Every Day In K-12 Transportation is an Adventure!
Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technology’s interactive session provided attendees with a peek into a day at a school district using its Total Tyler integrated suite of offerings. Weston Bartlett, manager of the Tyler account executive team; Crystal Duchane, account representative and supervisor; and Jason Riley, chief accounting officer, played school office staff, including: the transportation director, mechanic, a school bus driver and a student. 

They showed how a science teacher, for example, can log into the system and request a field trip. The transportation director receives a link in his email which brings him into the software to approve the request and schedule it out to a driver, which the driver sees on their tablet. The software provides notification of any conflict, such as if the driver has an afternoon route.

The demo showed how the driver can complete his or her pre-trip inspection with the tablet, which recognizes if an inspection failed and a new bus is needed. For example, if there’s a broken headlight, the driver can take a picture on the inspection tablet.

Once the maintenance manager receives the notification that the headlight is broken, panelists illustrated how they can log into the fleet-specific dashboard to see the new work order, including notes and photos and can assign it to a technician.

Dispatchers have a specific portal through which they can utilize routing parameters and the fleet schedule to make changes, which are sent to driver tablets. Panelists showed that notifying parents with cellphone push notifications can be done directly from the system as well.

The demonstration included RFID cards for students, which are scanned upon boarding a bus. If a student scans onto the wrong bus, the driver tablet receives a notification and it shows which is the correct bus. School administrators can also go in and find student rider information if they need it for parents.

The presenters shared that software builds an optimized route based on district parameters, which can easily be updated yearly. Any rerouting needed after missed turns happens automatically, with the system not finding the quickest way, but the safest route. They explained that drivers can create a bus route on the fly with a random group of students, based on who is scanned on the bus.

Tyler representatives confirmed that cybersecurity and student registration systems are available through Tyler. They advised that the integrated pieces of the platform may be purchased at one time or in pieces over time as the district sees fit.

Mitigating Risk on the Road: Proactive Fleet & Student Safety Management
Zonar

Zonar’s session first centered on its Fault IQ product, a diagnostic software for predicting school bus faults before they happen and grabs data throughout a mixed fleet regardless of the OEM. Matt Dickey, Zonar’s vice president of regional sales, was joined by Bryant Maxey, senior product marketing specialist and Sales Engineer Erick Cole. They explained that they’ve seen a 25 percent reduction in maintenance costs, a 20-50 percent reduction in downtime and a 10-20 percent increase in vehicle lifespan.

They advised installing a dual facing Zonar camera in a school bus during the first 30 days of a driver’s employment to monitor behavior and help determine if the driver will work out. It also serves as a coaching and training tool since transportation leaders can view recommended videos based on severity, analyze driver scorecards and trends and exonerate drivers

Transportation staff can receive real time safety alert notifications, access video evidence in minutes, customize the video resolution and download format, view incidents on a map of the route and leverage the RideView companion app for video management.

Upcoming features discussed included backup cameras with a full 360-degree experience and AI accident recreation reports which can read video of an incident, detect the key points and explain what happened.

Best Practices with Student Ridership
Transfinder

Terrell Doolen, professional services manager for Transfinder, and Zachary Moren, manager of enablement and engineering, reviewed why tracking student ridership in real-time is important to today’s parents, how to collect ridership data through scanning students on the bus through RFID cards or manual driver input and what to do with the data once it is captured.

Notifications can be sent to just the parents who have children on a specific bus. Data can also be added on special needs or other pertinent information drivers should know.

They added that the benefits of collecting and having this data readily available include bus breakdown tracking, vehicle utilization optimization and route consolidation due to driver shortages.

They advised tracking registered riders against actual ridership to produce custom reports based on district needs as well as trip efficiency reports for better routing, enabling districts to take action based on real-time data. Dashboards can be created or reports run automatically.

Doolen and Moren explained that Transfinder staff will visit districts to conduct train the trainer events consisting of teaching the drivers about the technology. Instead of having to wait till the end of the school year to make changes, they said transportation staff could make them during the year and send out notifications to parents to let them know right away.

Some attendees said they were looking to add this technology soon and panelists advised getting complete data sets, noting that full participation from all departments was needed for a successful integration.

Related: (STN Podcast E252) Onsite at STN EXPO East in Charlotte: School Bus Technology Interviews
Related: First Student’s Kenning Discusses School Bus Electrification, Technology Innovation
Related: Gallery: Ride & Drive Caps Day of Technology Demos, Green Energy Panels
Related: Gallery: Second Day of STN EXPO East Green Bus, Technology Sessions
Related: STN’s 2021 School Bus Technology Super Users

Bus Technology Summit Lab & Demo
Geotab

Business Development Manager Craig Berndt focused on how the Geotab system can utilize data for better school bus driver monitoring and training. He added that while it can consolidate multiple different camera systems and provide video review for incidents no matter the camera vendor, it can also use data like speed, stops and following distance. The Collision Reconstruction feature, Safety Center and Risk Analytics give drivers safety scores and assess the likelihood of getting into an accident, using AI to contextualize the driving habits and lower the risk of collision.

During the hands-on demo, attendees logged into the Geotab website and app to see how trip data was recorded. They saw examples of customizable rules and alerts regarding harsh braking, speeding, hard turns and more. The system can recognize if the vehicle stops for longer than 200 seconds, if the ignition is turned on and off too many times, if a driver is idling in a specific area, if the door is opened while the bus was moving, and more.

The GoTalk device can beep at drivers to alert them to rules being broken, and automated email alerts can be sent to transportation leadership for specific incidents or drivers.

Other utilizations include giving context to maintenance info and data sharing with contractors through one database with a telematic data feed.

AI-Powered Safety: A Hands-On Experience with First Alt & Samsara
First Student

Gregg Prettyman, who was named by STN Publisher Tony Corpin “the Godfather of alternative transportation,” was with transportation network company ALC Schools for 11 years and now serves as vice president of FirstAlt by student transportation contractor First Student.

He noted that the cars and vans used for this variation of student transportation are starting to have the same onboard cameras as school buses, which is a big improvement on visibility for transportation staff.

Alan Geygan, senior strategic customer success manager, explained that Samsara is a global camera company with a single platform for operations data, which Prettyman confirmed FirstAlt can now tap into when placing the cameras on school buses. Transportation staff can toggle bus route, construction or weather map overlays to give parents information about late rides.

Geygan and Prettyman explained that the video is live and sections can be quickly downloaded, blurred, password-protected, or shared via web link, for example to law enforcement.

Notably, AI-enabled software is used to capture real-time safety alerts triggered by G-force changes like a potential or actual crash, as well as poor driver behavior like drowsy or distracted driving, which are immediately sent to relevant staff. Driver behavior coaching applications are included as the system gives audible alerts like “put down phone,” “take a break,” or “increase following [distance].” Geygan responded to an attendee question on a bus being driven by multiple drivers in a day, that there are several ways to determine which driver is at fault based on a badge scan or AI facial recognition.

Transportation staff can determine the strictness levels and set custom parameters for alerts so notifications don’t overwhelm them, Geygan confirmed. Smoking, food and drink usage recognition is in development, he added. Software updates with updated AI technology are pushed over the cloud and many integrations are available via API.

Bus Technology Summit Lab & Demo
Edulog

Jason Corbally, Edulog president and COO,emphasized the importance of product interconnectivity so routers can build routes taking into consideration attendance, walk or hazard boundaries by school, grade or program as well as so parents know their child’s bus information even if there is a vehicle substitution. He recounted an instance where a district’s 29 special needs routes were speedily rerouted based on vehicle capacity, wheelchair bays and bus depot location.

Director of Transportation Jeremy Stowe recounted how Buncombe County School in North Carolina modernized its old school bus garage with GPS, Samsung tablets, electronic route sheets, and digital time and attendance recording. He added that a parent app implementation was a life saver after Hurricane Helene.

