Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Before yesterdayMain stream

Update: U.S. Department of Transportation Enacts CDL Restrictions on Non-Domiciled Workers

10 October 2025 at 17:57

Some school districts and school bus companies in search of drivers may need to look even harder after a federal rule outlaws the issuing of CDLs to non-U.S. citizens.

Many U.S. states are pausing or suspending the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) in response to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s Sept. 26 announcement of an emergency action to drastically restrict who is eligible for a non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and CDLs.

Editor’s — This article has been updated to include more comments from states that responded to questions the initial publication. STN will provide further updates as more states respond.

According to the announcement, the rule — effective immediately — comes in response to an ongoing nationwide audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and “a recent series of horrific, fatal crashes caused by non-domiciled drivers.”

The rule impacts nearly 200,000 current non-domiciled CDL holders and 20,000 CLP holders. FMCSA estimates about 6,000 drivers will qualify for non-domiciled credentials annually under the new restrictions.

It was unknown at this report how many of those are school bus drivers.

Duffy’s announcement indicates the audit uncovered “a catastrophic pattern of states issuing licenses illegally to foreign drivers, as well as the fact that even if the current regulatory framework is followed, it can fail.

“The confluence of these two factors has created an imminent hazard on America’s roadways that must be fixed,” a press release states.

Moving forward, non-citizens are ineligible for a non-domiciled CDL unless they meet a much stricter set of rules, including obtaining an employment-based visa and undergoing a mandatory federal immigration status check using the SAVE system.

SAVE is an online service for registered federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local government agencies to verify immigration status and naturalized/acquired U.S. citizenship of applicants seeking benefits or licenses.

“What our team has discovered should disturb and anger every American,” said Duffy, noting that CDLs are being issued to “dangerous foreign drivers – oftentimes illegally. This is a direct threat to the safety of every family on the road, and I won’t stand for it,” he continued.

FMCSA’s nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDLs uncovered systemic non-compliance across several states, the announcement noted, adding “the worst and most egregious in California. Due to weak oversight, insufficient training and programming errors, the agency found a large number of non-domiciled CDLs were issued to ineligible drivers and those whose licenses were valid long after their lawful presence in the U.S. expired.”

The audit indicates more than 25 percent of non-domiciled CDLs reviewed in California were improperly issued. U.S. DOT cited one case in which the state issued a driver from Brazil a CDL with endorsements to drive a passenger bus and a school bus that remained valid for months after his legal presence in the country expired.

As a result, Duffy also announced direct enforcement action against California, indicating the state must immediately pause issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, identify all unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with FMCSA regulations, and revoke and reissue all noncompliant non-domiciled CDLs if they comply with the new federal requirements.
Duffy gave California 30 days to come into compliance or FMCSA will withhold federal highway funds, starting at nearly $160 million in the first year and doubling in year two.

Jonathan Groveman, an information officer with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, told School Transportation News the agency is currently reviewing the federal government’s issued guidance within the federal government’s 30-day period.

Duffy indicated FMCSA’s findings are in addition to at least five fatal crashes occurring since January involving non-domiciled CDL holders, prompting what it calls Duffy’s urgent action to “combat the direct threat to national security and the hazard to public safety.”

Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington were also identified as states with licensing patterns not consistent with federal regulations.

The action limits individuals eligible for non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs to foreign individuals in lawful status in the U.S. in certain employment-based, non-immigrant categories, certain individuals domiciled in a U.S. territory, and individuals domiciled in a state that is prohibited from issuing CLPs or CDLs because FMCSA has decertified the state’s CDL program.

It also requires:

• Non-citizen applicants — except for lawful permanent residents — to provide an unexpired foreign passport and an unexpired Form I-94/94A (Arrival/Departure Record) indicating one of the specified employment-based nonimmigrant categories, specifically H2-B, H2-A, and E-2 visas, at every issuance, transfer, renewal, and upgrade action de-fined in the regulation.

• State drivers licensing agencies (SDLA) to query the SAVE system, which is administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of provided documents and information.

• SDLAs retain copies of the application documents for at least two years.

• The expiration date for any non-domiciled CLP or CDL to match the expiration date of the Form I-94/94A or to expire in one year, whichever is sooner.

• The applicant to be present in person at each renewal.

• An SDLA to downgrade the non-domiciled CLP or CDL if the state becomes aware that the holder is no longer eligible to hold a non-domiciled CLP or CDL.

STN reached out to all 50 state agencies that issue CDLs, with several state websites announcing changes.

The Colorado DMV provided a statement to STN that effective Sept. 29 it paused all commercial drivers issuances and renewals of term-limited or non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs.

A spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Driver Services told STN the state is complying with the new federal ruling by only issuing CDLs to permanent residents that have acceptable visas.

In New Mexico, the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) announced it also paused its issuance and renewal of CDLs and CLPs to certain non-domiciled foreign individuals as of Sept. 29 to comply with the emergency interim final rules issued by the FMCSA.

The MVD statement reads that the agency’s pause in CDL and CPL issuance and renewal affects foreign nationals relying on an employment zuthorization card to substantiate their authorization to work in the U.S. and it will continue to issue CDLs and CLPs to foreign nationals who present a foreign passport with an approved I-94 Arrival/Departure record.

“New Mexico law complies with all federal requirements for the issuance of CDLs and CLPs to non-domiciled individuals,” according to the statement. “Currently, 204 CDLs and CLPs have been issued to non-domiciled individuals in New Mexico. 2

Legislation introduced in 2022 on behalf of MVD added requirements for issuances of CDLs and CLPs to foreign nationals who demonstrate lawful status in the U.S. Individuals who seek a new or renewed non-domiciled CDL or CLP based on an employment authorization card will not be able to complete their transaction through MVD or its partner offices at this time.’

Regarding school bus drivers, Megan Gleason, public information officer for the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, noted, “There is a specific endorsement — an S (school bus) endorsement — on commercial driver’s licenses that authorizes drivers to operate a school bus transporting students to and from school or school-sponsored activities.

“When applied to a commercial learner’s permit, the endorsement serves solely for testing purposes, permitting the driver to complete the required skills examination to qualify for the endorsement on their commercial driver’s license,” she said.

Current data on active and total endorsements in New Mexico, indicates there are four active non-domicile CDLs, a total of eight non-domicile CDLs since 2022, one active non-domicile CLPs, and a total of nine CLPs since 2022.

Gleason said the same requirement for a foreign passport with an I-94 for an H2/H2A/E2 visa remains for those drivers at the time of renewal.


Related: U.S. DOT Proposes Rule to Add Fentanyl to CDL Drug Testing Program
Related: FMCSA Grant to Enhance CDL Testing in New Jersey
Related: FMCSA Proposal Seeks to Quicken CDL Process


A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson told STN all currently issued CDLs, including those to school bus drivers with appropriate endorsements, will remain valid and only the issuance of new CDLs and commercial learners permits, or CLPs, has been halted.

An additional statement from the agency, which issues CDLs and CLPs in Texas, noted that non-citizens include refugees, asylum seekers, and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

“Customers with a pending issuance will not be allowed to continue any written or skills testing until the services for non-domicile CDL/CLP are reinstated” DPS added.

Other states changes include:

• The Arizona Department of Transportation said in a statement, “it is aware of the new federal guidelines and has instituted them for all new CDL issuances as well as renewals, which includes those seeking CDLs with passenger and school bus endorsements. There are approximately 125,000 CDLs in Arizona, and of those 800 are non-domiciled CDLs.” Though information related to school bus drivers was not known.

• Indiana noted its Bureau of Motor Vehicles has ceased processing all applications for non-domiciled CDL/CLPs, including applications for new, amended, duplicated, transferred, renewed, or upgraded non-domiciled CDL/CLPs. Affected non-domiciled CDL/CLP customers may submit an application at a BMV license branch to apply for or downgrade to a non-CDL driver’s license should they so choose.

• Maryland paused the issuance of all non-domiciled commercial driver products until further notice. This includes issuance, transfers, updates, replacements, duplicates, and renewals of both non-domiciled CLPs and non-domiciled CDLs, adding ‘we apologize for the inconvenience.’

• Massachusetts also apologetically indicated it has paused the issuance of all non-domiciled commercial driver credentials until further notice, including issuance, transfers, updates, replacements, duplicates, and renewals of both non-domiciled CLPs and non-domiciled CDLs.

• Missouri suspended all new, renewal and duplicate nondomiciled CDL and CLP issuance until further notice, including a suspension of knowledge and skills testing for any in-state or out-of-state test applicant who would be restricted to a non-domiciled CDL or CLP.

