When East Noble School District’s transportation operation needed to make security updates, the district found itself in urgent need to move to Transfinder’s cloud-based Routefinder PLUS platform.

The move to PLUS was a game-changer for the Kendallville, Ind. District that serves some 4,000 students. Josh Buhro, the Kendallville, Ind district’s transportation director, set out to not only restore the district’s transportation operation but also significantly enhance its efficiency.

He accomplished both by implementing Transfinder’s Routefinder PLUS routing solution.

“We jumped in full steam ahead,” Buhro said.

A History of Transportation Technology at East Noble

Buhro has been in transportation for nearly a decade. When he first joined East Noble, the district was using (another company), a routing software he described as clunky and not user-friendly. Looking for an upgrade, East Noble had switched to Transfinder’s Routefinder Pro solution five years ago, which had been recommended by neighboring districts.

Then in 2024, the district moved to the award-winning Routefinder PLUS.

“There are districts around us who had moved to PLUS and had nothing but good things to say,” Buhro recalled. “They were implementing is and moving forward and I was maybe a little stubborn.”

He added, it was more of an “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it kind of thing. But looking back, I was scared of stuff. I shouldn’t have been scared. Ultimately, I think we’re in a better place now.”

During the move to Routefinder PLUS, Buhro and his team, including a newly hired transportation secretary who attended Transfinder University Livestream. This training proved invaluable, allowing them to quickly adapt to the new platform. The secretary, with no prior experience with Transfinder’s solutions, found PLUS to be highly intuitive, taking to it “like a fish to water,” Buhro said. “They said, ‘Josh, don’t be scared of it!’”

The Advantages of PLUS

One of the biggest surprises for Buhro and his team was how seamlessly PLUS integrated with other Transfinder tools the district uses, such as Tripfinder, the district’s field trip management solution, and Viewfinder, a solution that provides an overview of the district’s operation and student rider data.

“We love Tripfinder,” he said. “It allows us to manage our buses, our resources and our drivers. We’ve got some custom reports set up. Quite frankly, I don’t know how we would manage our extracurricular activity trips without the use of Tripfinder. It cuts out so much of that cumbersome sort of communication piece that used to have to take place by phone or email,” Buhro said.

He noted that one morning he had 36 extracurricular and field trips requests that he was able to quickly assign.

“It does it all for us, other than drive the bus,” Buhro said, “and that’s the part that’s easy for us to manage.”

Regarding the PLUS platform, Buhro described it as more user-friendly, efficient and responsive. He highlighted:

• Ease of Use: Editing routes is easy. PLUS allows for simple, drag-and-drop modifications. “You just right-click and edit,” Buhro noted, highlighting how much more intuitive the system is.
• Streamlined Communication: Tripfinder revolutionized how East Noble manages field trips, athletics and extracurricular activities. Requests are processed digitally, eliminating the cumbersome back-and-forth that used to take place via phone and email.
• Transfinder Community: The online Transfinder Community portal provides a wealth of resources, including video tutorials and guides, which allows Buhro and his team to troubleshoot issues independently. “Anytime we’ve got a question, that’s the first place we go and there are usually videos in the library or trainings that have been done. Rarely, if ever, do we actually reach out to support.”
• Enhanced Support: When direct support is needed, Transfinder’s response times were “obscenely fast,” often returning calls within minutes.

Buhro said the Transfinder team understands the need for speedy response times.

“Even three days before school started they need it was critical for us to have things up and running,” he said. ‘They put in the time to help us make things happen. We’re very grateful for all that support and input.”

A New Era for East Noble’s Transportation

In a district serving multiple schools, including a high school, middle school and five elementary schools, an efficient transportation system is crucial. The ability to quickly assign drivers, manage routes, and coordinate field trips is no small feat.

Thanks to Transfinder’s PLUS platform, East Noble has improved its transportation operation. What began as an urgent need has ultimately led to a stronger, more resilient system that better serves students, staff and the community.

“There are so many pieces of it that are just intuitive,” Buhro said.

As Buhro reflected on the transition, he expressed gratitude for the support and partnership from Transfinder. “We were very fortunate with the trainer we were assigned. They let us work at our own pace and answered every question we had.”

With a solid foundation in place and considering new tools in the future, East Noble School District is well-positioned for what’s around the bend.

Future Plans with Transfinder

With the great results from the move to PLUS, East Noble is now exploring additional Transfinder tools, such as the driver app Wayfinder, which offers turn-by-turn navigation and attendance, and the parent app Stopfinder, which provides information on bus location and two-way communication between parents and the transportation department. These tools could further assist the transportation operation in dealing with issues such as substitute drivers and last-minute route changes.

“Based on the success with that [PLUS] implementation, that’s what’s been the impetus for us to investigate Wayfinder and Stopfinder solutions for turn-by-turn directions and fleet tracking,” Buhro said.

Buhro emphasized the importance of ensuring these tools integrate smoothly with their existing processes.

“I need to make sure it’ll do everything we’re doing now—and do it better,” he said.

Buhro said he knows the Transfinder team will be there to help along the way.

“You guys did a beautiful job of easing concerns and getting us rolling with the new stuff,” he said.

To learn more about Routefinder PLUS or Transfinder’s suite of solutions, visit Transfinder.com, email getplus@transfinder.com or call 800-373-3609.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

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CONCORD, N.C. – A lunch and learn session shared Transfinder’s integrated software and hardware tools and resources to help transportation departments efficiently deal with both daily routines and intermittent challenges.

Zachary Moren, manager of enablement and engineering for session sponsor Transfinder, noted that technology isn’t a magical solution apart from careful integration, process and workflows. “Our company helps one in three students get to school safer every day,” he stated.

He shared that Transfinder focuses on a unified platform and instantaneous information updates. This, he said helps districts serve their stakeholders — families and district administration — in a more efficient way.

The process begins with onboarding student registrations, which he said he’s seen starts with Google forms at many districts. Transfinder’s integrated registration process allows parental input, feeds the information into a student record, and adds it into the routing software, if applicable.

The anchor of it all is a robust routing application, which for Transfinder is its Routefinder Plus. Moren explained that marrying this with bus GPS and student ridership data tightens things up and builds trust in the system. That information can then be confidently shared through parent apps to reduce calls to the office.

For their part, parent apps should be more than a GPS bus tracker, Moren said. They should provide transparent information on their child’s journey to and from school every day.

School bus driver input is a crucial piece of the puzzle, Moren declared. To eliminate handwritten notes on route sheets, automatically updating data accessed via tablets helps make drivers’ jobs easier and improve on-time performance. Tablets also allow drivers to easily create alerts on road hazards or routing errors.

Moren said he’s seen many districts start implementing student ridership data on special needs buses before rolling it out fleet-wide. They may first implement manual student check-in before RFID cards. Either way, he said, with Transfinder, this information is instantly shared with district administrators who can give parents answers on student location.

“Worse than sharing no information is sharing bad information,” he remarked.

When a bus breaks down, Moren said, dispatch can use Transfinder software to see exactly who is on the bus at the time and send notifications to impacted families.

For bus or driver replacements, he said Transfinder’s integrated resource substitution systems tie bus inspections to parent apps for more accurate information on things like bus numbers, also eliminating the need for staff to enter data twice.

