Last year, the appetite for electric school buses waned. The reason had a lot to do with President Donald Trump retaking the Oval Office and signing numerous executive orders that changed course on the drive toward zero emissions.

The Clean School Bus Program was shelved until recently, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected at press time to finally announced it would make good on awarding the final $2.5 billion remaining in the five-year $5 million program. Seemingly it comes the official re-emergence of diesel, which had been obvious across all sectors.

Diesel is 90 percent cleaner than it was two decades ago and, while it still emits harmful particulate matter especially for children’s developing lungs, it remains the fuel type of choice for many fleets due to its workhorse and longevity characteristics. That makes federal subsidies for drop-in biodiesel blends, which many school districts have been using for decades, and renewable diesel especially attractive.

Granted, maintaining diesel systems has become more arduous and expensive. And those costs extend to the fuel pump.

Petroleum prices were already volatile, then the Iran war broke out. The Strait of Hormuz closed, and the price of oil soared well past $100 a barrel. Diesel and gasoline prices followed suit globally. Despite the U.S. opening domestic oil reserves, those prices have stayed high, and there is no end in sight. This has spelled doom for school districts and school bus operators.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation and AASA: The Superintendents Association conducted a survey last month that illustrates the impacts. Of the 188 school districts responding, 22 percent said their diesel fuel costs increased by 11- to 20 percent over their current school year budget. Another 20 percent said they
are 6- to 10 percent over budget.

Scott Lee, the director of transportation for Washoe County School District in Nevada, said diesel costs increased a whopping 89 percent from January of this year to May, rising from $3.01 per gallon to $5.69 per gallon. The Reno-area school district, however, seemingly has it better than a lot of states in terms of actual prices being paid. Outside of Portland, Oregon, the Beaverton School District was paying $6.57 per gallon through April, a 38-percent increase from $4.77 paid last July.

The saving grace for school districts like Beaverton and Washoe is a reliance on electric and propane school buses. Craig Beaver, who retires as director of transportation this summer, said the fleet of electric school buses is closing in on the sweet spot of achieving 1.5 kWh per mile efficiency. In April, the school district’s Type C and Type D electric school buses averaged 1.6 kW per mile, the best mark since last October, when the average was 1.59.

Meanwhile, both he and Washoe County’s Lee are also increasingly relying on propane. Lee shared that propane fueling cost remains relatively flat with an increase of 4 percent for fiscal year 2027, at which point the district also is purchasing another six propane school buses for the 2026-2027 school year.

Beaver said he kept the budget the same for the coming school year, as more electric and propane school buses will be on the road at a cheaper cost. This, he added, will hopefully offset the increase in diesel cost per gallon over the course of the year.

“It’s a good plan, as long as the Strait of Hormuz opens up in the next month or two. We will have minimal diesel usage this summer as well,” he shared. “Only use those buses for long trips. Everything else will be EV supplemented by propane.”

Beaverton’s long-term plan includes transitioning all 140 Type D school buses in the fleet to propane over the next five to eight years, once Blue Bird comes to market with an option.

The writing on the wall, no matter the politics at play, is the TCO of both electric and propane pencil out. Despite higher upfront costs, both options are often surpassing diesel in terms of lifetime fuel and maintenance csts. That story was also told at ACT Expo last month, in the 2026 State of Sustainable Fuels report.

With the Clean School Bus Program relaunching and no matter the assumed new funding mechanism for biodiesel and renewal diesel, millions if not billions of dollars will be spent in the coming years to add more electric and propane school buses to the national fleet.

And that is welcome news in a world where fuel volatility and higher new vehicle purchase prices will continue.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the June 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: (STN Podcast E308) Past & Future: Fuel Volatility, 10 Years of School Transportation Trends
Related: (STN Podcast E307) Buy With Confidence: Fuel Price Frustration, School Bus Buying Tips
Related: Survey: Half of School Districts Paying At Least 6% More for Diesel
Related: Survey Shows 87% of Parents Support Low-Emissions School Buses, Yet Diesel Dominates

The post Alternative to Fueling Discomfort appeared first on School Transportation News.

Many school transportation departments throughout the U.S. are currently engaged in software and hardware upgrades—from exploration to implementation—with goals to make the process as smooth as possible while reaping top-level returns on that investment.

Habersham County Schools in Clarkesville, Georgia transports some 4,000 of its approximately 7,000 students throughout the district’s 350 square miles. Stephanie Walker, director of transportation for the district, noted Habersham is in the final stage of a complete bus radio replacement, which entails all new equipment and installation.

“This upgrade was a result of our 911 emergency services upgrading their radio system, and we wanted to remain on the same system as we have always been,” she said. “This project has been a long process, and we are excited to see our radio coverage increase significantly throughout our school district.

“This has always been a safety concern because our existing coverage included portions of our district that had little or no coverage due to terrain and older equipment,” she continued. “We are thankful to be on the same radio network as our emergency services as it relates to safety and monitoring by our emergency management services.”

Walker noted the district is currently considering new software for routing to replace its existing program. “With this replacement, we are considering the addition of student tracking, parent app and live GPS,” she said. “We have evaluated several options and are moving forward with recommendations soon. I believe the additions of student tracking and live GPS will bolster our continuing efforts to maintain high levels of safety for our students.”

Meanwhile, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District in Rosenberg, Texas, which serves approximately 48,000 students, with an average of a little more than 22,000 students transported daily by school bus. Lamar CISD is also the home of the 2026 AASA Superintendent of the Year Roosevelt Nivens.

“Providing safe, reliable transportation at this scale requires a strong operational foundation supported by technology, communication and collaboration,” said Michelle Summers, the assistant director of transportation at the district’s Rosenberg location.

Regarding software and hardware updates, Summers noted the district currently utilizes student monitoring technology that allows students to scan on and off the bus. “This provides parents with visibility into where their student is and adds an additional layer of safety and accountability,” she added.

The district’s school buses also are equipped with tablets, enabling drivers to operate their routes in a hands-free environment, eliminating the need to handle paper route sheets while driving. “Additionally, we have a parent app that allows families to track their child’s bus in real time and view student scan activity,” said Summers. “Together, these tools enhance communication, situational awareness and overall safety for students, drivers and families.” Newport News Public Schools in Virginia recently completed the RFP process to purchase updated routing software.

“We are migrating to a new field trip software as our current software by App Garden is being absorbed by Pathwise,” said Sharon L. Moore, transportation operations manager for the district that transports 19,000 of its district’s 25,500 students via school bus. “There are plans to have our student referral process become digital. We are currently exploring different software to assist us in this goal.”

Addressing challenges and lessons learned, Moore noted it can be challenging during the RFP process to identify software that encompasses all district wish-list items.

“There must be concessions made by both sides to come to the point of making a purchasing decision,” she added. “In the past, we have had to understand that proposals put forth by vendors need to be looked at as a used car sales approach, where everything looks shiny and new. But when we get to implementation, that is where the dings and dents come to light and there is more work than anticipated to get the program up and running for the district.”

That has made district staff aware that they need to ask more in-depth questions during the proposal phase to ensure the product being presented will be adequate to meet its needs, she added.

“If we can weed out the programs that would not be able to do what we need them to do during the RFP process, it saves so much more time and energy during the implementation phase,” said Moore. “We had a situation where we had gotten to the implementation training for a major product and had to back out because it simply would not have worked for our district,” she added. “We found that had we asked more in-depth questions during the process, we could have saved both us and the vendor months of work.”

Walker said one of her biggest challenges is finding the best time to perform equipment replacement and/or installation of new software, including training of all staff and
verification of data transfer.

“We are just now reaching the equipment replacement portion of the new bus radio system and are scheduled as soon as we end our normal school year, for which I am thankful,” she continued. “The timing of the radio equipment will allow for a quicker, seamless installation. However, we were prepared to coordinate the best rotation possible if it were to occur during school days.”

Walker added that any upgrades to the routing software and the new addition of the student verification and parent app will likely occur during the next school year. “Part of our current discussions are planning for this to happen and how we feel is the best approach for the transition if we are able to move forward as we hope,” she noted.

Summers noted the challenges associated with implementation occurred prior to her start with the district. She was informed the process was “very rocky during the first few years.”

“As a district, we worked closely with Tyler Technologies to identify errors within the system and received much needed training. As a result of those efforts, the opening of the 2025–2026 school year was very smooth, showing significant improvement,” she continued,
adding some technology challenges remain, especially related to connectivity and RFID issues. “However, we have strong working relationships with Tyler Technologies and CI Solutions, our student badge provider.

Because of these partnerships, we are typically able to address issues before they become larger problems.” Addressing what a successful implementation looks like, Summers said that it can be challenging, as transportation has many moving parts. “Nothing will ever work perfectly 100 percent of the time,” she pointed out. “However, transportation must operate as close to 100 percent as possible because we have zero room for error when it comes to student safety.”

Summers noted a successful implementation includes strong support from district leadership, clear and consistent communication, healthy and responsive relationships with vendors, and systems that reduce stress rather than add to it.

“When these elements are in place, it creates a smoother, less stressful school year for everyone involved,” she said. Moore agreed a successful implementation should encompass a smooth transition from selection to implementation.

“There needs to be a strong implementation plan with a clear training schedule for all users,” she said. “Each user role and responsibility needs to be clearly defined and the training tailored for each user group needs.” There needs to be a realistic timeline between purchase, training and implementation when it goes live, Moore said.

“There may be a need to run dual programs for a period to ensure that as many bumps in the road with the new software can be handled without operational disruption because we still have the support of the old software,” she added.

Moore advised other districts to involve end-users in as much of the implementation process as possible to help with buy-in and comfort level with the new technology, so that when the software does go live, all users feel comfortable using the program.

To ensure a successful implementation, Moore said she makes all attempts to prepare for any scenario during an upgrade or installation of equipment and software. “I want to see the process as seamless as possible,” she shared. “However, I try to have plans B, C and D already laid out just in case. A successful implementation will come from preparing and planning not only at the school district level but with the vendor you are working with.”

Moore suggested that school districts looking to do upgrades should spend time researching and developing the right questions to ask. “Know what features you are looking for, even if some of them seem too outrageous,” she said. “Not all of the pie-in-the-sky features will be available or possible, but you may be surprised that some will be.

