SCHENECTADY, N.Y. and HOOVER, Ala. – After a nine-month search, Transfinder Corporation is pleased to announce Hoover City Schools in Alabama has selected Transfinder’s award-winning routing solution Routefinder PLUS to create the safest and most efficient routes for its students.

Located in the Birmingham, Ala. Metropolitan area, Hoover City Schools has about 13,567 students attending 18 schools.

In addition to PLUS, Hoover City purchased additional Transfinder solutions, such as: driver app Wayfinder, field trip planner Tripfinder, Infofinder i for student ridership information and Viewfinder, which gives users a bird’s eye view of the district’s transportation operation.

“As a school system, we took nine months to evaluate several different options in school transportation,” said Dr. Brad Hayn, Hoover City’s director of transportation. “We supplied each company we met with a list of needs and wants when it came to a transportation partner for Hoover City Schools. Transfinder checked every box for us and we are excited about what future holds as we move forward as a partner with Transfinder.”

Dr. Haydn said the Transfinder and Hoover City teams have quickly built a relationship.

“Every step of the way it has been about more than just being a customer,” he said “Every person we have met and worked with from Transfinder has treated us as family and they truly care about the success of Hoover City Schools.

Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella welcomed Hoover City Schools to the Transfinder family.

“We are so happy to have Hoover City as a client.” Civitella said. “Large and small districts alike benefit from having this powerful tool that that has Artificial Intelligence Optimization embedded in it. Because it is highly customizable, districts like Hoover City can tailor their experience to their individual needs.”

About Transfinder:
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a global leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to municipalities, school districts and adult care facilities. Transfinder, has been on Inc. magazine “fastest-growing company” list for 12 years. The software and hardware company has received numerous awards, including Best Software, Best Hardware and Best Safety Technology. In addition, Transfinder has repeatedly won Best Place to Work, Top Workplace and Best Companies to Work for accolades. Transfinder develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. Transfinder also launched Patrolfinder policing technology to assist law enforcement. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Zūm, the leader in modern school transportation, today was named to the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list honoring 50 game-changing private companies using breakthrough technology to transform industries. This is the second year in a row (and third year overall) that Zum has been recognized by CNBC.

“Zum is proud to lead this new era of student transportation with increased safety and reliability, and improved grid resilience for families and communities across the country,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “We are honored to once again be part of CNBC’s Disruptor 50 alongside other incredible companies that are making an impact through innovation.”

Zum unifies parents, students, school administrators and drivers on a single personalized technology platform, enabling never-before achieved levels of visibility and data-backed accountability. Through the Zum app, parents can track their child’s ride to and from school in real time, see a profile of their child’s bus driver and be notified of their child’s pickup or dropoff status. Zum also allows administrators to optimize routes and provides staff with real-time data and performance reports.

In 2024, Zum launched the nation’s first fully electrified school bus fleet in Oakland, California. The 74-bus Oakland fleet is also equipped with groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, enabling the buses to return energy to the local grid at scale and improve grid resilience during times of peak demand.

Zum currently serves thousands of schools across 14 states, including districts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland; Boston; Seattle; Spokane; Nashville; Omaha; Kansas City, Mo.; Howard County, Md.; and more.

The full 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list can be viewed at cnbc.com/disruptors.

To learn more about how Zum is working with thousands of schools across the nation to modernize student transportation, visit Zum’s website.

About Zūm

Zum is a modern transportation solution transforming school transportation, the largest mass transit system in the U.S. Today, the company provides turnkey modern transportation solutions to school districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Utah, and Virginia, and is expanding rapidly nationwide. Recognized globally for its innovative transportation and energy as a service platform, Zum has been featured among Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, CNBC Disruptor 50, CNBC Changemakers, World Economic Forum and Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies. Learn more about Zum at www.ridezum.com.

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AUBURN, Calif. – InterMotive Vehicle Controls, a leading manufacturer of electronic control systems, announces a new safety solution designed to protect students by alerting nearby drivers as the bus approaches a stop. By increasing the bus’s visibility, School Bus Flasher helps to indicate that children are exiting the vehicle, and crossing may occur.

The School Bus Flasher controls the operation of key safety features, including the amber warning lights, red stop lights, the stop arm and crossing arm. It functions as a stand-alone system but can be seamlessly integrated with InterMotive’s FlexTech product, a customizable vehicle electrical load control system.

Installation is made easy with simple plug and play connections, which eliminates the cutting of OEM factory wiring.