Moren noted that field trips and fleet maintenance are other areas he’s observing which districts want to bring together into the larger technology stack to improve information sharing and resource utilization.

With data dashboards being important to transportation departments to share with district administration, Moren confirmed that Transfinder’s platform allows customizable comparisons and analysis to be made.

Related: Transfinder Scores Hat Trick with STN EXPO Innovation Choice Awards
Related: Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology
Related: Transportation Coordinator Uses Technology to Drive Student and District Success
Related: WATCH: STN EXPO Reno 2024 Live Stream – Top Transportation Teams
Related: TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology

He shared the story of Springfield Public Schools in Oregon, which had to fire 11 drivers and still cover all 55 routes. Staff used Transfinder’s Trip Absorption feature to consolidate routes and less than a week later sent updated information to parents.

Bo Bowman, the new transportation director for Benton Community Schools in Indiana, said he wouldn’t have been able to open the 2024-2025 school year without Transfinder. Instead of making 1,100 phone calls, he pushed relevant information out to parents via the app.

Sharing accurate information builds trust with parents while inaccurate information negatively affects that trust, Moren noted. School bus drivers should also be able to safely be rerouted back on track after a wrong turn or road obstruction. Laramie County School District #1 in Wyoming uses parent app Stopfinder paired with driver app Wayfinder to help solve these issues.

Customer service is crucial as well. “Technology [implementation] is a partnership with a company that is either able to be there for you or not,” Moren noted.

During the Q&A portion of the session, Moren clarified that Transfinder’s tablets aren’t required for use of its bus inspection software Servicefinder, which can be accessed via a QR code scanned by a driver’s personal cellphone or other device.

Transfinder’s systems can accommodate split custody or other multiple-home family situations, he confirmed.

Scenario-based routing is available so distinctions can be made for am vs. pm routes, yellow buses vs. activity buses, areas that can flood, and more. Moren established that zones and reports can be set up to track buses that are driven into places they are not supposed to go.

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Photos by Vince Rios Creative

The post Bus Technology Summit Session Advocates for Integrated Tech Platform appeared first on School Transportation News.

Are you ready to transform your school transportation system? In “From Chaos to Control: Simplifying School Transportation with a Unified Software Solution,” presented by Busology Tech in collaboration with School Transportation News, we delve into how a single, integrated platform can tackle today’s most pressing challenges — from driver shortages and budget constraints to safety concerns and inefficient routing. Discover how unifying these key functions not only streamlines your operations but also creates a more secure and responsive transportation network.

This webinar is designed specifically for transportation directors and school district administrators who often wear multiple hats. Learn how a unified, innovative platform can help consolidate essential tasks like routing, scheduling, safety management, optimization, and parent communication while simultaneously meeting the rising pressures of demanding parental expectations and different student requirements. With actionable strategies and real-world insights from our customers, you will learn how to overcome the challenges that have traditionally held back K-12 school transportation efficiency and safety — helping you move from fragmentation to complete control.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge and transform the way your school district handles K-12 student transportation. Plus, we are presenting an exclusive, exciting opportunity at the webinar—something you wouldn’t want to miss.

Sign up for our webinar and discover how turning chaos into control is not just a dream — it’s a practical, achievable reality with one powerful, unified software solution.

Brought to you by Busology Tech

RGEISTER BELOW:

Featuring:

Robert Young
Director of Transportation
Thomas County School District

With over 25 years in the industry, Robert Young leads the transportation department at Thomas County Schools, ensuring students travel safely and efficiently across the district. He oversees fleet operations, route planning, driver training, and regulatory compliance while driving innovation and cost-effective solutions.

Committed to excellence, safety, and efficiency, Young leads a dedicated team and collaborates with school administrators, parents, and community stakeholders to keep transportation running smoothly. He also plays a key role in emergency preparedness, staff training, and integrating technology to optimize routes and communication. Young is dedicated to fostering a positive work environment while prioritizing student safety and service excellence.

Busology Tech Speaker Bios:

Abu Batasi

Our Director of Sales and Marketing has a substantial experience of over 15 years and specializes in helping clients leverage technology to solve complex challenges. He has extensive expertise in leading sales and marketing teams, creating informative content for buyers, and using consultative selling to drive real outcomes. At Busology Tech, Batasi leads the sales and marketing team, connecting with K-12 schools across North America to deliver impactful solutions.

Here’s a fun fact about Batasi: During the pandemic, he put his storytelling skills to the test and wrote a screenplay!

Melissa Beveridge

Our Director of Client Services has extensive experience in SaaS deployment, training, and support. Beveridge excels in continuous improvement, Lean Six Sigma, and workflow management, particularly in the automotive and transportation industries. A workflow leader of the year awardee, she leads Busology Tech’s client services team, driving innovation and excellence.

Here’s a fun fact about Beveridge: She tied the knot in a shopping mall.

Diego Crespo

Diego Crespo brings a wealth of experience from multiple startups and digital businesses, with over five years in B2E SaaS sales, product development, and implementation. He specializes in growing, consolidating, and leading multidisciplinary teams, establishing solid processes, and leveraging work management systems to drive efficiency. As Busology Tech’s Director of Onboard Technology, Crespo is dedicated to delivering seamless technology solutions for student transportation.

Here’s a fun fact about Crespo: He manages his own four-paw workforce — he has four dogs!

The post (Free Webinar) From Chaos to Control: Simplifying School Transportation with a Unified Software Solution appeared first on School Transportation News.

Weld County RE-3J School District in Colorado has been actively enhancing their transportation services to ensure safety, efficiency and reliability for their students. A significant aspect of this improvement involves the adoption of advanced routing and transportation management solutions provided by Transfinder, the leader in the industry.

Implementing Advanced Routing Solutions

Leading the effort is Nate Forbes, the transportation supervisor who has been with the district five years, following 16 years as a dispatch supervisor at UPS. Forbes, who’d worked overnights at UPS, made the move to school transportation so he could spend more time with his children.

Weld County RE-3J is one of the largest school districts in the state geographically, located in the largest county in the state, just 35 miles northeast of Denver. Transportation covers about 500 square miles and Forbes’ team transports 1,050 students on 14 large buses and three smaller buses.

Forbes’ move to school transportation was far from smooth.

“It was a mess of a department,” Forbes said. He wasn’t pleased with the transportation software the district was using.

At UPS, he was used to dispatching 75 drivers delivering 24,000 packages a day. When he logged into the product the Weld County district was using, it was sluggish.

“I couldn’t do it,” he said. “It was slow. The technology just wasn’t there. It took so long to zoom in on a map, to move a kid and route a kid or route that bus. I mean, it was taking me days to do what should have taken 10 to 15 minutes.”

That set him on his own journey about two years ago to find something better. He watched webinars, did some trainings, heard sales pitches, spoke with others in the industry. In total, he looked at five different companies and their products.

When he saw Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS technology in action. One demonstration showed all the functions he was trying to do with his legacy product but couldn’t.

“You could grab a group of kids in a geographical area and it automatically routed them. You weren’t having to pick each individual student,” he said. “It was, in my opinion, very, very user friendly.”