“These features will probably not be the shiny new car look that you see in the showroom but could be the hidden under the hood features that makes the software the right fit for your division,” she continued. Summers concurred that the best possible outcome is derived through research.

“Compare and contrast solutions, and seek direct feedback from your transportation team,” she said. “Ask what is working, what is not and what the software or program needs to accomplish. Every district has unique needs, and it is important to address those needs intentionally.

“It is also critical to take your time and avoid rushing implementation simply because of cost. Rushed implementations often result in greater costs later. Phasing in upgrades allows staff time to adapt and increase longterm success.”

Ensure the transportation team understands the why behind the upgrade and is willing to work with the new system, Summers said, adding buy-in from the people using the technology every day is essential.

“Prepare, prepare, prepare,” Walker noted. “Prepare for every possible situation and timing of installation or upgrades. Think about how that will affect the school day, or if it is during the summer, how will you prepare your staff when they return to new equipment or software?”

Prepare for ample training with staff, including the possibility of needing to do additional training based on the outcome of the initial training period, she added.

Logistics play a big part of planning for implementation, Walker pointed out. “Adding implementation and installation during a school day will take much longer and require some distinct phasing in, whether it be by school location, a specific department such as general education or special needs, and a truly thoughtful plan that walks through the school day [that] will serve you best,” she said. “It is very important to make sure your staff is aware of the changes and understand the plan and their role in such plans.”

Summer concluded that technology should support operations, not complicate.“With thoughtful planning, strong communication and realistic expectations, districts can implement solutions that truly improve safety and efficiency,” she said.

The post Planning the Perfect Rollout: Secrets for Successful Software, Hardware Upgrades appeared first on School Transportation News.

MARLBORO, N.Y. – Durham School Services is proud to share that it will continue in the footsteps of its sister brand, Quality Bus, to serve the students at the Marlboro Central School District for the next five years through June of 2031. This partnership builds on Quality Bus’ 11-year, deep-rooted history in the Marlboro community. The transition to Durham School Services from Quality Bus will not result in any local management or employee changes. Durham School Services and its sister brands currently serve over 613 schools in New York.

Together with the current Marlboro team, Durham School Services will run 48 routes for the school district with its fleet of 53 buses, which come equipped with Zonar’s fleet management platform for real-time GPS tracking and pre and post trip safety inspections and Samsara’s AI enabled dash cameras to improve driver responsiveness and safety along each route, as well as to safeguard students and the community.

In addition to its role as a trusted student transportation provider, the Marlboro team is also a proud community partner that has given back on various occasions through the Company’s Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program. Over the years, the team has hosted a coat drive for local charity Worthy Virtue and also partnered with the school district to host food and toy drives for local students and the community.

“My team couldn’t be more thrilled and honored that the Marlboro Central School District has awarded us with this opportunity to serve their students and community for another five years,” said Region Manager Britt Liotta, Durham School Services/Quality Bus. “Partnerships of this length are rare, which makes this even more meaningful and significant to my team. It speaks volumes about my team’s expertise, success, and excellence-driven efforts over the years and is a significant acknowledgement of a job well done. I want to thank the district for once again entrusting their students to us and also recognizing my team for their dependability and commitment to safety and service.”

About Durham School Services
As a premier transportation provider, Durham School Services provides safe, reliable student transportation that communities trust and families depend on. With operational discipline, local commitment, proven safety standards, and clear accountability, we bring deep expertise to every route we operate. Driven by our five values: Safety, Care, Transparency, Communities, and Culture, we deliver transportation that works quietly, consistently, and without disruption.

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SCHENACTADY, N.Y. — A new nationwide survey of school transportation professionals revealed that while most districts consider their bus routes moderately efficient, major operational challenges continue to limit optimization.

Key findings show that:

· Most districts rate their routing as only “somewhat efficient,” with clear room for improvement

· Driver shortages are the leading barrier to efficiency, cited across nearly every respondent group

· Between 25 percent and 50 percent of school buses on the road run below capacity in many

· On-time performance and bus utilization are the top metrics used to measure success

The School Bus Routing Efficiency Poll, conducted by Transfinder in April–May 2026, gathered feedback from transportation leaders in more than 30 states, highlighting both persistent pain points and emerging strategies for improvement. The survey was sent to Transfinder clients as well as users of other transportation products or those who manually create routes.

“The challenges transportation leaders are facing are real and in many cases have been longstanding, such as the driver shortage,” said Transfinder President & CEO Antonio Civitella. “But the survey also reveals that transportation leaders have some actions they can take to regain some control and mitigate some of the external forces.”

Districts Balancing Efficiency with Real-World Constraints

While some districts report highly optimized operations, the majority say practical limitations prevent full efficiency.

“Efficiency for us is balancing trip duration, student safety, bus capacity, and trip distance so that neither of the components becomes a parental or school issue,” said Michael Bebko, Transportation & Financial Assistance Coordinator of Hopkinton Public Schools in Massachusetts.

Patricia McGrane, a transportation supervisor at Northport-East Northport Union Free School District in New York, added: “Efficiency is the ability to streamline processes so that work is completed smoothly, on time, and with the best use of available resources, while minimizing unnecessary stress.”

Driver Shortages Continue to Reshape Routing Decisions

The survey underscored that driver shortages are not just a staffing issue but are directly shaping routing outcomes.

Districts report running less-than-full buses, combining routes, or adding complexity to meet service expectations.

“We are meeting our bell times better but we still encounter a driver shortage and we are running half empty buses or more regularly to meet the bell times,” said Lori Smith, transportation coordinator at Bellbrook Sugarcreek Schools in Ohio.

Others noted that consolidating routes, while necessary, can have trade-offs.

“We have combined and eliminated buses. This hurt my company financially but it had to be done due to driver shortage,” said Shae Harkleroad, president of Raystown Transit Service, a transportation contractor in Pennsylvania.

Community Expectations and Bell Schedules Limit Optimization

Beyond staffing, respondents repeatedly pointed to community expectations and school schedules as major constraints.

Requests for shorter ride times, neighborhood stop preferences and strict bell schedules often conflict with efficiency goals.

“Political/community expectations, such as stop locations and ride times, ranked among the most frequently cited barriers to efficiency.

In many cases, districts must prioritize service levels over cost savings or capacity optimization, respondents said.

Technology Widely Used—but Confidence Varies

The vast majority of districts rely on routing software, yet confidence in these systems is mixed. Some respondents expressed strong confidence in their tools, while others said software alone cannot replicate real-world nuances.

“We relied heavily on the Optimize feature to build trips after we set up our general education stops,” said Jack Gershon, a dispatcher at Livonia Public Schools in Michigan. “We then revise those trips based on institutional knowledge and mirror trips.”

Despite Challenges, Districts Are Finding Gains

Even with constraints, many districts are making measurable progress through creative strategies:

· Tiered bell schedules to reduce fleet size

· Double runs and wave scheduling to offset driver shortages

· Route consolidation and redesign to eliminate overlap

“Our routes looked like someone threw a bowl of spaghetti on a map,” said James Graham, financial secretary at Norman Public Schools in Oklahoma. “We had routes crisscrossing, two or three buses in the same neighborhood. With Transfinder tools we solved this.”

Efficiency Gains Could Deliver Immediate Impact

Respondents said a modest 10 percent improvement in routing efficiency would yield significant benefits, including:

· Fewer buses required

· Lower fuel costs

· Easier daily operations

· Shorter student ride times

Summarizing the stakes for school systems, Chris Corder, transportation director at Hardin County Schools in Kentucky, said: “Maximizing taxpayer monies that we are entrusted with to run our department.”

Debbie Schomisch, transportation director at Farwell Area Schools in Michigan, put it this way: “Getting the most bang for the schools money.”

An Ongoing Effort, not a One-Time Fix

The survey makes clear that routing efficiency is a continuous process—not a one-time achievement.

“Efficiency is an evolving target,” one respondent noted, emphasizing the importance of ongoing data analysis, route reviews, and stakeholder collaboration.

For districts nationwide, improving transportation efficiency will require balancing technology, policy, and community needs—while adapting to changing conditions year after year.

About the Survey: The School Bus Routing Efficiency Poll was conducted in April–May 2026 and includes responses from school transportation professionals across the United States and Canada.

Key Results

· Route Efficiency Ratings

o 64 percent — Somewhat efficient (room for improvement)

o 22 percent— Very efficient

o 14 percent — Neutral or inefficient

· Top Barriers to Efficiency (selecting up to two)

o 68 percent — Driver shortages

o 46 percent — Long geographic distances / rural coverage

o 44 percent — Bell time constraints

o 41 percent — Special education routing requirements

o 39 percent — Community/political

· Bus Capacity Utilization

o 49 percent — 25–50 percent of buses run below

o 27 percent — Less than 25 percent under capacity

o 24 percent — More than 50 percent under capacity

· Top Metrics for Measuring Efficiency

o 72 percent — On-time performance

o 69 percent — Bus utilization (capacity usage)

o 51 percent — Student ride time

· Routing Review Frequency

o 58 percent — Multiple times per year

o 28 percent — Once per year

o 14 percent — Only when issues arise or rarely

· Primary Routing Tools

o 72 percent — Routing software

o 18 percent — Institutional knowledge/manual

o 10 percent — Spreadsheets or mapping tools

· Confidence in Routing Technology

o 55 percent — Very confident

o 26 percent — Somewhat confident

o 19 percent — Not confident

· Top Benefits of a 10 Percent Efficiency Gain (Respondents pick top two benefits)

o 63 percent — Fewer buses required

o 52 percent — Easier daily operations

o 49 percent — Reduced fuel costs

o 46 percent — Shorter student ride

About Transfinder: Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to school districts, bus contractors, police departments and adult care facilities. Transfinder, has been on Inc. magazine’s “fastest-growing company” list for 13 years. The software and hardware company has received numerous awards, including Best Software, Best Hardware and Best Safety Technology. In addition, Transfinder has repeatedly won Best Places to Work, Top Workplace and Best Companies to Work for accolades. Transfinder develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. Transfinder also created the award-winning Patrolfinder policing technology to enhance law enforcement. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com.

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In student transportation, communication is not just an operational tool. It is a safety system. As fleets expand across districts, regions and states, traditional communication models are increasingly unable to keep pace with the demands of real-time coordination, incident response and compliance. Forward-looking transportation leaders are rethinking communication not as a standalone function, but as a foundational layer of a modern, safety-critical operating model.

