punches to Luke’s head, leaving him dazed and sore. Because of ARMOR’s automation and its ability to produce video quickly, the suite saved the contractor hours of research. More importantly, it showed the hits sustained by Luke, prompting an urgent concussion assessment.
Think how these automated tools would benefit your operation. Would your team like to forget about hard drive retrieval? Be more proactive in minimizing bullying?
How would they react to even more automated features, such as:
Diagnostic warnings/updates about engines and REI surveillance systems*
Daily activity reports about vehicles
Status notifications about vehicle features/operations
Stop-arm violation alerts*
Discover how ARMOR’s automated capabilities can enhance fleet safety, increase efficiency and reduce stress on your team. Visit radioeng.com to learn more, watch a demo or contact us.
*Requires additional hardware and/or specific cellular service plans. Ask for details.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The Senate confirmed Olivia Trusty to fill out the remaining 13 days of former Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s term and join the board for a full five-year term starting July 1.
Rosenworcel resigned from the board and as FCC’s first female chair in January. She served on the board from 2012 to 2017 when she was re-confirmed for another term and then was named chairwoman.
A Democrat, Rosenworcel was a leading proponent of school bus Wi-Fi and advocated for its inclusion in E-Rate funding. Her two fellow Democrats on the board at the time cast the deciding votes in 2023 over the objection of their two Republican counterparts to extend E-Rate discounts on internet equipment, installation and service to school bus Wi-Fi.
While Wi-Fi continues to be an approved use, a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on the applicability of the Universal Service Fund could determine its future. Congressional Republicans have also signaled their intent to introduce legislation that would revisit the issue.
Meanwhile, Trusty was nominated by President Trump in January, and the Senate confirmed her by a vote of 53-45 on May 18. Trusty’s five-year term begins July 1.
Trusty joins FCC after serving as policy director for the Senate commerce, science and transportation committee. She is also a telecommunications policy analyst.
Prior to Trusty’s confirmation, the FCC was down to two commissioners. Republican Chair Brendan Carr, an FCC commissioner since 2017 and prior to that FCC’s general counsel, was confirmed as chairman in January. Carr was joined by Democrat Anna Gomez, who joined the FCC in September 2023.
Democrat Geoffrey Starks announced in January he was also resigning. His last day was June 6, the same day Republican Nathan Simington abruptly resigned. Trusty shifts the FCC to a 2-1 Republican majority.
Rosenworcel also officially retired in January, around the same time Trump tapped Trusty to replace her.
Fuel cost and fuel economy are always on the mind of school bus operations managers. With all the excellent business practices and school bus options promoting fuel efficiency, why don’t we take a moment to consider the idea of a fuel purchasing strategy to manage the volatility of fuel price and delivery during the school year.
Fix the price on a portion of your budgeted fuel purchase for the school year on a large portion of fuel and lock in on guaranteed delivery volumes to reduce the risk of a volatile fuel market. This practice is called a fixed forward fuel contract, the focus of this article.
Background
When I was vice president of purchasing for a large school bus operator, we used the fixed forward fuel contract process to lock in a portion of our fiscal year fuel supply. With the help of a supplier partner, we timed the optimum opportunity and entered into a contract to lock in fuel prices, and deliver a percentage of our total fuel usage for the upcoming school year. In doing so, we also left room in our annual fuel budget to withstand any potential downward trend in market price volatility.
Because of our fleet size and geographic footprint, it was not practical to enter a 100-percent supply purchase contract. We fixed only 50 percent of our fuel needs. During our first year of the fixed contract, we did experience unexpected volatility in market pricing. Because we had locked in pricing and delivery guarantees on a significant volume of our fuel and budgeted that fixed cost, an unexpected fuel price increase on the non-contract fuel was offset by the lower contract rate.
Our operating budget was achieved for the fiscal year. What did we learn? A typical fuel fixed price contract determines a set price per gallon delivered for a specified amount of time agreed upon by both parties. Fuel prices may fluctuate during that time, but the quantity and price you pay per gallon stays the same, due to the fuel contract in place. This guarantees supply and contributes to managing a budget and saving on overall fuel expenses.