The pieces of the puzzle then began to come together.

Standout

Asked what made Transfinder stand out from the pack, Forbes talked about the Transfinder sales team that was also “user” friendly. He didn’t feel the pressure that other companies he was dealing with were applying by overloading his inbox.

“I get turned off by that,” he said. And what Transfinder was providing was better than what he was seeing. After speaking to colleagues in the industry, reading online reviews and watching videos, it became apparent that Transfinder’s advanced routing technology was significantly better than the others.

“Just looking at map routing students, it’s just super easy,” he said. “I had a driver come in on a Wednesday and tell me that his last day was on Thursday. I cut out the route and moved those kids around and made sure parents were communicated with.” He was out of town and checked in with his team who confirmed things went smoothly.

Last year, when he hired a new secretary, Ashley Diller, he found himself out of the office during her first two weeks on the job. He encouraged Diller to look at the Transfinder Community site, to look at Routefinder 101. Between the great DIY tools in Community and the intuitiveness of PLUS, Forbes said she picked it up very quickly and could be a backup router when he wasn’t available.

The Need for Responsiveness

After turning to Routefinder PLUS, Forbes set his sights on Transfinder’s other award-winning solutions, the driver app Wayfinder and parent app Stopfinder.

“I just got everything I could get,” he said.

His previous experience with a different vendor was not so positive. “The customer service was horrible” at the district’s previous vendor, he said. On top of that, the product wasn’t reliable. Not helping things was the vendor’s constant employee turnover.

“I’d be talking to this guy and then two weeks later it’s this guy and it was just constant movement within their company. They weren’t very quick and responsive.”

He said in some cases it would take as many as eight business days before getting a call back from a previous vendor.

“When it’s a technical issue that’s too long,” he said.

Forbes said he needs responsiveness as he deals with challenges within the district. He said that, for a period of time, the district experienced dwindling enrollment but there are pockets in the district that are growing.

“That’s probably our biggest challenge,” he said.

When changing or consolidating routes, using Stopfinder to communicate with parents is extremely helpful and his staff loves the solution.

Stopfinder ‘Super Easy’ To Use

“They said, ‘This is super easy, especially with Stopfinder,’” he said, referring to informing parents of route changes. “We really have pushed that this year. They’re like, ‘This is super nice, seeing where the buses are at and getting the notifications.’”

The way to get more buy-in on the parent app was informing parents that they could find their student’s routing information through Stopfinder. He said the district constantly promoted this with parents in various communications.

“They would call the office and we would not give them their student riding information until they downloaded the app,” Forbes said. “We spent a lot of time on the phone and walking people though it. But in the long run it has made it so much better.” He estimates about 90 percent of parents are now using the app.

Forbes said Stopfinder has been a huge help keeping parents informed.

“We had a pretty big construction project that was supposed to be done in the middle of July and it didn’t wrap up until the end of September. Our buses were running late because there was no way to go,” Forbes said. “So I just sent out a quick notification saying we’re going to pick up 10 minutes early at magnet stops (subdivisions). I can see who’s reading it. I love that ability.”

He sent the notifications only to the families impacted by the construction rather than blasting to an entire route.

“Parents will tell you that they didn’t see anything and I can say, ‘You opened it at this time,’” Forbes said. “You opened it. If you didn’t read it, that’s on you.”

Parents are also good at providing feedback through the app, though sometimes, they tell him more than he needs to know.

“I think when I roll it out next year I’ll put a blurb in there saying you do not need to let me know little Johnny’s going to be out sick next Tuesday,’ Forbes said.

Viewfinder a time-saver

The district also has Viewfinder, which gives a customizable view of a district’s transportation operation. It also provides reader-only student ridership information to unlimited users, which district personnel can access to answer parent questions.

“I like it. We have a few of our secretaries who are very proficient in it and can go in and see what they need to see,” he said. “It’s saved quite a few phone calls on my end.”

Customer service

After dealing with subpar customer service from other vendors, Forbes has been amazed by the white-glove treatment he receives from Transfinder.

“The training was outstanding,” he said. “I was very, very surprised with the training. It was very, very good, very detailed. And when I had a question, even after the training, I could email the trainer and they were very responsive, very quickly.”

He said the trainer knew how to put him at ease at a stressful time planning for the new school year. He hit a “wrong” button and thought he lost two to three weeks’ worth of work just days before school starting.

“I had a moment where I thought I was going to cry. I’d panicked a little bit,” he said, laughing. “The trainer said, ‘Calm down. It’s archived.”

She brought up everything where they’d just left off. And when he has a question, he still gets responses quickly and Transfinder team members will hop on a call to walk him through something.

“My experience has been great,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s anything I would even suggest changing. It’s worked out well.”

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Routefinder PLUS, Stopfinder Key Pieces of Puzzle for Colorado District appeared first on School Transportation News.

This month’s issue dives into the collaboration needed to fully utilize technology to improve routing efficiency, handle rising student rider numbers and make sure bus technology is running smoothly. Read articles breaking down the news headlines affecting student transportation, including the latest federal government changes, new OEM leadership and options for school districts working with companies going through acquisitions.

Preview the upcoming 2025 conferences dates, keynote speakers and more!

Read the full March 2025 issue.

Cover Story

Routing to the Right Technology
Transportation directors share tips—hint, technology plays a big role—for ensuring their routes are as effective as possible.

Features

Staying Well Equipped
Purchasing technology is the first step toward implementation, but installation and warranty coverage are vital for long-term success.

Expanding Creativity
Districts aren’t just seeing an increase in student riders, but also an increase in the number of education programs offered that require transportation service. Directors share how they navigate the various needs amid limited resources.

Special Reports

On the Block
As an auction to acquire the electric school bus manufacturer’s assets continues, school district customers seek answers for meeting purchasing, warranty needs.

As Camera Systems Evolve, IT Collaboration Necessary
School district information technology teams provide an increasing amount of expertise that assist transportation departments in purchasing and implementing school bus technology. Case in point: Camera systems.

Q&A

Thomas’ Reed Outlines Focus on Fuel, Power Options Based on Customer Duty Cycle
Amid the release of its second generation ‘Jouley’ electric school bus, Thomas Built Buses is focused on diversification of fuels.

Feedback
Online
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
Big Questions Vexing Student Transporters

Thought Leader by Scott Welle
How Outperformers Optimize Resources

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Time Well Spent

The post March 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.

CINCINNATI — First Student, the leading provider of student transportation services, today announced the launch of HALO, a cutting-edge technology platform designed to transform the way school districts, parents and drivers manage and experience student transportation.

HALO integrates every aspect of First Student’s operations, from recruiting and training to routing, dispatching, navigation, vehicle telematics and maintenance, offering a unified, real-time 360-degree view of each vehicle and student, keeping families, districts and drivers informed, connected and in control.

“We have long been pioneers in transportation technology at First Student,” said John Kenning, CEO & president of First Student. “From online training and scheduling to vehicle inspections, we have developed technology to make lives easier. With HALO, we are taking it even further, living our values of safety, reliability and innovation by combining powerful analytics and actionable insights. This helps us set the highest standards, keep every student safe and create trusted partnerships, continually improving the experience for our student passengers.”