This shift is redefining how drivers, dispatchers and operations teams collaborate to deliver safer and more reliable service for students and families.

The Growing Gap in Legacy Communication Systems
For decades, school transportation has relied on analog radio systems. While historically effective, these systems now present structural limitations in a modern, distributed operating environment: Limited range across rural, suburban and multi-district routes; channel congestion during peak routing windows; fragmented communication across regions and operating companies; lack of integration with routing, safety and compliance platforms; and ongoing infrastructure and maintenance overhead.

At scale, these constraints are not just inefficient. They introduce risks. When communication slows down, safety responses slow down.

Reframing Communication as Strategic Capability
Leading transportation providers are approaching communication transformation with a different mindset. Instead of viewing it as a device upgrade, they are treating it as a core operational capability that directly impacts:

• Driver confidence and retention.
• Dispatcher effectiveness and workload.
• Incident response times and safety outcomes.
• Cross-regional coordination during disruptions.
• Visibility for leadership and decision-making.

This shift requires strong leadership alignment and a deliberate focus on change management, not just technology deployment. As one operations leader noted, the goal is not to replace radios, but to future-proof communication across the organization.

What Modern Communication Looks Like
Modern communication models in school transportation are defined by a few key characteristics:

1. Real-Time, Nationwide Connectivity
Communication is no longer constrained by geography. Dispatchers can connect with drivers across regions instantly, enabling coordinated responses to weather events, route disruptions, or safety incidents.
2. Seamless Integration with Operations
Communication is increasingly integrated with routing systems, safety platforms and operational dashboards. This creates a unified environment where communication and data work together.
3. Simplicity for Frontline Users
Despite backend complexity, the user experience must remain simple. One-touch communication, intuitive interfaces and minimal training friction are critical for driver adoption.
4. Security and Reliability
As communication becomes digital, encryption, uptime and reliability become essential components of a safety-first architecture.

Execution Matters: The Role of Change Management
Technology alone does not drive transformation. Execution does. Successful implementations typically follow a structured approach: Pilot deployments across diverse operating environments; standardized onboarding and training for drivers and dispatchers; device and workflow standardization to reduce variability; continuous feedback loops to refine usability; and close collaboration between technology, operations and safety teams.

Organizations that invest in change management see faster adoption, higher satisfaction and more measurable outcomes.

Measurable Impact on Safety and Operations
When communication is modernized effectively, the impact is tangible: Faster dispatcher-to-driver response times, often reduced by 30 to 40 percent; improved coordination during emergencies and service disruptions; reduced dependency on physical infrastructure and maintenance overhead; enhanced incident escalation and documentation; and greater consistency across multi-location operations.

More importantly, these improvements translate into better outcomes for students. Faster communication means faster response. And in a safety-critical environment, minutes matter.

Beyond Tech: A Cultural Shift
Perhaps the most important outcome of modern communication is cultural. Drivers feel more connected and supported in the field, dispatchers operate with greater clarity and confidence, and leadership gains real-time visibility into operations. Additionally, organizations move from reactive to proactive decision-making.

This is not just a systems upgrade. It is a shift toward a more connected, responsive and people-centered operating model.

The Road Ahead
As the student transportation industry continues to evolve, communication will play an increasingly central role in enabling: Scalable growth across regions and contracts; compliance with evolving safety and regulatory expectations; integration with AI-driven routing, monitoring and analytics platforms; and a more resilient and adaptive transportation network.

The organizations that lead this transformation will not be defined by the tools they adopt, but by how they integrate communication into the fabric of their operations.

Final Thought
In student transportation, every conversation has the potential to impact
safety. Modernizing communication is not just about efficiency. It is about
ensuring that every driver, dispatcher and operations leader is equipped to
respond, support and protect the students they serve. And that is where technology, leadership and purpose come together.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the May 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Gaurav Sharda is the chief technical officer for student transportation company Beacon Mobility and the 2025 STN Innovator of the Year.

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Related: Ignite Your Leadership
Related: How District Turned a Transportation Crisis into a Communication Win
Related: How Technology Powers Daily Student Transportation Operations
Related: (STN Podcast E296) Technology Has Blossomed: School Bus Mirrors & Student Safety

The post Modernizing School Transportation Communications appeared first on School Transportation News.

I received an email from an industry colleague challenging me to tackle the topic of world-class safety. That seemed like a daunting task, but I am always up for a challenge.

Why are minimum standards the baseline for many school transportation operations? Why is it the minimum that we strive to meet as an industry? If someone came to me and said we meet the minimum safety standards, I wouldn’t be confident that my child was safe.

Let’s face it—The minimum means you cannot do any less. It is the bare minimum that is required. Almost every parent takes for granted that everything possible is being done to transport their children safely. They have no idea of the many factors that lead to the wide variation of safety practices and equipment that result in a wider variation of safety levels being delivered.

School transportation operations view whatever their states require as the level they need to meet, no more and no less. This is a generalization, as I know many school transportation operators go above and beyond with safety training and safety equipment investment. Still, many others do not.

States have their own requirements, and they are all over the map. California has the highest minimum standard for crossing elementary school students to and from bus stops, for example. Meanwhile, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Entry Level Driver Training requirement is an effort to raise the minimum standard in every state. Having said that, ELDT simply lists subjects that are to be taught. It does not detail how or to what extent the subjects are to be taught. You can still comply with ELDT but provide minimum training.

What does world-class safety look like? What industry standards are we trying to meet that go beyond the state requirements? We have the National Congress on School Transportation, which will be held every four years starting in 2029. But a lot can change in four years. Plus, it also outlines minimum standards, and most states don’t adopt it in its entirety.

As Senior Editor Taylor Ekbatani reports in this month’s issue, uniformity is key when addressing safety. She writes that laws on when oncoming vehicles stop for a school bus can differ based on divided and undivided roads.

When you compare your first day of the school year to today, is there an improvement in performance, optimization and a reduction in stress? Have any crashes or other safety incidents occurred? School buses have been rolling for many months. As we inch closer to summer, the topic of safety must remain top of mind.

At the end of March, a major crash in Tennessee that resulted in two student fatalities and a half-dozen injuries drew much attention to school bus safety. A lawsuit claims the driver didn’t receive the proper training and the school bus lacked safety technology like seatbelts. The state and federal investigation was ongoing at press time.

Statistically, the school bus is by far the safest way for students to travel to and from school. Still, over the past six school years, at least 62 students were killed in or around school buses or stops, according to STN research.

Six, including the recent Tennessee victims, were passengers in crashes. One choked to death in her wheelchair. Another fell off the wheelchair lift. The rest were hit by the bus in the danger zone, crossing the street as pedestrians, by a passing vehicle, or were shot or beaten to death.

There is no or limited accounting for injuries and other student pedestrians killed or injured around school buses. So, how do we improve safety on and around the school bus? I recommend starting with the parents as they have a vested interest in their child’s safety. The burden of school bus safety can’t fall solely on school transportation and the school bus driver.

Jeff Cassell of the School Bus Safety Company shared recommendations to help mitigate potential tragedy around the school bus. He suggested reducing student crossing as much as possible, teaching the students safe crossing procedures, informing parents of those procedures, ensuring school bus drivers enforce the correct crossing procedures, and installing extended stop arms to make sure passing vehicles stop.

“Safety means you continually do all you can to remove or reduce risk. The required behaviors that remove or reduce risk are a function on the location leadership,” he added. “World-class safety is where an organization follows the safest best practices in every area of their operations. They use the leading practices, processes and training systems to integrate these best practices into every facet of the organization, always, with a structured plan to do so.”

Striving for world-class safety should always be the goal. Keep reinforcing safe behaviors around the school bus with your school bus drivers, kids and parents. As an industry, being 100-percent safe all the time isn’t easy. But removing risk from operations that saves a child’s life is well worth the effort.

The post Meeting the Minimum Standards appeared first on School Transportation News.

intensive investments of its kind, according to the report, with new fueling operations capable of being set up in as little as a single day. This expansion is bolstered by a growing adoption of renewable propane, a true drop-in fuel that 32 percent of propane fleets now use to achieve up to an 80 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions without investing in new infrastructure, modifying vehicles, or changing driver behavior.

As I continue examining pupil transportation systems around the world, one consistent theme is clear. Italy, like in many other countries we have looked at so far, has an approach vastly different from the American model centered around the iconic yellow school bus.

In the U.S., pupil transportation is highly standardized, centralized and built around dedicated fleets of school buses. In Italy, however, the system is far more decentralized and varied, relying on a mix of municipal services, public transportation, walking, family transport, and in some cases even taxis. It is not uncommon, particularly in certain regions or unique circumstances, for students to utilize taxi services as a means of getting to and from school. This diversity of options highlights a fundamentally different philosophy—one that emphasizes flexibility and integration rather than uniformity.

Italian pupil transportation is not governed by a single national model. Instead, it is managed at the municipal level, meaning each city or town determines whether transportation services are provided, who qualifies and how those services operate. This creates significant variation across the country. In some communities, particularly smaller or rural municipalities, there are dedicated school transport services known as scuolabus. These are typically smaller buses or vans that provide limited routes for students who live farther from school. While these services resemble the American model in function, they are far less standardized and operate on a much smaller scale.

In contrast, many students in urban areas rely heavily on public transportation systems. Buses, trams and regional trains are commonly used by students traveling to and from school. What stands out to me is the level of independence expected of students. It is not uncommon for younger students to navigate these systems on their own, something that would raise significant concern in many parts of the U.S.. In Italy, however, this independence is culturally accepted and supported by the structure of communities and public transit systems.

Walking is also a primary mode of transportation, particularly in densely populated towns and historic city centers where schools are located within close proximity to residential areas. Families may also transport students by car, scooter or bicycle, but the reliance on large-scale, dedicated school bus fleets is minimal compared to the U.S.

U.S., Italy Differ in More Ways

From a safety and security perspective, the differences are equally striking. The U.S. has developed a highly controlled environment around pupil transportation, with strict regulations, specialized vehicles and clearly defined safety procedures such as stop arms, compartmentalization and driver training standards. In Italy, safety is governed more broadly through general traffic laws and community norms rather than a dedicated, uniform system. While some scuolabus routes may include adult monitors for younger children, there is not the same level of standardized supervision or protection that we see in U.S. school transportation.