• Oregon DMV is no longer issuing limited-term (non-domiciled) CDLs and CLPs until further notice.

• Utah has paused issuing non-domiciled CDLs.

• The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Office of Public Affairs issued a statement. “Due to the recent interim final rule issued by the FMCSA, like many states across the country, WisDOT Division of Motor Vehicles has paused its non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs issuance program to ensure compliance with the interim final rule. Wisconsin already had many of the new rule’s regulations in place. As we work to resolve any remaining issues, we will communicate the status of our program to impacted individuals on our website and at our DMV service centers.”

The post Update: U.S. Department of Transportation Enacts CDL Restrictions on Non-Domiciled Workers appeared first on School Transportation News.

TSD Conference Session to Focus on Mental Health Supports

8 October 2025 at 22:46

A newly added session at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference next month looks to guide student transportation professionals in prioritizing mental health support for themselves to positively impact themselves and the students they transport.

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.


Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Looks to Reveal Power of Praise in Student Transportation
Related: Mother of Sandy Hook Victim Brings Student Safety Message to TSD
Related: Former OSERS Leader, Advocate for People with Disabilities to Keynote TSD Conference

The post TSD Conference Session to Focus on Mental Health Supports appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E277) Make the System Better: Safety Leadership Training & D.C. Insider on Disability Supports

7 October 2025 at 21:11

Analysis on upcoming TSD Conference education, National Association for Pupil Transportation election results, the Federal Brake for Kids Act and the Federal Communications Commission revoking E-Rate eligibility of school bus Wi-Fi.

Jeff Cassell, president of the School Bus Safety Company, discusses the need for safety leadership training, removing risk and reducing accidents in student transportation.

Glenna Wright-Gallo, vice president of policy at neurotechnology software company Everway, has worked at the state government level and served as the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. At the TSD Conference this November, she brings her perspective as a person with a disability on educating and empowering individuals with disabilities.

Read more about safety and special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Conversation with School Bus Safety Co.

 


Message from Ride
.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E277) Make the System Better: Safety Leadership Training & D.C. Insider on Disability Supports appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E276) Cowboy Stuff: NC Bus Operation & Garage Stars Weather Hurricane Helene

30 September 2025 at 22:37

More federal and legal wrangling over school bus Wi-Fi and emissions regulations, plus bus manufacturing updates. Read the new October issue of School Transportation News magazine and watch our recent webinars.

“I’m thankful I had the job that I had, to do the work that I had, at the time that I did.” Jeremy Stowe, director of transportation for Buncombe County Schools in North Carolina, transports us into the story of when Hurricane Helene hit last September and how student transporters assisted with emergency response and recovery. The dedication of the district’s maintenance team is reflected in the Garage Star award it won this year. Stowe also discusses benefits of vendor partnerships in technology and alternative transportation.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Message from School Bus Safety Co.

 


Message from Ride
.

 

Images courtesy of Buncombe County Schools. 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E276) Cowboy Stuff: NC Bus Operation & Garage Stars Weather Hurricane Helene appeared first on School Transportation News.

Update: FCC Revokes E-Rate Eligibility of School Bus Wi-Fi

By: Ryan Gray
30 September 2025 at 16:46

As expected, the Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 to end E-Rate eligibility of school bus Wi-Fi as well as other off-campus internet hotspots.

The declaratory ruling approved Tuesday finds Wi-Fi is now ineligible for E-Rate funding for pending fiscal year 2025 reimbursement requests because two of three FCC commissioners “determined that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, is that the use and provision of these services on school buses does not serve an educational purpose as defined by E-Rate program rules and conflicts with the statute’s direction to enhance access to E-Rate-eligible services for classrooms and libraries,” FCC said in a statement.

School Wi-Fi and hotspot experts disagree.

At the urging of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, the open meeting agenda was updated last week to include reconsideration of a 2023 eclaratory ruling “that would align E-Rate eligibility with section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and make school bus Wi-Fi an ineligible expense. FCC also revoked the federal school hotspot program. School bus Wi-Fi and hotspot advocates say the declaratory ruling disproportionately affects low-income and rural students.

Carr expressed his intent earlier this month to end federal reimbursements for school bus Wi-Fi. Normally the FCC seats five commissioners but currently only has three with two vacancies: Carr is joined by fellow Republican Olivia Trusty, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier this year, and Anna Gomez, a Democrat.

Gomez, who was the lone dissenting vote Tuesday, was one of three votes in 2023 to pass then-Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel’s Learning Without Limits, which included the school bus Wi-Fi eligibility. Following a 2024 FCC order to expand the Universal Service program to fund hotspots outside of schools and libraries, school districts were allowed to apply and be selected for reimbursements. Carr was also a commissioner at the time and cast a no vote.

FCC said Tuesday a statement from Gomez was forthcoming. On Sept. 3, she cautioned that millions of students as well as seniors nationwide stand to suffer as “FCC is moving to strip that connectivity away while doing nothing to make broadband more affordable.”

”Their latest proposals will only widen the gap between those with access to modern-day tools and those left behind. We must all fight back against this level of cruelty and indifference by this administration,” she added.

Carr contends the initiative illegally extended the Emergency Connectivity Fund passed by Congress to provide for federal funding of school bus Wi-Fi for neighborhood hotspots during the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdowns for children needing to access virtual classes and complete homework.

Learning Without Limits intended to “close the homework gap” between areas of the country where students have access to and can afford broadband internet with economically disadvantaged and rural communities that do not or cannot.

Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, a Democrat, is one of the original authors of the E-Rate program.

“Rolling back the FCC’s hotspot rule is a direct attack on students and educators who need Wi-Fi to complete homework assignments, create lesson plans, and connect with each other,” he said in an email to School Transportation News Friday. “This move is short-sighted and cruel. It saves no money and only makes life harder for millions of Americans. We should be expanding connections, not cutting them off, and I will fight to keep every child, family and library online.”

Markey led a letter sent to Carr by Senate Democrats Monday asking him to continue allowing school bus Wi-Fi to be an allowable E-Rate expense. The letter notes that FCC awarded $48 million through E-Rate in fiscal year 2024 for school bus Wi-Fi.

Further frustrating Markey and other school bus Wi-Fi and off-campus hotspot supporters, the FCC only gave one week notice of the meeting agenda change and did not allow for public comment. Joey Wender, executive director of the Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said the fate of internet access for students “should not be rushed through,” pointing out school districts nationwide have already made purchasing plans under the assumption federal funding would be available going forward.

“We believe FCC should provide ample notice of any changes and for stakeholders to comment, tell their stories, and share their data,” he added.

Echoing Sen. Ted Cruz, the leading opponent of E-Rate for school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots in Congress, Carr asserts that school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots were never meant to be E-Rate eligible expenses. Advocates argue that Congress left open for interpretation section 254(c)(1) of the Communications Act, reauthorized in 1996 to add Universal Service as the mechanism that funds internet service for schools, libraries and health care providers, the definition of what an elementary school and secondary school, along with libraries, for where Wi-Fi and internet connections can be established and reimbursed.

“Congress deliberately left the term classroom undefined in the Telecommunications Act because it understood that students learn in many different settings, both inside and outside of traditional school buildings,” commented Keith Krueger, executive director of the Consortium for School Networking, or CoSN. “That flexibility has always been a strength of the E-Rate program, allowing it to adapt as learning environments change.”
He also noted the federal law refers to “an evolving level of services.”

“From that perspective, school bus Wi-Fi is consistent with the program’s purpose. It is simply one of the modern settings where students do their work,” he added.

During a keynote address at the 2024 STN EXPO West, Krueger told the audience the FCC estimates between 8.5 million and 16 million school children nationwide lack broadband internet at home.

Wender noted FCC supports internet connectivity reimbursed by E-Rate for administrative offices and book mobiles that extend to parking lots, and school bus Wi-Fi is an even better use-case.

FCC’s Carr and Gomez as well as Sen. Cruz had not responded to questions posed by STN at this report.

But Carr and Cruz have publicly stated that school bus Wi-Fi is poses a safety issue for students using it, with Cruz likening it to TikTok for school children.

However, E-Rate requires all funded communications devices comply with the Child Internet Protection Act. School bus Wi-Fi services must include filters that, in conjunction with closed school district networks, prohibit students from accessing unapproved sites and logs when and where the attempts occur.

In a 2023 announcement of the All Eyes on Board Act to combat FCC voting to allow school bus Wi-Fi, Cruz along with Sens. Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina and Shelley Capito of West Virginia acknowledged CIPA regulations but added “there is currently no provision requiring schools to block access to distracting and addictive social media apps or websites. As a result, the E-Rate program risks inadvertently enabling access to social media in schools,” though state laws do exist requiring the sites be blocked.