HALO: The Future of Student Transportation
First Student developed the platform in-house, resulting in rapid growth and earning industry recognition, including Forrester’s Technology Strategy Impact Award. With HALO, First Student is making a major leap forward in transportation, unifying all its systems and services into a single, powerful platform with shared data and an intuitive user experience.

HALO Includes:

• Dynamic and Adaptive Routing: HALO’s adaptive routing system continually evaluates routes, improving safety and efficiency, and identifying areas for optimization.
  360-Degree Dispatching: HALO integrates all operational data, empowering dispatchers to manage routes, track absences, assign vehicles and monitor route performance with ease.
• Advanced Recruiting and Training: HALO’s proprietary training app has reduced onboarding time, resulting in a 90% average pass rate on commercial driver’s license (CDL) exams on the first attempt.
• Driver Support and Navigation: HALO’s driver apps guide drivers through every step of the process, from pre-trip inspections to student ridership tracking, ensuring consistency and efficiency across all vehicles.
• Vehicle Tracking for Parents and Districts: Through the FirstView app and dashboard, families and district staff can track vehicles, view live updates and make data-driven decisions to improve the transportation experience.
• AI-Supported Safety: HALO incorporates optional AI cameras on buses and alternative vehicles, detecting potential hazards, providing real-time alerts and recording critical moments for improved safety.
• Driver Scoring and Monitoring: HALO tracks and scores driver performance, offering positive recognition, fostering friendly competition and promoting continuous improvement.
• Predictive Maintenance: HALO uses predictive analytics to anticipate maintenance needs, prevent road failures, reduce downtime and save costs.
• Optimized EV Charging: HALO’s charge management system ensures that electric buses charge at the best times, optimizing energy use and maintaining operational efficiency.
• Least Restrictive Vehicle Model: HALO ensures that students are assigned to the right-sized vehicles, applying the “lease restrictive environment” concept to transportation for greater safety and comfort.

HALO’s advanced analytics utilize the information to provide advanced, actionable insights to improve safety, efficiency and the overall transportation experience.

“HALO’s ability to offer real-time data and intelligent recommendations sets a new standard in the industry,” added Kenning. “By prioritizing safety, efficiency and innovation, HALO helps us deliver exceptional services to students, parents, and school districts.”

About First Student

As North America’s leading school transportation solutions provider, First Student strives to provide unmatched care and the safest ride to school to 5.5 million students every day. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company will complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 45,000 buses.

The post First Student Unveils HALO, Groundbreaking Technology Platform Revolutionizing Student Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

From the first pickup to the first bell and back, you know that student safety goes far beyond simply getting learners on and off the bus. From managing safe walking routes to verifying student drop-off locations and implementing behavior management systems, it’s crucial to have the right tools in place to safeguard your most precious cargo.

Join TransAct and School Transportation News for a 60-minute webinar on February 27 at 1:00 p.m. EST, where we’ll explore practical strategies for enhancing student safety.

In this webinar, you’ll explore:

• How technology can contribute to hazard identification and safe routes
• Best practices for managing bus stop placements and curbside pick-ups
• The importance of communication with school leaders to ensure student safety
• How to enhance behavior management on the bus

Brought to you by TransAct

REGISTER BELOW:

Presenter/Moderator:

Michael Roche
VP of Customer Engagement and Business Development
EZRouting

With over 13 years of experience as a Director of Transportation for a school district, Roche possesses extensive expertise in overseeing logistical operations and ensuring the safety and efficiency of transportation systems. Transitioning into consulting, he has utilized his knowledge to aid school districts in optimizing transportation operations and implementing software solutions.

Currently, Roche is committed to collaborating with school districts across the country, assisting them in maximizing the benefits of the software and providing comprehensive consulting services tailored to their transportation requirements.

Presenter:

Allen Leonard
Director of Transportation
Fayette County Public Schools

Allen Leonard is the Director of Transportation for Fayette County Public Schools, located in the Atlanta suburbs. With a career spanning 27 years, Leonard has dedicated his professional life to serving the district, beginning his career as a high school social studies teacher and soccer coach, later transitioning into administration. Over a span of nine years, Leonard served as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at two high schools. He then served as Principal of Starr’s Mill High School for the past nine years before transitioning into his current role in transportation in June of the previous year.

Leonard has gained a comprehensive understanding of the transportation operation within his district, having observed it from multiple perspectives. This experience has afforded him a deep appreciation for the collaborative, hands-on effort required from all stakeholders to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the transportation system.

The post (Free Webinar) Safety First: Enhancing K-12 Student Transportation Safety with Technology appeared first on School Transportation News.

Hunter Eddy’s decade-long career in transportation reflects a profound commitment to improving mobility systems for communities. His journey began nearly 12 years ago as a driver for Green Mountain Transit (GMT) before advancing to supervisory roles and ultimately becoming a training supervisor.

After 10 years at GMT, Eddy transitioned to serving as Director of Transportation at Essex Westford School District in Essex, Vt. His career trajectory highlights a dedication to understanding and optimizing transportation systems to better serve communities.

In Transfinder he found a similarly dedicated partner passionate about improving the transportation of students and putting parents’ and transportation leaders’ minds at ease.

Building Expertise in Transportation

Eddy said during his tenure at GMT, he acquired a deep understanding of route design and management. Initially, routes were developed manually without advanced software solutions. By the time he left GMT, the organization was beginning to adopt apps for bus tracking—a precursor to the more sophisticated tools he would encounter later. Eddy’s exposure to these evolving systems laid the groundwork for his bringing innovations into school transportation.

“We did build routes at Green Mountain Transit but we didn’t use software to do it,” he said. “So Transfinder and Routefinder PLUS is all brand new to me.”

Upon assuming his role in Essex, Eddy identified inefficiencies in the district’s routing processes and early on advocated for adopting the move to Routefinder PLUS, Transfinder’s award-winning, browser-based routing solution to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

The Shift to Routefinder PLUS

The transition to Routefinder PLUS proved transformative. Eddy recalls how tasks that were cumbersome before the move and are now more intuitive. Features like drag-and-drop functionality for stops, easy map editing and the ability to create custom routes significantly reduced the time required for planning.

“It was a game changer,” Eddy said, noting how PLUS allowed him to recreate all district routes within a few weeks—a task that would have been daunting under the previous system.

Eddy also emphasized the benefits of enhanced map editing capabilities in Routefinder PLUS. Issues such as inaccurate road designations—for example, roads marked as one-way when they were two-way—were resolved with ease. The system’s intuitive interface enabled Eddy to identify and correct these discrepancies, ensuring that routes were accurate and efficient.

Serving a Diverse District

The Essex district’s transportation network is extensive, covering nine schools and approximately 1,200 active students, with around 1,800 signed up for bus services. The district’s rural nature introduces unique challenges, such as navigating dirt roads and adapting routes for mud season.

The team manages 37 primary routes, picking up elementary students first, then doubling back to pick up the remaining students, an approach they added last year. Eddy’s implementation of PLUS streamlined these complex logistics, enabling more effective route management and improved service delivery.

