The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) is using National School Bus Safety Week to look toward next year’s safety campaign, announcing “Safe Miles = Big Smiles” as the theme of the 2027 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

The announcement Tuesday, during the Oct. 19-23 national observance, calls on students to illustrate what safe school bus transportation means to them and how everyday choices contribute to safer rides.

NAPT encouraged school transportation departments to involve educators and students in the contest, using student-created artwork to reinforce safety messages in classrooms and communities.

“School bus safety doesn’t begin or end at the bus stop,” NAPT said in its announcement, describing safety as a shared commitment among families, schools and transportation professionals.

National School Bus Safety Week, celebrated the third full week each October, aims to bring students, parents, motorists, school transportation employees and educators together around safe behavior on and around school buses.

The national poster competition begins at the local and state levels, where students develop original posters illustrating the designated theme. State-winning entries advance to national judging, and the overall winner’s artwork becomes a centerpiece of the following year’s National School Bus Safety Week campaign.

The new theme is separate from the 2026 National School Bus Safety Week message, “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes,” which highlights the people and practices involved in transporting students safely.

This year’s featured poster was designed by Sai Darshana Yekolu, a sixth grader at Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas. Yekolu was named the overall national winner of the 2026 contest after advancing through state competition.

Judges representing NAPT, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and the National School Transportation Association evaluated entries for their safety messages, originality, artistic quality and visual effectiveness.

The winning design is being shared nationally, including throughout the October issue of NAPT’s School BUSRide publication and by state pupil transportation officials, schools and transportation departments.

The contest also gives transportation departments another way to engage students in safety education beyond traditional reminders. NAPT is asking districts to encourage teachers and students to depict how decisions made at home, at school and along bus routes can contribute to safer trips.

NAPT previously said the 2027 contest drawing period was expected to begin in November, with timing intended to accommodate differing school calendars across North America.

NAPT directed districts to its updated 2027 contest guidelines and a printable version of Yekolu’s winning poster. Additional contest resources are available online.

Related: School Bus Safety Month Again Unanimously Supported in Senate
Related: Texas Sixth Grader Wins National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Related: New York Middle Schooler Wins Annual Poster Contest
Related: NAPT Annual Poster Contest Winners Announced

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif., — Zūm, a leader in student mobility, is recognizing National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 19-23) by announcing an update to its driver training curriculum designed to support the safety, well-being and individual needs of all students and recognizing drivers with outstanding safety records.

“Safety is more than what happens while the bus is moving. It starts before a driver leaves the yard and continues through every pickup, ride and drop-off,” said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO of Zum. “School bus drivers are the heart of our operation and the ‘everyday heroes’ we depend on to deliver our children to school safely and set them up for a successful day of learning.”

‘Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes’
This week Zum is honoring drivers with celebrations at its bus yards nationwide and by acknowledging drivers who set the standard for safety. The theme of this year’s events is “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes.”

Zum also announced an expansion of its SPED Safe driver training course that now requires all drivers to complete a training module devoted to “Supporting Students with Autism on the Bus.” Developed with industry-leading safety experts as well as Zum’s in-house team of state-certified trainers, SPED Safe equips drivers with evidence-based strategies to support the safety, well-being, and individual needs of all students, including students with disabilities.

Zum drivers receive comprehensive training that meets or exceeds county and state requirements, along with real-time feedback on their driving performance. Zum requires drivers to follow strict safety protocols, including completing a Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) before and after each trip. Each driver also has a GPS-enabled tablet that provides real-time route updates, information about individual student needs and easy-to-use incident reporting tools.

‍Zum CMX: Prioritizing Student Safety
Zum also enables student safety through its AI-powered Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) platform. Zum CMX connects routing, dispatch, drivers, schools, families, safety and operations in real time, helping districts improve reliability, optimize resources and provide families with greater visibility.

Zum CMX enables transportation systems to move from uncertainty and disruption to coordinated, predictable execution — keeping student safety at the forefront.

