LOS ANGELES, Calif. – HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation
challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, access, and care, today announced the appointments of David Katcher as Chief Operating Officer and Tyler Baldwin as Chief Revenue Officer.

Katcher and Baldwin bring extensive leadership experience across transportation, care, and
marketplace companies. Their appointments reflect HopSkipDrive’s continued investment in
scaling its operations and expanding its national footprint to ensure all students have access to safe, reliable transportation.

David Katcher joins HopSkipDrive after serving as COO at Rula, where he led a broad portfolio of go-to-market and operational teams. Under his leadership, Rula expanded from 11 markets to national coverage and launched several new service offerings. He previously held executive rolesat Lyft and AvantStay, overseeing global operations and field teams of 600+ employees. “I’m energized by HopSkipDrive’s mission to create mobility for all, and I’m excited to build the systems and services that allow us to scale with quality,” said Katcher. “Transportation is a gateway to opportunity, and we are here to make sure that access is never out of reach.”

Tyler Baldwin joins from CharterUP, where he served as CRO and led the revenue organization through a period of rapid growth, increasing gross bookings from $120M to over $200M. He has also served in executive roles at Reali and LinkedIn, building high-performing teams and launching scalable go-to-market strategies.

“I’m thrilled to help drive the next phase of growth for HopSkipDrive,” said Baldwin. “This is a company with demonstrated product-market fit, an inspiring mission, and a platform that truly makes a difference in communities. There’s a massive opportunity to support more school districts across the country, and we’re just getting started.”

“David and Tyler are incredible leaders with a deep commitment to impact, and their expertise will be instrumental as we continue to grow and expand our footprint,” said Joanna McFarland, Co-Founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive. “Their appointments reinforce our focus on quality, safety, and service at scale as we partner with more districts and solve the complex challenges of student transportation.”

HopSkipDrive’s announcement follows a string of recent milestones, including new district
partnerships, the launch of the new RouteWise AI planning platform to help schools optimize their transportation networks, and the announcement of new safety products, features, and initiatives.

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, access, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading routing software, RouteWise AI. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than five million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

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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.

When Laura Neiswonger stepped into her role as transportation director at Redbank Valley School District less than a year ago, she was handed a complex system with a fast-approaching deadline.

Officially assuming the role in May 2023, just a few months before the new school began, she needed to make critical decisions fast—and she turned to Transfinder to help reinvent how transportation operates in the rural western Pennsylvania district.

“I got my access to Transfinder on Aug. 1,” Neiswonger said, “and school started Aug. 21 and we were fully implemented by that time.”

With more than 1,000 students to manage, including those in non-public schools, Neiswonger needed a tool that could give her better control over her entire transportation operation. She was not satisfied with the district’s existing transportation product – “It was pretty cumbersome” – and began asking neighboring Pennsylvania districts about the solutions they used.

At the same time, Neiswonger would speak to other vendors in the school transportation space. The one common theme was each vendor trying to tear down Transfinder. It was a turnoff.

“I said, ‘I want you to tell me why I should use you? What do you have to offer?’” Neiswonger said. Instead, other companies “kept putting down Transfinder. In my mind, that was a negative approach and I kind of stopped [one representative] in the middle of a sentence. I’m here to ask what you are and that basically ended the conversation because she had nothing else to say.”

With Transfinder it was a different story. First, after attending a Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) conference, she kept hearing positive things about Transfinder from attendees. Transfinder kept coming up during training sessions at the PASBO conference.

On her first day back at the office she told her superintendent and business manager it would be a good idea to see a Transfinder demo. Next thing she knew, a Transfinder sales representative was calling her.

“And that’s where it all began. Transfinder did a much better job at portraying what they had to offer without putting down any other company,” she said.

Neiswonger liked what she heard and saw from Transfinder.

“It just blew my mind. It is easy and intuitive,” she said. “And the fact that I was able to implement it in just three weeks goes to show you just how amazing Transfinder is.”

She quickly moved from exploration to acting decisively.

Redbank Valley, with its 44 vehicles and 89 routes, covers a large, rural area. The routing complexities range from geocoding unmapped rural students to navigating unpredictable infrastructure delays like bridge closures.

“At the beginning of the year we had several bridge projects within the district that caused significant delays to morning and afternoon traffic,” she said. “Once these bridge projects are over, we’ll be able to shave five to 10 minutes off these routes.”

Neiswonger leans heavily on the award-winning Routefinder PLUS to overcome these hurdles.

“Everything is going great,” she said.

For example, setting up nightly and midday imports from the district’s student information system allows for near real-time updates to routing assignments. Having a scheduled midday import has been a game changer.

“It automatically pulls from my SIS into Routefinder PLUS and that allows me to make changes in the afternoon,” she said.