Cost is another distinguishing factor. In many parts of the U.S., pupil transportation is largely provided at no direct cost to families as part of public education. In Italy, transportation services are often partially subsidized, and families may be required to pay fees depending on the municipality and level of service. Discounts are sometimes available, but the system reflects a shared responsibility between local government and families.

As I reflect on these differences, it is clear that each system is built around its own cultural, geographic and operational realities. The U.S. prioritizes standardization, safety controls and centralized management, while Italy emphasizes flexibility, independence and integration with existing infrastructure. Neither system is inherently right or wrong—each simply reflects different priorities and risk tolerances.

However, from a professional safety and security standpoint, the comparison raises important considerations. The U.S. model provides a higher degree of controlled safety, particularly in managing risk during loading, unloading and transit. Italy’s model, while efficient and cost-effective, places greater responsibility on students and families and relies more heavily on environmental awareness and community structure.

Ultimately, studying systems like Italy’s reinforces the important principle that pupil transportation is not just about moving students from point A to point B. It reflects how a society balances safety, efficiency, costs, independence and responsibility.

As we continue to evaluate and improve our own systems, there is value in understanding how other countries approach the same challenge. Within those differences are insights that can inform better decision-making at home.

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Bret E. Brooks is the chief operating officer for Gray Ram Tactical, LLC, a Missouri-based international consulting and training firm specializing in transportation safety and security. He is a keynote speaker, author of multiple books and articles and has trained audiences around the world. Bret also presents the online series, Third Thursday Training, to school districts across North America. He can be reached at BretBrooks@GrayRamTacticalTraining.com.

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WOODRIDGE, Ill. – Hendrickson, a global leader in reliable ride solutions for the commercial transportation industry, is introducing ELECTRAAX, powered by Driventic, a high‑efficiency, lightweight electric drive axle engineered for Class 6–7 school bus and medium-duty truck applications.

Integrated, modular design for Electric Vehicle (EV) efficiency
ELECTRAAX features a fully integrated ePowertrain that combines the axle, single-speed gearbox, motor, and inverter into one system to maximize efficiency. This design helps deliver up to 94% system‑level efficiency, which can extend vehicle range and reduce energy requirements based on internal testing.

The fabricated, modular architecture is designed for ultimate flexibility, with a wide range of track width, gear train, suspension, and brake options to align with diverse chassis platforms and vehicle specifications. This integrated system design combined with a lightweight fabricated axle housing helps address EV weight and efficiency targets by reducing system mass, helping extend range, enabling potential battery reduction, and supporting lower total cost of ownership.

Key design advantages include:

Full motor torque regenerative braking, helping maximize energy recovery
Single-speed gearbox design, reducing friction and weight compared to multi-speed gearboxes

Ride quality, applications, and a new electric milestone
A single-speed gearbox provides a smooth ride without shift‑quality concerns for pickup‑and‑delivery duty cycles, while reducing component count to support increased long‑term reliability. Driventic’s electric drive system adds an efficient motor with a power‑dense inverter to deliver extended peak torque for sustained, consistent power during acceleration, hill climbs, and heavy hauling.

ELECTRAAX is purpose-built for Class 6–7 medium-duty commercial vehicles, focusing on school buses and pickup-and-delivery trucks (including food, beverage, and last-mile). This focus helps OEMs and fleets meet stringent battery and weight requirements, balance route performance and payload, and support more cost‑effective EV adoption by reducing weight and improving efficiency simultaneously.

Co‑engineered with Driventic (formerly Voith), ELECTRAAX combines Hendrickson’s 110+ years of ride solution innovation with Driventic’s 155 years of electric‑drive system expertise. With centuries of combined global engineering leadership, the partnership is delivering cutting‑edge EV technology and accelerating the shift to electrified mobility. ELECTRAAX gives OEMs and customers tangible validation of next‑generation electric drive suspension capability and reinforces Hendrickson’s position as an innovation leader in commercial vehicle systems. ELECTRAAX represents two milestones, one breakthrough: Hendrickson’s first drive axle and first electric axle, marking a new era in Hendrickson innovation for electric commercial vehicle systems.

Built on Hendrickson’s proven suspension heritage and aligned with its Reliable by Design philosophy, ELECTRAAX, powered by Driventic, is built to move what’s next for medium‑duty electrification.

About Hendrickson
Hendrickson, a Boler company, is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of medium- and heavy‑duty mechanical, elastomeric, and air suspensions; integrated and non‑integrated axle and brake systems; tire pressure control systems; auxiliary lift axle systems; parabolic and multi‑leaf springs; stabilizers; bumpers; and other components for the global commercial transportation industry. Based in Woodridge, IL, USA, Hendrickson has served the transportation industry for more than 100 years. Visit www.hendrickson-intl.com.

About Driventic
Driventic is the specialist for efficient drive technologies in commercial vehicles. Whether for use in used in e-mobility or conventional drives, Driventic’s complete systems and digital services are drivers of the mobility transition – because they enable manufacturers and operators alike to sustainably operate their trucks, buses and off-highway vehicles. The company’s 1,400 employees at 26 locations in 18 countries are dedicated to one mission: to combine ecology with technological progress in the service of efficiency. This is what Driventic understands by ‘Mobility beyond today’.

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At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had yet to announce the final award round for the Clean School Bus Program. At the same time, could the school bus industry be bracing for the end of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act?

Since 2008, DERA has been responsible for replacing over 8,500 older operating school buses with cleaner alternatives. The Trump administration last month released its fiscal year 2027 budget request and asked Congress to cut over 52 percent of EPA’s discretionary funding. Included is a call on Congress to cancel DERA, which for nearly two decades has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to the school bus industry via national grants, rebates and Tribal government awards.

Any attempt to end DERA at least in the Oval Office is unlikely. Congress still must pass its own budget appropriations. And a bipartisan DERA reauthorization bill has been in the works for the past year, which would extend the program at $100 million a year through fiscal year 2029. But the attempt demonstrates ongoing scrutiny over fiscal spending and, more aptly, funding alternative energy.

The $5 billion Clean School Bus Program was going to sunset one way or another after this year. But placing DERA funding in the crosshairs is the last headwind the industry needs on school bus replacements, a consultant shared with me. Another consultant noted that about a decade ago at an industry conference he asked the audience how willing they would be to continue to buy electric school buses if DERA funding dried up. Not one hand raised.

The question remains a good one today, since the electric school bus cost discrepancy is still two or three times that of diesel school buses. It was never attractive to pay upwards of $475,000 for a large electric school bus, and that’s before factoring in the charging infrastructure. If the Clean School Bus Program and DERA both end, where is the incentive to go green outside of a handful of states?

The cost of everything has gone up. At STN EXPO East in North Carolina earlier this spring, an attendee told me new diesel school bus purchases were running over $150,000 each. That includes a surcharge of $12,000 to $20,000 to pay for the warranties on the 2027-compliant engines. (The EPA continues to re-evaluate and finalize a new proposed Phase 3 GHG rule, but OEMs have already completed all necessary R&D and manufacturing to comply with the low NOx emissions levels.)

The Iran war and blockage on the Strait of Hormuz have also created substantial uncertainty for district budgets. While locking in bulk diesel prices creates insulation from price volatility, a gallon was selling at 30-percent premium after the war began. Meanwhile, April’s national average at-the-pump price exceeded $5.40 per gallon. In California, it’s well over $7 a gallon.

We also learned at STN EXPO East that the price of propane also increased, but by about 20 cents per gallon, when the fuel was already a fraction of the cost of diesel. Despite that silver lining, the question remains, how many propane school buses can and will be made available to the market?

School districts and bus companies cannot take for granted federal funds to help them purchase new school buses. Instead, already-strapped local and state budgets will be relied upon. School transportation professionals and their leaders need to increasingly make the case with voters that new school buses are necessary to keep up with service levels.

At the same time, however, public school enrollments are falling. The Brookings Institute found that U.S. public schools lost 1.2 million students from 2019 to 2023, and they aren’t coming back. Parents are homeschooling their children. They are sending them to charter and private schools. And increasingly they as well as school districts are using non-school bus vehicles to do it.

How willing will voters be to approve millions of more dollars via bond measures and levies for school bus purchases? Student transportation leaders can make no assumptions.

Simply put, funding is not keeping pace with rising costs. In seeking to proactively understand and manage all these intersecting challenges, student transporters will need to lean heavily into optimizing and rethinking service models, routing and resource allocation to maintain service levels with fewer resources.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the May 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: (STN Podcast E295) Something That’s Going to Work: Federal Updates + Future of School Bus Communications

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Student transportation leaders often encounter unique situations that require creative solutions to meet student needs. An island off the coast of Virginia’s Eastern Shore required a solution that looks very different from the classic yellow school bus.

Accomack County Public Schools serves about 5,000 students who attend 11 kindergarten through 12th grade. Three of these schools are located on islands off the coast of the state.

“Tangier Island is located off the western coast of Accomack County in the Chesapeake Bay, and unlike our other island, Chincoteague, Tangier is only accessible by boat or airplane,” explained Danielle Clark, the district’s public information officer.

The small island of Tangier only has a population of 436, and Clark shared that residents rely on ATVs, bicycles, golf carts and few cars for transportation. When a student with disabilities needed transportation to school, the district’s transportation department purchased a dedicated golf cart to ensure safe and reliable transportation.

“The driver, Mr. Kim Parks, is affectionately referred to as Mr. Kim or Sox by the students and staff,” said Clark. “He is the all-around handyman of the school and takes great pride in his role of helping students, staff and the community as a whole.”

Chris Reeder, transportation supervisor at Accomack, said his department is responsible for providing and maintaining the golf cart used on Tangier. He continued that when the batteries needed to be replaced, staff had to transport the new batteries by boat to the island.

“We also have to meet the boat for any trips the students go on there,” said Reeder. “They arrive over here on the boat, and we take them by bus to various locations of field trips.”

This is just one story of a unique geographical or needs-based scenarios that requires creative solutions from student transportation departments. In North Carolina, the state’s Department of Transportation posted a video of a school bus being transported to and from Knotts Island to provide transportation for students in Currituck County.