By embracing this type of fuel purchasing practice and leveraging OEM technology solutions, school bus operators can enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs and achieve their sustainability objectives in a changing energy landscape.
Components of a Fixed Fuel Price Contract
Whether you are purchasing diesel fuel, gasoline, propane, or another refined product, a fuel contract involves both a buyer and a seller. You, as the buyer, determine the average amount of fuel you need when and where. The seller guarantees timely delivery. When you enter into a fuel contract, understand your fuel needs. Daily, weekly and monthly consumption is key to avoiding overpromising or exceeding expected usage. It is never a good idea to contract 100 percent of your expected volume.
Confidence in your supplier is also a key aspect of entering into a fuel contract. Your supplier will help you to understand all the price components. The seller will provide you with a quote that should be based on the delivered price per gallon.
The price per gallon can vary by location depending on the type of fuel you need and market delivery conditions, such as crude oil pipeline cost to refineries, cost to ship to distribution storage tanks and delivery tanker cost from fuel storage terminals to your location.
Benefit No. 1: Decrease Volatility of Fuel Costs, Delivery
When you enter a fuel contract with a seller, you can spend less time worrying about fluctuating fuel market prices and availability.
A fuel contract can help ensure you always get fuel even when supplies are running low. When refineries or pipelines go down, it can cause scarcity and sky-high prices for the smallest of quantities. A fuel contract helps you lock in at a certain fuel price or price range, particularly when fuel market fluctuations may lead to higher prices for others.
Benefit No. 2: Better Forecasting
When you commit to a fuel price contract with a fuel seller, you can expect to avoid any unforeseen costs in- crease and can help protect your operating cost metric.
A fuel contract might take more work and expenses on the front end, but it can help you save significantly on future fuel prices in a market that is constantly changing.
Conclusion
School districts and bus companies that consume large volumes of fuel and do not investigate the variety of fuel contracts for a percentage of their fuel costs generally believe one of the following:
1. The district or company can pass on any and all increases in fuel prices to their taxpayers/customers, without a negative impact on their operating cost performance metric.
2. A downside of using fixed supply and price forward contracts is missing favorable fuel market cost reduction movements. One of the main risks of using a forward contract is the potential to miss out on favorable cost reductions. Once you lock in a rate, you must trade at that rate, despite any favorable market changes.
3. The district/company is confident that fuel prices are going to fall, and it is comfortable paying a higher price for fuel. In fact, that type of analysis proves all too often to be incorrect.
Use this article for an interesting and potentially worth while discussion with your fuel suppliers. Ask them for an opportunity to learn more details and explore the options they may have for supplier price and delivery contracts that best suit your school year fuel needs.
Be cautious. If the fuel supply market is highly volatile, a fixed forward contract can provide stability. However, in a stable or strengthening market, you might benefit more from spot transactions or more flexible options available from your fuel supplier.
Your fuel distributors wholesale supplier, oil companies and others all have sales departments dedicated to these methods of selling fuel.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the May 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
Robert Pudlewski is STN’s technical editor and a member of the National School Transportation Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his 40-plus-year career as a school bus maintenance, technology and procurement expert.
Genetic changes can occur naturally through evolution or can be initiated with the help of genetic engineering. The bacterium Thermoanaerobacter kivui (T. kivui) was manipulated by a research team led by Stefan Pflügl from the Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering at TU Wien in such a way that it can metabolize carbon monoxide.
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. and HOOVER, Ala. – After a nine-month search, Transfinder Corporation is pleased to announce Hoover City Schools in Alabama has selected Transfinder’s award-winning routing solution Routefinder PLUS to create the safest and most efficient routes for its students.
Located in the Birmingham, Ala. Metropolitan area, Hoover City Schools has about 13,567 students attending 18 schools.