Routefinder PLUS also helps her address any concerns in her district. For example, one parent of a special needs student who had insisted his child’s bus ride was an hour and 20 minutes was able to see his child’s time on the bus was not that long.

One of the standout aspects of Transfinder’s suite for Neiswonger is Viewfinder, which provides visibility to administrators and secretaries across all buildings. It’s been especially helpful in those chaotic first weeks of school.

“The whole first week of school there were only two missed buses the first week. With 1,000 students transported, I call that a win.”

Viewfinder also revealed gaps in previous processes—like the case of a student who had been riding the wrong bus for two years without anyone noticing.

With Viewfinder, the secretary could see the discrepancy. It turned out the family had moved and never told the school, and the bus driver just kept doing what they’d always done,

“Drivers tend to do what they want because they’ve been doing it forever,” she said. Neiswonger explained. This tool helped everyone get back on track.

And when Neiswonger was away at a conference, she used Viewfinder to print ridership reports for the secretaries for quick reference as a backup.

Meanwhile, Stopfinder, launched mid-year as a soft rollout, is proving to be another essential resource for the community, letting parents know bus stop information as well as information on a bus run.

One day when Neiswonger was supposed to be off, she started getting calls about a road closure. From home she was above to divert buses and notify parents that their children would be arriving home late.

“It’s been really nice to have that tool,” she said. “When a bus is delayed for any reason, I can push out notifications.” Neiswonger also likes the feedback she receives with two-way communication. “I get messages from parents letting me know so-and-so is not going to ride this week, you don’t have to stop at my house.”

Stopfinder is expected to play a starring role this summer when Neiswonger sends out bus assignments. Rather than fielding hundreds of calls, she plans to direct parents to the app.

Neiswonger said she is pleased with the innovative technology Transfinder has created and happy with the support the company provides.

“Anytime I needed anything I was getting a call in minutes,” she said. “If I need something, I’ll call and someone will pick up the phone.”

It’s why she is quick to add: “I’m a big fan of Transfinder.”

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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LOS ANGELES, Cali. -HopSkipDrive today announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind AI-driven transportation planning platform as part of its RouteWise AI software.

This new offering delivers a major advancement to school districts focused on safe, reliable, and efficient transportation options. It provides comprehensive visibility into unlimited scenarios and national benchmarks, with artificial intelligence analyzing thousands of possibilities, including the risk of delays at existing bus stops and the impact of changing bell times.

Launched in 2023, HopSkipDrive’s RouteWise AI software has helped dozens of school districts around the country improve on-time arrivals, reduce transportation cost by up to 20%, and address chronic labor shortages.

For instance, Denver Public Schools implemented RouteWise AI’s suggestion of increasing the efficiency of small vehicles, leading to savings of more than $500,000 annually. And in Colorado Springs’ District 11, efficiency went up 46% when RouteWise AI increased the share of high-utilization bus routes (defined as 30 students or more), using the same number of drivers and addressing the district’s shortage.

“We’ve been working with RouteWise AI to assess our operational efficiency and support our district in sustaining operations through a driver shortage,” said Veronica Schmidt, transportation director, Snohomish School District in Snohomish, Wash. ”RouteWise AI brings together all of our data – ridership, history traffic, route policies and more – to deliver detailed optimization recommendations that aren’t possible with our current tools.”

The new RouteWise AI dashboard gives district leadership insights into the metrics that matter, including student ride times, costs per rider, and bus utilization rates. Users can compare these metrics against national averages, allowing them to benchmark against peers and track improvements. HopSkipDrive’s team of transportation and change management experts collaborate on the best transportation plan for each district that fit into existing routing software or platforms.

In addition, RouteWise AI is collaborating with EZTransportation, a leading transportation management platform, to deliver seamless end-to-end experiences for school district staff. This reinforces the RouteWise AI “Compatibility Promise” to ensure complementary efforts with, and not replacements to, districts’ existing technologies. This includes the range of solutions EZTransportation provides, such as daily route management, school and parent communication, driver management, fleet maintenance, and activity trip coordination.

“School districts often lack the time or resources to quickly analyze transportation data in one place and implement meaningful changes,” explained Corey McMahon, HopSkipDrive Chief Product and Technology Officer. “RouteWise AI bridges that gap, providing schools’ decision makers, board members and other officials actionable insights directly from their existing routing systems to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately improve student outcomes.”

School districts across the country, including Ohio County Schools in West Virginia, and dozens more, have utilized RouteWise AI. With RouteWise AI and its care-centered transportation marketplace, HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools.

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading routing software, RouteWise AI. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly-vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than three million rides over 61 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

The post HopSkipDrive Launches New AI-Powered School Transportation Dashboard, Increasing Visibility and Efficiency Across Districts’ Transportation Systems appeared first on School Transportation News.

