Electric school buses and mitigating school bus related incidents were among the most popular articles in School Transportation News magazine during 2024.

2024’s round-up recognized nurturing positive student behavior in “Effective Management Strategies” (January), “What’s Your School Bus Driver Salary” (July), “Breakdown of the RFP Process” (March) and Transportation Director of the Year (November), which went to Craig Beaver, who has been in the student transportation industry for 25 years.

Meanwhile, school districts nationwide are still struggling with a lack of school bus drivers to cover all routes, while transportation professionals continue to promote solutions, effective management strategies, and safety for students in and out of school buses. Additionally, professionals are continuously looking for better routing alternatives, technology integration to training, and encouraging participation in training and creating emergency evacuation plans to mitigate risks in case of emergencies.

STN is reporting on the top-viewed story of each monthly magazine edition.

The following news articles are organized by month of publishing.

January – Nurturing Positive Student Behavior – Effective Management Strategies (TL)
The article focuses on the importance of student behavior management and how it is crucial for ensuring safe and enjoyable transportation to all students. The first step provided to manage student behavior is to establish clear expectations, which can include rules regarding noise levels, seat assignments, bullying prevention and reporting, and appropriate usage of language. Additionally, other approaches to foster positive student behaviors on school buses include developing behavior guidelines that can not only be communicated to students but to parents as well. Lastly, various steps are provided for successful student management. These steps are: clear expectations and rules, positive reinforcement, managing negative student behavior, communication and partnership, training and support, and education and awareness.

February – Investing in the People
“While technological solutions are constantly evolving to protect children at school bus stops, proper training of all stakeholders should take precedent.” The article addresses the amount of responsibility school bus drivers have and  emphasizes the importance of proper training. Denny Coughlin, president of School Bus Training Company, shared the importance of training school bus drivers particularly in school bus loading and unloading practices. Coughlin added how crucial it is the need to train students and parents on what to do at bus stops. Additionally, he explained that a school bus driver must always be in charge at the stops, instructing the children on when they should and should not cross. Furthermore, Coughlin stated that school bus safety training of students should start at the beginning of the school year. Wayne Reese, a transportation and logistic administrator for Cache County and Logan School District in Utah also shared thoughts on school transportation and shared how loading and unloading training available has greatly improved since he started in the industry 38 years ago. Lastly, even though new technology is helping supplement the duties of a school bus driver, it should never replace training.

March – Breakdown of the RFP Process
The article recounts the process transportation departments go through when purchasing buses, working with a contractor or buying transportation technology. Subsequently, it explains the use of a Request for Proposal or Request for Procurement (RFP), or Request for Information (RFI). Various transportation professionals shared their input on RFPs and RFIs. For instance, Rosalyn Vann-Jackson, chief support service officer for Broken Arrow Public Schools, shared that it is essential for an RFP to meet your operation’s goals and needs. She also emphasized the importance of data-driven decisions. Meanwhile, Robert Feinberg, transportation director for Deer Creek School District in Oklahoma stated that, while he was looking for vans, SUVs and cars to add to his fleet, the efficiency of the process depends on taking the time to make sure the RFP exactly outlines the district’s needs. Ultimately, the article highlights that while each RFP process will look different based on the district and fleet size, state regulations, infrastructure needs and technology, best practices can greatly aid student transportation professionals in creating a request that will get there exactly what they need in the timeframe required.

April – Lessons Learned
Operations discuss rolling out electric school buses secured with Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) funds. More electric school buses hit the road this winter thanks to the first round of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Program funding. This program promises $5 billion between fiscal years 2022 and 2026 to fund approximately 5,000 clean and zero-emissions buses across 600 school districts. One of these districts is Chickasaw County School District in Mississippi, which received $4.345 million in rebates, $220,000 for 11 chargers and the rest for 11 Jouley electric buses from Thomas Built Buses. Electric buses now make up more than one-third of the district’s total fleet of 28 buses. Meanwhile, another small school district, Caney Valley School in Kansas, used a $790,000 rebate to purchase two electric buses and a 60-kW dual port charger that can power both vehicles at once if needed. The article highlights how the CSBP is a great way for districts to take a step into electrifying their fleets.

May – In Case of an Emergency
For the past 30 years, School Transportation News has reported on a wide spectrum of student transportation-related incidents including school bus crashes, weapons and aggressive behavior on board the bus, fire and illegal passing, to name a few. This article explains that, while different factors can contribute to any of the previously mentioned situations, training and protocols exist for school districts to implement, in order to best prepare their transportation staff for effective and safe incident management. Lastly, the article highlights the importance of detailed planning, frequent training, collaboration with first responders, and communication response protocols, to prepare transportation departments in the event of any school bus-related incident.

June – Anyone Can Achieve a Greener Fleet
Many are quick to dismiss the idea of going electric due to different challenges they may face, such as their district being too small or routes being too long. This article highlights the experiences of transportation experts who share how no project should be dismissed simply because of preconceived notions. Kenni Jean Schrader from Three Rivers Community Schools in Michigan shared that ”there are going to be some instances where going 100 percent EV may not be the best idea for you. But if you can look at the challenge and problem solve that, rather than just saying, ‘No, I can’t, you’re going to open up a lot more opportunities.” Various school districts have taken the electric route, some larger like Monongalia County School District in West Virginia, Los Angeles Unified School District and other smaller districts. Nevertheless, this does not mean going fully electric today may be an option for certain districts, or that the process will be easy. However, it’s about being open to the idea that there are ways to incorporate zero emissions into a district’s bus fleets.

July – Trends: What’s Your School Bus Driver Salary? + What’s Your Solution?
School Transportation News surveyed 209 school districts in the contiguous 48 states to determine average starting and maximum school bus driver hour wages. A chart breaks up the data by region. In this article, transportation directors nationwide shared their input on what they perceive as contributing to the ongoing driver shortage and how to best promote the job. Is the answer more pay? That seemed to be the case prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, times are changing and people in general are also valuing culture, safety and time. One director of transportation summed it up well when stating that more and more districts are trying to look at ways to improve morale and offer more thank-you bonuses to assist in recruitment.

August – What’s Driving Electric School Buses?
This article focuses on important distinctions in vehicle components that have been brought about by the movement toward electric vehicles. There are some primary differences between internal combustion engines and electric vehicles, including the battery packs powering the vehicle, followed by the replacement of the engine and traditional transmission with electric drivetrains. The article also highlights the advantages and downfalls of multiple battery options, technology and performance. Ultimately, as noted by Darren Liu, Accelera’s executive director of battery, while electric vehicle technology matures, the current variety in approaches is understandable and regardless of the technology used in an individual component, the performance of the overall system is what matters most to a school district.

September – Accounted For?
School bus loading and unloading has historically been a safety risk for many students, leading to injuries and death. While numbers have decreased over the decades, experts point out one incident is one too many. This article highlights how technology integrated into training can help school bus drivers detect students at school bus stops as well as those who remain on board after routes end.  Motorists illegally passing school buses is a big factor that contributes to these tragedies.  Weather and road conditions can also influence and even suspend bus routes. A lack of drivers can create other safety concerns. Consultant Dick Fisher noted that school districts are responding by making students walk further to a bus stop to save time and crossing the roadway before the bus arrives. Kaitlynne Monaghan, Child Check Mate business development and inside sales manager, stated that the peak times when incidents occur are around afternoon pickups, at the start of the school year, holidays and daylight saving time. Transportation professionals have suggested various student detection solutions to help mitigate these risks.

October – Changing, Correcting Bell Times Can Have Positive Effect on Routing
There may be no perfect solution when it comes to routing. As can be painfully clear to all concerned, the narrow timeframes for morning and afternoon operations leave little margin for error. At the same time, requirements such as serving students with special needs plus school bus driver shortages add even higher degrees of difficulty. This article highlights how changing bell times has brought greater efficiency to the routing process for some school districts. Additionally, with special needs populations, which pose their own set of challenges, restructuring bell time can be a plus. Whether it is an effort to improve overall routing or enhance services to students with special needs, the process requires a cooperative approach as well as a measure of thick skin. The article presents steps for addressing changing bell times and acknowledges that districts may face challenges in attempting to do so.