Related: Trusty Confirmed to FCC as School Bus Wi-Fi Future Hangs in Balance
Related: School Bus Wi-Fi in Flux?
Related: Iowa’s Largest School District Mulls Future of School Bus Wi-Fi Program


Earlier this month, Sen. Cruz encouraged the House to pass a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn what he called “the illegal Biden hotspot rule.” In May, he led a similar CRA through the Senate, where it passed to end federal funding of external hotspot devices some school districts send home with their students. But so far, Cruz has not garnered sufficient votes in the House to consolidate and pass a final CRA, which would be needed for President Trump’s signature into law.

Cruz has also said there are existing FCC programs that could fund school bus Wi-Fi, but he has not provided specifics.

Commented Wender, “I cannot speak to the intentions of policy makers. I can only speak to the consequences of ending the [school bus Wi-Fi] program, which is widening the digital divide resulting in low-income kids not being able to do their homework.”

Still, there’s hope, he said. Wender called FCC action “the lesser of two evils” because a future commission could reverse a decision and reinstate E-Rate reimbursement. The passage of a CRA would be more permanent.

The post Update: FCC Revokes E-Rate Eligibility of School Bus Wi-Fi appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E275) Teamwork & Innovation: Alabama Top Transportation Team & Exclusive Zonar Interview

23 September 2025 at 21:29

The struggle continues over E-Rate funding for school bus Wi-Fi, the NCST addresses the omission of alternative transportation in its national specs manual, and NASCAR star power boosts a school bus illegal passing PSA in Michigan.

Just announced: the Zonar Bus Suite, an all-in-one routing ecosystem. During July’s STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin caught up with Zonar CEO Charles Kriete and ez enRoute Founder Amit Anand to discuss their partnership that produced this solution.

Brad Hayn, director of transportation for Hoover City Schools in Alabama and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses building relationships for a cohesive team and successful technology implementation.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Message from School-Radio.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E275) Teamwork & Innovation: Alabama Top Transportation Team & Exclusive Zonar Interview appeared first on School Transportation News.

TSD Conference to Feature American Sign Language Training for Student Transporters

23 September 2025 at 20:21

A popular hands-on training is returning to the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference, aiming to familiarize student transporters with the unique aspects of working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“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.


Related: Hands-on Training Opportunities for Student Transporters at TSD Conference 
Related: Mother of Sandy Hook Victim Brings Student Safety Message to TSD
Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Looks to Reveal Power of Praise in Student Transportation

The post TSD Conference to Feature American Sign Language Training for Student Transporters appeared first on School Transportation News.

Zonar Acquisition Results in Launch of Routing Software

22 September 2025 at 19:43

Zonar Systems made its name in the school bus and trucking industries for its vehicle inspection, GPS and telematics solutions. Now, add routing to the list.

Powered by ez enRoute, which it closed its acquisition of on Sept. 16, Zonar is expanding its technology portfolio by offering an all-in-one routing ecosystem. Bus Suite, which the company said is designed to improve safety, efficiency and communication, was demoed at the STN EXPO West Ride and Drive in July. It is currently available.

Terms of the deal were not made public.

Benefits of Bus Suite, according to a press release, include independent, adaptive routing, increased visibility into student ridership, cloud-based operational oversight, and integrated parent mobile application.

Amit Anand, founder of ez enRoute and now Zonar’s senior vice president of product, said school districts can use it as a standalone routing platform or integrate it with an existing routing provider.

“This flexibility means districts no longer need to rely solely on third-party routing and can modernize operations without costly overhaul,” he added.

For existing customers, Anand noted that Bus Suites combines with Zonar telematics devices, in-cab tablets, Z-pass student ridership data, and live bus route monitoring in one dashboard. It also integrates with student information systems to deliver student roster data into the Bus Suite platform, which Zonar said eases the onboarding process.

“Instead of juggling multiple systems, drivers, dispatchers and parents, [everyone] can stay connected through one platform with real-time visibility of every bus, student, and stop,” Annad continued.

For new customers, he said Bus Suite offers an “all-in-one solution that helps districts of all sizes seamlessly modernize operations with routing, ridership, parent communication, and fleet oversight. This results in simpler operations and greater confidence in daily performance.”


Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?
Related: (STN Podcast E274) Can I Make a Difference? Tips From Top Transportation Team & Technology Super User
Related: First Student to Integrate Samsara AI Technology into Halo Platform


Charles Kriete, CEO of Zonar, also said in a statement that adding ez enRoute to the Zonar portfolio enables the company to deliver greater value to customers.

“We’re not just in the school bus business, we’re in the business of access to education, and we take this mission seriously,” he commented. “As districts nationwide face ongoing driver shortages, the launch of Zonar Bus Suite plays a vital role in modernizing operations, keeping families informed and ensuring safe, reliable student transportation.”

The post Zonar Acquisition Results in Launch of Routing Software appeared first on School Transportation News.

National Specifications Manual Republished to Fix Alternative Transportation Section Omission

By: Ryan Gray
19 September 2025 at 22:04

The recently approved National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures that was published online and has been printed did not contain a new and historic section on alternative transportation.

The online version was removed from the National Congress on School Transportation website as of Friday, pending the update.

School Transportation News discovered the omission this week while finalizing the October magazine edition. STN asked for clarification from alternative transportation writing committee chair Tyler Bryan of the Delaware Department of Education, who in turn notified the NCST steering committee. Steering committee chair Michael LaRocco confirmed the oversight to STN Thursday.

The NCST steering committee informed state delegates and interested parties who attended the deliberations in May via email Friday that an online version of the updated specifications and the recently printed books are “incomplete.”

LaRocco added in the email that NCST is reprinting the books at no cost to those who ordered them, and the manuals will include a notation and disclaimer “to minimize any confusion.”

The new manuals should arrive at their destinations in two to three weeks, he added.

The alternative transportation section that was omitted contained guidance on driver credentials, driver training, vehicle design/equipment, and special education policy considerations. It was a new section included in the specs manual for the 17th NCST and was the first time the event that dates to 1939 took up the issue of non-school bus transportation.

Additionally, LaRocco told STN Friday the update will include another small technical change.


Related: National Congress Finishes Early After 10-Year Hiatus
Related: NASDPTS’ Weber Provides EXPO Attendees with Updates from NCST
Related: NHTSA Rulemaking at Heart of NCST Resolutions Focused on Safety
Related: Updated: NCST Takes on Issue of Non-School Bus Transportation

The post National Specifications Manual Republished to Fix Alternative Transportation Section Omission appeared first on School Transportation News.

Michigan Association Films Illegal School Bus Passing PSA with NASCAR’s Preece

18 September 2025 at 18:28

Katrina Morris has wanted to create an illegal passing public safety announcement involving NASCAR for a long time. It wasn’t until she engaged ROUSH CleanTech that her dream became a reality.

With ROUSH’s connections to and history in professional car racing, Morris, the executive director of Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, explained that in just a month and a half after starting discussions the PSA was in the can, so to speak. MAPT and ROUSH CleanTech partnered on the campaign, set to air during National School Bus Safety Week on Oct. 20. The video will be sent to all national associations with the hope they share it with local media and post it on social media.

The PSA was filmed on Sept. 10 at the RFK Racing Museum in Concord, North Carolina. Participants of STN EXPO East toured the facility last year. In the video, NASCAR driver Ryan Preece speeds past several situations but tells the camera that even he has time to stop for a school bus.

“I could not have envisioned a better way for this to have happened,” Morris said, adding that if it wasn’t for ROUSH’s participation the video wouldn’t have come together. She noted that ROUSH was already thinking of other drivers to expand to the project with.

“It warms my heart because they’re not just thinking, ‘We did this, so now we’re done,’”  added Morris. “[They] want to expand. What can we do to make this grow? What can we do to help this issue that we’re all having and we’re all facing.”

Morris said she was able to speak with Preece about the dangers of illegal passing and the importance of the message he’s sending to motorists everywhere.

“Children’s lives are in danger every day,” Morris recalled telling Preece. “And he looked at me, and I said see, I got your attention … You guys doing this for us and lending us your voice is hopefully going to help us to get that message out even further.”