Training and Community Engagement

Eddy’s success with PLUS was bolstered by comprehensive training sessions. He highlighted the value of recorded classes and the supportive Transfinder Community platform, which provided resources and answers to specific challenges. What also stood out were the classes’ emphasis on foundational setup. By establishing clear parameters—such as curb approaches, stop positioning, and school-specific defaults—Eddy was able to troubleshoot routing issues quickly and efficiently.

Another key aspect of Eddy’s approach was engaging with school administrators. Through surveys and feedback sessions, he tailored the system to meet their needs. For instance, administrators now have easy access to reports detailing which students are assigned to specific buses, pickup and drop-off times, and route details. This autonomy has reduced reliance on the transportation office, fostering greater independence and efficiency within schools.

Key Features of Routefinder PLUS

Eddy highlighted several standout features of Routefinder PLUS:

1. Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Simplifies the process of adjusting stops and routes, saving significant time.
2. Map Editing: Allows quick resolution of road inaccuracies and route adjustments, enhancing overall accuracy.
3. Customizable Reporting: Empowers administrators to generate tailored reports, reducing communication bottlenecks.
4. Route Comparison Tools: Facilitates alignment of AM and PM routes, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

“Being able to compare two routes on top of each other was a huge help,” he said.

And seeing the impact of a decision before finalizing it was also helpful.

“I can change a lot of things pretty easily, like locking in certain times and see what that would affect,” Eddy said. “That helped quite a bit.”
These features not only streamline operations but also provide Eddy with a comprehensive view of the district’s transportation network, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Looking Ahead

Eddy sees immense potential in fully leveraging Routefinder PLUS. Beyond routing, he envisions using the system for staffing analysis, maintenance planning, and district-wide optimization. The platform’s ability to provide a holistic view of transportation operations—from walking zones to district-wide route maps—positions it as a vital tool for strategic planning.

For those considering a transition to Transfinder’s advanced transportation management platform, Eddy’s advice is clear: “Don’t wait. It has saved us and made us a lot more efficient. For me, it’s like the tip of the iceberg. I think there’s so much that we haven’t even touched on.”

Eddy’s experience underscores the substantial time savings, efficiency gains and enhanced service delivery achievable with Transfinder. By adopting PLUS and Transfinder’s award-winning suite of solutions, districts are revolutionizing their transportation operations, ultimately benefiting students, staff and the broader community.

To learn more visit Transfinder.com, email getplus@transfinder.com or call 800-373-3609.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post The Transfinder Transformation: Efficient Transportation Management appeared first on School Transportation News.

There’s no getting around the fact that transporting students is an expensive enterprise. Add to that the extra measures needed for serving students with disabilities, and costs grow substantially higher than for other routine operations.

For school some districts, at least a portion of that extra expense is being offset with funds from the federal government. Through provisions in the legislation authorizing Medicaid funding, school systems may file for reimbursement for transportation to and from specified eligible services that students with disabilities need during the school day. These services can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology or therapy services, psychological counseling, and nursing services.

Of course, that’s based on acceptable submission of the required reports, which in turn rests on providing accurate ridership figures. Currently, reporting practices vary among school districts across the country, from relying on paper-based approaches to capitalizing on advanced features offered by routing software and related student ridership verification.

Teena Mitchell, special needs transportation coordinator for Greenville County Schools in Greenville, South Carolina, noted that considering the extra costs involved in serving special needs riders, seeking reimbursement is well worth the effort.

“I think it’s safe to say the cost of transporting students with disabilities is substantially higher than transporting those without them and plays a major role in the overall cost of educating our students with disabilities,” said Mitchell, who is also president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.

Even if reimbursements go back into a school district’s general fund rather than the transportation department’s budget, she added, the dollars benefit the entire district and can be tracked back to the benefit of the transportation department in supporting areas such as personnel, training and equipment needs.

Of the 78,000 students Greenville County serves daily, nearly 16 percent are students with disabilities. The vat vast majority of those students, 88 percent according to Mitchell, receive the same transportation as non-disabled students and ride general education buses. The remaining 12 percent receive specialized transportation and are served on 111 specialized school buses.

Payment is based on a standard amount per trip. For the 2023-2024 school year, the amount was $13.35 per trip although the rate as of Oct. 1 has increased to $29.06. At the standard of $13.35 per trip, a typical school district of Greenville’s size could have expected to receive about $221,000 this school year, Mitchell calculated.

To file for reimbursement, school bus drivers are given a form that lists qualified students listed for the route in question and the dates transported. When two weeks of information has been recorded, a clerk who manages the program enters the information into the Medicaid system for payment.

The school district has routing software but as of this report wasn’t using for tracking Medicaid reimbursements. However, transportation staff were evaluating options for moving in that direction.

This step has already been taken at Colorado’s Weld County School District 6, said Chad Hawley, director of transportation. Routing software is now being used to track ridership in the district’s 60 routes, including 26 designated for serving students who require specialized transportation.

Software features include custom reporting functionality to capture and document data such as days qualifying students rode, where and what time they were picked up and dropped off, and which personnel were involved. A student information specialist incorporates the relevant details in a report that is shared with the Medicaid specialist in the district’s finance department.

Along with improved accuracy, the workload involved in reporting has been reduced.

“We used to have someone collect daily student counts from all of our specialized routes, input the data into a spreadsheet, and then send all the spreadsheets to the finance department,” Hawley noted. “The previous way was time consuming and not always accurate.”

Plans for a similar approach are in the works at El Dorado Union High School District in Placerville, California, where drivers log attendance and submit monthly reports for transportation provided to an average of 130 students who meet Medicaid requirements.

“When drivers turn in reports, they go first to our dispatchers, who enter the data into a shared spreadsheet,” said Sarah Lemke, director of transportation. “This spreadsheet is then accessible to both the finance team and the student success team, which also tracks our McKinney-Vento [Homeless Assistance Act] students.”

This collective info feeds into a report for both state and federal reimbursements.

Transportation staff currently use routing software to support route planning. “While it doesn’t track attendance directly, this capability is expected once we fully implement the software,” Lemke said, adding the goal is to have it fully operational to support Medicaid tracking this school year. “We’re working to streamline this process into one centralized system. The shared Google sheet we currently use has been very effective for transparency across departments, so we’re optimistic that routing will further enhance that.”

Services provided by an outside firm are central to Medicaid reporting at Hutto Independent School District, where the number of special needs riders has been growing. Currently, the school district located northeast of Austin, Texas transports 242 special needs students out of 4,568 total riders, an increase of 14 percent from last year. This necessitates running 15 routes for students with individualized education programs and 35 general routes with some specialty shuttles and McKinney-Vento routes as well, noted David Uecker, director of transportation.

“A contractor does the filing for us,” Uecker says. “We submit rider counts to the company with our [special education] department handling the reporting.”

Hutto leaders plan to enhance reporting with the implementation of new software. Slated for full adoption in the spring, that move will support tracking of riders with disabilities.

Some school districts have elected not to pursue Medicaid reimbursements, at least for now. That’s the case at Deer Creek School District in Edmond, Oklahoma. The district currently utilizes eight routes to transport 100 students with IEPs each school day but meets those demands without additional federal funding.

“The time it takes to go through the reimbursement process makes it difficult to pursue and maintain districtwide,” said Robert Feinberg, transportation director, echoing a common sentiment of peers nationwide.