A similar situation exists in South Carolina where students are ferried from Sandy Island to the mainland where they board a school bus. Boats can also be more commonplace when transporting students in Alaska, British Columbia and other locations surrounded by large bodies of water.

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Related: (STN Podcast E284) Always Something to Learn: Special Needs Takeaways from TSD 2025
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We are excited to announce that our RouteWise AI platform has identified over $100 million in cumulative savings for school districts to date. As districts nationwide face severe driver shortages and budget constraints, RouteWise AI has become an essential tool for returning millions of dollars to classrooms, capturing hundreds of thousands of hours of previously lost learning time, and supporting district staff and bus drivers.

The Design Canvas for Modern School Transportation
Unlike traditional software that simply rearranges vehicles and routes, RouteWise AI serves as a strategic design canvas. The software considers every possible vehicle, student locations and individual needs, district policies (bell times and boundaries), local dynamics (traffic and construction), and transportation team preferences (rider mixing and route preferences).

By analyzing billions of these data points, RouteWise AI is able to design the right routing solution, provide various scenarios, and iterate on that plan constantly as new information becomes available. The platform has allowed districts to “look before they route,” modeling complex scenarios in hours to uncover non-intuitive efficiencies.

By identifying over $100 million in savings to date, RouteWise AI has delivered high-value outcomes including:

Eliminating Underutilized Routes: Analyzing a district’s entire fleet of available vehicles to identify opportunities to eliminate underutilized routes. By identifying the right vehicle and the right stop pairings for every student, the platform enables districts to match low-occupancy routes with small-capacity vehicles, and high-capacity routes with large buses, thereby maximizing the utilization of CDL drivers.

Operating Cost Reduction: Reducing operating budgets by 10–12% by identifying efficiencies in routing and vehicle-to-student matching. These identified savings allow districts to bridge budget gaps and redirect millions of dollars back into the classroom to support teacher salaries, student programs, and competitive driver pay.

Capital Budget Optimization: Reducing the total number of routes required to serve the student population. For every nine routes reduced through RouteWise AI optimization, a district can eliminate 10 planned vehicle purchases, avoiding costs between $150,000 and $400,000+ per bus.

Efficiency Without Trade-Offs: Identifying improved routing and vehicle use while ensuring students experience no increase in transit time through custom student commute settings. This allows districts to set firm parameters on maximum ride times, ensuring efficiency never comes at the expense of the student experience.

Class Time Hours Added Back: Optimizing route efficiency and on-time performance to ensure students spend less time in transit and more time in the classroom. In Colorado Springs School District 11, RouteWise AI helped increase on-time arrivals, recovering over 17,000 hours of invaluable learning time for students in a single school year.

By automating modeling that previously took months, RouteWise AI serves as a force multiplier, giving transportation teams the tools to solve challenges without compromising service.

Real-World Impact
The financial efficiencies identified by RouteWise AI are being used by districts to solve their most pressing human resource challenges.

“RouteWise AI provides the clarity essential to maximizing our resources. As we navigate a district-wide bell time transition, the platform delivers sophisticated analyses on route design, service windows, and deadhead miles in a fraction of the time it once took to compile manually. This agility allows us to simultaneously optimize our network and resolve operational pain points, ensuring our transportation system more effectively supports student achievement.”

—Oz Flores, Director of Transportation , Aurora Public Schools in Colorado

“RouteWise AI helps us think outside the box to find solutions that were previously not possible with existing tools. By leveraging RouteWise AI optimization, we’ve effectively integrated complex schedules and substantially reduced overloads, which has helped us maintain an average of two uncovered routes per day, a significant reduction from last year. RouteWise AI isn’t about replacing our staff — it’s an essential enhancement that helps our team find creative solutions to eliminate route overlaps and drive efficiency. RouteWise AI effectively positions us to better accommodate the diverse needs of our young scholars while ensuring that each one gets to school and home safely and on time.”

—Dr. Stacey Benson Taylor, Associate Business Manager of Dayton Public Schools in Ohio

Transforming the Industry Through Multimodal “Right-Sizing”
RouteWise AI has empowered districts to embrace a multimodal transportation model — the practice of using the right vehicle for the right student at the right time. By right-sizing school bus fleets, districts have been able to allocate expensive 72+ passenger buses to high-density routes while using smaller buses, vans, and even small vehicles for low-occupancy or geographically dispersed routes — ultimately reducing the immense strain on bus drivers and transportation staff.

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MACON, Ga.-Blue Bird Corporation (“Blue Bird”) (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, announced today its fiscal 2026 second quarter financial results.

“I am incredibly proud of our team in delivering another outstanding quarterly result,” said John Wyskiel, President & CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “The Blue Bird team continued to exceed expectations, improving operations, navigating tariffs, and expanding our leadership in alternative-powered buses. We delivered an exceptional Adj. EBITDA of $51M / 14% for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, a new all-time second-quarter record for the Company.

“In our push to expand our leadership in alternative-powered school buses, we delivered 201 electric-powered buses this quarter. As of the end of the quarter, we had more than 900 EV buses in our firm order backlog, which supports our EV sales target for 2026.

“Additionally, we are very pleased with the timely closing and integration progress of our recently announced acquisition of Micro Bird. The acquisition strengthens Blue Bird’s position with the industry’s most comprehensive bus portfolio and expands our addressable market with the Buy America–compliant shuttle bus market.

“Based on our strong first half of 2026 and final closing of the Micro Bird acquisition, we are raising our 2026 full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $245 million. We look forward to sustained profitable growth in the coming years as we march towards ~$2.5B in revenue and a 15%+ Adjusted EBITDA margin.”

FY2026 Guidance and Long-Term Outlook

“We are very pleased with our second quarter results, with our highest ever Q2 Adj. EBITDA and Free Cash Flow,” said Razvan Radulescu, CFO of Blue Bird Corporation. “Our business is in a very strong position and we continue to deliver ahead of the plan we have been messaging. With the strong first half we delivered, we are raising all full-year 2026 guidance metrics, as well as building in consolidated results for Micro Bird for the second half. 2026 Guidance is being raised to Net Revenue at ~$1.75 Billion and Adj. EBITDA to ~$245 million. Additionally, we are raising our long-term profit outlook towards an Adjusted EBITDA margin of $375+ million, or 15%+, on $2.5+ billion in revenue. We are confident in our profitable growth plans.”

Fiscal 2026 Second Quarter Results

Net Sales
Net sales were $352.6 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, a decrease of $6.2 million, or 1.7%, compared to $358.9 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The decrease in net sales is primarily due to a 6.4% decrease in units sold resulting from a 6.7% decrease in the number of production days in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 when compared with the same period in fiscal 2025, which primarily resulted from the timing of holidays, and our corresponding plant shutdown, in our production calendar. As a result of producing fewer buses, we had fewer units that were available to sale. However, the decrease resulting from selling fewer units was partially offset by Bus customer and product mix changes and cumulative Bus price increases, including increases that were intended to mitigate the impact of increased procurement costs for certain of our imported inventory as a result of the imposition of tariffs beginning during the second half of fiscal 2025 and continuing into the first half of fiscal 2026, as well as an increase in Parts sales.

Bus sales decreased $7.6 million, or 2.3%, reflecting a 6.4% decrease in unit bookings that was partially offset by a 4.4% increase in average sales price per unit. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, 2,148 units booked compared to 2,295 units booked for the same period in fiscal 2025. The increase in unit price for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the same period in fiscal 2025 was primarily due to customer and product mix changes as well as price increases implemented to offset increases in inventory costs.

Parts sales increased $1.4 million, or 5.4%, for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025. This increase is primarily attributed to price increases that were implemented to offset increases in inventory costs as well as higher fulfillment volumes and slight variations due to product and channel mix.

Gross Profit
Second quarter gross profit of $70.6 million represented a decrease of $0.2 million from the second quarter of last year. The decrease was primarily driven by the $6.2 million decrease in net sales, discussed above, and partially offset by a corresponding decrease of $6.0 million in cost of goods sold.

Net Income
Net income was $29.3 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, an increase of $3.3 million from the second quarter of last year. Among other smaller fluctuations, the increase in net income was largely driven by a decrease of $5.6 million in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily due to the significant amount of share-based compensation expense recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 resulting from the retirement of our former President and Chief Executive Officer, with no similar significant expense recorded for the acceleration of vesting of stock awards in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Partially offsetting the decrease in selling general, and administrative expenses was a decrease of $3.4 million in other (expense) income, net, primarily due to $2.7 million in pretax costs relating to the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the outstanding common stock of Micro Bird effective April 1, 2026, with no such costs incurred during the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income of $32.5 million represented an increase of $1.0 million from the second quarter of last year. The increase was primarily driven by the $3.3 million increase in Net Income, discussed above, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted Net Income, including share-based compensation and Micro Bird acquisition costs, discussed above.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $50.8 million, which was an increase of $1.6 million compared with the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The increase primarily relates to the increase in Micro Bird earnings, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, that was partially offset by a decrease in other income, net, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above.

Year-to-Date Fiscal 2026 Results

Net Sales
Net sales were $685.7 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, an increase of $13.0 million, or 1.9%, compared to $672.7 million for the six months ended March 29, 2025. The increase in net sales is primarily due to Bus customer and product mix changes and cumulative Bus price increases, including increases that were intended to mitigate the impact of increased procurement costs for certain of our imported inventory as a result of the imposition of tariffs beginning during the second half of fiscal 2025 and continuing into the first half of fiscal 2026, as well as an increase in Parts sales. The Bus increases described above were partially offset by a decrease in Bus units sold resulting from a 4.3% decrease in the number of production days during the six months ended March 28, 2026 when compared with the same period in fiscal 2025, which primarily resulted from the timing of holidays, and our corresponding plant shutdown, in our production calendar. As a result of producing fewer buses, we had fewer units that were available to sale.

Bus sales increased $11.9 million, or 1.9%, reflecting a 5.3% increase in average sales price per unit that was partially offset by a 3.2% decrease in units booked. The increase in unit price for the first six months of fiscal 2026 compared to the same period in fiscal 2025 was primarily due to customer and product mix changes as well as price increases implemented to offset increases in inventory costs. This increase was partially offset by the impact of booking 4,283 units in the six months ended March 28, 2026 compared with 4,425 units during the same period in fiscal 2025.