For more details, contact Marc Ellison, LGS Group VP of Sales and Marketing, at 530-368-9193 or go online at https://intermotive.net/transit-mobility-3/#sbf.

InterMotive Vehicle Controls provides commercial safety and performance optimization products. Our plug and play electronic control systems leverage a vehicle’s own data networks to enhance its functions in new ways. We specialize in custom solutions for law enforcement, ambulance, fire truck, work truck, transit/paratransit, school bus, RV and personal-use mobility industries. To learn more, call 800-969-6080 or visit www.intermotive.net.

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CINCINNATI, Ohio- First Student, setting the standard for innovation in school transportation, has completed its biggest school year ever, further advancing student safety and experience through technology, electrification and specialized services. The company is transforming the way school districts, families and school bus drivers experience student transportation.

First Student transported 5.5 million students daily across 44 states and 8 Canadian provinces, covering more than 525 million miles. With a focus on safety, experience, innovation and sustainability, the company is committed to supporting districts and families with a dependable, forward-thinking transportation experience.

First Student launched HALO, the proprietary technology platform that brings together every aspect of school transportation, including routing, navigation, hiring, training, safety, maintenance, and electric vehicle (EV) charging. HALO’s groundbreaking impact has earned First Student a place on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025, reinforcing the company’s leadership in transforming the industry through proven technology and real-world results.

“This school year, we continued to live out our values by setting the highest standards for student transportation,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “With more than one billion student rides completed and the launch of HALO, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to our values of safety, innovation and student service. These principles guide everything we do as we deliver unmatched care and the safest possible ride to school for every student we serve.”

First Student’s alternative transportation solution, First Alt, experienced significant growth. Over the past year, First Alt increased its customer base by 105%, expanded its presence in states by 62%, and grew the number of trips completed by 94%. First Alt provides safe, reliable and flexible transportation for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), those experiencing homelessness, out-of-district students, and hard-to-serve trips. The program utilizes a dedicated network of vetted drivers and small-capacity vehicles to provide districts with greater flexibility, reducing costs, and freeing up resources for higher-capacity routes. First Alt’s success in helping districts manage complex transportation needs earned First Student the Forrester Technology Strategy Impact Award for North America in 2024.

First Student’s First Serves program achieved a 27% reduction in disruptive incidents year-over-year, setting a new benchmark for supporting students with special needs on the school bus. Developed in collaboration with experts in special education and student behavior, First Serves equips drivers and onboard staff with specialized training and real-time monitoring tools, creating a safer, more positive transportation experience for every student. The program’s success was recognized with the T-Mobile Innovation in Customer Experience Award, reinforcing First Student’s leadership in delivering exceptional service and improving the school transportation experience.

First Student also introduced Fleet Management and Maintenance Services through its First Services division as part of its expanding suite of transportation solutions. These offerings provide school districts with flexible, cost-effective options to maintain and modernize transportation fleets. With a network of over 1,250 ASE-certified technicians who maintain more than 45,000 vehicles, First Student ensures optimal fleet performance and safety. Districts can choose to have vehicles serviced at their facilities or one of First Student’s more than 100 ASE Blue Seal Certified shops across North America. Additionally, the Fleet as a Service program offers tailored solutions, including vehicle leasing, procurement and comprehensive fleet management, which allows districts to upgrade fleets without significant capital investment, enabling them to focus more on educational outcomes while ensuring students have safe and reliable transportation.

First Student’s proprietary above-ground EV charging infrastructure solution, First Charge, is transforming how fleet operators electrify vehicles. The modular above-ground EV charging solution is designed to simplify and accelerate the transition to electric fleets by eliminating costly and time-consuming infrastructure challenges. First Charge reduces installation time and cost supports scalable fleet growth and enables organizations to adopt electric vehicles efficiently and affordably without the need for digging, trenching, or permanent construction.

As a result of First Charge, First Student has made significant progress toward its goal of converting 30,000 diesel school buses to electric by 2035. Its fleet of electric school buses surpassed seven million miles driven, reinforcing the company’s dedication to providing safer, healthier, and more sustainable student transportation.

Already delivering tangible results, First Charge has been recognized with some of the industry’s highest honors, including the Edison Award for Scalable Clean Transportation Energy, the American Business Awards Stevie Award for Product Innovation, the Green Product of the Year by the 2024 BIG Awards for Business, and a place on Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.