November – Going Big
This article features Transportation Director of the Year Craig Beaver as he shares lessons learned from Oregon’s largest electric school bus deployment yet. After starting his transportation career with a trucking company, Beaver joined Grossmont High School District in San Diego, California, where he spent 15 years as director of transportation before retiring. Beaver saw a job available at Beaverton School District near Portland, Oregon, where he is currently employed, decided to move with his family and the rest is history, as they say. One of Beaver’s claims to fame – and the reason he was selected as this year’s Transportation Director of the Year – is his willingness to share information with his peers. Every month he publishes data on his alternative fuel and energy buses, reflecting reduction in emissions, performance and vehicle costs. Beaver is going on his 40th year working in transportation, in one form or another. It’s his 25th year working in student transportation. In addition, Beaver noted his continued goal is to educate himself as much as possible.

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The 2024 holiday season featured celebrations that included Stuff-the-Bus drives for local communities, appreciation events for transportation staff, and lots of decorated school buses. Click through the gallery of photos below.

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Related: Students in Alabama Collect Christmas Gift for Local Children
Related: Massachusetts School District to Host “Stuff-A-Bus” Event for Holiday Toy Drive
Related: Gallery: Student Transporters Celebrate with Festive School Buses

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A $2 million grant has been awarded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to improve commercial driver license testing in New Jersey.

The funds were allocated to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) to “launch a mobile CDL testing program, improve outreach to customers and stakeholders in the commercial driving industry, and upgrade existing CDL skills test sites,” as described in a NJMVC news release.

The program will involve two specialized teams that will travel to remote sites in New Jersey and offer CDL skills and knowledge tests. It will be a large-scale initiative that is being coordinated with over 550 statewide districts and driving schools to make CDL testing more accessible to applicants in more rural and underserved parts of the state.

The inspiration for this program came from the popularity of the NJMVC’s Mobile Unit program that followed a similar blueprint of bringing non-driver IDs, driver license renewals, REAL IDs, registration renewals, and other related services to state’s residents, to aid accessibility and convenience.

The NJMVC stated that funding will also be used to aid outreach with stakeholders in the heavy-duty vehicle industry and to promote CDL training in communities. Another target of improvement will be the testing process itself, which will be upgraded to “ensure a safe testing flow, increase testing capacity, and optimize courses for larger commercial vehicles” in accordance with FMCSA and American Association of Motor Vehicle Administration standards.

“By receiving $2 million through the CDLPI grant, drivers across our state will have better access to training materials and testing availabilities, enhancing the safety and preparedness of our workforce on the road,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “This investment reflects our commitment to building a stronger and safer driving community in New Jersey.”

The awarding of funds was recognized at a Delanco, New Jersey road test facility on Nov. 1 during a press conference featuring government and industry representatives.

NJMVC Acting Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-said at the conference that the program will assist with meeting industry demands as well as provide jobs for individuals in marginalized communities. Assemblywoman Andrea Katz addressed the school bus driver shortage in the state, saying that while it’s improving it’s vital to ensure there are enough people to transport students in rural areas that often require longer routes to and from school.

Dan Jauch, president of the New Jersey School Bus Contractor’s Association and vice president of operations at Krapf Bus, said the program will improve efficiency for contractors and that a bulk testing program “demonstrates a thoughtful response to the unique needs of the school bus contractors across out state.”

Vinn White, who had previously served as a senior advisor to Gov. Murphy on transportation and mobility policy and is now the Deputy Administrator of the FMCSA spoke on the benefits of the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) Grant program, from which the funds for the New Jersey mobile CDL testing program are a part of. Overall, he said grant funds help to support the industry, the national economy and encourage individuals to get their CDL license which can aid multiple fields experiencing shortages.

“We know that it can be difficult to access this testing in rural parts of New Jersey and that’s why bringing this to the community is so important,” said White. “FMCSA is proud to invest in Americans breaking down barriers who are working and trying to earn their CDL.”

Related: FMCSA Proposal Seeks to Quicken CDL Process
Related: Turning School Bus Driver Shortages Into Opportunities
Related: FMCSA Renews School Bus Driver ‘Under-the-Hood’ Training Exemption

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The yellow school bus might be the most iconic way for students to get to school but the industry is also increasingly utilizing alternative vehicles in circumstances where a traditional school bus may not be able or be the best option to accommodate the route or students.

“While it is always preferable that children ride on yellow school buses there are some areas and instances where this may not be possible,” reads a statement paper the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) released earlier this year and ahead of the National Congress on School Transportation in May. “In such situations, it is crucial that children are transported in the safest possible vehicles and driven by qualified, trained, and well-regulated drivers.”

The NAPT paper outlines the current emerging trend of alternative transportation and the association’s recommendations to student transporters who are using vehicles other than the school bus. It notes the ongoing shortage of school bus drivers is a contributing factor to the increase of use of alternative vehicles.

“As this trend has increased, NAPT believes it is important to clarify appropriate and necessary steps to ensure the safety of our school children when such services are utilized by school districts,” the statement says.

It comes as no surprise that safety is the top priority and consideration, which NAPT says includes driver qualifications, vehicle integrity and safety features. The statement recognizes that alternative transportation service providers have taken the initiative to set safety standards and that the NAPT has worked directly with some of these providers.

“Our purpose and interest is to create clearer and nationally applicable standards that can be employed by school districts to make appropriate decisions to meet their needs,” emphasizes the statement. “We intend to involve the alternate provider community in our efforts as partners and collaborators.”

School Transportation News discussed the statement with Peter Mannella, who is NAPT’s public policy and communications liaison. Mannella recently spoke at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference in November, leading a panel discussion on alternative transportation services for students with special needs. He mentioned the statement and pointed attendees to it on the NAPT website. He also said the NAPT took no position in publishing the paper.

Instead, he told STN that NAPT intentionally did not set standards but chose “to identify those elements or factors for which school districts should have standards, especially in the absence of national standards or even consistent state-level standards. Clearly, standard setting rests with federal and/or state agencies with input from professional associations like NAPT and our partners.”

During the Nov. 11 TSD Conference panel discussion, Mannella noted that the industry recognizes that alternative transportation can be a good thing “but it would be better if we could shape it differently, if we could put some restrictions or regulations or requirements around it to help us be sure we’re doing the right thing.

The NAPT statement lists what it describes as “clear and reasonable criteria” to help districts ensure that the alternative transportation service providers are not only able to meet the transportation needs of the students but that they are meeting the same or similar safety standards that are required of the yellow school bus and its drivers.

“We are seeing diverse approaches to these services including entry into the market of major private school bus contractors, parental arrangements and more,” Mannella said, which he added also emphasizes the need for consistent federal and state regulations.

He also advised districts to involve legal departments and insurance providers to make sure liability considerations are addressed.

“These arrangements are legal and financial transactions and need to be handled and managed accordingly,” he said. “It is incumbent on a school district to take reasonable care and precautions in ensuring the safety of their students and to not compromise on safety in those relationships, and that of necessity applies to alternate transportation providers.”

NAPT said alternative transportation providers should ensure that all their drivers have a current license appropriate to the vehicle they are using and have systems in place to require drivers undergo criminal background checks and random drug and alcohol testing. Training is also crucial, including training for emergency situations, loading and unloading, student behavior management, bullying and bullying prevention. Transporting students with special needs will also require drivers to be aware of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) requirements and provisions that need to be made.

The statement continues that vehicle safety requirements should include “adequate signage to ensure that the public is aware that the vehicle is transporting children, and that caution is needed.” There should also be frequent maintenance inspections to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and safe, in accordance with state requirements.

NAPT also lists evacuation training protocol, enforcement of vehicle capacity, and ensuring that safety equipment outlined in the IEP is onboard, which can include child restraint safety systems, capacity to secure wheelchairs or medical equipment, as factors that should be present.

“The board and our CEO/Executive Director [Molly McGee Hewitt] have determined that it is important for NAPT to offer members resources to help them in the performance of their duties for their schools and the children they serve. We believe this statement sets the table for further conversations and advocacy,” Mannella added

NAPT concludes the papers aying that it will continue to collaborate with state associations, business partners, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, and the National School Transportation Association to continue the discussion, moving towards consistent, safety-centered federal/ state guidelines and legislations regarding alternative transportation.