Parts sales increased $1.1 million, or 2.1%, for the six months ended March 28, 2026 compared to the six months ended March 29, 2025. This increase is primarily attributed to price increases that were implemented to offset increases in inventory costs as well as higher fulfillment volumes and slight variations due to product and channel mix.

Gross Profit
Gross profit for the six months ended March 28, 2026 was $141.9 million, an increase of $10.7 million compared with the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by the $13.0 million increase in net sales. This was partially offset by an increase of $2.3 million in cost of goods sold, primarily corresponding the increase net sales.

Net Income
Net income was $60.1 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, which was a $5.3 million increase from the same period in the prior year. Among other smaller fluctuations, the increase in net income was primarily driven by the $10.7 million increase in gross profit, discussed above, and partially offset by a $6.5 million increase in other expense. During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company incurred approximately $2.7 million of pretax costs relating to the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the outstanding common stock of Micro Bird effective April 1, 2026, with no such costs incurred during the six months ended March 29, 2025. Additionally, during the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company sold certain state emissions credits that it was not projecting to use for approximately $2.6 million, with no similar income recorded during the first six months of fiscal 2026.

Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income for the six months ended March 28, 2026 was $65.0 million, an increase of $2.9 million compared with the same period last year, primarily due to the $5.3 million increase in net income, discussed above, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted Net Income.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $100.9 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, an increase of $5.9 million compared with the same period in the prior year. The increase primarily relates to the increase in (i) gross profit, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above and (ii) Micro Bird earnings, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, that were partially offset by (iii) an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, and (iv) a decrease in other income, net, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above.

Conference Call Details
Blue Bird will discuss its fiscal 2026 second quarter and year to date financial results in a conference call at 4:30 PM ET today. Participants may listen to the audio portion of the conference call either through a live audio webcast on the Company’s website or by telephone. The slide presentation and webcast can be accessed via the Investor Relations portion of Blue Bird’s website at www.blue-bird.com.

Webcast participants should log on and register at least 15 minutes prior to the start time on the Investor Relations homepage of Blue Bird’s website at http://investors.blue-bird.com. Click the link in the events box on the Investor Relations landing page.

Participants desiring audio only should dial 646-844-6383 or 833-470-1428. The access code is 005726.

A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes via the same link on Blue Bird’s website.

About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – First Student, North America’s largest student transportation services provider, today announced it has been named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026. First Student was named in the Industry Leaders: Transportation category, which honors organizations making an extraordinary impact in their industries. The recognition highlights First Student’s leadership in transforming and redefining student transportation through its proprietary HALO technology platform, which integrates real-time data, AI technology and predictive analytics.

HALO was developed in-house to address the growing complexity in K–12 operations and the long-standing problems of fragmented systems and a lack of real-time visibility in school transportation. With HALO, dispatching and routing intelligence, vehicle tracking, safety insights, preventive maintenance, and communication are all seamlessly connected, unifying First Student’s fleet of over 48,000 vehicles and supporting approximately 4.8 million student journeys each day for approximately 1,400 customers, creating a unified, real-time operating platform for student transportation at scale.

The impact of HALO is measurable across the business, driving improvements in workforce stability, operational efficiency, and safety outcomes.

In pilot programs conducted across six locations, HALO-enabled safety technology delivered strong early results, including:

81% reduction in inattentive driving events
63% reduction in forward collision rates
54% reduction in rolling stops

Beyond safety, HALO is also improving workforce and operational performance across the platform, including:

115% increase in driver interview completion rates
38% reduction in training time
“Being named to the TIME100 Companies list is a meaningful recognition for First Student and reflects the impact we’re making for millions of students and families every day,” said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. “At First Student, caring for students is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to provide the best transportation experience, so students arrive ready to achieve their full potential, and this recognition reflects our team’s commitment to living our values and delivering on that promise every day. As we look ahead, we remain committed to setting the highest standards in safety and service for the thousands of communities we serve.”

Enhanced through a strategic partnership with Samsara (NYSE: IOT), the HALO platform incorporates AI-powered cameras, advanced analytics, and predictive safety insights. The results are measurable with HALO driving meaningful improvements in safety, operational efficiency, and the student experience. From reducing road incidents to improving driver performance and streamlining claims management, the platform is helping deliver safer, more reliable transportation at scale. At the same time, HALO provides real-time visibility to parents and caregivers through its First View app, offering peace of mind and strengthening trust in every ride.

“HALO represents a fundamental shift from reactive to predictive operations in student transportation,” said Sean McCormack, CIO of First Student. “We’ve taken an industry that has long been siloed and reimagined it through AI-powered innovation at scale. By integrating real-time data across routing, safety, maintenance, and communications, HALO turns insight into action, improving outcomes for students, drivers, parents and school districts alike. This recognition from TIME underscores how purpose-built technology can transform complex, real-world systems and improve the transportation experience for millions of students and parents.”

By combining scale, technology, and a deep commitment to operational excellence, First Student is setting a new global standard for student transportation. The company is redefining how it operates at scale and delivering not just students, but confidence, safety, and a better start to every school day.

About First Student
First Student is reimagining the school bus experience, making approximately 4.8 million student journeys across North America every day. As a leader in K-12 transportation, the company completes approximately 860 million student rides annually, delivering not just students, but confidence, reliability, and peace of mind to families and school districts alike. Backed by a workforce of highly trained drivers and an industry-leading fleet of over 48,000 vehicles, including electric buses, First Student is a mission-driven partner in education.

Named one of Fast Company’s 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student offers cutting-edge services including special needs transportation, AI route optimization, fleet electrification, vehicle maintenance services, and charter services. First Student’s impact extends beyond logistics: every ride is designed to be a safe and supportive space where students can start their day with a great experience. With innovation at our core, First Student is driving the future of student transportation one ride at a time.

The post First Student Named to Time100 Most Influential Companies List appeared first on School Transportation News.

Millions of illegal passing violations occur across the U.S. each year. While the instances are universal, the rules governing them are not. Pupil transportation experts
noted in March at STN EXPO East in North Carolina that inconsistency is part of the problem. Uniform standards could be key to saving lives.

“People just don’t know what to do,” said Derek Graham, a retired state director with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and current industry consultant, during the March 29 session Illegal Passing NHTSA’s Latest Research Results.

At the center of the issue is the “loading zone triangle,” where the school bus, students and motorists intersect. When communication breaks down at any of those points, the consequences can be severe.

“Everything has to go wrong in order for a kid to get really hurt in this loading zone triangle,” Graham said. “But there’s a lot that has to go right.”

Students being injured in the Danger Zone—the 10-foot radius around stopped school buses—is often preventable, that is if education and expectations are aligned. However, the challenge of inconsistency remains.

School bus passing laws vary by state, and even by roadway type within states. All jurisdictions require a motorist to stop while overtaking from behind a stopped
school bus, regardless of road type. But 42 jurisdictions require a motorist to stop when approaching an on-coming, stopped school bus on undivided roadways, and only 12 require motorists to stop in “certain situations.” The most common (10 out of 12) being on an undivided roadway with fewer than four lanes.

Utah requires motorists to stop on undivided roadways of fewer than five lanes and Washington state only requires motorists to stop on undivided two-lane roadways. Florida, Guam, Hawaii, New York and West Virginia require a motorist to stop when approaching a stopped school bus on a divided roadway, whereas 40 jurisdictions do not. The remaining nine only require a motorist to stop when approaching a divided roadway of less than four lanes.

Additionally, state laws vary on what constitutes a divided highway, according to the State Laws on School Bus Passing report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The result is confusion, especially for motorists crossing state lines or encountering unfamiliar road layouts. Plus, student crossing rules also differ. California school
bus drivers must physically exit their vehicle armed with a stop paddle and the school bus keys and walk younger students across the street.

“It would be best if it was all the same, if everybody knew the same rule,” Graham said, citing research from NHTSA’s November 2024 report, Driver Knowledge of School Bus Passing Laws: A National Survey.

While more than 90 percent of motorists surveyed correctly identified when to stop behind a school bus on a four-lane, undivided roadway, only 53 percent knew to stop when approaching from the front. Just 17.5 percent answered correctly when a motorist is approaching from the front on a four-lane, divided roadway.

A November 2024 NHTSA national survey found that 30.5 percent of respondents said most drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses do so because they “didn’t care.”

The National Association of Pupil Transportation is also looking at uniform language to address the gap, a board member shared during the session.

That gap has led some districts (where states allow) to adopt automated enforcement cameras that capture violations and help issue citations. Such a program is in place in Austin, Texas, where officials recorded about 14,000 violations in a single school year. Austin ISD Executive Director of Transportation Kris Hafezizadeh shared that information with attendees during a March 30 panel discussion, Strategies to Remove Danger from the Loading & Unloading Zone.

“Think about that,” Hafezizadeh said, adding the number of repeat violators is about 1 percent. “Something is working.”

Camera enforcement, combined with public awareness, has shown promise. But even that approach depends on consistent legal frameworks, something not yet in place nationwide.

While illegal passing draws much attention, it is only one part of a broader safety picture. Recent student fatality data from the Kansas Department of Education’s
National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey show that not all tragedies involve passing vehicles. A 55-year summary of the data indicates that school buses and their drivers account for 56.5 percent of all fatalities in the Danger Zone.

“These loading zone incidents are really about student pedestrians,” said session panelist Keba Baldwin, director of transportation at Prince George’s County Public
Schools in Maryland and 2025 STN Transportation Director of the Year. “Every student… is a pedestrian for some period of time before they get on that bus.”

That reality reinforces the need for a safe system approach, which assumes human error and builds multiple layers of protection. “Humans make mistakes,” said Graham, who moderated the discussion. “Drivers, kids, bus drivers, not everything is going to work at the same time to perfection.”

He noted adherence to three pillars of safety: Education, engineering and enforcement.
Education teaches drivers the law, trains students to navigate bus stop safety and ensures parents understand their role. Hafezizadeh said it’s important to train drivers, but also educate families. “Explain the why again,” he said.

Engineering involves vehicle design and infrastructure, from stop arms and lighting to route planning that minimizes the need for children to cross busy roads. Enforcement, whether through police or cameras, reinforces accountability.