In addition to PLUS, Hoover City purchased additional Transfinder solutions, such as: driver app Wayfinder, field trip planner Tripfinder, Infofinder i for student ridership information and Viewfinder, which gives users a bird’s eye view of the district’s transportation operation.
“As a school system, we took nine months to evaluate several different options in school transportation,” said Dr. Brad Hayn, Hoover City’s director of transportation. “We supplied each company we met with a list of needs and wants when it came to a transportation partner for Hoover City Schools. Transfinder checked every box for us and we are excited about what future holds as we move forward as a partner with Transfinder.”
Dr. Haydn said the Transfinder and Hoover City teams have quickly built a relationship.
“Every step of the way it has been about more than just being a customer,” he said “Every person we have met and worked with from Transfinder has treated us as family and they truly care about the success of Hoover City Schools.
Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella welcomed Hoover City Schools to the Transfinder family.
“We are so happy to have Hoover City as a client.” Civitella said. “Large and small districts alike benefit from having this powerful tool that that has Artificial Intelligence Optimization embedded in it. Because it is highly customizable, districts like Hoover City can tailor their experience to their individual needs.”
About Transfinder:
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a global leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to municipalities, school districts and adult care facilities. Transfinder, has been on Inc. magazine “fastest-growing company” list for 12 years. The software and hardware company has received numerous awards, including Best Software, Best Hardware and Best Safety Technology. In addition, Transfinder has repeatedly won Best Place to Work, Top Workplace and Best Companies to Work for accolades. Transfinder develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. Transfinder also launched Patrolfinder policing technology to assist law enforcement. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com
Three Wisconsin lawmakers are among hundreds from around the country who signed a letter to Congress opposing a restriction on artificial intelligence regulation.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Zūm, the leader in modern school transportation, today was named to the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list honoring 50 game-changing private companies using breakthrough technology to transform industries. This is the second year in a row (and third year overall) that Zum has been recognized by CNBC.
“Zum is proud to lead this new era of student transportation with increased safety and reliability, and improved grid resilience for families and communities across the country,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We are honored to once again be part of CNBC’s Disruptor 50 alongside other incredible companies that are making an impact through innovation.”
Zum unifies parents, students, school administrators and drivers on a single personalized technology platform, enabling never-before achieved levels of visibility and data-backed accountability. Through the Zum app, parents can track their child’s ride to and from school in real time, see a profile of their child’s bus driver and be notified of their child’s pickup or dropoff status. Zum also allows administrators to optimize routes and provides staff with real-time data and performance reports.
In 2024, Zum launched the nation’s first fully electrified school bus fleet in Oakland, California. The 74-bus Oakland fleet is also equipped with groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, enabling the buses to return energy to the local grid at scale and improve grid resilience during times of peak demand.
Zum currently serves thousands of schools across 14 states, including districts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland; Boston; Seattle; Spokane; Nashville; Omaha; Kansas City, Mo.; Howard County, Md.; and more.
To learn more about how Zum is working with thousands of schools across the nation to modernize student transportation, visit Zum’s website.
About Zūm
Zum is a modern transportation solution transforming school transportation, the largest mass transit system in the U.S. Today, the company provides turnkey modern transportation solutions to school districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Utah, and Virginia, and is expanding rapidly nationwide. Recognized globally for its innovative transportation and energy as a service platform, Zum has been featured among Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, CNBC Disruptor 50, CNBC Changemakers, World Economic Forum and Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies. Learn more about Zum at www.ridezum.com.
CINCINNATI, Ohio- First Student, setting the standard for innovation in school transportation, has completed its biggest school year ever, further advancing student safety and experience through technology, electrification and specialized services. The company is transforming the way school districts, families and school bus drivers experience student transportation.
First Student transported 5.5 million students daily across 44 states and 8 Canadian provinces, covering more than 525 million miles. With a focus on safety, experience, innovation and sustainability, the company is committed to supporting districts and families with a dependable, forward-thinking transportation experience.