Related: (STN Podcast E267) I Believe in This: Illegal Passing Drops & Michigan Pupil Transportation Leader Speaks
Related: Michigan’s Morris Presented with 2025 Grandolfo Award at STN EXPO
Related: NASDPTS Revises Illegal School Bus Passing Count After California Fixes Error
Related: NHTSA Releases Report on Nationwide Illegal School Bus Passing Laws


In addition to ROUSH and Blue Bird, which provided the school bus, MAPT obtained sponsorships from the Ohio Association of Pupil Transportation, the School Transportation Association of Indiana, Michigan school bus contractor Dean Transportation, the National School Transportation Association, the National Association of Pupil Transportation, First Light Safety Products, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, BusRight, and Set Seg insurance company. Morris noted all sponsor logos were added to the bottom of the school bus to show appreciation.

“Ensuring the safety of our children is a responsibility we all share,” Todd Mouw, executive vice president of ROUSH CleanTech, said. “For ROUSH CleanTech, being part of this school bus safety campaign is our way of reminding drivers that stopping for a school bus isn’t just the law — it’s a commitment to protecting young lives. Together with NASCAR and Blue Bird, we can broaden our audience reach to spread awareness and make our roads safer for every child.”

Photos of the PSA filming, courtesy of Katrina Morris.

 

The post Michigan Association Films Illegal School Bus Passing PSA with NASCAR’s Preece appeared first on School Transportation News.

Former OSERS Leader, Advocate for People with Disabilities to Keynote TSD Conference

16 September 2025 at 19:55

Glenna Wright-Gallo’s upcoming keynote at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference will feature her expertise in inclusive disability policies and background in work with special needs students to guide student transporters through the world of federal and state requirements.

Wright-Gallo’s will present her keynote, “Staying Mission-Focused: Leading Through Policy Shifts with Clarity and Confidence,” Sunday, Nov. 9 in Frisco, Texas. She recently served as the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), from May 2023 until February of this year. Her work there and most recently as vice president of policy at Everway, an educational software company, gives her unique insights into navigating accessible training programs, technology and updated policies regarding transportation services.

During her keynote, she looks to provide TSD Conference attendees with strategies to keep pace with implementing updated policies and ensure reliable and safe transportation services for students with disabilities, and infants and toddlers.

In addition to her keynote, Wright-Gallo is presenting a breakout session the afternoon of Nov. 9 on the importance and role of Dear Colleague Letters issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

Glenna Wright-Gallo was appointed to the U.S. Department of Education as the assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in May 2023 (Photo from Utah State University)
Glenna Wright-Gallo is sworn in as the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Utah State University)

Wright-Gallo received her bachelor’s degree master’s degree in special education and teaching as well as a master’s in business administration. She became a special education teacher in 1997 and then served as the state director of special education at the Utah State Department of Education from 2010-2017. She then became an assistant superintendent at the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for five years before President Joe Biden nominated her her U.S. Department of Education post in 2023.

Her work in Washington, D.C., included development of national policy, best practices for students with disabilities, recruitment of diverse personnel in special education and furthering state compliance to advance inclusive practices. At Everway, she is leading the Policy Center of Excellence and looks to amplify the voices of individuals with disabilities and people who are neurodivergent. She is also utilizing her experience in systems improvement to use neurotechnology software in the support of those with disabilities and further accessibility in education and workplaces.

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.


Related: Mother of Sandy Hook Victim Brings Student Safety Message to TSD
Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Looks to Reveal Power of Praise in Student Transportation
Related: Hands-on Training Opportunities for Student Transporters at TSD Conference

The post Former OSERS Leader, Advocate for People with Disabilities to Keynote TSD Conference appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E274) Can I Make a Difference? Tips From Top Transportation Team & Technology Super User

16 September 2025 at 18:57

Headlines on tragic violent incidents, electric endeavors, drug testing, a bus fire and more.

Sean Hollas, interim transportation director for Goddard Public Schools in Kansas and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses fostering positive workplace culture and leveraging technology for efficiency.

Take a look behind the operational curtain with Brenda Boyd, transportation director for Holland Public Schools in Michigan and the Technology Super User featured on the STN September issue cover.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Message from School-Radio.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E274) Can I Make a Difference? Tips From Top Transportation Team & Technology Super User appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E273) Supportive, not Punitive: Collaborating for Improved Student Rider Behavior

9 September 2025 at 22:48

Dive into school bus safety, technology and data security in the new STN September issue. We also analyze a Canadian study on electric bus equity and the school bus industry’s lobbying efforts in the U.S.

Lisa Navarra, certified child behavior specialist, author and upcoming TSD Conference keynote speaker, discusses bringing together education and transportation personnel to support good behavior in student bus riders with special needs.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Message from School-Radio.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E273) Supportive, not Punitive: Collaborating for Improved Student Rider Behavior appeared first on School Transportation News.

Mother of Sandy Hook Victim Brings Student Safety Message to TSD

8 September 2025 at 20:32

Michele Gay, co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools and mother to a student who was killed in the 2014 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, is attending the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in November to talk about safety for all students in all educational settings, including the school bus.

At her TSD keynote on Friday, Nov. 9, Gay will discuss “Developmentally Appropriate Safety Education” and how schools can develop safety curriculum and training that supports and accommodates the unique needs of students and staff of all ages, abilities and educational levels. During her keynote, Gay looks to empower student transportation professionals to provide the appropriate kinds of training that will ensure student safety.

Michele Gay's daughter Josephine who was a victim of the Sandy Hook school shooting (Photo from Safe and Sound Schools Instagram Page)
Michele Gay’s daughter Josephine was a victim of the Sandy Hook school shooting. (Photo from Safe and Sound Schools Instagram Page.)

She will discuss how transportation can prepare staff to quickly and safely handle situations on or near the school bus, while keeping the physical and psychological safety of the students as the focal goal. As a very visible sign of students’ presence, the school bus can often be a target, and Gay looks to equip student transporters to protect the “rolling classroom” and the students onboard.

Gay began her work in the educational field as an elementary school teacher at the age of 21. She became a mom of three. She described one daughter, Josephine Grace or “Joey” as she was affectionally called, as “especially special” with many unique traits that came along with an autism diagnosis. Gay said she lived the day-to-day experiences of supporting a child with visual impairment, apraxia of speech, fine and gross motor skills. She shared that her daughter always made the most of life and that her goal as a mother and educator was to help her daughter navigate the world with those unique challenges.


Gay was a guest on the School Transportation Podcast, where she shared more about the reason why behind her work for student safety. Listen to the full episode here.


After the devastating shooting Dec. 12, 2014, and Joey’s murder along with that of 19 other 6- and 7-year-old students and six adult school staff members, Gay and her family was faced with the heartbreaking reality of the dangers that students encounter. She then founded Safe and Sound Schools, a national non-profit school safety advocacy and resource center, alongside Alissa Parker, who lost her daughter Emilie in the Sandy Hook shooting. Since then, Gay has been sharing how communities can create a comprehensive and sustainable approach to safety.

An experienced and educated advocate, Gay has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She has addressed national audiences through media outlets, schools, law enforcement agencies and more. She continues to be a leading advocate for student safety, inspired by Josephine and all children like her.

Save $100 on main conference registration with the Early Bird Discount, available through Oct.4. 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.


Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Looks to Reveal Power of Praise in Student Transportation
Related: Hands-on Training Opportunities for Student Transporters at TSD Conference
Related: TSD Conference Topics Plan to Cover Unique Aspects of Transporting Students

The post Mother of Sandy Hook Victim Brings Student Safety Message to TSD appeared first on School Transportation News.

Texas School District Updates Seatbelt Policy Following School Bus Rollover

5 September 2025 at 18:06

Leander Independent School District in Texas is updating its seatbelt policy to require its school bus drivers to check for students buckled up before departure in response to a school bus rollover crash last month.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services confirmed a school bus rollover involving Leander Independent School District occurred Aug. 13 at 3:15 p.m. The school bus, which primarily transports students to and from Bagdad Elementary School, was transporting 42 children home from the first day of classes. Eleven students and the school bus driver were transported to the hospital with injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced the day following the crash that it is coordinating with the Texas Department of Public Safety on a safety investigation.

Monica de la Garza-Conness, Bagdad Elementary principal and Tracie Franco, the district’s transportation services director, shared in an Aug. 26 letter to parents that while DPS found no criminal wrongdoing by school bus driver Tim Gall, he was “cited for failure to drive in a single lane and improper use of a seatbelt.”

According to the letter, he is no longer employed by the district. Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing said Gall was a “seasoned veteran bus driver.”