BYRON CENTER, Mich. — Pro-Vision, a leader in mobile video technology, proudly announces the release of its enhanced second-generation Stop Arm Camera. This cutting-edge camera solution builds upon the success of its predecessor in delivering increased low-light capabilities, reduced installation time, and improved evidence collection, further supporting school districts in their mission to safeguard student passengers.

The Pro-Vision Gen2 Stop Arm Camera captures crystal-clear video evidence of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses, a crucial step in enhancing student safety. Featuring superior low-light performance and AI-based computer vision, the Gen2 model ensures accurate footage and reduced false positives under the most challenging conditions.

“Our goal is always to innovate and improve the technology that keeps our children safe,” said Corey Mathews, Director of Sales for the school transportation segment. “With the Gen2 Stop Arm Camera, we’ve taken a significant step forward in protecting students and assisting schools and authorities in enforcing stop arm violations.”

Designed with simplicity in mind, the Gen2 Stop Arm Camera easily integrates with Pro-Vision’s existing school bus camera systems. Its robust design allows for seamless installation and low-maintenance operation, ensuring minimal downtime and maximizing safety on every route.

Additional key features of the Gen2 Stop Arm Camera include:

• Enhanced image clarity for precise identification of vehicles and license plates.
• Added infrared illumination for capturing license plates in low-light situations.
• Automatic violation detection and plate recognition of illegal-passing vehicles to reduce false positives and simplify enforcement.
• Integrates with CloudConnect software, allowing school districts and law enforcement easier access and management of recorded incidents.

Pro-Vision remains dedicated to creating innovative solutions that make roads safer for everyone, especially our children traveling to and from school.

About Pro-Vision

Founded in 2003, Pro-Vision is a global leader in mobile video technology, delivering innovative solutions that enhance safety, improve efficiency, and protect vital assets. The company’s comprehensive suite of products includes vehicle video recording systems, body-worn cameras, data management tools, and cloud-based storage solutions. Trusted by partners in transit, public safety, and commercial industries, Pro-Vision’s technology helps organizations operate more securely and effectively. For more information, visit provisionusa.com.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fleetio, a leading fleet optimization software platform, today announced the acquisition of Auto Integrate, the premier maintenance authorization platform, in a landmark deal establishing Fleetio as a preferred solution for fleet maintenance. The company announced simultaneously the successful closing of over $450 million to finance the acquisition, valuing the combined business at over $1.5 billion. The round was co-led by existing Fleetio investor Elephant and new investor Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives.

This strategic union creates a platform designed with customer-centricity to serve fleet operators of all sizes across North America. The combined entity will service over 8 million vehicles and process more than 13 million repair orders per year through its network of 110,000+ repair shops across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“This acquisition is transformative for our ability to equip customers with the simplest and most efficient solution for fleet maintenance and management,” said Jon Meachin, CEO of Fleetio. “By bringing together Fleetio’s comprehensive fleet optimization capabilities with Auto Integrate’s specialized maintenance authorization network, we’re creating a truly customer-focused, end-to-end solution that addresses the most critical pain points fleet operators face today.”

“From day one, our focus has been on one simple question: how can we create the most value for our customers?” said Fleetio Founder and Board Chair, Tony Summerville. “Bringing Fleetio and Auto Integrate together is a game-changer for both fleets and repair shops, ensuring a seamless, more connected maintenance experience. Whether a shop does a little or a lot of fleet business, this combination eliminates friction and makes it easier than ever for shops to work with more fleets.”

Auto Integrate’s software enables repair shops to electronically submit repair orders for approval, dramatically reducing vehicle downtime and improving operational efficiency. This capability will fully integrate with Fleetio’s comprehensive platform, creating a seamless experience for businesses managing complex maintenance operations.

“Our customers have consistently asked for a more integrated approach to maintenance management,” said Terry Bartlett, CEO of Auto Integrate, who will join Fleetio’s executive leadership team. “By joining forces with Fleetio, we’re able to deliver exactly what they need – a unified platform that eliminates communication barriers between fleet operators and repair facilities, and ultimately keeps vehicles on the road longer at lower costs.”

Fleetio is committed to substantial investments in research and development to further enhance Auto Integrate’s platform and to integrate its functionality within the Fleetio ecosystem. These investments will directly benefit existing Fleetio and Auto Integrate customers, including Fleet Management Companies (FMCs), rental car operators, repair shops, and other vendors, while expanding capabilities for Fleetio’s growing customer base.

“Jon, Tony, and Terry are brilliant business operators. Combining their two companies creates a vast dataset of maintenance operations that can unlock unique insights into fleet maintenance trends and predictive maintenance opportunities,” said Brendon Hardin, Vice President with Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives who is also joining the Board. “This isn’t just about growing the business – it’s about Fleetio’s unwavering commitment to customer success.”