First Student launched HALO, the proprietary technology platform that brings together every aspect of school transportation, including routing, navigation, hiring, training, safety, maintenance, and electric vehicle (EV) charging. HALO’s groundbreaking impact has earned First Student a place on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025, reinforcing the company’s leadership in transforming the industry through proven technology and real-world results.
“This school year, we continued to live out our values by setting the highest standards for student transportation,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “With more than one billion student rides completed and the launch of HALO, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to our values of safety, innovation and student service. These principles guide everything we do as we deliver unmatched care and the safest possible ride to school for every student we serve.”
First Student’s alternative transportation solution, First Alt, experienced significant growth. Over the past year, First Alt increased its customer base by 105%, expanded its presence in states by 62%, and grew the number of trips completed by 94%. First Alt provides safe, reliable and flexible transportation for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), those experiencing homelessness, out-of-district students, and hard-to-serve trips. The program utilizes a dedicated network of vetted drivers and small-capacity vehicles to provide districts with greater flexibility, reducing costs, and freeing up resources for higher-capacity routes. First Alt’s success in helping districts manage complex transportation needs earned First Student the Forrester Technology Strategy Impact Award for North America in 2024.
First Student’s First Serves program achieved a 27% reduction in disruptive incidents year-over-year, setting a new benchmark for supporting students with special needs on the school bus. Developed in collaboration with experts in special education and student behavior, First Serves equips drivers and onboard staff with specialized training and real-time monitoring tools, creating a safer, more positive transportation experience for every student. The program’s success was recognized with the T-Mobile Innovation in Customer Experience Award, reinforcing First Student’s leadership in delivering exceptional service and improving the school transportation experience.
First Student also introduced Fleet Management and Maintenance Services through its First Services division as part of its expanding suite of transportation solutions. These offerings provide school districts with flexible, cost-effective options to maintain and modernize transportation fleets. With a network of over 1,250 ASE-certified technicians who maintain more than 45,000 vehicles, First Student ensures optimal fleet performance and safety. Districts can choose to have vehicles serviced at their facilities or one of First Student’s more than 100 ASE Blue Seal Certified shops across North America. Additionally, the Fleet as a Service program offers tailored solutions, including vehicle leasing, procurement and comprehensive fleet management, which allows districts to upgrade fleets without significant capital investment, enabling them to focus more on educational outcomes while ensuring students have safe and reliable transportation.
First Student’s proprietary above-ground EV charging infrastructure solution, First Charge, is transforming how fleet operators electrify vehicles. The modular above-ground EV charging solution is designed to simplify and accelerate the transition to electric fleets by eliminating costly and time-consuming infrastructure challenges. First Charge reduces installation time and cost supports scalable fleet growth and enables organizations to adopt electric vehicles efficiently and affordably without the need for digging, trenching, or permanent construction.
As a result of First Charge, First Student has made significant progress toward its goal of converting 30,000 diesel school buses to electric by 2035. Its fleet of electric school buses surpassed seven million miles driven, reinforcing the company’s dedication to providing safer, healthier, and more sustainable student transportation.
Already delivering tangible results, First Charge has been recognized with some of the industry’s highest honors, including the Edison Award for Scalable Clean Transportation Energy, the American Business Awards Stevie Award for Product Innovation, the Green Product of the Year by the 2024 BIG Awards for Business, and a place on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
About First Student:
As the leading provider of K-12 transportation solutions, First Student ensures the safest and most reliable ride to school each day for 5.5 million students across North America’s communities. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company is on track to complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student delivers a wide range of essential services, including home-to-school transportation, special needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, maintenance and charter services. The company’s focus extends beyond logistics by creating a positive and welcoming environment for students on each of its 45,000 buses. By continuously enhancing the transportation experience for school districts and families, First Student helps ensure every child arrives at school ready to achieve their full potential.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -HopSkipDrive today announced a significant expansion in its ability to meet the transportation needs of all students, enabling schools and school districts to seamlessly and directly book rides for students needing wheelchair-accessible vehicles, Rider Assistants, and car seats. With this development, school districts around the country will be able to solve even more student transportation challenges through HopSkipDrive’s unmatched technology-driven safety approach and operational expertise, and can learn more with a sign-up here.