“We had to pivot and change daily,” he said. “[The Department of Transportation] would be reopening roads faster than I could route.”

Industry veteran and consultant Derek Graham added that parents don’t like when the bus is late. “But they really don’t like not knowing the bus will be late,” he said.

Arthur Whittaker, director of transportation for Cabarrus County Schools in South Carolina, underscored the importance of community education when new tech comes to school buses and talked through potential pitfalls.

“Some parents were watching the whole route and critiquing where the bus was going. Part of the confusion was that there were three tiers, so parents would see their student’s bus running the first tier and be confused,” he said. “[Some] parents are using the app to send the kids out at the very last second but due to cellphone lag or bad signal it might lead to them not paying attention to when the bus is actually there.”

Corbally noted some districts use the parent app as a messaging system without connecting to the routing system.

Revolutionizing Student Transportation: How AI is Driving Efficiency and Addressing Budget Challenges for School Districts
HopSkipDrive

Strategic Account Executive Chris Wickman said that creativity and innovation is needed with many school bus drivers calling out or retiring, resulting in 60 percent of surveyed districts reducing school bus service. He urged listeners to not fear or avoid AI but leverage it as a tool.

Dustin Kress, software and advisory director, pointed out that HopSkipDrive’s RouteWise AI is not a replacement to a district’s current routing system but a partner that helps districts relieve burdens on staff and do what’s best for students. Using it, Colorado Springs District 11 reduced bus routes, increased wages and increased on-tine rates.

Gregory Dutton, transportation analyst for HopSkipDrive and former transportation director, noted that RouteWise AI can complete billions of calculations in an hour while considering bell times, driver constraints, students with special needs, maximum commute times and the other myriad aspects that student transporters might have to manually work in. Human expertise is still needed to analyze and confirm everything, he assured.

The presenters handed out routing scenario worksheets and attendees worked out potential schedules, identifying challenges like obtainable tiers, driver availability, teachers’ unions, community desires, and sunrise and sunset conditions. Given the problem, RouteWise AI suggested 13 schedules and brought the number of buses needed from 70 to 48. Transportation can also create models and easily share data from this application, such as cost per student rider, with district administration and other stakeholders, Kress said.

Take Action Now: How First Light’s Illuminated Solutions Are Saving Lives
First Light

First Light Sales Manager Stephen Climer and Regional Account Executive Graham Matthews shared that their technology is the most visible stop arm in the industry today, observable from over 1,000 feet away. They said the signs will not lose their yellow color for 14.5 years and come in a floating padding frame for extra durability on rough roads.

Air or electric options are available with five-year, full replacement warranties, sold through traditional dealer networks regardless of bus OEM. As recently announced, IC buses will offer the illuminated stop arms standard on CE Series buses, with electric currently in effect and equipped diesel buses coming around August 1.

Addressing light failure, the panelists said that their stop arms and school bus signs contain over 450 LED lights each with heat compressed over them.

“If you look at your product, you can’t count LED bulbs because they’re hitting fibrotic mesh and it’s dispensing the light evenly. So, if the light goes out, you would have to lose over half of the bulbs to notice a slight difference,” Climer explained.

The panelists predicted about four and a half years before the internal LED lights start to dim or go out and if a couple did, no one would notice.

To retrofit, the school bus signs take about an hour and half. Stop arms are plug and play, coming in at 15-minute installation time.

Attendees were engaged, with about one-third of the room indicating they have at least one First Light product installed on their buses.

Related: WATCH: School Bus Safety Systems Demonstrated Live at Bus Tech Summit
Related: Bus Technology Summit Session Advocates for Integrated Tech Platform
Related: Eclipse to Have Little if Any Impact on School Bus Technology

Empowering Schools Across the US
Samsara

Mackenzie Krebs, senior public sector account executive and team lead, shared that Samsara provides foundational, integrable technology that drives real-time visibility, operational safety, immediate incident response, accessible and actionable data, and fuel efficiency.

Dash cameras have panic buttons that allow districts to view the footage immediately and Satellite View includes real time location and ETA, vehicle tracking, parent portal integrations, and asset tracking. The ability to remotely pull audio in addition to video will be added next year, he confirmed.

Idling summaries illuminating fuel waste district and tracking planned versus actual route stops help improve efficiency.

He shared facets that can be used for proactive response and training, like AI based incident detection, existing camera investments, driver safety scores and automated coaching workflows. Investigative data like speeding, phone usage and seatbelt usage can be used in place of cameras so there are no SD cards or hard drives.

Krebs revealed that Canyons School District in Utah reduced incidents by 50 percent with proactive coaching and spent 75 percent less time pulling camera footage for review. It also saved $80,000 in insurance claim payouts.

He closed with Samsara’s free trial offer, since purchasing school bus technology is a five- to 10-year commitment. “We want to make sure it’s going to work for you,” he assured.

Next-Gen School Bus Safety: Tech Innovations and Cloud Solutions for a Safer Ride
Safe Fleet

Mike Hagan, president of Safe Fleet/Seon Digital Solutions Group; Chris Dutton, director of product development; Chris Fox, senior product manager of visibility solutions; and Julian Jimenez, senior product manager of violation detection and enforcement solutions, led an informative session on their Predictive Stop Arm, which utilizes radars, sensors, AI and predictive algorithms to actively notify students of imminent illegal passing danger with an audible warning.

They explained how the Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System (SAVES) issues a citation so motorists won’t repeat the offense. Video capture activates automatically when the stop arm is deployed, autonomously identifies a violating vehicle’s license plate and sends evidence to the Safe Fleet Cloud for review and enforcement. Districts can set what kind of evidence is needed and what triggers a report. Cameras show the right side of the bus too even when a left side incident is taking place because people contest tickets saying that there weren’t kids exiting the bus.

A law enforcement official does not have to witness the incident or make a report, and drivers are not distracted from students by having to activate anything manually. Presenters discussed the importance of Compelling Evidence that is handled correctly and will hold up in a court of law.

Panelists demonstrated during the demo how, during research to make the stop arm more visible, a black background with flashing red lights was found to be most effective. They promoted the security benefits of cloud data management, which also allows supervisors to gather insights about fleet operations.

Connected, Protected, Perfected: Transportant’s Evolution of Bus Safety
Transportant

National Sales Executive Paul Gandrud and Vice President of Sales Jeff Shackelford shared that technology could improve driver stress levels compared to having to follow a paper route, not knowing the names of students on their routes, and receiving no support in resolving student behavior issues.

School bus drivers are able to see names and pictures of every student assigned to each stop, which also fosters relationships between drivers and students. Students can scan on and off a bus with an RFID card or a driver can check in each student on their tablet.

Robyn Pickard, transportation director for West Des Moines Community Schools in Iowa, explained how the software assists in parent communications. Real time student rosters on the Director Dashboard let office staff quickly inform parents of a student’s location in case of emergency. Staff can use the Bus Compass App to answer common questions about student locations as well as to send out messages to the whole school or just to the families of the students that are on a particular bus.

Gandrud and Shackelford explained how the Live Video System allows a driver to hit the incident button which sends a link to the Director Dashboard, where supervisors can see and hear both live and recent video, then take action to resolve or response.

These technologies are still subject to state laws. One attendee in West Virginia said parents didn’t want students’ faces on the RFID cards and another stated that in Illinois it’s illegal to gather biometric information on students.

Panelists explained that Transportant doesn’t have routing but can partner with any other routing software and is the only company that is a fully integrated cloud-based solution.

The post Roundup: Bus Technology Summit at STN EXPO Charlotte 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.

This month’s issue takes a deep dive into the many angles of safety and security for student transportation. Read articles on AI software, Danger Zone safety technology options, funding for school bus Wi-Fi and the uncertain future of federal funding for purchasing clean-energy buses. Hear from Blue Bird’s new president, more on technology adoption and recap from STN EXPO East.