“Fleetio’s strategic acquisition of Auto Integrate represents precisely the kind of transformative opportunity Elephant seeks to support, one that fundamentally elevates the customer experience by combining powerful, complementary technologies,” said Jeremiah Daly at Elephant. “We are excited to deepen our partnership with Fleetio as they continue to redefine what’s possible in fleet maintenance and proudly support their vision for a streamlined, end-to-end ecosystem that enhances operational efficiency for North America’s fleets.”

About Fleetio:
Fleetio, the leading fleet optimization platform, provides comprehensive solutions and resources to run, repair and optimize vehicles and assets, allowing fleets to gain control of what’s happening today, stay ahead of what’s coming tomorrow and confidently deliver results for their business. Founded in 2012, the company’s cloud-based platform and mobile app arm fleets with the tools they need to stay on top of preventive maintenance, extend the life of business assets, reduce downtime and maximize the utilization of service vehicles. Fleetio’s marketplace supports a vast maintenance provider network, enabling fleets to efficiently manage outsourced maintenance and repair. Fleetio powers more than 7,500 public and private fleets of all sizes in more than 100 countries across a wide array of industries.

About Elephant Partners:
Elephant is a venture capital firm focused on the enterprise software, consumer internet and mobile markets.

About Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs:
Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is one of the leading investors in alternatives globally, with over $500 billion in assets and more than 30 years of experience. The business invests in the full spectrum of alternatives including private equity, growth equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, sustainability, and hedge funds. Clients access these solutions through direct strategies, customized partnerships, and open-architecture programs.

The business is driven by a focus on partnership and shared success with its clients, seeking to deliver long-term investment performance drawing on its global network and deep expertise across industries and markets.

The alternative investments platform is part of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, which delivers investment and advisory services across public and private markets for the world’s leading institutions, financial advisors and individuals. Goldman Sachs has more than $3.1 trillion in assets under supervision globally as of December 31, 2024.

Since 2003, Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives has invested over $13 billion in companies led by visionary founders and CEOs. The team focuses on investments in growth stage and technology-driven companies spanning multiple industries, including enterprise technology, financial technology, consumer and healthcare.

The post Fleetio Raises over $450 Million Series D and Acquires Auto Integrate to Create Customer-Centric One-Stop-Shop for Fleet Maintenance 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.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -Transit Technologies, a leading provider of powerful, seamless transit solutions, has officially acquired busHIVE, a renowned transportation management software provider. busHIVE offers a suite of customizable solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency for school bus contractors, school districts, and motorcoach operators. Their platform addresses critical aspects of transportation management, including:

Trip and Charter Management: Streamlining the scheduling and dispatching of trips and charters, allowing for efficient resource allocation, billing and payroll. Personnel and Driver Compliance: Monitoring and managing driver qualifications, certifications, and compliance requirements to ensure safety and regulatory adherence. Vehicle Preventative Maintenance: Providing tools for scheduling and tracking maintenance activities, inventory management, and work order generation to prolong vehicle lifespan and reduce downtime.

busHIVE’s flexible and user-friendly software has been instrumental in assisting transportation operations to effectively organize workflows, reduce manual processes, and enhance data accessibility. Their commitment to innovation and client collaboration has positioned them as a trusted partner in the transportation industry.

Gerry Leonard, CEO of Transit Technologies, emphasized the significance of this acquisition:

“This is more than a strategic expansion; it’s a leap towards a future where transit is more efficient, reliable, and inclusive. By integrating busHIVE’s advanced platform, we are not just streamlining operations; we’re setting new benchmarks for what transit systems can achieve. We are very excited about the significant value busHIVE will add to Transit Technologies’ already robust technology platform serving the K-12 market today, and is a perfect complement to our acquisition of Chicago-based ByteCurve in August of 2024.”

The synergy between Transit Technologies’ mission to revolutionize mobility for all and busHIVE’s transportation management solution creates a robust platform that enhances operational efficiency and meets the evolving demands of modern student transportation.

About Transit Technologies:‍
Transit Technologies is the leading provider of powerful, seamless transit solutions, creating a more connected and accessible world for all. The company’s mission is to ultimately build a network of innovative transportation solutions that provide safe, efficient, and reliable transit, to mobilize organizations and enrich communities. With deep expertise and a comprehensive network of transit solutions, Transit Technologies meets any mobility need, reducing costs, maximizing service delivery, and ensuring safe and efficient community movement.

About busHIVE:
busHIVE is a leading transportation management software company specializing in trip and charter management, personnel compliance, and vehicle preventative maintenance. Their customizable solutions cater to school bus contractors, school districts, and motorcoach operators, enabling clients to streamline operations, ensure safety compliance, and maintain efficient fleet management. With a focus on innovation and client collaboration, busHIVE continues to drive advancements in transportation technology.

The post Transit Technologies Announces Strategic Acquisition to Integrate Cutting-Edge Trip and Charter Management Capabilities Into Its Market-Leading K-12 Solutions 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.

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