“All children, especially those with disabilities, deserve a safe, reliable ride in a vehicle that meets their specific needs with adults who are fully prepared to support them,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-Founder of HopSkipDrive. “Rising chronic absenteeism rates make clear that existing school transportation industry options leave behind students with unique needs.”
With more than 5 million rides across 95 million safe miles completed on its platform, HopSkipDrive continues to raise the bar for student transportation. The company supports over 600 school districts by supplementing yellow buses with a network of extensively vetted CareDrivers — local caregivers on wheels — through a care-centered transportation marketplace.
With the launch of these three new transportation offerings this fall, HopSkipDrive will provide schools and school districts with even more resources, all backed by rigorous safety standards and industry-leading Safe Ride TechnologyTM. Transportation teams can use HopSkipDrive’s ride management platform, RideIQ, to easily and simply book, track, and manage all rides in one place, and staff can get full visibility with Daily Queue, which provides a customized view for all HopSkipDrive rides for students at their school location.
Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicles and Rider Assistants
Following a successful pilot earlier this year, HopSkipDrive is expanding the availability of Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle rides and Rider Assistants to all cities in which the company operates. These rides are fulfilled by CarePartners, local professionals who undergo HopSkipDrive’s rigorous and comprehensive certification process, including name- and fingerprint-based background checks, clearing child abuse and neglect screenings where available, and enrolling in continuous criminal monitoring. Like all CareDrivers, they complete HopSkipDrive onboarding and a virtual orientation course. CarePartner drivers for Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle rides also undergo driving record screens, vehicle inspections, and more.
To meet the needs of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and those who thrive most when an additional adult is in the vehicle, HopSkipDrive offers a Rider Assistant for schools to book to join the CareDriver or CarePartner driver on the ride. The Rider Assistant will provide informed and compassionate support for the rider when needed.
HopSkipDrive continues to lead in forward-thinking safety measures by directly managing driver and Rider Assistant vetting, onboarding, and compliance. This unique approach sets HopSkipDrive apart in the student transportation industry, offering schools valuable features such as the Safe Ride Support system and enhanced Must Be Met process to support the development of new rider services all delivered with the company’s signature tracking and notification systems.
Car Seat Program
In select cities, schools and school districts can select HopSkipDrive’s car seat program for students whose height and weight, typically between the ages of four to six, require a car seat. CareDrivers can only opt in to fulfill these rides after completing comprehensive car seat safety education and using only the forward-facing car seat model approved by HopSkipDrive and Safe Kids Worldwide, the leading organization for childhood injury prevention.
HopSkipDrive collaborated with the industry’s leading child safety experts to design and develop the safest possible ride experience. Britney Lombard, who has spent more than a decade as a Safe Kids Worldwide certified Child Passenger Safety Instructor and performed thousands of car seat checks during her tenure, now leads HopSkipDrive’s car seat program. The HopSkipDrive Safety Advisory Council, composed of six leading experts in transportation safety, also played a key role in advising the development of the car seat program to confirm protocols meet the highest standards in the industry.
Compliance is a core principle of the car seat program. Ahead of the implementation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new safety standards, HopSkipDrive proactively selected a car seat model that goes above and beyond these requirements in consultation with the company’s expert advisors.
Safety Leadership, Including In-Ride Recording
HopSkipDrive continues to invest in leading the industry in safety with over 50 products, features, and initiatives woven throughout the ride experience. Over the past year, the company announced nearly a dozen new safety initiatives, including offering in-ride cameras through Safe Ride InSight.
Schools and school districts can request dashcam recording for rides with CareDrivers who have installed SafeRide InSight, which combines visual monitoring with audio recording. HopSkipDrive uses this technology along with advanced telematics to create a solution that’s unmatched in the student transportation industry. First piloted in Arizona and Colorado, the company is continuing to scale this technology to additional markets over the coming months.
About HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, access, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than 5 million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.
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