About First Student:
As the leading provider of K-12 transportation solutions, First Student ensures the safest and most reliable ride to school each day for 5.5 million students across North America’s communities. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company is on track to complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student delivers a wide range of essential services, including home-to-school transportation, special needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, maintenance and charter services. The company’s focus extends beyond logistics by creating a positive and welcoming environment for students on each of its 45,000 buses. By continuously enhancing the transportation experience for school districts and families, First Student helps ensure every child arrives at school ready to achieve their full potential.

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. -HopSkipDrive today announced a significant expansion in its ability to meet the transportation needs of all students, enabling schools and school districts to seamlessly and directly book rides for students needing wheelchair-accessible vehicles, Rider Assistants, and car seats. With this development, school districts around the country will be able to solve even more student transportation challenges through HopSkipDrive’s unmatched technology-driven safety approach and operational expertise, and can learn more with a sign-up here.

“All children, especially those with disabilities, deserve a safe, reliable ride in a vehicle that meets their specific needs with adults who are fully prepared to support them,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-Founder of HopSkipDrive. “Rising chronic absenteeism rates make clear that existing school transportation industry options leave behind students with unique needs.”

With more than 5 million rides across 95 million safe miles completed on its platform, HopSkipDrive continues to raise the bar for student transportation. The company supports over 600 school districts by supplementing yellow buses with a network of extensively vetted CareDrivers — local caregivers on wheels — through a care-centered transportation marketplace.

With the launch of these three new transportation offerings this fall, HopSkipDrive will provide schools and school districts with even more resources, all backed by rigorous safety standards and industry-leading Safe Ride TechnologyTM. Transportation teams can use HopSkipDrive’s ride management platform, RideIQ, to easily and simply book, track, and manage all rides in one place, and staff can get full visibility with Daily Queue, which provides a customized view for all HopSkipDrive rides for students at their school location.

Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicles and Rider Assistants

Following a successful pilot earlier this year, HopSkipDrive is expanding the availability of Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle rides and Rider Assistants to all cities in which the company operates. These rides are fulfilled by CarePartners, local professionals who undergo HopSkipDrive’s rigorous and comprehensive certification process, including name- and fingerprint-based background checks, clearing child abuse and neglect screenings where available, and enrolling in continuous criminal monitoring. Like all CareDrivers, they complete HopSkipDrive onboarding and a virtual orientation course. CarePartner drivers for Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle rides also undergo driving record screens, vehicle inspections, and more.

To meet the needs of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and those who thrive most when an additional adult is in the vehicle, HopSkipDrive offers a Rider Assistant for schools to book to join the CareDriver or CarePartner driver on the ride. The Rider Assistant will provide informed and compassionate support for the rider when needed.

HopSkipDrive continues to lead in forward-thinking safety measures by directly managing driver and Rider Assistant vetting, onboarding, and compliance. This unique approach sets HopSkipDrive apart in the student transportation industry, offering schools valuable features such as the Safe Ride Support system and enhanced Must Be Met process to support the development of new rider services all delivered with the company’s signature tracking and notification systems.

Car Seat Program

In select cities, schools and school districts can select HopSkipDrive’s car seat program for students whose height and weight, typically between the ages of four to six, require a car seat. CareDrivers can only opt in to fulfill these rides after completing comprehensive car seat safety education and using only the forward-facing car seat model approved by HopSkipDrive and Safe Kids Worldwide, the leading organization for childhood injury prevention.

HopSkipDrive collaborated with the industry’s leading child safety experts to design and develop the safest possible ride experience. Britney Lombard, who has spent more than a decade as a Safe Kids Worldwide certified Child Passenger Safety Instructor and performed thousands of car seat checks during her tenure, now leads HopSkipDrive’s car seat program. The HopSkipDrive Safety Advisory Council, composed of six leading experts in transportation safety, also played a key role in advising the development of the car seat program to confirm protocols meet the highest standards in the industry.

Compliance is a core principle of the car seat program. Ahead of the implementation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new safety standards, HopSkipDrive proactively selected a car seat model that goes above and beyond these requirements in consultation with the company’s expert advisors.

Safety Leadership, Including In-Ride Recording

HopSkipDrive continues to invest in leading the industry in safety with over 50 products, features, and initiatives woven throughout the ride experience. Over the past year, the company announced nearly a dozen new safety initiatives, including offering in-ride cameras through Safe Ride InSight.

Schools and school districts can request dashcam recording for rides with CareDrivers who have installed SafeRide InSight, which combines visual monitoring with audio recording. HopSkipDrive uses this technology along with advanced telematics to create a solution that’s unmatched in the student transportation industry. First piloted in Arizona and Colorado, the company is continuing to scale this technology to additional markets over the coming months.