Texas Senate Bill 546 introduced in 2024 and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025, went into effect Sept. 1. The law states that by the end of the current school year, the board of trustees at  school districts must submit a report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).that includes the number of school buses operated by or contracted for us by the school district that are not equipped with seatbelts. The report must also list the buses equipped with lap belts and equipped with lap/shoulder belts. School boards must also provide the estimated cost to equip three-point belts in each school bus used by the district.

By Jan. 1, 2027, TEA will collect the information and calculate the total amount of financial assistance needed for all school districts to equip with their school buses with lap/shoulder belts. TEA will make that information available and a school district mau accept “gifts, grants and donations from any public or private source to implement” lap/shoulder seatbelts.

The 2024 Blue Bird school bus was equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts, per state law. The state requires model-year 2018 or newer school buses to be equipped with the three-point seatbelts. School districts can opt out if the school board determines that the cost exceeds the district’s budget and passes a vote during a public meeting.

Local news reports noted the DPS concluded some but not all students were wearing the safety restraints. State law says students are required to wear the lap/shoulder seatbelts if the school bus is equipped with them.


Related: WATCH: Texas District Uses ‘Bus Buddies’ Program to Ease School Bus Ride Anxiety
Related: Superintendent Defends School Bus Driver Accused of Erratic Driving, Potential Impairment
Related: School Bus Seatbelt Law Appears Imminent in Illinois


Garza-Conness and Franco addressed safety items from the DPS. They noted that voter approval of a 2023 bond resulted in every school bus running daily routes, including for students with individualized education programs, are equipped with seatbelts. An additional 44 school buses used for field trips and substitute buses are also equipped with seatbelts.

“Only if all of these are in use would an older bus without seatbelts be assigned,” the letter states.

“The report also reinforced the importance of consistent seatbelt use, a point of emphasis for us,” the letter continues. “We remain committed to reviewing our practices and strengthening reminders about seatbelt use to ensure the well-being of every child we transport. While state law does not hold districts legally responsible for seatbelt use, we expect students to buckle up whenever seatbelts are available. To strengthen this standard, drivers will now check seatbelt use before departure. These expectations for our staff members will be added to our transportation and district handbooks.”

The letter addressed a comment from DPS on tire tread depth, which was reportedly within acceptable safety standards.

Garza-Conness and Franco asked parents to help share the message and importance of wearing a seatbelt. “Please remind your child to buckle up every time they ride the bus—it’s one of the simplest ways to stay safe,” the joint letter notes. “Your partnership reinforces the same message our drivers and schools are sharing daily, helping us build strong habits together.”

The post Texas School District Updates Seatbelt Policy Following School Bus Rollover appeared first on School Transportation News.

GreenPower Hits Delivery, Financial Uncertainty Amid New Mexico Electric School Bus Pilot

5 September 2025 at 17:42

Electric school bus manufacturer GreenPower Motor Company signed a multimillion-dollar contract with New Mexico for a pilot program at the same time it is facing obstacles with a similar West Virginia project and perilous corporate finances.

The company announced Aug. 4 that the $5 million-plus New Mexico contract resulted from an award made by the state under a request for proposals published in May for participation in a two-year, all-electric school bus pilot project. GreenPower stated the project would deploy three Type A Nano BEAST school buses during the 2025-2026 school year, and three Type D BEAST and Mega BEAST school buses in the coming months.

Those vehicles, the first three scheduled for deployment the week of Sept. 15, are expected to “rotate around the state in five pilot rounds each school year with each round lasting six weeks.” The company, which is partnering with Highland Electric Fleets to install and implement the necessary charging infrastructure, will also provide training for the school bus drivers, mechanics and the community’s first responders to “help ensure a seamless testing period.”

GreenPower President Brendan Riley said via a press release that the New Mexico project is “leveraging the successful pilot that GreenPower conducted in West Virginia but also has a concentration on evaluating charging options and infrastructure.”

At the same time, GreenPower has faced several headwinds this year in West Virginia with a similar contract that also began with a pilot. The electric school bus manufacturer took ownership of its South Charleston plant in August 2022 and eight months later entered into an agreement with the state to sell $15 million worth of BEAST and Nano BEAST models. The state also agreed to pay GreenPower a $3 million deposit.

Separately, GreenPower and the state signed an agreement for an additional $18.6 million in ESBs awarded by the EPA Clean School Bus Program in 2024 to seven county school districts.

But West Virginia Metro News reported last month GreenPower had only delivered about a dozen of the promised 41 ESBs as of this past spring.

The state claims breach of contract. GreenPower CEO Fraser Atkinson said the reality is far more nuanced. During a phone call Thursday, Atkinson told School Transportation News several factors have hindered the company’s ability to deliver the ESBs.

“We have either delivered or we had vehicles ready to go, to be delivered to every single one of those counties,” he said.

Among the issues, Atkinson added, some school districts have not signed required documents with the EPA and GreenPower’s West Virginia dealer, Matheny, to accept the ESBs. In at least one other case, Atkinson said a county did not have available the older diesel school bus EPA required to be scrapped, so the new ESB couldn’t be delivered.

“Even if the dealer came forward and said, well, don’t worry about this other part, let’s just deliver the vehicle, you still have to worry about it,” he added. “We [would not be] compliant with the program.”

He also noted some counties still don’t have electric infrastructure installed. While GreenPower could still deliver those school buses, Atkinson noted that ESBs can’t sit in a parking lot for months on end without being operated like internal combustion vehicles can.
“There’s a much higher level of ongoing maintenance that you need to have on these vehicles if you’re not using them almost every day,” he added.

A West Virginia official contacted by STN declined comment because the issue is ongoing, and a request for comment from Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office had not been answered at this report.

Hiccoughs With State Inspections and Maintenance

Meanwhile, Atkinson said some counties are having success with GreenPower. But not all say they are. Tony Harris, transportation director for the Monongalia County Schools serving the Morgantown and surrounding area, said the state’s second-largest district received a GreenPower Beast and a Nano Beast, which met his expectations at first.

However, he added, “We have been working with the West Virginia Department of Education, Department of Transportation and GreenPower in regard to a few issues where the buses do not meet the state specifications for a school bus.”

Harris clarified that the unmet state specifications center on failed state inspections for items such as the parking brake release, the color of loading light switches, non-working window defroster fans, and controls for exterior mirrors not working.

Atkinson said GreenPower has worked closely with the state on specifications but commented that not all state inspectors may have the same perspective on what constitutes an out-of-service item, especially as this could be their first experience with an electric school bus.

Still, he noted that any issues keeping school buses sidelined are “a concern.”

“Is there an educational process? I think you’re absolutely right. In hindsight, if all the parties had been in the same room 2 1/2 three years ago and worked through [the issues] …,” he said. “But the flip side is, until you’re actually in the field looking at these things in real time, you probably couldn’t have guessed what all the different issues or potential considerations that needed to be discussed are at the outset. It is a bit of trial and error.”

Harris also expressed disappointment about school bus-related services, which is “an area that has not come close to meeting expectations set for all vendors.”

“We have not been able to obtain stock inventory to have on-hand when something breaks on one of the buses,” he continued. “We have requested training several times for our mechanics on how to service the buses for our preventative maintenance schedules. The mechanics have received some training when representatives have been onsite to address issues when they have been onsite, but no formal training has been provided.”

He said training has so far consisted of what to do in the case of a battery issue or fire.

“A lot of the preventive maintenance items are typical in all school buses, but there are some unique things when it comes to EV school buses,” he said. “Also, we have no access to software or manuals to diagnose problems when they arise. We have requested these products at different times. We have these products for other bus types.”

Atkinson commented that GreenPower is very concerned about any high-voltage work necessary on its school buses.

“Our approach is, until they’re up to speed with the basics, we like to or prefer to take responsibility for anything that could be related to the high-voltage battery system,” adding dealer Matheny has limited experience working with GreenPower’s technology.

Harris said that the district has had to adjust its operations “considerably” after the delivery of the buses.

“We have two of the Nano BEAST buses in our fleet that have run no more than a month on routes since we took delivery of them. These buses have less than 3,000 miles on each of them,” he said, adding the school buses serve special needs and McKinney-Vento student populations. “We have four of the BEAST buses in our fleet, and one has been off the road since June due to defects found during an annual state inspection of the bus. The other three BEAST buses have been taken off the road [last] week due to issues that do not allow us to continue to use them at this time. By taking these buses off the road, it has impacted our bus routes due to the capacity of the buses and not having the same size buses in our spare bus fleet. The one BEAST bus has just over 4,000 miles on it, and this is because it was part of the state pilot program. The other three have less than 3,000 miles on them.”

