FRISCO, Texas — On Sunday evening, attendees and vendors gathered amid food and drink stations for a fun and interactive networking event with a football tailgate theme on the trade show floor. The next day, they returned for more discussions and demos with the innovative products, solutions and services on display.

1 of 34

Photos by Vince Rios Creative. 

The post Gallery: 2 Days of TSD 2024 Trade Show appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — Consultant Jo Mascorro began day two of the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs Conference and Trade Show with her four-hour keynote on de-escalation with dignity.

Specialized hands-on training that day included: the NHTSA Child Passenger Safety on School Bus Training, the Wheelchair Securement Boot Camp Training & Certification hosted by AMF-Bruns of America, and the Wheelchair Securement Training plus Special Needs Roadeo presented by Q-Straint. Classes on driver and aide training as well as the foundations of special needs transportation were led by industry veterans Launi Harden and Alexandra Robinson, respectively.

The day closed with a Safety & Technology Product Demonstration and Special Needs Ride & Drive where attendees got up close and personal with buses and technology that could help in their operations.

1 of 53

Images by Vince Rios Creative and Claudia Newton. 

The post Gallery: Specialized Training, Ride & Drive at TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

As fall approaches, it’s an ideal time to think about your team’s professional growth. Three
upcoming school transportation conferences offer a great chance to enhance leadership skills, stay informed on industry trends and build valuable networks. These events are crucial for anyone looking to lead in the evolving school transportation industry.

The National Association of Pupil Transportation conference, happening at the start of this month in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, carries the theme “You Lead the Way. We’ll Help You Get There.” The 2024 conference promises a wealth of networking opportunities with industry peers and suppliers. Attendees can look forward to Professional Development Sessions (PDS), lively discussions on key industry challenges, and a host of networking events. Be sure to stop by booth #619 at the trade show to meet the School Transportation News team and make new connections.

Then, next month, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services returns to the Washington, D.C., area for its annual conference. The event is an excellent opportunity to hear from federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Transportation Security Administration about the latest regulations and program affecting student transportation.

Sandwiched between the two is the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference is set for Nov. 7-12 in Frisco, Texas. This conference offers a unique focus on special needs transportation training and technology, with highlights such as four keynote speakers and over two dozen expert-led workshops. Attendees can also look forward to the Special Needs Roadeo Competition and an exciting Technology Demonstration & Ride & Drive Experience on Friday, Nov. 8.

The TSD Conference provides attendees with a deep dive into the latest trends and best practices for special needs support with the goal of improved student success. These insights not only enhance your team’s professional skills but also create pathways for personal growth. The chance to learn from seasoned professionals in the field adds tremendous value to the experience for attendees.

“Attending the TSD Conference is an invaluable experience,” said Christie Hebert, the state director of school bus transportation at the Texas Department of Safety. “The opportunity to engage with peers and industry experts in such a specialized setting is essential for professional growth. Conferences like TSD provide a platform to not only expand your knowledge and develop new skills but also to stay ahead of industry advancements. The networking and trade show sessions allowed me to exchange innovative ideas, build connections, and gain insights that are critical for improving school transportation services, particularly for students with disabilities and special needs.”

Engaging in trade shows and networking events exposes participants to cutting-edge technologies and potential business partnerships. A key aspect of attending these conferences is the opportunity to collaborate with fellow professionals and tackle current challenges with fresh, innovative approaches. Interactions with exhibitors provide crucial insights that help integrate new technology with your operational strategies.

Conferences aren’t just about professional advancement, they offer enjoyable, enriching experiences as well. They allow attendees to reconnect with old colleagues and establish new relationships. For those aiming to broaden their professional network, these interactions often lead to future opportunities, creative problem-solving and fruitful collaborations that benefit both the individual and the organization or school district.

I personally invite you to register for the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas. Visit tsdconference.com/agenda for more details on the keynotes, educational sessions and networking events.

Investing in conferences and leadership programs offers countless benefits for both professionals and organizations. These events provide opportunities to acquire new knowledge, network with peers and gain motivation from inspiring speakers. For anyone serious about professional development, attending conferences is a key step toward future success and growth.

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

Related: TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions
Related: Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference
Related: Download App for Upcoming TSD Conference
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference

The post Why Professional Development Matters appeared first on School Transportation News.

CAMPBELL, Calif., – ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of networked charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), today announced an AI-powered driver support tool to rapidly accelerate the diagnosis and repair of charging stations in the field. The software utilizes AI for the first time in the EV charging space to identify physical charger issues, thereby improving their uptime. The software is the latest deliverable of ChargePoint’s ongoing investment in charging station reliability.

The software is user-friendly on the outside, yet sophisticated behind the scenes. All a driver needs to do when encountering a nonfunctional charging station is submit photos via an improved “report a problem” feature in the ChargePoint app. The app links the issue to the driver’s location and analyzes the images for anomalies, discovered thanks to a multitude of inputs utilized to train the technology for the EV charging domain. Once the software identifies the issue, it relays the information to ChargePoint’s Network Operations Center, eliminating the need for most on-site inspections, considerably shortening the time to resolution.

“By deploying AI technology that can diagnose hardware issues, ChargePoint has a critical new tool joining our Network Operations Center to ensure station uptime,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “This technology will enable us to triage and resolve physical issues that cannot not be detected via remote monitoring, demonstrating our commitment to innovations which deliver a reliable charging network.”

Drivers who report an issue will be able to track repair status in their app, and their report will automatically generate an alert for that station’s owner, streamlining a repair process which often requires their authorization.

About ChargePoint Holdings, Inc.
ChargePoint is creating a new fueling network to move people and goods on electricity. Since 2007, ChargePoint has been committed to making it easy for businesses and drivers to go electric with one of the largest EV charging networks and a comprehensive portfolio of charging solutions. The ChargePoint cloud subscription platform and software-defined charging hardware are designed to include options for every charging scenario from home and multifamily to workplace, parking, hospitality, retail and transport fleets of all types. Today, one ChargePoint account provides access to hundreds-of-thousands of places to charge in North America and Europe. For more information, visit the ChargePoint pressroom, the ChargePoint Investor Relations site, or contact the ChargePoint North American or European press offices or Investor Relations.For more information, please visit: www.chargepoint.com.

The post ChargePoint Releases Industry-First AI Solution to Enhance Driver Support and Improve Network Reliability appeared first on School Transportation News.