Related: NHTSA Releases Report on Nationwide Illegal School Bus Passing Laws
Related: Beyond the Yellow School Bus: Alternative School Transportation
Related: Turning School Bus Driver Shortages Into Opportunities

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Student transportation is entering a new era, when access to real-time data, enhanced visibility for stakeholders, and higher safety standards will become essential pillars of operations.

School districts need to balance these new priorities with unprecedented pressure to meet equity goals and maintain tighter budgets. All these factors are challenging school leaders to reimagine how they transport students in the coming years.

Here are five key predictions shaping the future of student transportation in 2025:

1. Parents and Districts Will Demand More Visibility

The rise of smartphones requires instant access to information in school and beyond. Parents, teachers, and administrators all want real-time tracking updates and videos to ensure accountability and safety on school transportation. This year, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that at least 50 percent of states have enacted school bus stop-arm camera laws, which ensure cameras are present to document incidents, monitor behavior, and uphold safety standards for everyone.

This demand for visibility extends beyond school buses to alternative transportation. New technology, including in-car cameras, ensures that school districts receive recorded and stored footage that verifies safe rides, monitors drivers, and clarifies any issues. Plus, school districts can close service gaps, dispatch providers, and keep families updated. In today’s environment, an extra level of visibility for all stakeholders is expected and essential.

2. Data and Machine Learning Will Become a Cornerstone of Future Operations

In 2025, route planning, driver assignments, and real-time adjustments will all rely on advanced analytics. Districts that harness data and machine learning through smart tools will see improvements in operational efficiency, increasing attendance rates.

The larger efforts to professionalize school district administrative offices are leading to data-driven decision-making. Many school districts are even hiring transportation directors with backgrounds in logistics and engineering. As school transportation evolves, districts will rely on experts who can understand and interpret complex analytics to streamline operations and improve outcomes.

3. Districts Will Advance Safety Standards

Safety remains a top priority for school districts, and new state legislation continues to raise the bar. California’s SB88, for example, goes into effect in 2025 and strengthens requirements for student transportation providers. At the local level, many districts are also increasing training protocols for drivers and requiring the use of safe technology to protect students and mitigate liability risks.

Next year, school districts will seek out partners that proactively adopt new safety technology and comply with district, state, and federal regulations. When alternative school transportation providers uphold the highest safety standards, they put students first while building necessary trust with administrators and parents.

4. Rising Demand for Equity-Focused Transportation Solutions

In 2025, the number of students experiencing homelessness and eligible for transportation support under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act will continue to rise. A 2023 report on Student Homelessness in America by the National Center for Homeless Education identified more than 1.2 million students experiencing homelessness in the U.S. in the 2021-2022 school year — a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

Without reliable transportation, students experiencing homelessness are at higher risk of chronic absenteeism. In fact, the same study found that more than half of homeless students in the 2021-2022 school year were chronically absent, and the absenteeism rate for students experiencing homelessness is 22 percent higher than the rest of the student population. School district leaders will need to find more ways to drive students experiencing homelessness to school, turning to alternative transportation providers to scale up support.

5. Budget Constraints Will Drive the Need for Operational Efficiency

Superintendents are under enormous pressure to meet new challenges with smaller budgets, given the expiration of pandemic relief funding, including the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. These stark changes mean that leaders must prioritize cost-efficiency while maintaining access for students who have special needs, are eligible for McKinney-Vento support, or live out of district or in remote areas without making large investments in new vehicles or new hires.

Moving forward, leaders will leverage tech-forward alternative transportation providers to understand and meet their transportation needs with a click. For example, if a district has a rising percentage of students eligible for McKinney-Vento support, they could choose to used small-capacity vehicles that can make last-minute adjustments based on the students’ locations. Flexing your capacity meets new demands while optimizing transportation costs for the short and long term.

Every school year, new challenges and higher expectations require that school district leaders innovate, evolving their approach for better outcomes. 2025 is no different. By integrating smart technology into their operations, they can drive up safety standards, increase capacity in real-time, and prioritize cost-effectiveness while meeting equity goals. Leaders will ensure they’re setting up their schools and students for success in the classroom, one ride at a time.

Mitch Bowling is the CEO of alternative transportation company EverDriven, which transported about 30,000 unique students last school year in 33 states.

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending by two years an exemption granted to the National School Transportation Association that allows school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip inspection skills testing requirement when obtaining their commercial driver’s license.

The exemption of the so-called “under-the-hood” test was published in the Federal Register on Monday. It covers the period of Nov. 28, 2024, through Nov. 28, 2026. NSTA had requested a five-year extension.

FMCSA originally issued a temporary three-month waiver of the under-the-hood test on Jan. 3, 2022, an attempt to alleviate the school bus driver shortage. States were allowed but not required to waive a requirement that school bus driver applicants identify engine components. The waiver only applied to school buses and no other commercial vehicles.

Additional three-month extensions were issued at the end of March 2022 and again at the end of July that year. FMCSA announced a two-year waiver that November.

The move has not come with out opposition. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety questioned why the engine compartment component of the skills test would be critical for all CDL drivers except school bus drivers, and it wrote that all CDL holders should be held to the same standard.

“The Minnesota DPS also stated that it is burdensome and confusing to program software for a temporary change, as well as to train law enforcement to understand and recognize the restriction,” noted in a comment on the Federal Register.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Department of Transportation stated that it represents one of the few states to adopt the waiver and has found it overly burdensome and confusing to implement, which has caused delays.

Comments can be submitted online.

Related: FMCSA Takes CDL from W.V. School Bus Driver in DUI Crash
Related: FMCSA Proposal Seeks to Quicken CDL Process
Related: FMCSA Makes Permanent Its Regulatory Exemption For Windshield-Mounted Safety System Cameras

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Valerie Williams said two quotes help her shaped her days. “With God all things are possible,” and “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Prior to transitioning into the public sector of pupil transportation, Williams spent 20 years in corporate America working in human resources management and customer service for companies such as the Austin Police Department, Dell Inc., Westinghouse Motor Company, Bank of the Hills and LaPetite Academy.

She said her pupil transportation career started in November 2011 as a crossing guard for Parkside Elementary School. At the time she owned her own wedding planning business and needed some extra cash for a vacation to New York.

Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.

She shared that her husband Terry is a school bus driver, trainer and third-arty examiner for Leander ISD transportation. He was the one who suggested to Williams that she come work for transportation as a school bus driver.

“But the bus is too big for me so in February of 2012, I joined the team as a bus monitor, which is what we were called back in those days,” she shared, adding that during this time she assisted the special needs router with processing the legal transportation documents.

Then, in June 2015, she was hired on as the part-time routing assistant to replace someone retiring. “In that role I had the privilege of working side by side with Tracie Franco, the full-time special needs router at that time and now the senior director of Leander ISD transportation,” Williams said.

She noted that over the years she transitioned from part-time to full time and progressed to senior router. As the senior router, she said her job consists of overseeing the daily performance of general and special education routers as well as field trip specialists. She also identifies opportunities for improvement, defines processes and puts systems in place to help the routing and transportation department manage the complexities of the operation. She is also the project manager for the teams responsible for the relaunch of transportation’s website, the implementation of the district’s Register to Ride bus registration process and documenting transportation’s standard operating procedures.

“There are many things that I enjoy about my job,” she said. “First and foremost is working with a fantastic team. If I must pick the favorite part of my job, I would have to say that creating systems to improve processes so that everything operates like a well-oiled machine is very satisfying.”

Register to Ride

Williams explained that in an effort to “enhance security, ensure the safety of our students and staff, and improve the efficiency of our routes, we launched a new registration program for transportation.” For the first time this school year and in the history of Leander ISD, Williams said all eligible bus riders (new and returning) who wish to utilize transportation to and/or from school are now required to register for the service. She explained that they partnered with administrators, campus personnel, parents and Hillary Robbins, the regional partnership director at K12 Insight to launch a new and improved Transportation website using the Let’s Talk platform for the Register to Ride bus registration process.

“In the transportation industry as a whole, when someone wants to travel whether it is by plane, train, cruise ship, metro bus or rail, they are required to make a reservation or register to ride,” she explained.