Read the full May 2025 issue.

Features

The Future is Now
AI-enabled software is already tracking and acting upon school bus driver skills behind the wheel and the adherence of motorists to school bus stop laws. Camera manufacturers discuss how the technology could impact and even predict onboard behavior as well.

Seeking Peace of Mind
The current regulatory climate leaves uncertainty for the future of federal funding of alternative fuels, especially electric school buses. Readers react as they finalize their budget requests for the coming school year.

Defining Your Danger Zone
Many solutions exist that promise increased student safety in and around the school bus. Choosing the technology or equipment to deploy differs based on the environment and threats to the “Danger Zone.”

Special Reports

School Bus Wi-Fi in Flux?
With the U.S. Supreme Court weighing its ruling on the constitutionality of the Universal Services Fund, the FCC could choose to remove funding for school bus Wi-Fi hotspots from E-Rate. The program has proven to be successful for students. Its political opponents say the funding exceeds Congress’ intent.

Q&A: Wyskiel Steers Blue Bird Toward its Second Century
Eyeing its upcoming 100th birthday in 2027, the school bus manufacturer turns to the industry and production experience of John Wyskiel to lead the company and service its customers.

STN EXPO East in Photos
View photos from STN EXPO East, held in Concord, North Carolina near Charlotte in March.

Feedback
Online
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
Avoiding Blurred Lines of Reality

Thought Leader by Robert Pudlewski
A Fuel Purchasing Method Worth Considering: The Fixed Forward Fuel Contract

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Transportation Collaboration

The post May 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.

It’s common for technology inside the school bus to talk to one another —  especially when it’s provided by the same vendor. If school buses aren’t already connected, it’s surely a priority for most school districts.

But what if there’s more to the connected technology conversation? A general session at STN EXPO East on March 24 says there is. “School Bus V2X & Transit Planning” by Bob Riebe, the vice president of transit for Applied Information, Inc., discussed a new layer of connected technologies. Technology is connected not just to the vehicle but the surrounding community in the form of stop lights, infrastructure and other vehicles on the road.

Riebe explained that Applied Information’s Glance Transit Signal Priority system combines hardware and software into a solution that gets transit buses where they need to be — on time. School buses can be equipped with this technology, too, which ensures transportation operations are never losing communication with the bus. Applied Information’s Connected School Bus System has already been piloted on Georgia’s Fulton County Schools buses with partners Audi, Blue Bird, and Temple, Inc.

Cellular Vehicle to Everything or C-V2X technologies communicate with motorists driving in school zones. Riebe explained that distraction is at an all-time high and the technology tells motorists if they’re speeding and provides advanced warning that a school bus stop is approaching, right on their dash. (Currently, the technology is only available for a select few vehicle manufacturers, but the TravelSafely app leverages Smart City technology and alerts motorists of upcoming red lights, emergency vehicles approaching, as well as school zones.)

Related: School Bus Safety Technology Showcased on NBC Today Show
Related: Audi Connected Vehicle Deployment to Boost School School Bus, Zone Safety
Related: Bus Technology Summit Session Advocates for Integrated Tech Platform
Related: Zonar CEO Kriete Reminds Student Transporters of the Business They’re In
Related: NYC ‘School Bus of the Future’ Focuses on Increased Pedestrian Safety

Additionally, the technology can communicate with stop lights using routing information, as well as speed, time, location and stop information, on when the school bus is supposed to arrive at the stop. The technology is able to communicate with the stop lights, which turns the signal yellow then red for perpendicular traffic and the light green for the approaching school bus. This is beneficial if a school bus is running late. The school bus driver would only experience green lights along their route.

Riebe added this also decreases the amount of time school buses are idling at red lights and reduces fuel consumption and the number of emissions being admitted into the air. These can result in improved on-time performance, additional cost-savings, and increased school zone safety.

The system monitors real-time traffic and knows exactly where the school buses are located and when they would arrive at the stop light. If two school buses approach an intersection and are traveling perpendicular to each other, Riebe said the vehicle green light priority is on a first come, first serve basis. He added that the technology also provides 16 levels of priority, and different school buses could be set at a higher priority than others.

Riebe noted to integrate such a system into cities takes working with officials to allow devices be placed in the stop lights. If interested, he advised to start meetings with the local transit authority and speak with school bus OEMs to learn if they would put transponders on every school bus.

He noted the use case makes the most sense for bigger cities because there is more routes and traffic congestion. Riebe added that the Federal Communications Commission approved the technology to move forward and its use is growing throughout cities and districts.

The post C-V2X Technology Hold Promise of School Bus Time, Cost Savings appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tony, Taylor and Ryan cover recent news headlines, analyze federal tariff and funding updates, and recap the action and takeaways from STN EXPO East in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month.

Hear thoughts from Joshua Hinerman, director of transportation for Robertson County Schools in Tennessee, as well as several attendees of STN EXPO East, on the starting ages and appropriate training for school bus drivers.

Read more about drivers.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio. 

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

The post (STN Podcast E253) Conference Conversations: Tariffs, STN EXPO East Motivation & Minimum Driver Age appeared first on School Transportation News.

Delvico ‘Vec’ Dunn, the new executive director of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in Charlotte, North Carolina, started his career as a school bus driver for CMS. He uses that experience to lead by example, especially since his CDL remains current.

Dunn started in pupil transportation in August 1997 as a school bus driver. When he was 18 years old, his parents told him he had to get a job, he shared. “I was one paper from signing up for the military, and a buddy who still drives now said, ‘Hey, they’re hiring bus drivers.’ ‘I said that’s something I would never do.’ But once doing it, I got the passion for it,” he said. “Never did I think it would be a career, though, just something to do. But as time passed and promotions started, I said ‘Hey, I like this.’ It was just about being in the community, being around others, meeting new people, and also seeing things and individuals.”

He transitioned to a lead driver with more office responsibilities and then became an operations technician that oversaw driver and monitor payroll within his area. He left CMS in 2006 to work at neighboring Union County Public Schools, in positions ranging from transportation specialist to operations manager to assistant director.

In 2014, Dunn returned to CMS as a transportation specialist and was promoted within a year to director of operations. In 2020, he became the director of fleet, which encompassed support services.

“Now here we are in 2025, I’ve come full circle to the highest position in our industry, within the CMS sector as the executive director of transportation,” he said. “So basically, starting from the bottom, going through different positions, going to another county and to run one of the largest transportation systems around the country.”

Starting his career as a school bus driver for the same department he’s leading, shapes his daily perspective and priorities. Because he sat in the bus driver’s seat, he said he knows what drivers deal with. And some of the same people that he drove alongside, still drive for CMS.

“To sit in every seat that we have within our department, it shows that I know each level. When an employee says you don’t understand, I fully understand. I drove a bus, I worked in office, I did payroll,” he explained “That’s the advantage I have, which made me more able to adjust to the role of being the executive director. So, the cliche, you don’t know where I come from, I truly do.”

Dunn noted he is following in the footsteps of Adam Johnson, who left CMS earlier this year to become the senior executive director of transportation for Atlanta Public Schools in Georgia.

“Me and Mr. Johnson have been tied to the hip for over 20 years,” Dunn said, adding that he was a supervisor when Dunn was a lead driver. Johnson was also the transportation director when Dunn returned to the district after working at Union County.

“He set high standards,” Dunn added.

He noted that he wants to continue to promote Johnson’s vision but also put his own spin on it. He shared that his leadership style has always been straightforward, and that the administration is only as strong as the front-line employees.

Leveraging Social Media at Transportation’s Level: Share your Story

 

When Thomas Miner ran the district-wide social media platforms for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, he repeatedly saw that transportation operations were being highlighted on the district’s main accounts. This kickstarted his  transfer to work with transportation exclusively. He’s now the the operations specialist in charge of sharing transportation’s stories.