Even with strong laws and enforcement, safety ultimately depends on what bus drivers can see and what they can’t. School buses are designed with specialized mirror systems and federal visibility standards intended to eliminate blind spots, particularly in the danger zone.

“The mirrors are only as good as their adjustment,” said industry expert Dave McDonald, during his March 28 session Focused Driver 111: Proper Mirror Adjustment and Distracted Driving.

Improperly adjusted mirrors can leave critical gaps directly in front of or alongside the bus, where children are most likely to be walking. Federal guidelines require drivers to maintain clear sightlines around the bus. But in practice, those standards are not always consistently enforced or checked.

McDonald took attendees outside to the parking lot to demonstrate how to adjust mirrors in compliance with FMVSS 111, the federal requirement used to capture as much of the Danger Zone as possible. Substitute drivers, time pressures and inconsistent training can all lead to compromised visibility, he noted, adding that some drivers are unable or unwilling to adjust mirrors properly and occasionally compensate by leaning or shifting in their seats. This workaround, McDonald called, “is a recipe for disaster.”

The consequences can be severe. In crash investigations, visibility failures are closely scrutinized, he said. If a bus does not meet required visibility standards at the time of an incident, even bigger issues can result.

“If the mirrors don’t pass that grid test… the big word liability comes out,” McDonald said. Even when mirrors are properly adjusted, blind spots cannot be eliminated entirely. Drivers must actively compensate by scanning, repositioning and maintaining constant awareness, especially during loading and unloading when children may move unpredictably.

The industry has seen several fatalities where a student was killed due to a dragging incident or to pick something up that they dropped after unloading from their school bus. Uniform standards not only for laws but also training and equipment are critical. Without consistency, the effectiveness of even the best-designed safety systems depends too heavily on individual habits.

McDonald added that poorly adjusted mirrors can prevent school bus drivers from seeing children in the Danger Zone. While he said camera technology and collision avoidance systems add new layers of protection, they can’t detect blind spots or identify potential hazards like humans can. At least not yet.

“You can’t program a computer to react to every [decision] a human will do in a spur of the moment,” McDonald said, emphasizing that human behavior remains unpredictable.

As the sessions at STN EXPO East reiterated, none of these efforts are fully effective alone and without consistency. Standardizing school bus passing laws could reduce confusion and improve compliance. “We’ve got decades of data showing [motorists are] going to pass,” Graham said. “So, we have to focus on what happens when they do, and how we keep kids safe.”

He noted that responsibility is not limited to the motorists that break the law but extends to the training that shapes the behavior. From the policies that guide
enforcement, and the education that prepares children and motorists, he said.

“Responsibility is shared,” Graham concluded. “It’s not just the bad guy who passed the school bus.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the May 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: Seatbelt, Danger Zone Recommendations Highlight NTSB Discussion at STN EXPO East
Related: 6 Students Killed in Danger Zone, All by School Buses
Related: Doubled Vision: Covering Your Danger Zone
Related: (STN Podcast E228) Freedom From Risk: How Districts Can Protect Students in the School Bus Danger Zone

The post The Importance of Uniformity appeared first on School Transportation News.

A webinar showed how two school districts went beyond the yellow bus and utilized alternative transportation to serve vulnerable student populations.

Adam Gleicher, director of marketing for webinar sponsor HopSkipDrive and former public schools teacher, opened Thursday’s meeting by saying that the yellow bus is a starting point for most school districts but may not be the complete solution.

“This job is harder today than when I started,” declared Greg Dutton, senior transportation analyst for HopSkipDrive and former director of transportation for Renton School District in Washington.

He referenced HopSkipDrive’s State of School Transportation survey, which found current pressures include school bus driver shortages, tighter budgets, chronic student absenteeism, and growing student populations with specialized needs. Three in five bus routes have less than 50 percent ridership, he explained.

Dutton next reviewed the five main student transportation models and the strengths and weaknesses of each one:

Dutton said that, as a transportation director, he would start by trying to put a student on the yellow bus, then moving to alternative transportation if that didn’t work.

School buses do many things well, but they can’t go everywhere or serve all student needs, he underscored. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, he advised a “right vehicle for the right student” mindset, where buses and small vehicles each play a role so no students fall through the gaps and school bus drivers are better utilized.

Safety is the goal, but essential equipment such as booster seats are not guaranteed with transportation brokers or taxis, he noted. He encouraged leveraging multi-modal transportation to match each student with the best-fit vehicle considering turnaround time, in-ride experience and driver qualifications.

“HopSkipDrive was purpose-built for student transportation,” he emphasized.

One area where the company helps close gaps is for students covered under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Gleicher said.

The population of students experiencing homeless doubled in Sun Prairie Area School District in Wisconsin doubled since COVID-19, explained Claire Bergman, the district’s McKinney-Vento coordinator. She added that the taxis the district was using before its HopSkipDrive partnership often led safety concerns, ever-changing drivers, strained service and a stigma for the students who rode them.

As McKinney-Vento transportation is a federal law, budget can’t be an excuse, she said. She said she was able to assign certain students to separate vehicles to avoid interpersonal conflicts. Parents also have peace of mind, she said, since they know the drivers and can track their child’s ride to and from school.

When it comes to funding, Bergman advised looking into Title 1 monies, as well as getting creative with state or local grants.

Gleicher noted that HopSkipDrive’s six-hour turnaround time means rides are secured quickly with same-day or next-day fulfillment. Additionally, vetted CareDrivers are directly onboarded. They have trauma-informed care training and 15 years of caregiving experience on average.

5 Questions to Ask Student Transportation Partners

1. When a student moves tonight, can you get them to school tomorrow?
2. Who is actually behind the wheel? What are their qualifications — and how do you know?
3. Once a ride starts, who is watching to make sure it goes as planned?
4. Can my team manage and update rides without having to call someone?
5. Are you licensed in the states where you operate, and are you the provider of record?

Mechale’ Johnson used HopSkipDrive to transport three students at Falls Church City Public Schools in Virginia and now uses it for 100 students in her current role as director of the office of pupil transportation and fleet management for nearby Alexandria City Public Schools

Like Bergman, Johnson also primarily uses the service to transport an ever-increasing McKinney-Vento student population. She praised the ability to build routes other than home-to-school, such as when a student attends therapy offsite. She can use it on her phone or share access with staff to make faster changes. When a fire temporarily displaced several families, she connected them with HopSkipDrive.

“It’s definitely been helpful for us,” she stated.

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Related: (STN Podcast E299) Meeting Needs: Answering Questions on Alternative Student Transportation
Related: As School Bus Production Spikes, So Do Alternative Vehicles?
Related: Alternative School Transportation: Roadmap for Decision-Making For Children with Disabilities and Special Needs
Related: Multi-Modal Transportation Gains Momentum as Districts Seek Flexible, Cost-Effective Solutions

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Gleicher reviewed HopSkipDrive’s alternative transportation offerings, which are designed to serve students with IEPs or experiencing homelessness, plus those going to career schools or after-school programs.

Dutton discussed the RouteWise AI routing intelligence and optimization technology, which can be used in addition to a district’s current routing software and lets staff model different cost-cutting solutions to avoid knee-jerk reactions to tightening budgets.

They shared that, with the help of RouteWise AI, Denver Public Schools increased small vehicle efficiency, saving over $500,000 in the 2023–2024 school year.

Dutton confirmed that HopSkipDrive can be a short- or long-term solution, and Gleicher specified that “you only pay for the rides you use.”

Watch the webinar on demand.

The post Districts Use Alternative Transportation to Support Mckinney-Vento Students appeared first on School Transportation News.

DENVER, Colo. — As school districts nationwide continue to navigate tight budgets, driver shortages, rising safety expectations, and increasing demand for specialized transportation, new data from EverDriven, the leading provider of alternative transportation solutions, highlights a critical but often overlooked factor in student success: getting students to school safely and consistently.

According to EverDriven’s 2026 Safety and Operations Report, 99.99% of more than 2.6 million student trips were completed without an accident, major or minor, demonstrating how a safety-first, reliability-driven model can directly support attendance and learning outcomes.

“Reliable transportation doesn’t happen by chance. It requires the right systems, standards, and accountability at every step,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “We’ve built our model to deliver that consistency at scale, combining rigorous driver vetting, real-time visibility, and operational oversight. That’s why 99.99% of trips run without incident, and more than 83% of rides for students with disabilities are served by the same driver—building trust, reducing stress, and helping students arrive ready to learn.”

Reliability Drives Attendance and Stability
The report underscores a growing reality for districts: transportation reliability is directly tied to student attendance and engagement. When students miss rides or face inconsistent service, they are more likely to miss school, contributing to chronic absenteeism, a challenge facing districts across the country.

EverDriven’s model is built to close that gap:
~97% of trips arriving within an acceptable window.
90.36% of trips arriving within five minutes of scheduled drop-off.
83.62% of rides for students with disabilities maintaining the same driver, providing. consistency and comfort.

For students with specialized needs, including those with disabilities or experiencing housing instability, this level of consistency is especially critical. Familiar drivers, structured routines, and trained monitors help students feel safe before they even enter the classroom.

Serving Students with Complex Needs at Scale
From March 1, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026, EverDriven transported more than 30,000 students across 37 states, including:
16,250 students experiencing housing instability.
10,333 students in special education programs.

These populations often face the greatest barriers to consistent attendance, making reliable transportation a key component of educational access.

“Transportation is the bridge to opportunity. By diversifying our transportation options with trusted partners like EverDriven, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that every student, regardless of their situation, has a safe way to get to and from school each and every day,” said Megan Patton, Director of Transportation for Pittsburgh Public Schools.

A Safety Model Built for Students
Unlike traditional rideshare or fragmented transportation models, EverDriven’s approach is purpose-built for student safety, combining:

Multi-layered driver vetting and continuous monitoring.
Specialized training for transporting vulnerable student populations.
Real-time GPS tracking on 100% of rides.
AI-powered in-vehicle cameras in nearly half of vehicles.
This layered approach contributed to zero critical incidents, zero fatalities, and zero incidents of sexual misconduct during the reporting period.

Building Trust with Families and Districts
For caregivers, visibility and reliability are just as important as safety. EverDriven’s technology platform provides real-time ride tracking, driver information and proactive updates, helping families stay informed and confident that their child will arrive safely.