In the past, she said routes for students with disabilities were based on actual riders, whereas routes for general education students were created for eligible riders. This year, general education routes will also be created based on actual riders.

She explained that by requiring registration, transportation can ensure that all riders have been registered and are approved riders. Other benefits are only actual riders have been assigned to bus stops and staff can now quickly identify when a bus is approaching its maximum seating capacity, thus limiting the number of over-crowded buses that the district previously experiences at the start of the year.

Williams added that staff also leveraged K12 Insight’s Let’s Talk platform to revamp its transportation process. Benefits include having all the Register to Ride information in one location, directly on LISD transportation website and allowing parents/guardians to register from the convenience of their home.

She added that registration forms are then loaded into Let’s Talk, which allows the customer to change the content into the language of their preference. Leander ISD transportation has 13 different languages available in their forms to better improve the customer experience.

“In the past, campus personnel submitted bus service request forms, on behalf of the parents, to the routing department,” Williams shared. “With those submissions we found that very often, parents were either not ready to start transportation, or they wanted service only in the mornings or only in the afternoons or vice versa.”

By using Let’s Talk, she said transportation is are putting the power in the hands in the parents and guardians to register when they are ready to use transportation for their children and can communicate with transportation directly what service they need.

“Over the years we have observed that since the routing department is responsible for assigning students to bus routes, some people think that routing is responsible ‘for everything,’” she added. “However, that’s not true. In addition to drivers and bus assistants, we have a team of professional staff members who play a major role in pupil transportation including administrative assistants, assistant directors, dispatchers, mechanics, team leaders, technology systems specialists and trainers. Through Let’s Talk’s ability to support two-way communications, our customers (external and internal) can ask questions and share feedback while having the confidence that their question, concern or comment is getting to the right person in the right department.”

Hillary Robins, an ed tech specialist with K12 Insight, wrote in her nomination of Williams that she consistently demonstrates innovation, attention to detail and a deep passion to their community and team.

“Valerie’s commitment to finding more efficient uses of technology, including implementing a customer service platform for their transportation department, has greatly enhanced the services provided to families, showcasing her dedication to excellence and continuous improvement,” Robins wrote. “She has transformed their transportation department with the use of AI and by building registration forms to automate incoming inquiries. Additionally, she has effectively leveraged their customer service platform to monitor sentiment across the transportation department, ensuring a proactive approach to addressing community needs.”

Williams said internal and external communications go through Let’s Talk, plus they are dated and time-stamped so staff is better able to keep track of the conversations. The feature will allow the district to eliminate the need to monitor several different email accounts, as well as copy and pasted comments from various emails.

Challenges Amid School Start Up

Williams said one of the biggest challenges the routing department faced amid school start up was processing registrations that were submitted after the June 14th deadline. She noted they are a small team of 10, consisting of one routing supervisor, two senior routers, two general transportation routers, two special transportation routes, two field trip specialists and one field trip/routing assistant, that have to manage 11,000 active riders.

“With a shortage of drivers, our routers also are driving routes morning and/or afternoon so this limits the amount of time that they have at their desk to be able to process registrations and assign students to routes,” she said.

She noted the team is working to combat this with an “all-hands-on-deck” mentality. “In addition to the routing team, our administrative assistants, drivers, dispatchers, assistant directors, even our senior director of transportation have jumped in to help get students assigned to bus routes,” Williams said.

Department Goals

Williams added her goal is to ensure that 100 percent of Leander’s riders are registered. Additionally, she hopes to continue to collaborate with the K12 Insight team to find more creative solutions through Let’s Talk to help transportation streamline and automate its current processes. Other goals include continuing to improve the customer service experience and to look for opportunities to “work smarter, not harder.”

Finally, she said for the next school year she wants to enhance the Register to Ride campaign, with the goal of having 95 percent of riders Registered to Ride by this coming June 1.

Outside of LISD transportation, Williams said her and her husband enjoy volunteering with their ministry by conducting Bible study sessions with individuals, couples and families in their community. She also enjoys crafting, gardening, interior decorating, painting furniture and DIY projects.

Read the profiles on the Rising Stars in the November issue of School Transportation News.

Related: From School Bus Driver to Assistant Director: Journey of a Rising Star
Related: Passion for Transportation Shines Through Washington Rising Star
Related: Rising Star Dedicated to Providing Best Transportation for Students With Special Needs

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WALL, N.J., – Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in student transportation, safety, and fleet services, today announced six terminals across its national network have earned the company’s Regional Safety Challenge Award. The winning terminals, representing communities from New England to Southern California, demonstrated outstanding dedication to student safety and operational excellence throughout the year.
The 2024 Regional Safety Challenge Award winners include:

· Kearsarge, N.H.

· Santa Rosa, Fla.

· Apollo Ridge, Pa.

· Eagle Mountain, Texas

· Long Beach, Calif.

· Williamstown, N.J.

“We’re incredibly proud of these teams and their unwavering dedication to how safety positively impacts the students we transport each day,” said Shelly Hall, STA’s Senior Vice President Health and Safety. “These teams have created environments where safety is woven into every aspect of their operations from training to protocols to maintenance. Their achievements demonstrate how local initiatives can make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve and what is even better is that these teams are not just looking to meet industry standards, but consistently exceed them.”

In partnership with the National Interstate and USI, the annual Regional Safety Challenge Award program recognizes STA terminals that have demonstrated industry excellence across multiple safety metrics, including accident frequency rates, facility audit scores and safety training compliance.

Each winning terminal receives two commemorative plaques — one for permanent display at their facility and a rotating plaque that travels annually to new winners. Additionally, employees at each winning location receive specially designed pins recognizing their contribution to achieving these safety milestones.

This safety-first approach serves as the cornerstone of STA’s mission as a student transportation provider. With comprehensive employee training programs and proven driver safety practices to onboard vehicle

technology, rigorous maintenance schedules, and advanced compliance systems, STA has become a trusted industry partner for more than 325 districts with a 95% contract renewal rate.

About Student Transportation of America: Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in school transportation and fleet services, was founded in 1997 on the bedrock of family, community, and a safety-first mindset. Operating more than 22,000 vehicles, STA provides customers with the highest level of safe and reliable student transportation, management, logistics, and technology solutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is focused on fostering a safety-driven culture that empowers its employees to feel proud of their work, delivering safe, reliable, and on-time service. Additionally, STA’s commitment to positively impacting the health of our passengers and the planet is evident through its conscious decision to undertake each initiative to decrease its carbon footprint to help move the company and industry toward a greener future. For more information, please visit www.rideSTA.com.

The post Student Transportation of America Honors Top-Performing Terminals with Safety Excellence Awards appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — Several federal laws that define the transportation of students with disabilities and special needs have been updated recently or may be amended soon demand the attention of school districts and private contractors, said a lawyer who specializes in the subject area.

Betsey Helfrich opened the TSD Conference on Sunday. She has successfully represented school districts against a variety of claims in state and federal courts as well as in administrative and special education due process hearings. She also conducts local and national training on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Helfrich began by pointing out changes earlier this year to Title IX, which is commonly associated only with women’s sports. However, the law has broader implications for sex discrimination in federal programs that also affect school districts and transportation departments.

The new guidelines took effect on Aug. 1 except in 21 states that filed lawsuits to block their implementation. Helfrich encouraged audience members to research the law’s current status in their states.

Noting that Title IX requires the investigation of sexual harassment or sexual assault complaints, Helfrich cautioned against rote practices that could create legal hazards for a district, such as coding into the discipline system an incident on the school bus as an “assault.”

“Be really mindful if you or a driver are writing and coding something as sexual assault or sexual harassment … that we are also passing that info along to our Title IX coordinator,” she said. “Don’t code something as sexual harassment and end it there.”

She also cautioned resting on the laurels of simply reporting it, for example to a principal. She advised ensuring an investigation is completed an that a Title IX coordinator has made a determination that the misconduct rises to a legal level. “Sexual harassment has a very specific definition. So, just because something inappropriate happened it must mean it rose to that level.” she added.

Every school that receives federal funds is required under the law to have a Title IX coordinator. An overhaul is likely coming to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, which protects children under the age of 13 from the distribution of their personal information without parental consent. Proposed legislation would raise that age to 17.