Learn more about HopSkipDrive at hopskipdrive.com.

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 transportation intelligence platform, 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 5 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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Amid a stunning financial turnaround over the found its leader to succeed Phil Horlock as both president and CEO. Personal reasons forced Blue Bird to go in a different direction last fall after Britton Smith unceremoniously resigned. But the company didn’t have to look far for the best candidate to step up and into the position.

Wyskiel had spent the previous two decades leading Magna International, the last five years as global president of the manufacturer’s seating division. But he knows school buses intimately. He came to Magna over 15 years ago from Canadian Blue Bird Coach, where he was general manager of Type A and Type C school bus body and assembly production.

“John’s deep and varied expertise in operational excellence and manufacturing leadership makes him an ideal fit for this role at this time,” Doug Grimm, chairman of Blue Bird, said when Wyskiel’s name was announced in January. “His proven track record will be invaluable as we expand our footprint and improve our operational processes to support our customers.”

School Transportation News caught up with Wyskiel shortly after he started on Feb. 17 to discuss the company’s evolution as it prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027, the same year the industry is poised to meet the latest federal emissions standards that were still under review by the new Trump administration EPA. Editor’s note Wyskiel declined to comment on tariff impacts, referring instead to a previous statement made by Horlock in January that Blue Bird would pass along any additional manufacturing costs to customers.

STN: How has Blue Bird changed since you were last mpart of the company 20 years ago?

Wyskiel: Of course, the company is publicly traded today, and it has been successful financially. However, at its core, the DNA of this century-old American company has not changed. There is a strong sense of pride within Blue Bird reflecting a company culture that deeply cares about people. The talent within the company has continued to expand over the years in all functional areas. Operationally, you can see a much greater focus on metrics and key performance indicators, which has enabled Blue Bird to become very focused and to make data-based decisions. From a product perspective, our rich history of innovations [are] on full display, particularly around alternative powertrain offerings. All of these developments have turned Blue Bird into a high performance business and strengthened its iconic brand.

STN: How would you describe your leadership style? What is your strategic vision for Blue Bird?

Wyskiel: I am a pretty engaged operator, and I believe people work best in an environment which fosters empowerment and accountability. Plus, when there is an issue, there is no substitute for “go see.” Whether it’s on the shop floor, at a dealer or at a customer, there is no substitution. I have returned to Blue Bird after a 20-year hiatus only a few weeks ago [at interview time]. Therefore, it’s a little early to talk strategy in specifics just yet. But I think the theme will be to shift to a long-term view for our customers, dealers, team members and investors. This means investing in facilities, our products and expanding into adjacent markets where we can. This great company has been around for almost 100 years, and my objective is to set it up for success for decades to come.

STN: Blue Bird currently offers more fuel choices than any other school bus manufacturer. Why is this important especially in the current political environment?

Wyskiel: Blue Bird offers the widest powertrain portfolio in the markets diesel, gasoline, propane and, of course, electric. We believe there is no one answer for customers. They want choice for their districts. A broad product portfolio allows them to tailor the value proposition to their specific needs. It could be total cost of operation, overall durability, ease of refueling, or the advantages of zero emissions. And if you look at the current political environment, it is just a benefit to have the widest offering as we cover every area in the market regardless of where legislation ends up. Blue Bird undoubtedly has the broadest offering, our success in the marketplace validates our strategy.

Moving forward, I do hope to see a more predictable regulatory environment for our industry. Manufacturers need to plan years in advance and commit to product development and investment. So, directional stability is not simply helpful, it is essential. I think the move to zero emissions will continue to advance longer term, it just may take longer to get there. In the school bus market, it makes so much sense. The duty cycle fits electrification and charging, range is not an issue since school district routes are normally shorter, and zero emissions advances student health and performance.

STN: What is Blue Bird doing to strengthen the long-term health of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program?

Wyskiel: The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a total of $5 billion over five years for clean school bus transportation. To date, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 9,000 school bus replacements, approximately 95 percent of which are zero-emission, battery-electric. Funding has been awarded to more than 1,300 school districts in nearly all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

There is no question the program had an overwhelmingly positive impact on children, communities and American manufacturing, bringing invaluable opportunities to school districts to transition their fleets to zero-emission school buses. Communities across the country have benefited from the reduction in diesel tailpipe emissions that can negatively impact student and community health. As the leader in low- and zero-emission school buses, we have communicated and promoted the benefit at all levels of government.