Meanwhile, John Droppelman, director of support services with the Mineral County Schools, said in an email, “We have not received our two GreenPower buses. We have not received any information from GreenPower in quite some time. I do not expect to ever receive the promised buses. Information about the production and distribution of the GreenPower buses is scarce.”

Atkinson commented, “It’s the early days and there are things that have to get sorted out.” But he continued that, across the electric school bus market, he sees some school districts that have yet to buy-in to electrification, which complicates matters.

“If you have a good partner, they’ll work with you, and they’ll get the vehicles to a place where they’re just not encountering many issues or problems,” he said.


Related: Safety Concerns of the Electric Grid?
Related: Another $200M Now Available for Electric School Buses in New York
Related: State Budget Calls for Real-world Range Testing for Electric School Bus Sales
Related: Cummins CEO Says Mixed Fuel Approach is Key for Commercial Sector
Related: Five STN EXPO Reno Exhibitors Recognized with Inaugural Innovation Awards


At the same time, GreenPower has been unable to fully staff its South Charleston manufacturing facility. The agreement with West Virginia listed the goal of 900 jobs filled by the end of last year.

“We don’t get paid a cent until a bus is delivered,” Atkinson told STN.

In turn, he added, the company cannot promise its plant workers the necessary weekly hours.

The West Virginia MetroNews Network reported May 26 that confirmed more than a dozen employees had been notified by email three days earlier that they had been laid off. The company did not confirm the exact number of employees who had been laid off, but the network quoted GreenPower’s Riley saying, “The imposition of new tariffs has significantly increased our operational costs and disrupted our ability to build and deliver buses in a timely manner.”

He added that restructuring and other cost-cutting measures were not sufficient to prevent the layoffs.

MetroNews reported last month that GreenPower indicated it employed fewer than 100 workers even before the spring layoffs.

Resulting Financial Uncertainty

Amid all of this, BDO Canada LLP released its independent audit of GreenPower as of March 31, which stated that “the company has suffered recurring losses from operations and has an accumulated deficit that raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.”

A statement by GreenPower issued in July of its financial status at the time noted that revenues for the fiscal year that ended March 31 fell 49.5 percent from the previous year — down from $39,271,839 to $19,847,279 — and experienced a total comprehensive loss of $18,511,895.

GreenPower contends that tariffs are “causing much harm to the entire school bus manufacturing sector. This business instability and the significantly increased costs impacts all school bus manufacturers whether they are producing electric, diesel, propane, or gas school buses. The implications are staggering. If a school bus manufacturer were able to pass these costs on to a school district, it would amount to a tax on the government as the cost would be paid by either local, state or federal government funding.

“But a school bus original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cannot pass on the increased cost since there are state contracts in place for the purchase of school buses,” the company continued. “The new tariffs leave no pathway for a school bus OEM to build vehicles in the U.S., and it completely halts GreenPower’s efforts to on-shore and friend-shore the supply chain, especially non-Chinese battery cells and components.”

An interim Q1 2026 earnings statement released Aug. 15 for the period ending June 30 showed gross revenue fell by 48 percent from the same period last year to $1.549 million, with gross profit at $361,682 after deducting the cost of sales, which actually represents a 63 percent increase from June 2025.

But the statement notes Greenpower anticipates it will not be in compliance with the minimum debt service coverage ratio at the end of the current fiscal year because it has not generated positive EBITDA in the previous four quarters. The outstanding balance on the term loan facility was $3.59 million as of June 30.

The interim statement echoed the warning of the auditor this spring.

“The company’s ability to achieve its business objectives is subject to material uncertainty, which casts substantial doubt upon the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” it says.

Ryan Gray contributed to this report.

The post GreenPower Hits Delivery, Financial Uncertainty Amid New Mexico Electric School Bus Pilot appeared first on School Transportation News.

(STN Podcast E272) Overcoming Tragedy: Newtown School Shooting Creates Classroom, Bus Safety Advocate

2 September 2025 at 20:57

Headlines on the 2025 National Association for Pupil Transportation award winners, a new study on the financial savings of electric school buses, and the clean fuel choices districts are making.

“Our work is nowhere near done.” Mother and educator Michele Gay joins us for a heartfelt conversation about her daughter with special needs, losing her in the 2014 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, subsequently co-founding Safe and Sound Schools, the continued need for classroom and bus safety advocacy, and her upcoming TSD Conference keynote.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.


 

Message from School-Radio.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E272) Overcoming Tragedy: Newtown School Shooting Creates Classroom, Bus Safety Advocate appeared first on School Transportation News.

Q&A: Cybersecurity in Student Transportation: Why It Matters, Where It’s Headed

2 September 2025 at 17:13

Increasingly, the conversation about cybersecurity and data protection includes student transportation. STN addressed the subject of security in the September magazine issue, featuring articles that focused on video camera storage and security as well as data security and routing.

STN spoke with Jake McOmie, the CTO of Confluence Security, a systems integrator company that brings together products from various manufacturers — of cameras, recording devices, servers, networking equipment, and sensors — to create tailored security systems. These systems are designed to address both physical and cybersecurity needs with an emphasis on automation, identity management and analytics. The company, which works with government, school and commercial or enterprise customers, also provides software that unifies all components, enabling features like real-time alerts, video analytics and automated response to security events.

STN: Why is security and cybersecurity important for school districts and transportation departments right now?

McOmie: Security and cybersecurity aren’t new concerns, but in today’s connected world, they are more critical than ever. School districts are rapidly adopting technologies like IP cameras, GPS systems, Wi-Fi routers and student tracking software. These tools improve safety and efficiency, but each device added to the network also introduces potential vulnerabilities.

We call this security of security, a phrase borrowed from our trusted manufacturer partner of open-architecture security software platform, Genetec. The approach ensures a cybersecurity-first posture and it’s critical practice to understand your product choices are being systemically protected by design, not as an afterthought.

How concerned are you about the data security of your student transportation operations?
6 votes
VoteResults

In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), everything is interconnected. One unsecure device — whether a camera, HVAC sensor, or access control point — can act as the weak link that compromises the entire system. No matter how robust a network may be, its strength depends on every component being secure. That’s why it’s not enough to harden just the network. Districts must vet the products themselves, hold manufacturers accountable for cybersecurity practices and ensure every piece of technology is built with a “security-first” mindset.

Trust is earned, not assumed. Cybersecurity must be woven into procurement, deployment and management. When one compromised camera or device can become an open door, due diligence isn’t optional. It’s essential.

STN: How can transportation departments ensure their data is protected? What steps should they be taking?

Jake McOmie, CTO of Confluence Security 

McOmie: Transportation departments manage highly sensitive data, including student info, vehicle locations, incident videos and operational logs. To protect this data, a comprehensive approach during the initial planning will ensure this sensitive data is not jeopardized from unauthorized access. We can talk about the various aspects end users should keep forefront during the planning phase

    • Vet manufacturers and integrators. Work only with vendors that prioritize cybersecurity and provide transparent security documentation. Vendors who operate under zero-trust security policies and demand nothing less of their technology partners, should be asked early in the process. It’s a pass or fail question and should be enforced without hesitation.
    • Network segmentation. Isolate transportation and security systems from general-use school networks. Implementing advanced enterprise segmentation through Federations allows for controlled third-party access while maintaining autonomous and isolated authorization. Preferably utilize SaaS-hosted federation services so partner agencies, such as between schools and 911 centers, can connect their networks for data sharing without actually connecting to anything except the mediary cloud-hosted federation server. This method adds the benefit of permission-based access at the most minute level of data, like allowing access to a video feed only if three independent trigger points have verified.
    • Multi-factor authentication (MFA). Implement MFA at all levels — application logins, device portals and cloud platforms — to prevent account takeovers, especially when passwords are compromised.
    • Zero-trust approach. Assume no device or user is secure by default. Require verification and limit access by role. To maximize the effects of this policy, utilize automations and/or integrations to minimize the number of touchpoints when permission changes occur.
    • Encryption & updates. Use end-to-end encryption for data in motion and ensure firmware/software is routinely patched. If available, consider using SaaS products to perform all or some tasks, which can help protect systems from becoming outdated, even if only for a short duration.
    • Automation & alerting. Leverage tools that can automatically identify patterns or anomalies and escalate issues to the right personnel. Open-architecture systems allow for a larger variety of inputs, and with proper configuration, the sensors can be associated with other sensors or events to help qualify any given scenario before notifying personnel, and ensure the correct personnel are the ones being notified.

Protecting data is not just about prevention. It’s about building resilience and ensuring your team can respond quickly and effectively when an event occurs.

STN: How do you advise school districts to work with their technology department?