“We should have new regs by this time next year. How does it affect your daily life? Probably not a ton, except it really impacts the vendors that we contract with that keep student information systems,” Helfrich said. “Our vendors are going to have to be very careful going forward after these new regs about the information they have. … We can only contract with someone who promises not to sell our students’ information to someone else.”

Like COPPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student data. Amendments are pending. Because the law was enacted in 1974 and sets guidelines for how records must be kept, its provisions largely revolve around the keeping of paper records.

“Hardly anything is paper anymore. We keep our records electronically, everything’s in the cloud, we have apps, we have student information systems, so FERPA really does need an overhaul,” she said. “There’s new proposed regs, nothing new right now, but keep in on your radar for next year. We might have some new requirements about how we keep records.”

Related: (STN Podcast E229) October Updates: Green Funding, Cellphone Bans & Special Needs Legalities
Related: Gallery: Legal Advice & More on Day 4 of TSD 2024
Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Brings Special Needs Transportation Legal Expertise

Helfrich said a U.S. Supreme Court ruling about an issue totally unrelated to education could also have an impact on litigation involving school districts. The landmark case, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, involved whether the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) could require commercial fishing operations to pay the cost of government monitors assigned to their boats.

The justices concluded the NMFS did not have the power to make the rule, overriding the principle of the longstanding “Chevron deference” that directed courts to defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of an ambiguity in a law that the agency enforces.

“You might see more schools challenging statutes and regulations directly in court. It’s a little bit more school-friendly to not have Chevron deference,” she said. “So, what does that mean in the Department of Education? They might not have as much power to issue these guidance documents that schools have to follow.”

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) guidelines under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) require school districts to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, including transportation. Of the 50.8 million K-12 students in the U.S. as of the fall of 2022, about 21 million rode school buses and approximately 7.5 million students were covered by the IDEA.

“It’s highly regulated and really unwavering,” she said. “There’s not a lot of flexibility with the IDEA,” Helfrich said. “It always goes back to FAPE.”

Meanwhile, Section 504, passed in 1973 as part of the civil rights movement, protects students and adults with disabilities from discrimination in places of public accommodation.

“Schools often say we don’t have to do this in our before-school or after-school programs because they’re voluntary, [for example] summer school, we don’t have to worry about that because it’s optional. That is definitely not true,” she said. “You see more cases in that area than really anything. If we opt to have a program, it has to be nondiscriminatory.”

The danger to school districts is that Section 504 “is loose-goosey, it’s not as regulated but it’s more dangerous” because it includes monetary damages for people who have been discriminated against.

“Parents can file discrimination lawsuits under Section 504 and seek monetary damages,” she continued.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights processed the highest number of such cases last year, resolving 45 percent more cases than the past record.

“It’s free to file. It’s very easy to file an OCR complaint. You don’t have to be represented by an attorney and then the OCR comes in and investigates. Let’s say an incident happened on the bus so they’re claiming discrimination against the bus driver. That driver will be interviewed. You as the director will be interviewed. The special education director will be interviewed,” she noted.

“Usually the superintendent, too. Anybody involved in this case will be interviewed. They always say, ‘Who is your 504 coordinator? Who’s in charge of investigating discrimination cases in your district?’” she continued. “And, literally, nine out of 10 times, the principal says somebody else, the counselor says somebody else, the bus driver says somebody, and the superintendent always says, ‘It’s not me. I don’t know who it is. It ain’t me’ and the OCR investigator is writing furiously. That is one easy thing to control.”

She urged audience members to return to their districts and train drivers about the district’s coordinator in case a parent mentions a potential disability complaint. Sharing that information on a single slide and keeping that slide “will go a long way to start out on the right foot,” she said.
Helfrich outlined a handful of recent court cases, including several that went against districts. She contended that the districts’ cases could have been strengthened by transportation departments being more involved in the writing of individual education plans.

Instead, all too often, those plans are written without such expertise and districts become locked into unrealistic requirements. And, many times IEPs include services that aren’t even needed yet lock the transportation department into expensive commitments.

“And once it’s in the contract, it’s there,” she warned. “Even if a parent is saying, ‘we didn’t want it’ at first, they’re going to want it.”

She cautioned case outcomes often tilt in favor of the parents of children with disabilities and special needs, particularly when school personnel mishandle interactions and neglect to properly document actions. “Juries and courts hate when schools say, ‘We don’t do that because if we do it for you, we’ll have to do it for everyone,’” she added.

Helfrich concluded with the joking rejoinder, “Do not let this scare you into resignation. Honestly, as long as you act reasonably, really think through, individualize, each student’s situation you honestly are going to be OK in this area. Keep your good common sense. Keep being good people, and it’s all going to be OK.”

The post Special Education Attorney Navigates Legal Bumps in the Road for Student Transporters appeared first on School Transportation News.

“Everything we do here impacts the life of a child” is Joshua Wilson daily mantra.

“I personally had my life turned around because of the intervention of my childhood bus driver (shoutout to Ted Bair), so I know how much a good driver can matter,” added Wilson, one of this month’s Rising Stars who is featured in the November edition of School Transportation News magazine. “Conversely, when drivers do a bad job, setting up adversarial situations, berating students, or getting emotionally drawn into saying or doing things that are harmful, it can be very damaging to students’ ability to be successful in the classroom.”

Wilson started his career in pupil transportation as a special needs school bus driver for Teton County School District in Wyoming in September 2008. He served in this role for nine years before moving to Colorado to become a CDL examiner for Durango School District and the surrounding districts, as well as any CDL applicant in southwest Colorado including: Budweiser, Coca Cola, whitewater companies, logging trucks, and lumber delivery companies. Four and a half years ago he and his family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he became the transportation supervisor for Vail School District — marking 16 years in pupil transportation.

Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.

In September, Wilson accepted a job offer from Specialized Education Services, Inc., as the national director of student transportation. Specialized Education Services operates over 95 schools and in 90 district classrooms across the U.S., with a focus on students who need academic, emotional, social and behavior support. Not all schools operating transportation, but Wilson will oversee the ones that do. He is responsible for the transportation of all alternative vehicles, from vans to minibuses. He also oversees training, compliance and KPI monitoring for schools in multiple states.

STN spoke with Wilson regarding his previous responsibilities at Vail School District, as he hadn’t started at Specialized Education Services at the time of being interviewed.

“I love to serve others, both our staff, and our community,” he said of his favorite part of the job, adding that while a supervisor isn’t always a fun job, it’s rewarding. “Helping set up staff for success is something that really gives me joy. Every time I see one of our drivers behind the wheel of their first route, I feel proud of what we have been able to do for them.”

He added that if transportation can provide a safe, respectful and nurturing environment for students, then they can arrive at school ready to learn. “I’m very passionate about the importance of pupil transportation, and I really work hard to instill that passion in our staff,” he continued. “I like to refer to bus drivers as the offensive line of a school district. It’s not a sexy job, and it doesn’t get all the praise and shine of the quarterback, but no team can win a Super Bowl without good linemen. When a school excels, receives awards or accolades, we like to celebrate that with our staff because those are our awards too.”

Updating Training
Some recent projects Wilson worked on for Vail School District was ramping up the district’s training program, ending the driver shortage at Vail and renewing their focus on providing exceptional service to families with special needs. In terms of revamping training, he said transportation created its own proprietary training manuals and materials, and the shop staff built training models and cutaways to help new trainees understand the challenging inspection items.

“Once we dialed in the format under the new [entry-level driver training] regulations, we were able to share that program with other smaller districts who were not as fortunate,” he shared, adding that they provide CDL training, consulting, and examination services to 23 school districts, tribal and government entities.

“We have also developed several fresh and contemporary presentations so that staff, both new and experienced, will be exposed to recent, relevant, and realistic training each year,” Wilson continued. “We are currently working on additional training models and technologies like training aps, augmented reality and A.I.”

Jerry Brown, Vail’s director of transportation, said that under Wilson’s supervision the district training program underwent a “remarkable transformation.” Brown said that Wilson was “instrumental in ushering in the FMCSA’s ELDT regulations that fundamentally changed the way we trained not only our own bus driver trainees but several others from neighboring school districts,” he wrote in his nomination. “Joshua has introduced comprehensive, hands-on training modules that encompass not only the technical aspects of bus operation but also the critical components of student safety and well-being.”