• • Real-time visibility: Zum CMX provides real-time, map-based ride tracking, AI-powered arrival time estimates, and rider verification for every trip. This shared visibility reduces uncertainty, ensures that all stakeholders have access to the same information and enables coordinated action across the system.
  • Reliability driven by AI coordination: Zum CMX coordinates routing, dispatch, and execution based on real-time conditions. AI-powered systems are designed to continuously update routes, identify emerging issues such as road closures or traffic, and resolve disruptions before they cascade. Instead of reactive problem-solving, transportation teams can proactively manage their systems to improve reliability and reduce delays.
  • Transparency for families: The Zum App allows parents to see real-time information about vehicle location and their child’s pickup or dropoff status, along with a profile of their child’s driver, to give them peace of mind every step of the way.

“At Zum, student safety is our highest priority, before, during and after every ride,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “We believe the school bus is the on-ramp to learning. By providing safe, reliable student mobility, we help students access education and start their school day on the right foot, while giving families greater transparency and peace of mind throughout their child’s journey to and from school.”

Today, Zum supports more than 7,500 schools across 19 states. To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in redefining student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

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TRENTON, N.J. — National School Bus Safety Week (NSBSW), Oct. 19-23, 2026, is a week that serves as a reminder that every school day, millions of students rely on the yellow school bus to get them safely to and from school, making it the largest form of mass transit in North America, while remaining the safest form of student transportation. However, illegal passing of stopped school buses and distracted driving continue to pose serious risks to students as they travel to and from school.

Each year, the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) proudly participates in NSBSW, and we recognize the dedication of school bus drivers, bus monitors, transportation staff, teachers and students in their ongoing efforts to ensure the iconic yellow school bus remains the safest mode of transportation to and from school each and every year.

NSTA members are invited to participate and spread the message of NSBSW across our communities and sharing the social media graphics provided, by clicking here. We encourage you to download the graphics and add your company’s logo when you share them on your social media platforms.

Additionally, NSTA is encouraging members to continue to share the Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring former NFL standout Lomas Brown. The PSA reminds motorists to slow down, stay alert around school buses, and obey the laws designed to protect students. His message is simple and powerful: “When The Red Lights Are Flashing, No Passing.”

There is no expiration date on the use of these materials, allowing you to continue promoting this important safety message throughout the 2026-27 school year.

Finally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has developed school bus safety marketing materials. To view and download NHTSA’s school bus safety campaign material, please click here.

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NEW YORK, NY — The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) announced today that they will be holding Operation Safe Stop events around the state. The annual event helps promote school bus safety and educates the public about the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus with flashing red lights.

“Stop on red, our kids are ahead – that’s the Operation Safe Stop motto,” said David Christopher, Executive Director of NYAPT. “While the main focus is to remind drivers to stop for stopped school buses so we can keep our school children safe, it is important to note that law enforcement across the state will be out in force following yellow school buses and issuing tickets to those drivers who violate the law.”

This year’s Operation Safe Stop takes place Wednesday, October 21, 2026. It is a cooperative educational and enforcement project supported by NYAPT along with the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, New York State Bus Distributors Association, the student transportation industry and state, county, city, and local law enforcement agencies.

“The illegal passing of stopped school buses is one of the major safety issues that our school bus drivers and students face on the ride to and from school daily,” said John Spacht, President of NYAPT. “We ask the public to avoid distractions while driving, be aware that school buses are on our roadways, and to stop when they see the red lights flashing on a school bus. A child’s life depends on motorists to drive carefully and do the right thing and stop for the bus.”

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law requires all vehicles to come to a complete stop when approaching a stopped school bus with red lights flashing. Those lights indicate that a child is either boarding or disembarking a school bus. New York State law prohibits passing a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing, regardless of the direction of travel, even on a multi-lane or divided highway.

NYAPT Operation Safe Stop Committee Chair, Jasen Hibbart, Chenango Valley Central School District, urges motorists to look out for our children, “Our children shouldn’t have to worry about motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus. Slow down and watch for school buses and children. Stop when you see the red lights.”