McOmie: One of the most common challenges we see is operational silos. Safety and security departments know the problems they need to solve, but IT departments hold the keys to implementation. Successful projects require early and continuous collaboration between these teams.

At Confluence Security, we provide end-to-end IP-based solutions, which means we’re deeply engaged with IT teams during planning, design and deployment. While safety leaders define the why, IT ensures the how is executed securely and effectively. The IT team is critical in achieving a successfully hardened system and should include these three key points:

    • Designing the network architecture to limit exposure.
    • Setting access controls and firewall rules.
    • Validating compliance with cybersecurity policies.

In today’s world, a zero-trust model is no longer optional. Every actor, internal or external, must be authenticated and authorized. School districts can support this by standardizing processes like MFA and ensuring IT reviews any new connected hardware or software before it’s deployed.

STN: Where do you see AI in security?

McOmie: AI is transforming security in two important ways — behind the scenes and in front of the user.

Behind the scenes, AI helps devices self-optimize — learning traffic patterns, refining video compression, or detecting performance anomalies before they become problems. This isn’t flashy, but it’s foundational to deliver faster, smarter, more reliable systems. The increased accuracy and performance is generally appreciated by end users but in today’s world of tech, the continual improvements are more or less expected.

Video Analytics engines, where video streams are computer-analyzed for specific behaviors, have used AI to improve their intelligence for more than a decade in some cases. In this method, software developers gain tremendous assistance with perfecting their analytical algorithms. In recent years, advancemnts have been made so far as to providing users with the ability to generate their own behavior definitions and AI creates the behavior analysis, delivering a DIY approach to video analytics.


Related: Security Sessions at STN EXPO East Address Violence, Safety Programs
Related: As Camera Systems Evolve, IT Collaboration Necessary


From the user perspective, AI enhances how we interact with security systems. Instead of digging through hours of video, users can issue simple commands: “Show me anything unusual at Bus Lot A last night,” or “Search for students wearing red backpacks on buses 12 thru 15 last week.”

AI enables faster investigations and richer situational awareness. Rather than responding to noise (e.g., constant motion alerts), users receive qualified insights based on anomalies — events that stand out from the norm, like a student jumping out of an open bus window, or a person loitering in an atypical location.

But AI doesn’t stop at behavioral detection. It fundamentally supports action through automation. Systems can support users through if/then/else conditional logic decision making to promote accuracy in the users actions and response. Ultimately, the preferred outcome can be guided by digitized SOPs, allowing for a newbie operator to respond the same way a well-seasoned operator would.

These layers of logic ensure that when serious threats arise, escalation to law enforcement or 911 is intentional, not a false alarm, and delivers real actionable video, data and evidence.

STN: Thank you.

The post Q&A: Cybersecurity in Student Transportation: Why It Matters, Where It’s Headed appeared first on School Transportation News.

Under the Hood: School Bus ‘Smart’ Telematics Driving Fleet Improvements

By: Jim Romeo
29 August 2025 at 14:45

Bibb County School District in central Georgia transports more than 10,000 students and maintains a fleet of 200 school buses. Every one of them is equipped with GPS hardware and onboard tablets that track vehicle location and metrics used to improve driver safety, engine idle time and on-time performance.

Telematics communicates data remotely to monitor and manage school bus assets. School bus fleet operators, like those at Bibb County, have been using telematics to manage vehicle locations, arrival and departure data, route optimization, student accountability and other important metrics and data. Increasingly, it is also measuring driver performance and school bus operational performance.

Mike Grandy is a solutions consultant manager with Plano, Texas based Tyler Technologies, a provider of integrated software and technology services for school buses, including those in Bibb County.

“Maintenance software does more than just track what’s going wrong. It helps you get ahead of problems before they cost you time and money,” said Grandy. “By pulling data from your fleet’s onboard systems, it can recommend exactly what needs attention and when.”

Grandy explained that telematics watch for engine fault codes in real time like overheating, misfires or diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) issues. When something serious pops up, it flags it right away so technicians can fix it before it leads to a breakdown or inspection failure. He explained Tyler’s system is not time-driven maintenance, but rather condition-based. Instead of relying on the calendar, the software looks at how much each vehicle is being driven and how it’s being used. It then recommends things like oil changes, brake service, or filter replacements based on real wear, not guesswork.

For example, by watching voltage levels and how the battery performs during startups, the system can spot signs of trouble early. If it sees that a battery isn’t holding a charge, it’ll send an alert before a driver gets stuck with a dead one, explained Grandy.


Related: Read fleet management and maintenance articles in the August edition of School Transportation News magazine.


Charles Kriete, president and CEO of Zonar Systems, commented that the most frequent issues diagnostics tracked on school buses are emissions system faults, battery and electrical faults, cooling system alerts, fuel system faults and transmission faults.

“By surfacing these issues as they happen, we give maintenance teams the ability to address problems before they lead to roadside breakdowns or missed routes,” he said, adding one large school district reduced its road breakdowns by 27 percent in one year with Zonar FaultIQ.

Samsara’s platform is used for both condition-based maintenance and time-directed maintenance, said Mayank Nayar, the company’s principal product manager.

“Condition-based maintenance is where telematics truly excels,” he added. “However, we also see fleets using time-based maintenance for maintenance items like washing vehicles. Our platform helps manage schedules, send automated reminders and generate work orders, ensuring all routine checks are completed. This combined approach provides school bus fleets with a comprehensive maintenance strategy.”

Traditional and legacy means of maintenance management often entailed laborious documentation – on paper or entered manually. This demands time and effort to write everything and risks having critical information misread or mislabeled.

“Data shows that maintenance teams spend more than half of their time on paperwork and other manual tasks—not on the essential ‘wrench time’ needed to keep fleets healthy,” said Nayar. “The two most important elements of asset maintenance and repairs are preventative maintenance and visibility. With Samsara, school bus fleets have access to a variety of AI-powered preventative maintenance tools to keep their vehicles safe and in-service.”

Samsara recently released a new feature for drivers that helps simplify the vehicle inspection process by automatically converting inspection notes from voice to text. In turn, Nayar said managers can ensure reports are properly completed by viewing drivers walking around the buses and documenting the duration of the inspection and quality of the report photos.

It also flags diagnostic fault codes enriched with AI, alerting maintenance teams to potential issues like an engine or sensor problem often before a driver even notices. This allows for proactive fixes, avoiding disruptive roadside breakdowns and financial penalties.


Related: GPS Trackit Acquires Zonar in ‘Significant Step Forward’ for Fleet Management
Related: Bandwidth Can Play Critical Role at School Bus Charging Infrastructure Locations
Related: Mobile to Spike Telematics Market By 2022, Study Says
Related: Telematics Firm Continental Acquires Majority Stake in Zonar


Integrating with Route Planning and GPS Metrics

CalAmp provides connected intelligence solutions for school bus fleet operators, primarily focusing on tracking, monitoring and protecting mobile assets. Adam Ortlieb, the company’s senior product marketing manager, said many telematics customers use are maintenance management capabilities in conjunction with other functions such as routing and route planning.

“Typical use cases include performing vehicle inspections, generating and managing work orders, and capturing engine diagnostics information, malfunction indicator light alerts, and related data,” explained Ortlieb. “Typical recommendations generally center around likely malfunctions and steps drivers, and maintenance staff can take to manage current state, as well as performance related issues, potential safety issues and preventative maintenance.”

Meanwhile, Zach Moren, the sales engineering lead at Transfinder, noted that about 22 percent of their clients who use Transfinder routing software also use the company’s maintenance software. However, he noted that well below 50 percent of school districts are using fleet maintenance in general.

He noted that in terms of route planning, which reduces miles, the separate benefits of fleet maintenance are the cost differences between having a breakdown on a road versus inspections that catch issues and maintaining upkept vehicles.

He added that with the integration of AI, Transfinder is compiling data from each of its customers on students and ridership as well as vehicle mileage and age. “The two benefits of that is creating more efficient routes, but on the fleet side, it’s helping fleet managers move to predictive maintenance.

“Could your system say, hey, for the month of September, this is how many inspections we expect you to do. Vehicles are going to come in 27 times. You have the right parts, you have the right staff, things like that on hand, that could start to help you and give you a heads up,” he said of use cases, adding that already the technology helps with telematics such as temperature readings, parts and labor usage and time requirements. “And there’s a lot of information that we could start recommending on. These are how many parts you’re going to use this year.”

He continued, noting that with tariffs, costs are going to go up. “If I know about how many parts I need to use for the entire year, and I could buy it today rather than six months from now, it could be really, really beneficial,” he said.