Brown said Wilson integrated state-of-the-art technology and real-life scenarios to help ensure that drivers are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to handle any situation with confidence and competence. “His efforts have resulted in a noticeable improvement in driver performance, safety records, and overall satisfaction among our staff and students,” Brown noted.

Navigating the Driver Shortage

To combat the driver shortage, Wilson said Vail district personal worked to attract high quality people to provide a positive, healthy and supportive environment for the entire staff.

“We are proud to be one of the few districts in our area not to operate with a shortage,” Wilson said. “Starting with all of us on the management team being focused on bringing in only the highest quality people, giving them great training, paying a competitive wage, and giving them a great place to work. One of the things I like to tell applicants is that we can train anyone to be a bus driver, but we can’t train someone to have a good work ethic, to have a calling to serve their community, and to be focused on providing for the needs of our students.”

He said that being a school bus driver is too important of a job, to just “hire anybody.” Instead, he noted that it takes someone “really special to be a bus driver for us.”

Working with Special Needs Students

When transporting Vail students with special needs, Wilson said transportation worked to develop a close working relationship with the district’s SPED staff and medical team. “Our SPED drivers are well informed of their students’ behaviors and conditions,” he said. “I know that a lot of districts have issues getting information regarding IEPs, but we have worked really hard to improve that. We have a great relationship with the case managers and behavior specialists in our district, and have constant communication with school medical staff regarding student conditions and medication.”

Additionally, he said transportation provides monthly training, individualized medical training and behavior management training to all SPED staff. Brown said in his nomination that working with the special needs’ bus team has been one of Wilson’s most significant achievements. “Recognizing the unique challenges faced by these students, Joshua has implemented specialized training programs tailored to the needs of both the special needs drivers and the students they transport,” Brown wrote, adding that Wilson has fostered a culture of empathy, patience, and understanding with his team, ensuring that every student receives the care and attention they deserve. “Additionally, Joshua has collaborated with parents, school staff, and special education professionals to ensure that our department carries out individualized transportation plans that prioritize safety, comfort, and consistency for our special needs students.”

Navigating Challenges

Wilson said one challenge and benefit is that Vail operates on a year-round schedule. In terms of training and the special education department teams, he said the biggest challenge is getting everyone up and running in time for the first day, which was July 15 this year.

“Our trainers and training coordinator were working hard to get new drivers ready for the new year, not only for us, but for two of our surrounding smaller districts that we trained drivers for over the summer,” he shared. “The new drivers were practicing dry runs of routes and doing everything they could to be prepared for kids. Our SPED team only has about two weeks to route and communicate out to parents regarding the hundreds of curb-to-curb requests that we receive every year.”

Personally, he said, he works to develop new driver presentations each year so that they have a fresh, valuable training to look forward to each in-service. “Year round schooling has a ton of advantages, but it also gives us a truncated period of time to prepare each year,” he added.

Going forward, Wilson said Vail’s goal is to continue to the raise the bar for pupil transportation and help to put the word “professional” in transportation professionals. By sharing training programs with neighboring districts, he noted that they are a lighthouse district to smaller districts that don’t have the facilities and resources to invest in expensive training, professional speakers or full-time trainers and examiners.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our communication, and the quality of what we do for our community,” he said.

While he has moved on, Wilson said the next five years will show tremendous growth in the Vail community, and in the service provided to parents and students. “I see us providing training presentations to schools across Arizona, and even states beyond,” he added. “I see our transportation department being at the forefront of service, communication, and quality in Arizona, the same way our district is in the education space.”

He noted that Vail School District will open a new school, which will bring in additional busing, staff and families to their communities, along with the logistical challenges that come with it. “Tucson is experiencing tremendous growth, and it is exciting to be a part of,” he shared.

Brown concluded his nomination by stating that Wilson embodies the qualities of a true leader.

“His proactive approach to problem-solving, well-crafted training programs, and his unwavering commitment to excellence has inspired the entire transportation team,” he wrote. “He has encouraged open communication, teamwork, and continuous improvement, creating an environment where team members feel valued and empowered. Through his innovative ideas and strategic vision, Joshua has contributed significantly to the setting of a new standard for school transportation management in our district.”

On a personal level, Wilson’s oldest daughter is starting college, his son is a junior in high school, and his youngest daughter was in middle school at Arizona State Schools for Deaf and Blind.

“It makes for a pretty busy schedule,” Wilson shared of life outside of work. “My wife and I also enjoy selling herbs and seasonings at our local farmer’s market. When things aren’t so busy, I love going up in the mountains above Tucson. It reminds me a little of being back in Wyoming again.”

Read the profiles on the Rising Stars in the November issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E232) What Districts Need to Know: Serving & Guiding Students With Special Needs
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The post ‘Rising Star’ Dedicated to Providing Best Transportation for Students With Special Needs appeared first on School Transportation News.

“One of the fundamental barriers to making the fullest use of any school bus fleet is not knowing how it actually operates.”
—Kent Orr, General Manager, CLASS

GPS and telematics data open more paths to operational and fleetwide efficiency—if you use them to their fullest potential. Zonar sat down with Kent Orr, General Manager for Chatham-Kent Lambton Administrative School Services (CLASS), to learn about their out-of-the-box strategies for making the most of fleet data.

Download this complimentary white paper to learn more about their approach, their results, and how any school bus operation can do the same, including yours.

• Improve planning process based on actual vehicle performance.
• Optimize routes and vehicle utilization using essential telematics, fleet and routing data.
• Support and build trust with drivers, contractors, administrators and the public.
• Justify spending, contract negotiations and resource requests based on actual KPIs.
• Enhance driver recruitment and retention, as well as ensure fair pay.

Fill out the form below and then check your email for the white paper download link.

The post (Free White Paper) Optimize Every School Bus Operation Using GPS and Vehicle Data appeared first on School Transportation News.

Ryan & Tony look at contractor First Student’s bus technology experiments, the upcoming elections, a New York bus company’s fraud scheme, a bus driver’s book on anxiety for student riders, and additional safety efforts.

Amy Rosa, director of transportation for Wa-Nee Community Schools in Indiana, talks winning a Top Transportation Teams award at STN EXPO Reno in July, driver retention efforts, technology implementation, effective student safety practices, and success with electric buses.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

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

The post (STN Podcast E233) Fraud in New York & Cohesive Indiana ‘Top Transportation Team’ appeared first on School Transportation News.

National School Bus Safety Week inspired districts and transportation companies across the country to showcase their operations, highlight their bus drivers and transportation staff, and share how they are furthering student safety through training and education.

School Bus Safety Week, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Association for Pupil Transportation, was celebrated Oct. 21-25. It is held each year during the month of October.

1 of 33

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The post Gallery: National School Bus Safety Week 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

The wheels on the school bus may have kept turning for East End Bus Lines, but behind the scenes, the company was on a collision course with disaster.

What started as a desperate attempt to salvage a failing business ended with John Mensch pleading guilty in federal court to a multimillion-dollar bank fraud conspiracy that could put him behind bars for up to five years.

Mensch, a seasoned businessman known for running a network of school bus operations across Long Island, stood before U.S. District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury earlier this month and admitted to orchestrating a complex scheme referred to as check-kiting that drained nearly $10 million from two unsuspecting financial institutions. The elaborate ruse, which spanned from 2017 through 2018, used East End Bus’ privileged banking status to create an illusion of liquidity, enabling Mensch to keep his business afloat even as it was financially sinking.

“Rather than take lawful steps to wind down his failing businesses, John Mensch resorted to criminality,” stated Breon Peach, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “He tricked two banks into advancing him millions of dollars that his company never had or ever had a chance of repaying.”

Mensch’s downfall began when East End Bus Lines, facing mounting debt and dwindling cash flow, leveraged a risky strategy to keep the fleet running. The company held expedited check-clearing privileges with multiple banks, allowing it to access deposited funds almost instantly—long before the banks could verify that the checks were backed by real money. Exploiting this loophole, prosecutors said Mensch engaged in a dizzying game of financial ping-pong, bouncing checks between East End’s various accounts to create a mirage of solvency.