At the same time, that decision is subject to review. “There is always a possibility of us beginning to use the program,” Feinberg noted. “Our district will continue to evaluate the process versus the manpower it would take to submit the claims.” He said one scenario that might prompt Deer Creek to begin seeking Medicaid funding would be if the school district experienced a large influx of students who meet reimbursement requirements.

Making It Work
Dealing with the federal government is never simple, and the Medicaid reimbursement process is no exception.

Given the complexity involved, good organization is a must. “Prioritize organization from the beginning,” Lemke said. “And establish a reliable system for collecting needed information in advance.”

The same goes for maintaining the necessary knowledge base. “Special needs transportation is definitely a challenge for many districts,” Feinberg said. “Knowing the local, state and federal laws pertaining to their transportation is vital.”

Targeted training can be a key to effective practice in this area, Mitchell pointed out.
“Training your drivers and attendants to be accurate and consistent can be a challenge, especially if you’re in a larger district,” said Mitchell.

Greenville addresses this need during new-hire training, with all incoming transportation employees receiving at least four days of training in transporting students with disabilities. That includes the Medicaid tracking and reporting process in addition to driver training instruction.

“During this training, we impress on the employees the importance of accuracy and remind them that their signature is their assurance that the form is accurate,” Mitchell added.

“Occasionally there may be updates to the process, and when this happens as it did recently, we schedule an in-service training and also give hand-outs with specific instructions.”

Even with the best training, mistakes can occur. To ensure accuracy, Mitchell said she has found it beneficial to have a staff member oversee the process and review the information generated.

Katrina Morris, who directs transportation at both West Shore Educational School District and Mason County Eastern School District in Michigan, advises those in transportation who have not yet pursued this type of funding to consider going for it.

A lot of districts do not realize that there is money for Medicaid reimbursement for students with special needs who require services,” said Morris, who is also the executive director for the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation. “Please work with your special ed departments to see if this is an option to help receive the funding you are entitled to.”

Mitchell offered similar advice. “If your program is set up and maintained properly, it can run rather smoothly and bring much-needed funding back into the district to offset our diminishing budgets,” she concluded. “These funds can aid you in providing safe transportation with qualified staff.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the January 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: 5 Questions to Ask Before Implementing New Software
Related: TSD Conference Panel Discusses Routing for Students with Special Needs
Related: Bus Surveillance Software Solution is Game-Changer for Florida District
Related: Managing Transportation Data and Keeping It Safe

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The Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) restored previously suspended school bus routes that will benefit many student-riders at a Maui intermediate school.

Before the school year started, HIDOE had suspended 147 school bus routes in Central Oahu, East Hawaii Island and Central and Upcountry Maui due to the current shortage of school bus drivers and vehicles. According to local news reports, the service interruption reportedly affected around 3,720 student riders.

A statement released by HIDOE on Monday confirms that so far, the department has reinstated 118 previously suspended routes, which represents 86 percent of previously impacted routes. The latest restored bus will service routes operated by school bus contractor Ground Transport, Inc., for Samuel E. Kalama Intermediate School. Efforts to restore the remaining 20 suspended routes are ongoing.

According to the statement, Ground Transport is actively recruiting new school bus drivers, taking advantage of Gov. Josh Green’s Aug. 2 Proclamation Relating to School Bus Services, which lifted the restriction that only school vehicles may transport students and included specific provisions within employment-related law to allow for qualified drivers to serve in a student transportation capacity.

The proclamation also allows drivers with a commercial driver’s license and a “P” endorsement permitting them to transport passengers to operate school buses temporarily, instead of the “S” endorsement specifically required for school bus drivers.

Related: Routes of Change – Ohio District Travels on the Safe Side with Transfinder
Related: TSD Conference Panel Discusses Routing for Students with Special Needs
Related: (Recorded Webinar) Addressing Driver (& Bus) Shortages: 3 Creative and Measurable Strategies that Really Work
Related: Deadly Maui Wildfires Close Schools, Buses Evacuate Burn Areas

The post Hawaii Restores Nearly All School Bus Routes Cut By Driver Shortage appeared first on School Transportation News.

Routing students with special needs and disabilities requires pupil transportation professionals to implement innovative thinking and solutions to achieve the best outcomes, a panel of experts shared during the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas in November.

The session was moderated by Kerry Somerville, chief executive officer of Transportation Planning Solutions in Gilbert, Arizona, who has nearly 40 years of experience in school bus routing and a personal connection to special needs transportation. His daughter has cerebral palsy and rode the school bus. He said he remembers vividly the many challenges his family endured when working with the school district to ensure their daughter received the transportation service she needed.

The TSD Conference conversation highlighted key strategies for optimizing services while keeping costs down.

Alemnesh Allen, special education transportation coordinator with Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, shared how flexible routing and technology are essential to managing the district’s 500 special education routes. With more than 135,000 students in the district, including 85,000 who are transported daily, Allen emphasized the importance of collaboration between school bus drivers, bus lot supervisors, and case managers.

“You can have special needs students on regular buses,” Allen explained. “We always consider how we can cut costs, including using alternative vehicles for longer trips.”

Kala Henkensiefken, special education transportation coordinator for Independent School District 31 in Bemidji, Minnesota, underscored similar points. In her rural district, which covers 700 square miles, she combines resources by using full-sized buses with three paraprofessionals to support students with higher-functioning abilities. This approach not only saves money but also integrates students with special needs into a regular bus environment.

“The kids would get on the bus and say, ‘Oh, I’m on a regular bus.’ It made them feel like their peers,” Henkensiefken noted.

Data was a recurring theme throughout the conversation, particularly when it comes to ensuring that the routing system reflects students’ unique needs. Henkensiefken shared her experience of initially struggling to enter the right information into the system, which confused both drivers and parents.

“I was routing it in the system but wasn’t getting the right data,” she explained. “We created a simple Google doc to collect vital information from parents, and over time, it helped streamline communication and made parents feel more involved in ensuring their child’s safety.”

Dana Rosen, assistant director of transportation specializing in student safety and campus support with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas, stressed that clear, real-time communication with parents also plays a crucial role in minimizing complaints.

“If you use software with a parent app, you can give them more information and they feel more in control,” Rosen explained, adding that parents who can track bus schedules in real-time are less likely to call and feel more confident that their child is being safely transported.

One of the most significant challenges discussed was the integration of transportation with students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

“Transportation is part of the IEP,” noted Allen. “It’s critical that transportation professionals are involved in the IEP process.” However, this is often easier said than done. While Allen advocates for transparency and equitable treatment, she admitted that attending every IEP meeting is impractical due to resource constraints. Instead, she ensures that transportation professionals are well-educated about the unique needs outlined in the IEPs.

Henkensiefken echoed this sentiment, noting that even small changes in a student’s condition, such as a shift in mobility or medical requirements, must be considered when making transportation decisions.

“Sometimes a child who was once non-ambulatory is now able to walk, and those changes can affect their bus needs,” she continued.

This underscores the importance of regular updates and clear communication.