Miner said that while his position existed in transportation before he joined the department two years ago, former transportation director Adam Johnson incorporated more social and digital media elements into his role, which included creating transportation-specific social media accounts. Miner now not only manages department social media but also creates newsletters and distributes internal department messaging.

“We really do try to emphasize as much as we can in the department,” Miner said of using social media for transportation. “We try to share good news from across the department. When you have over 800 drivers, there are stories happening on our buses and throughout our department every day. So, we try to lift up as much of our good news as we can and show the community how we’re serving students and how we are working with schools and principals to make sure that we get students to and from school safely and on time.”

He said having their own social media channels gives transportation an avenue to share their story through photos and videos.

“We get to lift them up and kind of show the community what’s happening in transportation,” he said.

He noted that having a social media dedicated to transportation has changed the dynamic with parents and students in a positive way.

“The district itself has a real focus on communication and customer service, so we prioritize that in all the conventional ways,” he explained. “But we also use our social media tool to directly connect to students and parents. Sometimes they’ll send us messages of compliment. Sometimes they’ll send us a message of something that we need to look into. We really utilized that tool as one more avenue to connect and engage with parents and in the community.

“When we win awards, when we’re doing community service projects, we get to lift that up and show our side and show our story,” he continued, of potential posts. “So often, the news around school districts can be a little negative. We use this as an opportunity to lift up as much good as we can, and to use our platform to share our story.”

“We can’t forget about the drivers, the monitors, our area supervisors, our mechanics, our maintenance supervisors, they do the day-to-day nuts and bolts. If they’re doing their job effectively, it makes, as the executive director or manager, your day run smoothly,” he noted. “I truly believe the top is only strong as the bottom. If the foundation is shaky, the top will be shaky no matter how good or a true leader you have. To have the buy-in, that speaks volumes.”

He added that hiring an internal candidate to fill his role offers stability, but he noted it also comes with challenges as everyone is comfortable in their ways. “I make sure the folks know what my vision is, in parallel to what our district vision is: our goal is to transport students to and from school safely,” he added.

Operational Breakdown

CMS operates about 1,100 pieces of equipment, 838 of which are routed school buses. When Dunn first started driving, he said, CMS had over 1,000 routed buses. He explained that across the nation, student ridership is increasing, but drivers are diminishing.

“Everybody is seeing that shortfall around the industry,” he said, adding that retention is key. That can entail ensuring applicants have other driving job options once they receive their CDL.

He explained CMS was short 27 drivers for the 838 routed bus in mid-March. The biggest hurdle to overcome is driver retirements. “Every year we want to recruit, retain and retrain,” he said, adding that when an industry veteran retires, the district loses that level of 20 to 30 years of experience.

Related: WE Transport’s Marksohn Bids Goodbye to School Bus Industry with Retirement
Related: Becoming an Outperformer
Related: Alaska School Bus Driver Arrested for DUI, Firearm Possession
Related: STA’s Lane Uses Transportation, EV Experience to Share Sustainability Advice
Related: Durham School Bus Driver Saves Colleague, Receives Award

To help combat this, he said CMS offers over $20 per hour starting pay for new drivers. But in addition to finances, there is a positive culture to maintain, not necessarily within the department but on each school bus with student behavior. Dunn said the district prioritizes professional development and training to de-escalate conflicts when they arise. Additionally, transportation focus on self-incentive awards to recognize staff.

“It always can’t be monetary, but sometimes it’s that simple,” he said of recognizing drivers and showing appreciation. “Thank you for the service you’re doing.”

The district will also be holding its annual Bus Rodeo, which provides drivers with an outlet to compete against one another. “We try to keep them engaged and but it’s all about talking in those open lines of communication,” he said. “And also, my door is always open, as well as their area supervisor’s door.”

He said CMS also has a bus driver committee, represented by all the 14 service areas the district operates out of five facilities. It’s a chance for drivers to not only bring concerns and questions to administrators needing answers to transportation leaders. This, he said, instills in the culture that managers aren’t simply making a given decision, but do so after getting buy-in from all staff members and making them feel a part of the team.

Technology Through the Ages

Two of the five CMS transportation locations, including the one where this interview was held, were updated within the past year. “That’s a first in my tenure because when I started in 1997, the newest bus garage had just opened up,” Dunn recalled.

In terms of bus technology, Dunn said CMS has GPS, camera systems and tablets. He added that a wish list item, pending available budgetary resources, is RFID card technology. Dunn said the district has an app that can shows the bus location, but it doesn’t alert parents or guardians if their child is on the bus or if/when they got off.

He said another technology solution he’s eyeing is turn-by-turn directions on the tablets. He noted that whether the technology is a distraction has been debated, but he thinks a paper route is more dangerous than following an audible command.

When he started in the industry, Dunn said he and his fellow drivers didn’t even have radios, and the loading doors had to be manually opened and closed. “Now everything is on the steering wheel and buses have air conditioning,” he commented.

In his day behind the wheel, he said air conditioning was driving downhill with the windows open, or “all 32 down,” to catch a good breeze.

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More power options are coming soon to the large school bus space as Cummins prepares to launch a second gasoline engine option for the market and its long-awaited successor to the 6.7-liter diesel engine.

The gasoline or octane engine will be in full production next January, with the new B7.2 diesel engine available January 2027, the company announced earlier this month. The new gasoline engine will be available January 2026.

Both engines are the initial launches of Cummins’ HELM, or Higher Efficiency, Lower emissions and Multiple fuels, platform. The engine lineup is referred to as “fuel agnostic,” the base engine remains the same, but the fuel heads can be swapped for diesel, gasoline and eventually CNG.

Currently, the school bus industry only has one choice in gasoline and propane, that being the ROUSH CleanTech auto-gas system for Blue Bird.

Cummins originally planned on adding a propane offering on its HELM platform but announced last year it would forego that option.

The B7.2 meets the upcoming EPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Phase 3 rule set to go into effect in 2027. The company said will emit approximately 85 percent less NOx and 50 percent less PM than 2010 model year diesel engines. In an overview provided to School Transportation News, Cummins explained that lower GHG result from the clean-sheet base engine and optimized components.

“One of the most significant changes is the increase in peak cylinder pressure capability, allowing us to extract the energy from the fuel more effectively,” the overview states. “As greenhouse gas emissions are directly proportional to fuel burned, the improvements made to improve GHG emissions also save fuel, reducing the operating costs of the new B7.2.”

The diesel will also be compatible with automatic engine shutdown and stop-start systems that can lower fuel consumption as well as GHG.

On a recent episode of the School Transportation Nation podcast recorded at STN EXPO East, Francisco Lagunas, general manager of the North America bus segment at Cummins, said the B7.2 diesel engine will provide a wider range of torque as the company address the various duty cycles of its customers and the environmental condition they operate in.

“There are big differences north to south, coast to coast. Cummins focuses on reliability and what’s best for the customer,” he added.

This includes ACUMEN that provides access and connectivity to a range of applications for , digital insights.

“Customers can utilize these detailed tools to enhance the driving experience including predictive capabilities and over-the-air features that will reduce visits to the shop, increase uptime and minimize the operations,” Lagunas continued. “It will also take advantage of options like compression brake or extend the oil drain intervals.”

Meanwhile, Lagunas said the new octane engine available next year will provide diesel-like performance for both reliability and durability. He added that fleet operators can expect 10 percent improved fuel economy based on the duty cycle.

Related: School Districts Replace Diesel Buses with Propane, Electric
Related: Cummins Electrification Rebrand Promises Acceleration of Electric School Bus Production
Related: What to Know About Federal Fuel Tax Credit on Diesel

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CONCORD, N.C. – Expert panels presented by major school bus manufacturers at the Green Bus Summit centered on the theme of industry flexibility and resilience amid questions about the future of federal funding.