Here’s how it worked: Mensch would draw checks from one of East End’s accounts, even though it was empty, and deposit them into a second account at a different bank. The receiving bank, unaware that the check was bound to bounce, would make the funds immediately available to East End. Before the check could clear—and the fraud exposed—Mensch would repeat the process, this time pulling bad checks from the second bank and depositing them back into the first.

It was a high-wire act of deception that fooled the banks into thinking there was real money in East End’s accounts. Each false transaction gave the company just enough breathing room to keep paying bills, covering salaries, and operating.

“This wasn’t just a simple case of writing a bad check,” said FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy. “This was a calculated, high-stakes scheme to defraud his own business partners,an elaborate fraud that siphoned millions of dollars out of legitimate institutions and into a sinking ship.”

As Mensch’s scheme grew bolder, so did the stakes. By the time it unraveled in September 2018, East End Bus Lines had racked up nearly $9.6 million in fraudulent transactions. But it wasn’t just the money. Mensch’s deceit temporarily stabilized an already shaky company, masking its precarious financial state from creditors, customers and employees.

The collapse was sudden and devastating. When the fraudulent trail came to light, the banks were left holding the bag, and Mensch’s empire crumbled almost overnight. The fallout has rippled through the Long Island community, with drivers, administrative staff, and school districts scrambling to adjust.

“This type of scheme doesn’t just hurt banks, it destabilizes the community,” said Patrick Freaney, special agent in charge for the U.S. Secret Service in New York. “The funds Mensch stole were used to cover up years of mismanagement, threatening the livelihoods of his employees and the safety of students who relied on East End’s services.”

As Mensch awaits sentencing, he faces not only the prospect of years behind bars but $9.6 million in restitution to the two victim banks. His actions also sparked a broader investigation into whether other executives at East End Bus Lines knew of or assisted in the fraud.

The case, led by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, has been hailed as a victory for the financial crimes unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The prosecution, handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Bagnuola and Adam R. Toporovsky, is part of a broader effort to clamp down on white-collar crime across the region.

“This prosecution sends a clear message,” U.S. Attorney Peace concluded. “Those who exploit financial systems to prop up failing businesses and deceive the public will be held accountable.”

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The post School Bus Company Owner Brought Down by High-Stakes Fraud Scheme appeared first on School Transportation News.

SEATTLE, Wash.- Zonar, the leader in commercial vehicle fleet health and safety, today announced the general availability of Zonar Emissions Check, a new solution that enables on-route compliance, reduces downtime, and lowers third-party operational costs. For existing customers with the Zonar V4 telematics control unit (TCU) already installed, the compliance process is ready to seamlessly be activated with integrated Emissions Check services.

In July, Zonar received certification from California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Clean Truck Check (CTC) program as a provider of continuously connected remote on-board diagnostic (CC-ROBD) testing devices. This certification allows Zonar to utilize its V4 TCU to conduct emissions scans on vehicles that meet CARB’s CTC requirements.

Emissions Check simplifies fleet operations and eliminates the need for dispatch to reroute drivers to testing facilities or require maintenance teams to run additional tests. This saves fleets significant time and money, while streamlining the process by only sharing Emissions Check data directly with CARB, when required.

“We’re excited to bring this solution to market to support fleets in meeting important regulatory compliance, but also to help meet long-term emissions and sustainability goals,” said Greg Colvin, senior director of solutions engineering at Zonar. “Emissions Check delivers accurate pass/fail results without taking vehicles offline for testing, enhancing fleet efficiency and productivity.”

When Emissions Check is paired with diagnostic and predictive fault code reporting with Zonar FaultIQ, customers can also receive notifications of emission faults to fix before potential testing failures for a full end-to-end fleet health and safety solution. FaultIQ maximizes vehicle uptime by continuously monitoring fleet health, helping assets run better for longer.

The first testing window is open, and enforcement will begin on January 1, 2025. To learn more about Zonar Emissions Check, visit: https://www.zonarsystems.com/solutions/carb-clean-truck-emissions-check/

About Zonar:
Founded in 2001, Zonar has pioneered smart mobility solutions throughout vocational, pupil, mass transit, state and local municipalities, and commercial trucking industries. The Zonar mission is to enhance the safety, performance, and success of our customers by transforming the delivery of innovative insights for commercial fleets. Zonar achieves this by helping fleets of all sizes maximize the use of their assets with solutions dedicated to improving compliance, efficiency, maintenance, ridership visibility, safety, and tracking. Cloud-based services with open APIs drive Zonar smart mobility solutions by making it easy for fleet owners and managers to stay connected to their fleets and drivers and operators to dispatch. Headquartered in Seattle and part of the Continental family, Zonar also has a distribution center in West Chicago.

The post Zonar Launches Emissions Check for California Air Resources Board Clean Truck Check Compliance appeared first on School Transportation News.

Ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast and mass evacuations, school districts across the state have been preparing for the so-called “storm of the century.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says Milton is a “dangerous major hurricane” that was expected to make landfall Wednesday evening. Earlier Wednesday, NOAA said Milton was a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of about 145 mph. The massive storm is projected to cut across the Florida peninsula and remain a hurricane until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. A storm surge of 15 feet or greater is expected all along the Florida Gulf Coast, with the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Fort Myers areas especially impacted.

Many areas along the Gulf Coast are still recovering from Hurricane Helene that hit a week ago.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted that even if Milton weakens before making landfall, it “will be a major hurricane with catastrophic impacts on our state … Time is running out …”

While many Florida residents evacuated out of state, DeSantis advised that even evacuations of 10 miles away from the coast can help residents avoid the deadly storm surge. He said everyone should be prepared for widespread power outages. Florida also has over 50,000 electrical linemen “and all the necessary equipment staged just outside of Milton’s path.”

School Transportation News reached out to several school districts to gauge how they were preparing for Milton. Orange County Public Schools serving the Orlando area was the only one to respond at this report.

While Orlando is normally a destination for residents seeking shelter from hurricanes, as most reduce to a tropical storm by the time they get there, Milton is expected to also cause tornados in addition to torrential rain and flooding. William Wen, the senior director of transportation services for Orange County Public Schools, told STN on Tuesday that staff begins topping of school bus fuel tanks 24 hours out from a storm’s arrival.

“When we shut down, all buses will nearly be full and our fuel suppliers can top off our tanks at our fuel islands at six locations,” he said. “With the buses full and fueling stations at capacity, we can operate for about 1 week without needing another fuel delivery, if needed. It’s important to be ready to support schools to reopen for students as soon as it is safe after a storm event.”

The transportation department is also part of the District Incident Management Team, which is led by the OCPS Safety and Emergency Management (SEM) department. Leaders from all district departments make up the team.

“When a storm is approaching, regular virtual meetings are set up for storm updates, to review what each department is doing in preparation of the storm, how we can support each other, and to review plans for recovery,” Wen explained.

The district’s SEM Department communicates closely with the local and state offices of emergency management, Wen continued. The SEM department assigns staff to the local county emergency operations center as the district provides schools for shelters as needed.

“Transportation services serves as the back up to the local transit authority for mass evacuations,” he added. “At the start of each school year, we gather a list of school bus drivers that are willing to help during an emergency for us to call when needed.”

The Washington Post reported that Milton could be Florida’s largest evacuation since Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Wen noted that all OCPS transportation sites are located above flood zones, so the devastation that coastal districts can sustain is usually not the case in Orlando. “We are anticipating tropical storm sustained winds up to 65 mph and hurricane level wind gusts up to 75 to 90 mph from Milton,” he said.

Transportation staff also remove anything from parking lots and facilities that can blow away, and older buses are parked around the buildings to block major debris from hitting windows and doors, he explained. The buses are parked together with passenger doors facing inward to minimize winds from blowing them open. Stop arms are secured to prevent them from being blown out.

“Once all the buses are back from the last runs, we park the older buses to circle around the rest to protect them from wind and debris damage,” Wen shared.

After a storm passes, “when it’s safe to venture out,” Wen said, area transportation managers visit their services areas to determine if roads are flooded or blocked by debris. They report to the senior transportation staff member assigned to the OCPS emergency coordination center the areas that need attention for debris removal and traffic signal repairs.