Driver shortages are another critical issue facing transportation departments, especially as districts struggle to compete with private companies like FedEx and Amazon for CDL-certified drivers. Rosen shared her solution: Bringing in non-CDL drivers and offering them opportunities to grow within the transportation program.

“We can’t keep enough CDL drivers, so we need to think outside the box,” she said, adding that many paraprofessionals or staff from other departments can be trained to drive, often with minimal additional training.

Both Rosen and Henkensiefken said they have found creative ways to utilize paraprofessionals in transportation, leveraging their existing relationships with students to enhance safety.

“They already know the kids,” Henkensiefken noted. “So, we adopt them under the transportation department. It’s a win-win.”

The panelists agreed that having a clear, transparent process is essential for smooth department operations. “If any change comes through, it should go through one central document,” Rosen said. “This ensures accountability and provides a log of everything. It’s vital for both safety and efficiency.”

Allen emphasized that communication with parents and schools is key to avoiding misunderstandings. “I remind people that you’d never put a child in a classroom with a new teacher without informing them first. It’s the same with transportation,” she said, adding that ensuring the right information gets to the right people at the right time makes all the difference in providing safe and effective transportation for students with special needs.

The panel discussion revealed that while the logistics of special needs transportation can be complex, there are many strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs and ensure safety. By integrating technology, fostering clear communication and prioritizing collaboration between transportation professionals and families, districts can overcome challenges and better serve students with special needs. The key to success, the experts agreed, lies in staying flexible, data-driven and always focused on the well-being of the children being transported.

Related: TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions
Related: TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology
Related: (STN Podcast E187) Onsite at the TSD Conference, Part 1/2: Technology, Cameras & Special Needs
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference

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White Township Consolidated School District, a rural pre-K through 8th-grade school district located in Belvidere, New Jersey, a small town dating back to 1825 with a current population of 2,532.

The district has long grappled with the challenges of managing transportation across a geographically expansive and sparsely populated district. With approximately 400 students, the school requires efficient systems to ensure that every child is safely transported to and from school.

Most students are transported because the roads are too dangerous for walkers.

“They can’t walk to our school and usually all our buses need to pick them up door side,” said Ingrid Scott, the district’s transportation coordinator.

Recently, the district upgraded their routing solution to Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS solution. Scott, who’s been in her position since 2018, describes the move to Routefinder PLUS as being transformative for the district’s transportation management noting how user-friendly PLUS is.

Adapting Technology for Rural Needs

In a district characterized by winding roads and dispersed households, transportation logistics are particularly demanding. Many students live in areas without precise address points, making it difficult to accurately place them on bus routes. Prior to the move to Routefinder PLUS, Scott relied heavily on manual adjustments, often cross-referencing maps to pinpoint student locations.

Going with Routefinder PLUS introduced new mapping tools that significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of route planning. PLUS, with new maps, made all the difference. The upgraded system has streamlined the process, reducing the reliance on manual corrections.

Streamlining Processes with Routefinder PLUS

One of the most notable strengths of Routefinder PLUS has been the system’s ability to handle student transitions seamlessly. When 8th graders rollover to Belvidere High School, located in a neighboring town about five miles away, they are easily assigned to new routes.

“I didn’t have to redo stuff, which was a big help,” Scott said. “They show up on the high school buses as long as they’re geocoded in the right spot,” Scott noted. This automation saves valuable time and ensures greater accuracy, particularly during the busy school opening season.

“Everything worked great,” Scott said, regarding using PLUS for the first time at the start of the school year. “I had a smooth opening. Everything worked well.”

The enhanced functionality of Routefinder PLUS has also reduced manual labor in other areas. Previously, Scott would send parents postcards with their children’s bus stop and pickup times—a process that was both time-consuming and prone to delays. Now, she can email this information in a matter of seconds. “It was probably a three-second task to let them all know what their bus time was for their child,” Scott said. “It was great.”

Overcoming Initial Hesitations

Although the migration to Routefinder PLUS was initially daunting, the transition was well-supported by the company’s customer service and training resources. Scott described the training sessions as thorough and easy to follow, with the added benefit of recorded sessions for future reference. “I was scared to death when I first did it,” she admitted, but praised the support she received throughout the process.

For districts considering a similar upgrade, Scott advises against delaying the decision. “It was a great transition,” she said. “I probably should have done it sooner.”

Simplifying State Reporting (DRTRS)

In New Jersey, school districts are required to submit detailed transportation data for state reporting, the District Report of Transported Resident Students, known simply as DRTRS. It is a critical report for receiving state aid.

“We can’t have mistakes,” she said. Scott said the migration to Routefinder PLUS has made the DRTRS process significantly more efficient for White Township Consolidated School District.

“Transfinder knows all the information that’s required for the report,” Scott explained. “Transfinder’s been doing this for a long time, so they know.” By ensuring that the necessary data is correctly entered into the system, Scott can generate the required reports with just the touch of a button. This automation has eliminated much of the manual data entry previously required, allowing Scott to focus on other responsibilities.

Supporting a Multi-Role Administrator

Scott’s role extends far beyond transportation management. As the superintendent’s secretary, she juggles numerous administrative tasks, leaving little time for extensive system management. The simplicity and efficiency of Routefinder PLUS have been essential in enabling her to manage transportation effectively while balancing her other duties.

The district also benefits from the collaborative approach between Scott and their contracted bus company. Once routes are created, the company reviews them and provides feedback based on their on-the-ground knowledge, ensuring optimal routes for safety and efficiency.

The Rural Advantage

White Township Consolidated School District’s rural setting presents unique challenges, from long bus routes to winding, narrow roads. Transfinder’s Routefinder PLUS has proven to be a critical tool in addressing these challenges, particularly with features that prevent students from having to cross dangerous roads.

By ensuring door-side pickups and accommodating the region’s topography, the system enhances safety while maintaining efficiency. “Some of our roads are curvy, and you can’t see,” Scott explained. “To have somebody crossing is sometimes dangerous, especially for the little kids.”

Looking Ahead

With a successful migration behind her and a smooth school opening in place, Scott is optimistic about the future of transportation management in her district. While she acknowledges that there is always room for improvement, she is confident in the tools and support provided by Transfinder.

For other districts considering the transition to Transfinder’s Routefinder PLUS, Scott’s experience serves as a compelling case study.

“I was scared to death when I first did it,” she said. Then, when attending her trainings, her comfort level increased. “It was wonderful. Everyone has been so helpful.”

Scott raved about the support and training she has received.

“It was a great transition,” she said. “It’s totally worth my not having to spend as much time on certain things. The sooner you make the move, the sooner you’ll see the benefits.”

Learn more at transfinder.com.

The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.

The post Rural NJ School District Leverages Transfinder Technology for Efficiency appeared first on School Transportation News.

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.

The post 2024 STN Magazine Top Articles appeared first on School Transportation News.

As 2024 comes to close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on new beginnings. Jennifer Vobis was recognized for her exceptional work as the 2022 Transportation Director of the Year, and she continued pursuing excellence in her role as executive transportation director at Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada.

In her “Day in the Life” video, she helped prepare her transportation team the 2024-2025 school year and shared a heartfelt farewell as retired from her position at CCSD. Tune in for a behind the scenes look at the process of prepping for a new school year, interviews with CCSD transportation staff and lots of smiles shared with Jennifer and her team.