Blue Bird: The Right Bus for the Right Route: Managing Mixed Fleets

Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, oversees a fleet of 5,620 electric, propane, gasoline and diesel school buses. Electric school buses, he said, are purchased using government funding, operate on shorter metro routes, and are placed on routes where depot facilities already have power on site. Propane has been good for the state because of reduced maintenance costs and gasoline buses are used sparsely in more remote areas.

No matter the fuel, he said good working relationships are needed with districts so implementation goes smoothly.

Stephen Whaley, eastern alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird, reviewed the current powertrain energy options of diesel, gasoline, propane and electric as well as their acquisition price tags and approximate range. Most school bus down time results from diesel aftertreatment requirements, he reminded.

Over 2,000 Blue Bird electric school buses are deployed in 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, shared Brad Beauchamp, the OEM’s EV product segment leader. “We’re continuing to evolve this product to give you better range,” he confirmed.

He added that a DC fast charge solution is better than Level 2 AC, but a yard planning option is best for long-term fleet electrification goals.

Tom Hopkins, business development manager for drivetrain manufacturer and longtime Blue Bird propane partner ROUSH CleanTech, reviewed the cost savings that buses running on safe, clean, domestically produced, affordable propane Autogas produce compared to diesel.

Whaley reviewed the easy-to-implement and scalable propane infrastructure. While alternative fuel tax credits are generally available, he said he’s not sure they will be renewed by Congress. Even without those incentives, those fueling and maintenance cost savings add up to a savings over diesel, he added.

CowFartBus: A Zero Carbon Alternative for Existing Diesel Buses

Robert Friedman, managing director for CowFartBus powered by Demi Diesel Displacer and Neufuel, explained the company’s mission of converting existing diesel school buses to run on one tank of renewable natural gas (RNG) and another of diesel. There’s no compromise in vehicle or fleet logistics and no need to buy new buses, he said.

He added that Renewable natural gas fueling pressure is lower than regular CNG, so the affordable filling station is simply 2-feet by 2-feet. The bus can still run solely on diesel, if needed. He explained that 26 buses can be converted to CowFartBus for the price of one new electric school bus, resulting in optimal sustainability.

Friedman confirmed the refitted buses’ durability in harsh altitude and weather conditions, as they are being used in multiple districts including Eagle County School District in Colorado, which has six of these buses and is adding eight more with plans to convert the whole fleet.

“We’ve been so happy with this system and see the promise in it,” said Joe Reen, the district’s executive director of operations.

He relayed that the budget is tight with a driver shortage necessitating that 20 buses each run about 100 miles a day in rapidly changing altitude and weather conditions. But the buses do not experience power loss. Even 30-year bus drivers like them, he shared.

Some community members desire greater environmental sustainability while others want cost savings, and CowFartBus hits both those points, he said. It was a good alternative for his district, Reen added, since electric doesn’t work for their region.

“There’s not a single silver bullet,” Friedman agreed.

Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, oversees transportation of 170,000 students a day on 5,620 buses with an average route length of 70 miles, consuming 11 million gallons of fuel per year. He said a big draw for the state was that the RNG complements diesel but doesn’t replace it. Charleston School District near the coast is currently running two CowFartBuses, and Patrick said he is looking to acquire 50 more.

Both districts reported high satisfaction levels from the drivers, which is good news for driver retention efforts.

Friedman recommended converting older buses if manufacturer warranty is a concern but confirmed that CowFartBus covers the warranty on buses they convert. “Our longest running bus has 800,000 miles on it,” CowFartBus Director Sam Johnson added.

Related: (STN Podcast E252) Onsite at STN EXPO East in Charlotte: School Bus Technology Interviews
Related: Gallery: Ride and Drive at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Related: Gallery: Second Day of STN EXPO East Green Bus, Technology Sessions
Related: WATCH: STN EXPO East 2025
Related: The State of Green School Buses
Related: Propane ‘Easy Button’ to Replace Diesel School Buses, STN EXPO Panel Claims

Maintenance Tools from IC Bus

Regional Sales Manager Marc Trucby reviewed updated aspects of OnCommand Connection, a platform that comes standard on all IC buses since 2023 and collects vehicle health data through factory or aftermarket telematics devices.

He also shared information about a prospecting tool that helps districts find green bus funding and a partnership with Sourcewell for streamlining the RFP and bid process.

Gregory Baze, IC’s national account manager for parts, discussed the Repairlink solution that is designed to provide school bus repair shops with 24/7 online parts ordering. It gives technicians an easy way to connect with dealers and suppliers for fast, accurate parts sourcing and communications.

The new addition helps school bus technicians more efficiently search for and reorder the parts they need from a larger inventory selection, he explained. A VIN-based catalog, saved shopping carts, price comparisons and coupon discounts are additional benefits.

“You are essentially your own dealer looking up your parts,” he said.

Attendees asked about various aspects of placing orders and Baze provided details on how school bus mechanics and technicians can do so.

For security purposes, districts can only enter information for school buses they own and operate and save the data into the system so they can shop by bus for any specific parts it needs. Baze confirmed that contracted buses are also eligible for Repairlink and that customer service can work with districts to complete this.

“We do a lot beyond buses,” Baze concluded.

Thomas Built Buses: ICE – The Future Outlook for Traditional & Alternate Fuels in School Buses

Thomas Built Buses General Sales Manager Jim Crowcroft stated that diesel is still very much a part of the school bus landscape.

Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, shared that his fleet is over 80 percent diesel due to needed range. It also contains over 500 propane buses, which he said have about half the range but lower operating costs and fewer maintenance issues. While his electric school buses (ESBs) come with range concerns, he said that district collaboration is key to improvement.

Amidst upheavals in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and federal government funding, the panelists reiterated OEM commitment to both ICE and electric options to serve customer needs.

“It’s our job to learn what your goals are and support you though it, whether you’re looking at diesel or other alternative fuels,” said Kelly Rivera, general manager for school bus dealer Carolina Thomas.

Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas, said he sees diesel and octane as a bridge to greater sustainability until ESB Total Cost of Ownership and price parity are achieved. Cummins’ Francisco Lagunas, the North America bus segment general manager, noted that the company’s octane engine will be available by January 2026 and the B7.2 diesel engine by January 2027.

Chaaya said that despite uncertainty in government funding, several U.S. states indicate a firm commitment to school bus electrification, plus both the knowledge and support networks are only growing stronger.

“By the end of the year a lot more clarity will come around,” he predicted.

Rivera pointed out that diesel buses are now being manufactured with cleaner engines by default. Lagunas added that manufacturing cleaner diesel buses increases their price while ESB manufacturing is becoming cheaper as that product improves.

“We need to diversify,” he said of OEMs.

Patrick spoke to the importance of proactive training when rolling out school buses with a different fuel or energy source than technicians are used to.

Chaaya confirmed that dealers and school districts are all included in the collaborative decision on what an OEM manufactures. “We want to thrive, not just survive in this ecosystem,” he said.

The panelists agreed that clarity, communication and speedy dialogue with the EPA is helpful for unified, stable OEM decisions and concrete answers to districts. “In absence of decision making, rumors and anxiety run wild,” Chaaya commented.

The speakers also expressed optimism for the future as student transporters are a resilient group. “It’s a really exciting time to be in student transportation as there are lots of products out there to meet your challenges,” Rivera concluded.

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During STN EXPO East in Charlotte, North Carolina, STN Publisher Tony Corpin caught up with several friends in the school bus supplier market and found out about their new and exciting products and developments.

Francisco Lagunas, general manager of the North American bus market for Cummins, provides updates on the highly anticipated new B7.2 diesel and Octane engines.