Law enforcement will follow buses, looking for illegal passings. Penalties for a first-time offense of illegally passing a school bus include a fine of $250 to $400, five points on your driver’s license, and the possibility of up to 30 days in jail. A second conviction within three years may result in a fine of $600 to $750, five points on your license, and up to 180 days in jail. Three or more convictions will result in a fine of $750 to $1,500, 5 points on your license, and up to 180 days in jail.

Additionally, for those school districts and municipalities that choose to use automatic ticketing stop arm cameras on school buses, state law allows fines to be levied on the owner of any vehicle that illegally passes a stopped school bus, beginning at $250 for a first violation and up to $300 for subsequent violations.

NYAPT also noted that the 2.3 million children who ride school buses in New York State are driven by qualified and well-trained school bus drivers on routes carefully planned for safety, on buses that are maintained at the highest safety standards, and that school transportation officials are doing their best to keep students safe when they are on or near a school bus.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are 70 times safer riding a school bus to school than in a private car. See www.nhtsa.gov

The list below represents NYAPT chapters that are holding Operation Safe Stop Day public awareness events across the state on October 21, 2026.

Capital Region: Shaker Road/Loudonville
Fire Department 550 Albany Shaker Road
9:30 AM
Contact: Jerry Keenan

Rochester Area: Henrietta Fire Station #6
60 Erie Station Road Henrietta, NY
9:30 AM
Contact: David Richardson

Central New York Area: Lafayette Central School District
Transportation Department 5955 US 20 Lafayette, NY
10:30 AM
Contact: Christine Finch

Buffalo Area: Springville Central School District Transportation Department
369 North Street Springville, NY
10:30 AM
Contact: Eric Nagel

Suffolk County: Patchogue-Medford School District
Saxton Middle School 121 Saxton Street Patchogue, NY
11:00 AM
Contact: John Ryan

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Amid National School Bus Safety Week, teaching young students how to safely navigate the school bus routine is an important part of early childhood education. Gregory Nichols hopes to support those efforts through his children’s picture book, Mr. G Big Yellow Bus, which introduces young readers to school bus safety.

“One thing they can learn is the importance of seatbelts, the importance of not standing in the aisle and not throwing stuff out the windows,” said Nichols, who’s been a school bus driver for nearly a decade, most recently with Bridgeton Public Schools in New Jersey.

By introducing these safety lessons through a children’s picture book, Nichols said he hopes young students will become more familiar with safe behavior on and around the school bus. As a school bus driver himself, Nichols knows the responsibilities he has and the importance of keeping the children safe at all times.

“Our responsibility as bus drivers is no kid left behind, and sometimes if you watch the news, you see kids get left on a bus,” Nichols said. “It’s important for the school bus drivers and the children to be aware of their surroundings to keep this from happening.”

After reading Mr G Big Yellow Bus, Nichols said he hopes young readers will understand that “your bus driver cares about you. I take my job seriously; I go above and beyond. Also, I want to see that they are safe and respect others.”

Nichols is working to reach more students through school readings and outreach effort. He said he hopes to encourage reading the physical copy of a book for young children, as an alternative to electronics. Mr G Big Yellow Bus is available for purchase on Amazon.

Additionally, Nichols is creating a Spanish book version, hoping he can eventually make it available in all languages. Nichols is also working on another children’s book, which will focus more on safety.

“I’m going to continue to write because I found a passion for it now,” Nichols said. “The recognition that I’m getting from the kids and my family, the support that I’m getting now from writing a book, and it’s something positive.”

For Nichols, one of the most rewarding parts of writing the book has been seeing how young readers connect with the story.

“I’m getting a lot of positive feedback from people that bought the book for their kids,” Nichols said. “I FaceTimed a couple of them, just hearing them say, ‘That’s Mr. G! That’s Mr. G!’ It’s really a heartwarming thing.”

Related: Georgia Grandmother Writes School Bus Safety Book for Children
Related: Children’s Books by School Bus Drivers Double as Safety Education Tool
Related: Connecticut School Bus Company Publishes Bilingual Book to Ease First-Day Bus Anxiety
Related: NC Transportation Manager Channels Passion for Education, Safety into Children’s Books
Related: School Bus Driver Creates Children’s Book to Promote School Bus Safety

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