“My time at CCSD transportation department was invaluable,” Vobis told STN.
“During my tenure, I grew both professionally and personally. I hold deep gratitude for colleagues and staff for their hard work and dedication. I wish only the best to those who continue the important work of transporting students. The work they do is critical and under-appreciated.”

Vobis helped to create and define the new transportation lead position for Amber Rideout, Vobis’ former assistant director of transportation who was promoted to the district’s assistant superintendent of transportation.

Learn more about Vobis and her story in the November 2022 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: WATCH: 2022 Transportation Director of the Year, Jennifer Vobis
Related: Inside a Transportation Director’s Mind
Related: Transportation Director of Year Panel Discusses Transporting Students with Special Needs

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Josh Nease never imagined that pen and paper could feel like an artifact of the past, but in his 24th year in transportation, it did.

During his career in transportation, he would go through “a lot of forms, one at a time” and receive “a lot of input from the drivers,” he recalled.

“They would sit down with us and go over their routes and we’d make adjustments,” Nease said.

For years, it worked well enough, but “well enough” had begun to fray at the edges.

This year marked a turning point at Pleasant Local School District: a bold leap from analog to digital. A new routing software – something the district had flirted with for years but never quite embraced—was now fully implemented.

Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS has been a game changer.

Pleasant Local School District is located in Marion, Ohio, a city of about 36,000 located about 50 miles north of Columbus. The district has 1,300 students and transports 700 of them via a two-tier system. Nease had inherited the role of Transportation Supervisor from Tom Haley, his predecessor of 15 years. It was Haley who had planted the seeds of change.

“We’d been talking about doing something like this for two or three years,” Nease said. “We just couldn’t find something that was really the right fit for what we needed that we could afford in our budget.”

It wasn’t until a new superintendent, Tom McDonald, entered the scene that those seeds began to sprout. McDonald, who had come from a larger district equipped with routing software, quickly recognized inefficiencies. Personally overhearing dispatchers and staff converse over the radio to determine routes and stops for students, McDonald was even more on board to find a software solution.

The district looked at three or so companies before deciding Transfinder was the best choice.

“The others didn’t seem to flow,” Nease said. “The ease of use just didn’t seem to be there.” Helping to confirm the decision was the fact that several neighboring districts were happy Transfinder clients.

By the time Nease officially took the reins, the plan was already in motion. Last year his team spent time training, building, and beta-testing Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS routing system. Now, for the first time, they had a tool that could streamline transportation for the district’s 1,300 students, about 700 of whom relied on the buses daily.

Beyond Routefinder PLUS, the district added Transfinder’s award-winning Stopfinder parent app and Viewfinder, a tool to monitor day-to-day operations and access student ridership information, such as student bus information.

As Nease settled into the new system, the changes were immediate. The 2024-2025 school year was the first school year utilizing the Transfinder technology.

“It’s given the buildings easier access to things. They’re not constantly calling over to the garage for bus stop information,” he said. “The secretaries can get on and look at it. It’s been very, very helpful.”

Routefinder PLUS led to one smoothest openings in recent memory.

“It’s just made things run a lot smoother than they did in the past,” Nease said.

What made this school year’s opening so smooth? Learn more here. 

The post Routes of Change – Ohio District Travels on the Safe Side with Transfinder appeared first on School Transportation News.

David Poag has over 15 years of transportation experience in both pupil transportation and mass transportation. He started as a bus driver for Clemson Area Transit while he was attending college at Clemson University in 2008. He was a multiple time ROADEO driving champion which sparked his interest in the field.

In 2011, he transitioned into the pupil transportation space, serving as the operations and routing coordinator for Anderson School District Five in South Carolina. He served in that role for the next two years before moving to Greenville County Schools to serve as the routing and scheduling coordinator. Greenville is reportedly the largest district in South Carolina with nearly 400 bus routes. During this time, he became a certified director of transportation.

Poag moved back to Anderson in 2021 to become the assistant director of transportation. However, in May 2024 he became the director of transportation for Spartanburg School District 6. Poag and his wife Jennifer, reside in Anderson with their three children ages 5, 7, and 9.

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.

“No two days in transportation are ever alike,” he said of his day-to-day operations. “The hustle and bustle of daily school bus operations is an environment I love. Every day we are challenged with new opportunities and face situations where we are tested in a multitude of ways.”

He noted that being a part of the transportation department that delivers the nation’s precious cargo daily is his favorite part of his job.

“I learn so much from our staff and it’s such a joy to work with folks from many different backgrounds,” he said, adding that Spartanburg drivers consist of career bus drivers/monitors, airline pilots, air traffic controllers, graphic designers, artists, developers, pastors, first responders, coaches, teachers, retired military, moms, dads, grandparents and more. “Those who drive or serve on a school bus bring with them a unique blend of life experiences and I thoroughly enjoy hearing and learning from them.”

Data Driven

Teena Mitchell, the special needs coordinator at Greenville County Schools, said she had the pleasure of meeting Poag when he became the routing coordinator at Greenville. She said in her nomination of Poag, that while there he initiated several programs and improved some processes.

“He is an expert on using data to improve processes, from providing data to change bell times, to using data to refresh our driver training program,” she wrote. “He was instrumental in updating our technology in transportation; from expanding our digital footprint to live feed in buses to software and radios.”

Poag added that the bell time change resulted in significant improvements with on-time performance for students at the middle and high school level. Mitchell added that he’s very creative in his training ideas, from using video to train drivers and aides to getting the Clemson Tiger Mascot to work with the district on the school bus demonstrating for elementary students how to safely load, unload and safely ride a bus.

While at Anderson district, Poag said he championed a project that increased the district’s licensing rate of driver candidates to 111 percent. “The same project reduced the amount of time it took to license a candidate by 53 percent,” he said. “These results were a direct impact of the decision to streamline our licensing process and hire candidates as full-time employees during their training.”

Mitchell added that the creative hiring campaign at Anderson consisted of using QR codes, billboards, and even wrapped a car to resemble a school bus. “The hiring data showed his ideas were effective,” she said.

She added that Poag is also a National Association of Pupil Transportation instructor for Professional Development Series (PDS) classes as well as a presenter for professional development at conferences. He currently serves on the PDS Committee with NAPT.

Going Forward

One goal for Spartanburg’s transportation department is to implement new school bus routes to ensure the on-time delivery of their 4,000 students. Additionally, the district will be putting nine new buses on the road this school year, with a district-wide service area for Child Development Centers.

An additional goal is opening a new parking depot, which will house 30 to 40 buses. “In the next five years, I see Spartanburg sustaining a full slate of dedicated transportation professionals and providing exceptional service in order to make a difference [to] one student at a time,” Poag added.

Outside of work, Poag enjoys riding the golf cart with his family and going to country singer Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Pigeon Ford, Tennessee.

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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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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John Daniels, vice president of marketing at Transfinder, talked with Tony Corpin at the 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference about how Transfinder’s technology offerings can help streamline operations for student transporters, specifically when transporting students with special needs.

Related: TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology
Related: WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap
Related: WATCH: First Student at TSD 2024

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