Mike Ippolito, chief operating officer for School Radio, covers the safety benefits of modernized two-way radio communications, including AI voice transcription of calls.

Steve Randazzo, chief growth officer for BusPatrol America, talks illegal passing reduction efforts including stop-arm camera enforcement solutions at no upfront cost to school districts.

Transportation Supervisor Todd Silverthorn and Assistant Transportation Supervisor Henry Mullen share about operations at Kettering City Schools, Ohio. They’re joined by John Daniels, vice president of marketing for technology partner Transfinder.

Plus, hear how attendees onsite are combating the school bus driver shortage.

Read more about the conversations at STN EXPO East.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Ride.

Interview with Buspatrol. 

Interview with Cummins. 

Interview with School Radio. 

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

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CONCORD, N.C. — Taking place at the famous Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit Technology Demonstration and Ride & Drive Experience showcased the latest advancements in green school buses and transportation solutions on March 23, 2025 during STN EXPO East.

Attendees were treated to a hands-on experience with various transportation technology demonstrations and green buses, including electric, propane and other alternative fuel vehicles. School transportation professionals were able to ride the latest models and learn about their features while driving around the Charlotte Motor Speedway track.

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(Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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CONCORD, N.C. — STN EXPO East in North Carolina wrapped up with a Trade Show featuring vendors from technology companies to OEMs to alternative transportation providers and more.

The night ended with a reception featuring food and drinks with a theme fitting for the postseason college basketball tournaments. Vendors and attendees were encouraged to show team pride by wearing their favorite basketball jerseys, team colors, or sporty chic attire.

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(Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.) 

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CONCORD, N.C. — There are three ways a person can transition themselves into a top performer: Win the mental game, own the day, and adapt and thrive.

That was the message author and trainer Scott Welle provided to attendees with his keynote address on the penultimate day of STN EXPO East and its inaugural year hosted in North Carolina.

Win the Mental Game

Welle said the average person has 50,000 thoughts a day, 80 percent of which are negative. But starting with a negative belief translates to thoughts, behaviors and results.

He shared that his brother has always been extremely smart, and growing up the speaker developed a belief that he would never be as smart as his brother. Welle said he felt demotivated, which led him not applying himself to his schoolwork. That resulting in Welle being an average. Receiving C grades, he added, furthered his belief that he was not smart.

That was until one day in college, when he decided he was going to apply himself.

“I remember waking up one day [thinking], ‘You’re paying a lot of money to be average,’” he recalled. “… It got the spiral going back in the other direction.”

Welle eventually got a master’s degree in sports psychology.

He said without his realization, he would have never had the courage to start his own business, write books and be standing in front of STN EXPO attendees Thursday morning at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord convention center. He asked attendees to think about the belief system their operation under and the story that they’re telling themselves.

Having better thoughts, gives better feelings, which leads to better results.

Out-performers are intentional, Welle commented. That not just with what they need to do every day, but how they want to show up to everything they do, every day.

“What one word/phrase describes how you want to show up on the field that represents the best version of you?” he asked attendees.

Todd Silverthorn, transportation supervisor with Kettering City Schools in Ohio, said he wants to come into any situation “full force” and be his authentic self. Being vulnerable in certain situations shows leadership, he said.

The audience shared several suggestions to be a strong leader: Make it fun, be solid, stay above the line, be positive, and stay present.

Welle said it’s important to show how you want to be perceived because that represents the best version of you. He added that defining what one actually does for a job or in life, in the very deepest meaning, rather than what they say they do provides connection on a greater level.

For example, school transportation employees don’t just drive or route school buses, they provide access to transportation. Remind yourself of your purpose, when days are longest and arduous, and when having unpleasant parent conversations, he advised.

Own The Day

The next piece of advice Welle provided was owning the day before the day owns you. He said the hardest part of the day is getting something started. He provided ways to own the day, such as being grateful, challenging oneself, focusing and organizing, self-care, and exercise.

He asked attendees to turn toward to their neighbor and share one thing that they’re grateful for. Many shared they’re grateful for family, career, health, and to be at STN EXPO. He said the human brain can’t have simultaneous competing thoughts, meaning one can’t be grateful and also negative, jealous or angry.

Welle said changing one’s mindset to think about what’s good doesn’t allow them to reflect on the bad, or what is lacking. One attendee shared she lost her two parents, a step-parent) and her two brothers within a seven-year span. That resulted in her being grateful for her life. She said she couldn’t let herself fall into depression but instead had to fight through the pain and keep going.

The attendee said when she says good morning, she means it, because it’s another day she wakes up alive.

“A lot of kids don’t hear good morning from their parents,” she said of the importance of sharing joy with students. “We have to remember who we are servicing.We have to be resilient.”

Welle also lost both of his parents in the before his 38th birthday. He added that there were days he couldn’t get out of bed. But he, too, had to focus on being grateful and carrying on his family legacy through the lessons his parents taught him.

The road construction in life is the barriers and distractions that are blocking you from focusing on the things that matter and that you can control, Welle added. To be in control, one needs to automate, delegate and eliminate.

“Outperformers think strategically on how to clear the path to make it simpler to have success,” he said.

Related: How Out-performers Optimize Resources
Related: Gallery: Second Day of STN EXPO East Green Bus, Technology Session
Related: Donning a Leadership Cap
Related: NAPT Awards Highlight Individuals for Outstanding Achievements, Excellence

Adapt & Thrive

“Shift happens,” Welle said. “We have to be able to respond to it. How do we adapt and thrive, when, not if? Change happens, stress happens, uncertainty happens.”

He said the people who experience the most hardships, suffering and adversity become the most resilient. He said people all know they need to get back up, but they want to have to get knocked down first.

He asked attendees to recall a difficult time in their life when they couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. He said to use that experience as a reference point, as it taught resilience, strength and internal dialogue.

“If I got through that, I can get through this,” he said, adding that outperformers use their experiences to show what they’re capable of. “Don’t discount the tough stuff that you’ve been through in your life.”

However, Welle said, no one outperforms without the support of others. He recalled running a 100-mile ultramarathon. There was a point he wanted to quit, but his friends pushed him to keep going.

“As you think about adapting and thriving in your life, choose the people you surround yourself with wisely,” he said. “People that don’t just love and support you, but who will also call you out and tell you what you don’t want to hear but what you need to hear.”

He said it’s the small wins that stack up over time that lead to massive movements and massive outcomes. He said it’s not about getting to the top of the ladder, but just to next rung. What is the next milestone, benchmark, small win?

Becoming an out-performer happens one step at a time.

“The main thing is, [Welle] made me realize who I am as a person, that I don’t give myself credit, that I have a lot on my plate, but I do a good job with it,” Paul Johnson, transportation manager for Wicomico County Public Schools in Maryland told School Transportation News following the session. “It motivates me to go further.”

Johnson said he related to Welle. All through his life, he said he felt that he was the average person. He added that he believes he has other levels to achieve and wants to show his drivers, associations and specialists that they, too, can reach another level.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Monday opened with a general session on school bus Cellular-V2X technology and possibilities, and a keynote address by Scott Welle, author of ‘Outperform the Norm.’

Multiple Bus Technology Labs featuring live demos and hand-on exercises were held throughout the day, as well as informative Green Bus Summit panels hosted by school bus OEMs. The day was capped off by the Trade Show and Networking Madness Reception featuring a March Madness basketball theme.

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Photos by Vince Rios Creative & STN staff. 

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CONCORD, N.C. – A panel featuring transportation director experiences shared the process and benefits of transitioning a school bus operation from diesel to propane.

Stephen Whaley, the eastern region alternative fuels manager for session sponsor Blue Bird, reviewed the growing interest in greener fuels due to increasingly strict emissions standards on diesel. Echoing his point from the previous day’s Green Bus Summit session, he said propane was “the easy button” when switching from diesel due to its popularity, accessibility, affordability, safety, environmental friendliness, and ultra-low NOx emissions.