OCPS is closed Wednesday through Friday due to the storm and will reopen on Tuesday after an already scheduled student holiday-teacher workday on Monday. The Florida Department of Education said 46 county school districts are closed Wednesday, 45 on Thursday, and 29 on Friday.

Related: Deadly Hurricane Helene Closes Schools in Multiple States Amid Catastrophic Flooding
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Updates on the catastrophic Hurricane Helene’s impact on lives and business in the Southeastern U. S. Additionally, see how Virginia is tackling the school bus driver shortage.

Waterloo Central School District in New York won a Top Transportation Teams award at STN EXPO West this summer. Transportation Supervisor D’Allah Laffoon discusses recovering from COVID-19-era operations, fostering teamwork, planning for electric school buses, starting school, and dealing with the driver shortage.

Read more about operations.

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The devastation of Helene is being felt across the Southeast U.S. as the death toll was over 200 and counting with communities across a half-dozen states were left underwater, without power and cell service.

According to local news reports, at least 20 locations in western North Carolina received record rainfall that reached the 1,000-year flood threshold. Statistically speaking, flooding of this magnitude or greater has a 1 in 1,000 chance of occurring in any given year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

As of Thursday, over half of the 215 recorded deaths at that time had occurred in North Carolina, with the Asheville area the worst hit. Florida, where Helene made landfall last Thursday, announced at least 19 deaths. Georgia confirmed 33 deaths, South Carolina counted 41 deaths so far and Georgia 33 deaths. Florida, where Helene made landfall last Thursday, has at least 19 deaths, Tennessee, 11 and Virginia, two.

Gov. Ron Desantis released a statement confirming that emergency responders had to bulldoze four to five feet of sand off road to clear bridges and causeways along Florida’s Gulf Coast due to storm surges and flooding.

Patrick Sheehan, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, told local journalists that over 100 people were confirmed missing with the number expected to grow.

Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said on their website that they have inspected over 100 bridges in 36 hours. Officials still have hundreds more to check.

State departments of transportation are also working around the clock to evaluate and repair highway infrastructure that ahs been closed due to being washed out if not completely destroyed, reported Roads & Bridges.

According to the National Weather Service, there are some concerns about additional landslides as precipitation could produce more runoff that can potentially result in unstable slopes across mountainous terrains.

In a statement, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced he would be deploying resources from the state’s emergency management agency and National Guard to North Carolina. Additionally, both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will also be assisting in recovery efforts.

Subsequently, many school districts across these states announced closures of at least a week via social media. It was unclear in this report the extent of any damage to the district school buses and transportation operations across the Southeast.

Schools in several counties in North Carolina stated that poor road conditions as well as communications and electrical disruptions have impeded its reopening. Some districts have considered e-learning.

Carter County Schools in Tennessee said it be closed until Friday but will be providing food services across the county to families. Additionally, Jasper County School District in South Carolina also served bagged lunches at some of their campuses on Tuesday.

Asheville City Schools in North Carolina released a statement on social media announcing an indefinite closure. The district is working closely with first responders and county officials to set up a free Wi-Fi and a charging station in the main parking lot of the middle school.

District superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman sent a message thanking those that have been working nonstop during their recovery process.

A spokesperson for Daimler Truck North America, parent company of Thomas Built Buses, told School Transportation News that plants in the Carolinas are operating although not all are at full capacity.

Statement from Daimler Truck North America

 

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by Hurricane Helene. We wish everyone a full and speedy recovery.

 

At this time, all of our plants in the Carolinas are operational; not all are at full capacity. The Freightliner Custom Chassis plant in Gaffney, South Carolina, lost power due to the storm, but has since recovered. While we and our suppliers are assessing the impact on infrastructure and operations, we anticipate supply chain disruptions as some key components are manufactured in the affected areas.

 

DTNA has donated $100,000 to the Red Cross Hurricane Helene Relief Fund and has opened additional relief channels through Daimler Truck Cares.

Additionally, the spokesperson shared that Thomas Built Buses partnered with Carolina Thomas and Operation Airdrop to “stuff the bus” with needed supplies for the region.

Carolina Thomas, LLC said via social media that to support relief efforts they partnered with Operation Airdrop to fill buses with essential supplies and take them to drop-off centers throughout the week. Thomas Built Buses also confirmed via social media that they will be joining this partnership to help deliver essentials. Operation Airdrop is a non-profit organization that focuses on organizing general aviation assets in the aftermaths of natural disasters.

A spokeswoman for Blue Bird said school bus manufacturing facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia were “minimally affected” by Helene and that the company sustained no “lasting issues.” She added that all employees were safe and accounted, but the company remained “deeply saddened to see the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

“Our thoughts go out to those impacted both in Georgia and beyond.”

The Quartz Corp., a Norway-based company that makes semiconductor chips used in automobiles, has two mining facilities located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, about an hour outside of Asheville. They both shut down due to widespread flooding, power and communications outages.

The company released a statement on Tuesday announcing it faces multiple challenges and has no visibility on when operations will restart.

School Transportation News continues to monitor the situation in the Southeast and will provide further updates as the information is made available.

Related: Deadly Hurricane Helene Closes Schools in Multiple States Amid Catastrophic Flooding
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Related: Some Florida Students Will Lose Access to Transportation

The post Updated: The Aftermath of Hurricane Helene Across the Southeast U.S. appeared first on School Transportation News.

The post Is there an increase in the number of school district- or company-owned alternative vehicles for student transportation in your fleet this school year compared to last school year? appeared first on School Transportation News.

The reason for new construction or remodeling of an existing school bus facility is often that school bus maintenance departments have outgrown facility designs that worked well 30 or more years ago.

School bus operators are discovering the need to adopt facilities to reflect changes in school bus design, technology and technician skills experienced over those years, possibly making the size and functional layout of older shops outdated. Also, increasing services to your own or other districts and the introduction of electrification and other alternative fuels may necessitate some sort of facility change or complete replacement.

Understanding the basics of school bus operation and repair facilities is essential for anyone in the school bus industry when approaching the decision to remodel or replace a school bus facility. From choosing the right location to designing a safe efficient layout and ensuring sufficient size to conduct operations and perform proper maintenance, every aspect plays a crucial role in the success of school bus operational safety and contributes to a sense of pride in the transportation team.

Today’s well-designed school bus facility doesn’t begin simply with design. It begins with understanding the district or company needs and a commitment to good planning by the entire transportation team guided by knowledgeable site and building design experts. Preferably a local architect firm that provides consulting, project management, design development, construction documents, and construction administration.

A facility in California will have different needs than a facility in Maine, so your school bus repair facility remodel or rebuild decision needs to be highly personalized to meet your local needs. That means taking into account a range of considerations, including community impact, climate, environmental assessments, overall property site space, office and training room size, technician (and driver) break area, shop layout, number and size of work bays, what type of maintenance and repair tasks to be performed, parts rooms, shop equipment, utility requirements, traffic flow, fueling site, parking, and vehicle types.

Safety should be a top priority when designing the facility. Working with heavy machinery and potentially hazardous materials requires proper safety measures, an example is designing the facility with fire suppression systems, proper ventilation, and adequate lighting to help mitigate safety risks.

Equipment selection, layout, utility requirements and finishes need to be considered early in the process. The earlier in the design process that all department needs are identified, the more likely they will be approved and the less they will cost.

School bus operation specialists, maintenance managers and technicians are some of the most important people on the design team and must be able to see the big picture. Visiting other facilities and talking to peers from other shops and fleets is encouraged. Managers also should keep staff members informed of the process and encourage any other concerned parties’ input whether it’s other transportation supervisors (dispatch, training, human resources), school administrators, town, city or county commissioners, board members and the public.

I cannot express enough the value of industry peer relationships when undertaking such a large project in your district or company. Leverage the goodwill in our industry.

Whenever I sought advice from attendees or vendors at school bus trade association meetings at the state, provincial or national levels, I was never disappointed by the input received and the willingness of fellow bus operators to share experiences. I encourage you to do the same. Visit a district or company that has completed a new transportation facility and see how the basics (listed on the previous page) have fit into their project.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the September 2024 issue of School Transportation News.

Robert Pudlewski is STN’s technical editor and a member of the National School Transportation Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his 40-plus year career as a school bus maintenance, technology and procurement expert.

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