Predictive maintenance could also help with inventory, as fleet managers might not want to keep a ton of supply on hand.

How fast could school bus operators move to predictive maintenance? Zonar’s Kriete said a five- to seven-year timeline is realistic for widespread adoption. Success, he added, depends on high-quality ECM data from a majority of the fleet.

“We’re already piloting predictive analytics in mixed-fleet environments, but industry-wide use will require consistent data capture across bus models and years,” he added.

Preventive maintenance measures remain a key attribute of the telematics software with CalAmp. But another use of the telematic software is to track driver performance and behavior to determine if driving behavior is out of order or having an influence on maintenance, safety and bus performance issues.

“Managing driver behavior is a crucial proactive step in preventative maintenance that can be overlooked,” said Ortlieb. “The CalAmp K-12 system, for example, automatically captures and consolidates speeding, aggressive driving, and idling data, and presents it in a scoring framework that simplifies coaching and supports reward systems. The direct result is helping transportation departments to minimize unnecessary wear-and-tear on tires and brakes and bypassing expensive repairs, downtime, accidents, and other potential safety issues.”

By consolidating accurate details such as odometer, engine hours, fault codes, lamp status, and battery data, Orlieb said the transportation management system streamlines manual data collection, eliminates human error and better informs planning and troubleshooting.
Grandy at Tyler added that an integrated fleet maintenance system provides many practical advantages, especially when trying to keep things running smoothly across a busy operation.

“It ties directly into your routing, GPS and vehicle data. You get a full picture of how each vehicle is being used and what it needs, all in one place,” he continued. “You can set up automated maintenance schedules based on real mileage or engine hours, not just guesswork. Plus, you can easily track work orders, parts and labor costs without juggling spreadsheets or paper logs. (Technicians) spend less time reacting and more time planning. Scheduling services and inspections becomes a lot more efficient, which helps reduce downtime and keeps your vehicles on the road.”

The beauty of integration with different telemetric parameters such as routing and vehicle maintenance is that each vehicle has a complete service history right at maintenance professionals’ fingertips, simplifying compliance, reporting and budgeting.

Grandy said that advanced fleet software should be comprehensive and “helps you stay ahead, cut out the chaos and keep your fleet running at its best.”

Taylor Ekbatani and Ryan Gray contributed to this report. 

The post Under the Hood: School Bus ‘Smart’ Telematics Driving Fleet Improvements appeared first on School Transportation News.

WRI Research Highlights Monetary Health Benefits of Electric School Buses

28 August 2025 at 21:34

New research published by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Carleton University finds that the U.S. could see an estimated $1.6 billion in societal benefits every year by using electric school buses.

This first-of-its-kind data released Wednesday accounts for the cost of using diesel-burning school buses as compared to using electric school buses, measured by two metrics: Health impacts and climate effects. WRI stated that by “comparing these costs at the local level, the data provides annual societal benefit figures in dollar terms for every county in the contiguous U.S.”

People in every state would experience positive benefits from ESBs, the research suggests, but it would be most pronounced in countries operating the oldest-burning school buses, and in communities with higher proportions of people of color and in countries with larger populations and dense, urban areas.

Still, the research indicates New York, California, Florida and Texas are poised to benefit the most from ESBs. However, nearly every county nationwide stands to benefit by using electric school buses, with the study finding more than $509,000 in average annual benefits per county and some counties seeing more than $30 million in societal benefits each year. Annual benefits vary by county based on school bus fleet size, population density, electricity fuel type mix, and age of the current diesel fleet.

“For years, communities in New York have experienced outsized impacts of diesel pollution,” commented Matt Berlin, CEO of New York City School Bus Umbrella Services. “As this new data from WRI proves, school bus electrification makes sense for New Yorkers. Investing in electric school buses means making the bus ride for kids and bus attendants and drivers on the bus quieter and healthier. Beyond the bus itself, reducing pollution near schools and in the communities where we all live means we all enjoy these benefits.”

WRI stated that the research is among the first to “model and quantify the county-level health and climate impacts of using electric school buses instead of aging diesel-burning school buses.”

When looking at the the factors of population health and climate change, the research notes that about 90 percent of the nearly half-million school buses operating in the U.S. run on diesel fuel and the harmful pollutants in diesel can cause respiratory illness, cognitive impairment and cancer, as recognized by the World Health Organization.

ESBs, however, produce zero tailpipe emissions and have the lowest greenhouse gas footprint of any school bus type at the national level, even when accounting for emissions from the associated electricity generation, the research claims. It examines the effects of diesel-burning school buses in operation, as well as the production and distribution of the fuel used.

The health impacts of diesel-burning school buses were estimated by determining the excess mortality associated with exposure to PM2.5, despite federal regulations over the past 15 years that have reduced diesel emissions by approximately 90 percent. The impacts were calculated into dollar figures based on a sociological metric that reportedly looks at how much society is willing to pay for small reductions to the risk of dying from health conditions that may be caused by environmental pollution. The sociological metric is referred to as the Value of a Statistical Life.

Meanwhile, the climate impacts of diesel-burning school buses were measured by calculating the Social Cost of Carbon, an established metric for the societal damage from extreme heat, sea level rise, food insecurity and other impacts of climate change, from these buses’ carbon dioxide emissions. The study notes that because health impacts were measured only by excess mortality from PM2.5, there are likely more health benefits of electric school buses that aren’t captured in this data, including reduced exposure to ozone pollutants, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

Further Studies Needed

 

A technical note acknowledges several research limitations in addition to only studying excess mortality of PM2.5 and recommends additional environmental analysis and higher resolution modeling in urban areas. The study does not address environmental justice or equity benefits of ESBs and disparities in air pollution based on race, ethnicity or income, the latter which the researchers said could reveal additional ESB benefits for marginalized communities. The research also makes assumptions about brake and tire-wear emissions and relies on “not yet mature” ESB operational parameters and emissions based on data from 2020 that does not account for changes in fleet composition changes, vehicle standards and the electricity grid. Additionally, benefits per ton remain consistent between 2016 and 2020 and “may not fully capture changes in atmospheric composition or emissions.”

Once the costs of diesel school bus impacts were determined, the research calculated the same types of impacts for ESBs, including electricity generation, and compared them to that of diesel to provide a dollar figure from each county.

Brian Zepka, research manager for WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative said the research used a new modeling approach to trace air pollution back to its source, “allowing us to directly attribute which health impacts stem from diesel-burning school buses. While other approaches start with the air pollution source and estimate its impact, this approach, developed in peer-reviewed research funded by the Health Effects Institute, starts with the health impacts, like early deaths from air pollution, and traces that pollution back to its source—in this case, school buses.”
WRI noted the research “uses state-of-the-art models and county-level data to more specifically estimate where electric school buses would provide the most health and climate benefits through reduced emissions. It doesn’t look at the cost to own or operate different types of school buses, instead examining the impact on society from the use of the buses.”

Sue Gander, director of WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative, said the new research shows “undeniably” that ESBs give kids a cleaner ride to school.

“In every region of the country, North, South, East and West, communities stand to see real, significant benefits from the cleaner air and reduced emissions of electric school buses. And as this research demonstrates, everybody wins when kids get to school on a clean ride, to the tune of $1.6 billion dollars every year in health and climate benefits nationwide,” she said. “Given the outsize benefits of electrifying the most polluting diesel-burning school bus fleets, and the concentration of those buses in low income areas and areas with more people of color, this data reinforces the need to ensure that those most impacted by diesel exhaust pollution are among the first to benefit from electric school buses.”

The 10 percent of diesel-burning school buses that are the most polluting are responsible for nearly 50 percent of the total health impacts of diesel-burning school buses nationwide, the research notes. Breaking that down by per-mile health impacts from diesel school buses, while varying, results to under $10 to nearly $4,000 per 1,000 miles driven, depending on the school bus age and operating location.

While the research only focused on PM2.5-related premature mortality as the primary health end point, diesel-burning school buses also emit large amounts of NOx, which contribute to ozone formation and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure—both are linked to asthma, morbidity and additional premature deaths.

The research does not include the additional health effects or impacts of other diesel pollutants. WRI stated the research is likely underestimating the total benefits of electrification. Incorporating NOx-related outcomes in the future could show greater contrasts between diesel and electric.


Related: California Doubles Down on Zero-Emission Vehicles with Renewed Affordability, Adoption Priorities
Related: Safety Concerns of the Electric Grid?
Related: Report Highlights Shift in Federal Policy from EVs to Conventional Fuels

The post WRI Research Highlights Monetary Health Benefits of Electric School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

❌
❌