“If you go to propane, my prediction is that you won’t go back.”

– Joel Stutheit, Senior Manager of Autogas, Propane Education & Research Council

Trey Studstill, senior executive director of transportation for Paulding County School District located northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, oversees the transportation of 21,000 students a day. He said he had no intentions to depart from diesel but, purchased 30 propane school buses in 2015 at his superintendent’s suggestion for cost-effectiveness and environmental consciousness.

Having some apprehension about fueling infrastructure, Studstill said his department did copious research and found a good partner that handles much of the minutia. He provided data reflecting a 43 cent cost per mile savings compared to diesel.

Both Studstill and Dennis Ryan, coordinator of transportation for North Penn School District near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shared that Blue Bird’s autogas system partner, ROUSH CleanTech, was helpful during the research and planning stage.

Ryan said his district appreciates the fuel cost savings, which amounts to 13 cents per mile over diesel. Additionally, he said, students enjoy the cleaner air around the buses and drivers are happier with a quieter bus. He cited a Georgia State University study, which compared school districts that operate lower-emission school buses equipped with diesel emissions retrofits to higher emitting diesel buses. Researchers found that student test scores in the districts with the retrofitted buses improved.

“For us at least, it’s a no-brainer.”

– Trey Studstill, Senior Executive Director of Transportation, Paulding County School District (Ga.)

While Ryan said some drivers took longer to warm up to propane buses, Studstill noted that a preemptive education campaign and hands-on experience helped convince drivers initially opposed to the idea.

“For us at least, it’s a no-brainer,” Studstill said. “That’s been our super’s [modus operandi]: ‘What’s best for the students?’”

Joel Stutheit, senior manager of Autogas for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and a former school district director in Washington state, noted that the cleaner-burning propane gives maintenance benefits, in addition to costing less than diesel. Upon implementation, he said he worked with specific drivers open to trying out the propane buses but revealed that vehicles quickly became high demand with other drivers.

While propane infrastructure is usually the hardest piece of the implementation, Whaley noted, Stutheit said that process is still simple, safe and costs about $60,000. That is much more cost-effective than implementing electric infrastructure, he noted. Stutheit and Whaley added that propane is even less expensive upfront when a school district works with a propane provider on a subscription basis or starts with a portable tank like what PERC offers.

“Plan for the future,” Stutheit recommended. “If you go to propane, my prediction is that you won’t go back.”

He advocated conducting fueling training with school bus drivers and local fire departments for greater understanding all around.

Related: Gallery: Ride & Drive Caps Day of Technology Demos, Green Energy Panels
Related: Propane Bus Grant Provides Funding Opportunities for Missouri Districts
Related: The State of Green School Buses
Related: Students, Staff at Illinois District Approve of Propane School Buses
Related: School Districts Replace Diesel Buses with Propane, Electric
Related: School Bus Contractors Share Why They Switched to Propane

Whaley shared that the Alternative Fuel Station Locator published by the U.S. Department of Energy pin-points locations where propane school buses can refuel when on field or activity trips. A local Clean Cities organization can provide districts with additional help on funding sources and vendor partners, he said.

While the purchase price of a propane bus could cost as much or more than a diesel, Stutheit noted that in the long run the propane cost savings from tax incentives and reduced maintenance costs are realized.

Studstill answered an attendee question on maintenance comparisons. “In every respect, propane is a pro, not a con,” he said. “The things you don’t have to do [on a propane bus] are where the savings are.”

Ryan and Stutheit agreed that they could find no shortcomings with propane school buses. All panelists agreed that training is key in a successful propane implementation, which is provided for free according to Tom Hopkins, business development manager for ROUSH CleanTech.

Studstill and Whaley explained that if a correct pump size is installed, districts should see no change in fueling times in either hot or cold weather. All three transportation directors reported a range of about 300 miles per tank, enough to comfortably complete bus routes and activity trips.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Both Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit sessions and demonstrations were held throughout Sunday, beginning with addresses from Nicole Portee, associate superintendent of operations at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, and Charles Kriete, president and CEO of Zonar.

Supplier representatives and student transporters led live demos and informative panels on various topics of green energy and modern technology.

Conference sessions were also held on transporting students with disabilities, shop management, the “Danger Zone” at school bus stops, routing for school startup, and the leadership challenge.

Dinner and drinks were served during that evening’s Bus Technology Summit/Green Bus Summit Technology Demonstration and Green Bus Ride & Drive Experience at the world renowned Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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Photos by Vince Rios Creative & STN staff. 

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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

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CONCORD, N.C. — More questions than answers currently exist on what the funding future of clean school buses will look like, following program cuts, elimination of EV mandates, and executive orders from the Trump administration.

Joe Annotti, the vice president of incentives for TRC Clean Transportation Solutions, attempted to provide some clarity in “an era of deregulation” on Sunday during STN EXPO East in Charlotte. He noted that despite the belief stated by media that President Donald Trump is making unprecedented changes and reevaluations of agencies and programs, the actions are normal. Annotti relayed that presidents come in all the time, stop and relook at programs, before funds get flowing again.

He referenced 2005, when former President Goerge Bush altered federal grant structures to states by moving to “blocks,” and when former President Barack Obama immediately cut 5 percent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) operating budget.

What is unprecedented, however, is the amount of funding being allocated to school buses, primarily clean school buses. That, by way of the Clean School Bus Program, is now in peril.

Meanwhile, Annotti said there are currently over 700 clean transportation state and local incentive programs. Of those, 124 could fund school bus projects, whereas 26 prioritize or exclusively fund school bus projects. He said $3 billion is available from the combined 124 programs, yet more than half of that ($1.8 billion) funds the 26 school bus eligible programs.

In his opinion, he said those 26 programs are the ones on the Trump administration’s chopping block.

“Gone are the days for the flat rate voucher incentives,” he said, adding there’s a renewed focus on cost-effectiveness. Federal programs covering 80 percent of the cost of the bus is probably a thing of the past.

Of the 124 programs that could fund school buses, 25 are exclusive to battery-electric and 50 of them are located in California, he added.

He discussed expectations, such as federal agencies may terminate award programs that no longer effectuate goals or agency priorities. He noted that multiple grant programs across agencies are cancelled or modified or modified.

Annotti answered attendee questions and said that in terms of the EPA Clean School Bus Program funding, rounds 3 and 4 are where he sees disruptions. Round 1, he said, is done. Round 2 awards were issued, and most are under a contractual agreement, which he said leads him to believe they are safe.

Round 3 has not yet been awarded, and the EPA has not yet issued funding decisions, which may never happen, he noted. He said Round 4, which was supposed to be announced later this year or early next, is not on his funding calendar at all.

He clarified that if the program is cut, projects would be funded up until the day that announcement is made. Any purchases made prior to a decision would still be funded.

As for the possibility of manufacturers raising their school bus prices due to the impending Trump tariffs, he said the EPA won’t allocate more award funds than called for in the original contract agreement.

Related: Blog: The State of Green School Buses
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Related: STN EXPO East Offers Sports Lessons for Transportation Leadership
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Annotti advised attendees to assess what stage in the federal reward process they are in, whether they’ve actually won award, if they’ve spent federal money, or they’re in the process of purchasing. He advised fleets to act cautiously, as money is not guaranteed, adding that when writing grants fleets need to recognize the changed priorities and tailor their message to the audience.

“Change your tune when asking for funding,” he said, noting that attendees need to consider how their proposed project is benefiting the EPA’s latest priorities. “Match with what they need to hear, not what you want to say.”

He said current unpopular topics with the feds include: Regulations, DEI/community engagement, and renewable energy. Popular topics include: Tariffs, deregulation, economic development and fossil fuels.