For districts, that trust translates into fewer disruptions, reduced administrative burden, and greater confidence that transportation systems are working as intended.

To read the full 2026 Safety and Operations Report and learn more about EverDriven, visit everdriven.com.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 37 states, the company completed over 2 million successful trips last year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

The post When School Transportation is Reliable, Students Show Up: New EverDriven Report Links Safety and Consistency to Stronger Attendance appeared first on School Transportation News.

A long-time school bus driver retired on his birthday, after logging more than more than five decades behind the wheel, marking the end of a career that spanned generations of students, reported WMTV15 News.

Jerry Radke, who started driving in 1973, completed his final route March 3 after 54 years with Reedsburg Area School District.

“I love driving. I’m so used to driving, I feel lost if I’m not driving,” Radke said via the news report.

The Wisconsin school bus driver was reportedly working on his family farm and hauling milk as a truck driver when a school transportation director approached him about the job.

“To be honest with you, I never applied for this job,” Radke said. “He came out to my farm and asked if I’d be interested in a bus route.”

Radke took the position and balanced driving with farm work for years, milking cows each morning before starting his route. Over the decades, he transported thousands of students, including multiple generations of the same families. Some parents said Radke once drove them to school and later drove their children.

“He’s driven them all,” Jessica Oetzman of Loganville told local news reporters.

Radke said, adding that he decided to retire because of his age and concern for student safety.

“Because I’m 87 years old and you just never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Number one is to keep the kids safe.”

Retired Wisconsin School Bus Driver Found Solace Behind the Wheel

Driving also helped him cope with the personal loss of his wife in 2002. “It satisfied my soul,” Radke said. “If I wouldn’t have kept driving, I wouldn’t be here anymore.”

Students, staff, and community members marked his final day with celebrations. A high school band performed “Happy Birthday,” and residents gathered with signs and balloons along his route. “He is such a wonderful man,” Oetzman said.

The retired Wisconsin school bus drive said he plans to spend more time with family.

“I miss this already,” he said. “It’s going to be very different.”

Written with assistance from AI.

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Related: Retired Man Now Drives a School Bus and Sings to Children
Related: Dedicated North Carolina School Bus Driver Retires After 45 years of Service
Related: Atlanta School Bus Driver Retires After 32 Years of Service
Related: Iowa Student Saves Mom with Handwritten Note to School Bus Driver

The post Wisconsin School Bus Driver Retires After 54 Years Behind the Wheel appeared first on School Transportation News.

COLUMBUS, Ind. – Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) offers its customers a broad portfolio of power solutions pursuing many paths forward to meet its customers’ and the planet’s evolving needs today and in the future. For the 2026 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, the company is showcasing its 2027 X15 along with its L9N and X15N natural gas engines. Accelera by Cummins will feature its next generation Advanced LFP batteries and 14Xe eAxle. In addition, the 2027 X10 and 2027 X15 will be featured in the ride and drive, joined by a hybrid simulation truck.

“Our customers depend on Cummins to provide solutions that are dependable, efficient and cost effective. This reputation is rooted in our technical expertise and deep understanding of their business needs and is supported by our global sales and service network,” said José Samperio, Vice President, North American On-Highway Business, Cummins Inc.

Forever Rising with Cummins 2027 X15
The 2027 X15 will be displayed with its integrated transmission and aftertreatment system, advancing the company’s flagship heavy‑duty platform. Built on more than 25 years of X15 architecture, the 2027 engine incorporates familiar components and updated controls that support improved fuel efficiency with similar diesel exhaust fluid consumption. The engine also anchors the company’s Forever Rising Tour fleet, where customers can evaluate drivability, integration and performance in real‑world operation.

Natural Gas Engines Power a Broader Ecosystem
Cummins also will feature the X15N and L9N engines to demonstrate the breadth of its natural gas portfolio. Built for heavy-duty and linehaul applications, the X15N provides power and performance while offering a practical path to reduced fuel costs and lower emissions. The L9N is suited for regional haul, refuse and municipal operations. Together, the engines give fleets multiple options across mixed duty cycles and varying infrastructure conditions.

Cummins Clean Fuel Technologies (CCFT) will highlight its newest product: an internally designed and manufactured all‑composite Type 4 CNG tank with a fully carbon‑fiber‑wrapped polymer liner. The tank is engineered to be light weight and for integration into CCFT fuel delivery systems for heavy‑duty trucks. The product incorporates technology designed and shared by NPROXX, Cummins’ composite pressure vessel design and manufacturing entity based in Europe.

Advancing Commercial Vehicle Electrification
Accelera by Cummins will showcase its next generation 14Xe eAxle, its most versatile electrified axle solution to date. The 14Xe delivers improved energy efficiency alongside increased torque, power and voltage capability to support both heavy- and medium-duty applications. Available with either a 2- or 3-speed twin countershaft transmission or 2-speed planetary configuration, the 14Xe has the ability to reduce the need for wheel-end reductions while enabling greater system flexibility across vehicle platforms. When paired with Accelera’s ELFA 3 high-power inverter, the system can also enhance functional safety and cybersecurity for 6×4 tandem, medium-duty and school bus applications.

Accelera will also feature its highly modular Advanced LFP battery platform, designed to support flexibility, long service life and fast charging. With 102 kWh of energy capacity and up to 840V, the platform leverages advanced LFP chemistry and cell-to-pack architecture to deliver improved energy density, enhanced safety and a strong cost competitiveness for commercial vehicle applications.

Enhanced Digital Experience for the Life of Your Vehicle
Cummins provides a full suite of digital capabilities that connect customers’ day-to-day operations directly to the service and maintenance experience using real-time data.

These features, available in Connected Solutions or via participating OEM portals, include remote diagnostics, predictive service insights, over-the-air software updates and digital maintenance tools that help minimize downtime, optimize fleet maintenance and ensure that vehicles are operating with the latest technology directly from Cummins.

These features and capabilities are enabled by Acumen, Cummins’ advanced computing hardware, or an OEM telematics device.

Ride and Drive: Customer Ready Demonstration Vehicles
In the ACT Expo Ride & Drive, Cummins will feature two vehicles from its Forever Rising Tour: one equipped with the 2027 X15 and another showcasing the new Cummins X10 mid-bore diesel platform designed for vocational, transit, pickup-and-delivery and regional haul operations. The third vehicle, which has been in service with Walmart since November 2025, is a demonstration of both companies’ commitment to advancing hybrid technology development. As part of this effort, Cummins and Walmart have collaborated in evaluating hybrid powertrain configurations under real world operating conditions using a development vehicle that can simulate multiple hybrid architectures without physical hardware changes. The hybrid simulation truck will be showcased publicly for the first time in the ride and drive.

About the Hybrid Simulation Platform
Cummins and Walmart are jointly testing and refining hybrid configurations using engines, components and controls from both Cummins and its zero-emissions business, Accelera by Cummins. Walmart has been operating the vehicle across a range of routes and duty cycles, validating system controls and accumulating mileage to evaluate performance in day-to-day service.

For more information on Cummins’ broad portfolio and the Forever Rising Tour and upcoming stops, visit this site and meet with experts May 4-7 at ACT Expo Booth #2038.

About Cummins Inc.
Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is committed to powering a more prosperous world. Since 1919, we have delivered innovative solutions that move people, goods and economies forward. Our five business segments—Engine, Components, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins—offer a broad portfolio, including advanced diesel, electric and hybrid powertrains; integrated power generation systems; critical components such as aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls, transmissions, axles and brakes; and zero-emissions technologies like battery and electric powertrain systems. With a global footprint, deep technical expertise and an extensive service network, we deliver dependable, cutting-edge solutions tailored to our customers’ needs, supporting them through the energy transition with our Destination Zero strategy. We create value for customers, investors and employees and strengthen communities through our corporate responsibility global priorities: education, equity and environment. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins employs approximately 67,400 people worldwide and earned $2.8 billion on $33.7 billion in sales in 2025. Learn more at www.cummins.com.

The post Cummins Builds on Many Paths Strategy at ACT Expo  appeared first on School Transportation News.

WARRENVILLE, Ill. – In celebration of Earth Day, Summit School Services is proud to share that its local operating brands, Durham School Services and A&S Transportation, have surpassed 607,000 combined miles driven by their electric school bus fleets – a major step in creating a healthier future for the students and communities they serve. This milestone achievement spans across three locations: Cumberland, Rhode Island and Compton, California for Durham School Services and New Orleans, Louisiana for A&S Transportation.

Durham’s Cumberland location, which serves Blackstone Valley Prep, currently boasts over 277,000 clean miles driven by its fleet of 24 electric school buses, while on the west coast, Compton Unified School District, is just 3,000 miles shy of reaching a 100,000 milestone with its fleet of 25 buses.

A&S Transportation and its two partners, InspireNOLA Charter Schools and New Orleans Charter Science & Mathematics High School, have tracked 233,000 miles total with their fleet of 42 and 9 buses, respectively.

As a premier student transportation provider and strong advocate for sustainability, our Company is pleased to be able to partner with its school district partners for such an important cause that will create positive, lasting impacts that will span across generations.

Later this year and beyond, Summit’s local operating brands and their school district partners in Florida, Michigan, and Massachusetts will join the Company’s journey toward a greener, healthier future with the introduction of their new fleets of electric school buses. An additional 140+ electric school buses are anticipated to be deployed.

“What an extraordinary achievement and milestone by our teams and school district partners,” said Wayne Skinner, Senior Vice President of Fleet, Maintenance, and Procurement, Summit School Services. “It is incredible to see such tremendous, green strides being made towards creating a more sustainable, safe world for our students to live, learn, and grow in. We are lucky to have such forward-thinking, environmentally conscious school district partners with whom we share similar values and ambitions with, and who are just as dedicated to the well-being and safety of students as we are. We’ve only just scratched the surface of this EV journey, and there’s so many more destinations and miles left to drive, so please stay tuned as we continue on this road towards a greener, better tomorrow.”

About Summit School Services:
Summit School Services sets the standard for safe, reliable student transportation across North America. As the parent organization to trusted local operators including Durham School Services, Stock Transportation, and Petermann Bus, Summit supports over 360 school districts. Driven by our five values: Safety, Care, Transparency, Communities, and Culture, we deliver transportation that works consistently, reliably, and without disruption.

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