TRC is hosting the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo next month in Anaheim, California. School Transportation News is an official media sponsor of the event.

The post Future of Electric School Bus Funding Remains Unknown, Warns Expert appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. – Charles Kriete, Zonar president and CEO, gave a variation of a TED Talk by sharing how technology solutions are a key part of helping student transporters carry out their mission of student service.

While student transporters may think they’re in the school bus business, there’s more to it, Kriete said during Sunday morning’s CEO Talk. He pointed out the pitfalls of such shortsighted thinking, illustrated by the replacement of ice providers by refrigerators and of Blockbuster by Netflix.

“We’re not in the bus business, we’re in the business of access to education,” he said.

Technology is a big part of that, he continued. He noted that education funding is uncertain as of late, necessitating that student transporters continue doing more with less.

Kriete quoted from a recent survey, in which STN readers identified their top five areas of interest: driver behavior and retention, student behavior, fleet safety management, student tracking and parent communication, and preventive maintenance. He then shared examples of how technology can help each area.

While showing the audience a picture of a yellow school bus, he stated, “At Zonar we don’t think of this as a bus, we think of it as a rolling data hub.” Telematics, driver dash cameras, verified inspection, child check alarms, predictive maintenance, driver tablets, tire pressure monitoring, emergency exits, stop arm systems, and student ridership technology work together to bring form the hub.

Echoing the day’s opening message given by Nicole Portee, associate superintendent of operations at nearby Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, Kriete explained why it’s crucial to see various aspects of school bus operation, the district’s educational system, and governmental funding and mandates as one interconnected ecosystem which affect, and are affected by, each other.

“It’s easy to fix one problem and create another,” he cautioned. This, he said, is why Zonar offers various aspects of harmonious technology.

Kriete shared that half the school buses in the U.S. are on track to be equipped with fleet management technology by 2028, signaling a massive shift toward data-driven decision making. The present is a good time to get started on this goal if a district hasn’t already.

“Every day your team brings their best. Will your technology?” questioned a video he showed.

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Photos by Vince Rios Creative

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CONCORD, N.C. – During the exclusive Transportation Director Summit at STN EXPO East, author and trainer Scott Welle shared aspects of sports psychology to enhance leadership in the workplace.

Take Care of You

“You cannot get the best out of others if you cannot get the best out of you,” Welle told the room of student transportation supervisors and vendor partners at Topgolf Charlotte – South.

He reminded listeners to stay present in the moment and to strike a balance between high achievement and personal fulfillment.

It all starts with a belief system. About 80 percent of an average person’s 50,000 daily thoughts are negative, Welle shared. “Our beliefs drive our thoughts, which drive our feelings, which drive our behaviors, which produce or don’t produce results in our lives,” he said.

“If you were mic’ed up, as far as your inner thoughts, what would we hear?” Welle, who has a master’s degree in sports psychology, questioned to sheepish laughs throughout the room. He posited that most people are capable of more than they think but are held back by lack of belief in their own prowess.

Gratefulness is key to positive thinking as it’s hard to be both grateful and negative, Welle pointed out. Recharging your batteries through breathing techniques, stress management and self-care is also important, he confirmed.

“It’s not selfish,” Welle stated. “I’m telling you to focus on yourself because that’s how you have sustained high performance.”

Transportation directors commiserated on the difficulties of taking time off but agreed that good leadership depends on it, especially since they are the go-to person for any issues in their departments.

Good Goal-Setting

Despite their popularity around the New Year season, Welle shared that only 3 percent of people set a concrete goal and around 90 percent of those fail to achieve it. Referencing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-based) goals, he advised also having DUMB (Dream Driven, Unrealistic, Meaningful, Benefits Others) goals.

There is a greater chance of success when choosing a goal that is meaningful to you, he said, a determination that is intensely personal. For instance, Welle said he is an avid marathoner and has run 34, including a 100-mile ultra marathon.

“Telling someone to be realistic is telling them to be limited,” he declared. “Any goal is achievable with an intelligent plan to accomplish it.”

The last point of a DUMB goal is significant since successful pupil transportation benefits the millions of students transported between home and school daily, he noted.

He advised using the O.P.P. framework to set goals: setting a valued Outcome which is achieved through committed Performance and a consistent Process.

If it’s hard to follow through, he suggested just looking at the next step or the next rung on the ladder and motivating the team with little wins because they count too.

He advised focusing on the intersection of things that matter and things one can control for optimal effectiveness and satisfaction.

Superman and Beyonce

Some childlike optimism and imagination is required to set up a performance-enhancing alter ego, Welle quipped.

Just as Clark Kent enters the phone booth and emerges as Superman, transportation leaders may need to tap into an alter ego in order to overcome human nature shortfalls and lead effectively, or to make hard daily decisions like personnel corrections or dismissal.

Sharon Moore, operations supervisor for Newport News Public Schools in Virginia, shared that her team can recognize her alter-ego which is “more black and white” with the rules while her normal temperament “gives more grace.”

Welle shared that he tells himself that he may fail but he “can’t not” try, so he creates a better, more enhanced version of himself that he steps into on stage.

Far from making one look fake, he stressed that doing this frees the most authentic version of oneself and eventually melds the two selves into a fully realized person, much like how Beyonce started performing under the artist persona of Sasha Fierce and is now famously known by her bold mononym.

He advised using a trigger like an article of clothing which can help a leader “step into” their alter ego and perform at a top level even if they don’t feel like it. “You can do this – there’s no reason why you can’t,” he encouraged.

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Elevating Others

Welle shared how his high school football coach performed exercises along with the team, illustrating how leaders have the choice of elevating or deflating workers.

“It all starts with meeting people where they are,” he said.

He advised starting with empathy and using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to help employees feel psychologically safe. Attendees agreed that vulnerability, communication and trust are crucial here.

Under an effective leader, Welle said, the sense of belonging will go deeper than a forgettable mission statement tucked away on a school district website. Additionally, team members will be regularly appreciated for the valued pieces of the puzzle that they are.

At the top of the Hierarchy sits self-actualization, where team members will be challenged to continually learn and grow.

The ‘Outperform the Norm’ series author closed the session with asking tables to share one concrete takeaway they will work on. “The norm does information, the outperformer does implementation,” he reminded.

Scott Welle will present a keynote session at STN EXPO East on Monday, March 24 from 10:20-11:50 a.m. EDT.

Photos below from both days of the TD Summit by Vince Rios Creative.

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CONCORD, N.C. — The second full day of training at STN EXPO East saw qualified participants bussed to Topgolf Charlotte-Southwest for the exclusive Transportation Director Summit led by sports author and trainer Scott Welle. Other participants traveled to Cabarrus County Schools for the National School Bus Inspection Training.

Back at the conference center, industry veterans and experts led sessions on student school bus captains, illegal passing, pre-k safety restraints, student homelessness, children left on school buses, and more. Violent incident applications such as driver response training, fire department collaboration, and mock casualty events were also discussed.

Attendees and vendors networked amid several food and drink stations that evening at a party hosted by HSM.

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Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.

The post Gallery: Intensive Training at STN EXPO East appeared first on School Transportation News.

The National School Bus Inspection Training commenced Friday with classroom instruction and finished Saturday with hands-on inspections and manufacturer training.

Instructors came from the South Carolina Department of Education, Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indiana, Paulding County School District in Georgia, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, and Clean Cities Long Beach in California.

Two-dozen class participants were bused Saturday morning to nearby Cabarrus County Schools, where they participated in the hands-on training, including recognizing defects on school buses that were situated throughout modernized, technologically advanced facility, dubbed locally as the “Garage Mahal.”

OEM training overview was provided by ROUSH CleanTech and Blue Bird on propane autogas systems, IC Bus on diesel emission systems, and Thomas Built Buses on high-voltage electric school buses.

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Photos by Mike Bullman and Sandy Dillman.

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