STN: Can you update us on the status of standard lap/shoulder seatbelts and other safety technology like driver airbags?

Wyskiel: Blue Bird is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team designs and manufactures school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world, 25 million children twice a day, making them the most trusted mode of student transportation.

Blue Bird made lap/shoulder belts standard on its buses late last year and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Similarly, we will introduce airbags protecting drivers this fall. It’s a testimony to Blue Bird, whose school buses are designed, not adapted to the market, and whose focus on safety has been industry leading. If you could fast forward a decade, we will probably look back and wonder how school transportation didn’t include seatbelts and airbags all along. I am proud that Blue Bird has taken the lead role in this area.

STN: Thank you.

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

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Related: (STN Podcast E259) Feel the Passion: Debates on Wi-Fi, Technology, Alternative Transportation & Safety
Related: Blue Bird Showcases Zero- and Low-Emission Commercial Vehicle Platforms at 2025 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo
Related: Q&A: Back to School with New NAPT Executive Director McGee-Hewitt
Related: (STN Podcast E212) On the Horizon: Technology Showcases & Clean Bus Discussions at ACT Expo

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. and AUSTIN, Texas– Transfinder Corporation is pleased to announce Wayside Schools in Texas has selected Transfinder’s award-winning routing solution Routefinder PLUS to create the safest and most efficient routes for its students.

Located in the Austin, Wayside has about 1,651 students attending three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.

In addition to PLUS, Wayside purchased Studentfinder and Viewfinder, which gives users a bird’s eye view of the district’s transportation operation.

Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella welcomed Wayside Schools to the Transfinder family.

“We are so happy to have Wayside as a client.” Civitella said. “Large and small districts alike benefit from having this powerful tool that that has Artificial Intelligence Optimization embedded in it. Because it is highly customizable, districts like Wayside can tailor their experience to their individual needs.”

About Transfinder:
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to municipalities, school districts and adult care facilities. Transfinder, has been on Inc. magazine “fastest-growing company” list for 12 years. The software and hardware company has received numerous awards, including Best Software, Best Hardware and Best Safety Technology. In addition, Transfinder has repeatedly won Best Place to Work, Top Workplace and Best Companies to Work for accolades. Transfinder develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. Transfinder also launched Patrolfinder policing technology to assist law enforcement. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com

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GUILDERLAND, N.Y. — The New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA) held its 49th Annual School Bus Driver Safety Competition—commonly known as the “Roadeo”—on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Rockland Lake State Park. This year marked the event’s return after a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school bus industry gave this event a name as unique as the professionals it celebrates taking the word “rodeo” and transforming it into “Roadeo” to reflect the road-based skills essential to school bus safety. This special title captures the spirit of the event: a high-energy, friendly competition that showcases the knowledge, precision, and dedication of New York’s top school bus drivers.

Every day, more than 2 million students across New York State rely on the commitment and expertise of school bus drivers to get to and from school safely. The Roadeo offers these essential professionals a valuable opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in a spirited, yet friendly, competition focused on excellence in student transportation safety.

“This event was a huge success, full of energy and pride,” said Thomas Smith, NYSBCA Board President. “It was great to see the camaraderie and to offer our drivers a platform to showcase their expertise. School bus drivers are vital members of the workforce, and this competition honors the critical role they play in safely transporting students each day.”

National Representation
The first-place winners from each category will go on to represent New York at the National School Transportation Association’s School Bus Driver International Safety Competition, scheduled for June 28, 2025, at the Austin Marriott Downtown – Hays CISD in Austin, Texas. We wish them the best of luck on the national stage!

Congratulations to the 2025 NYSBCA Safety Competition Winners:

Photos and a highlight video are available at nysbca.com/roadeo.

Type A School Bus (Van)
1st Place: Marlon Forrester, WE Transport
2nd Place: James Baumer, Beacon Mobility
3rd Place: Charmain Kanhai Noronha, Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc.
4th Place: Lynn Kavanagh, Chestnut Ridge Transportation
5th Place: Sanjay Brooks, Chappaqua Transportation

Type C School Bus (Conventional)
1st Place: Manuel Claudio, Educational Bus Transportation
2nd Place: James Breen, Educational Bus Transportation
3rd Place: Mary Myslim, Chappaqua Transportation
4th Place: Alfred Sanchez, First Student, Inc.
5th Place: Johnatan Rojas, Chappaqua Transportation

Type D School Bus (Transit)
1st Place: Rafael Vicencio Ortega, Chestnut Ridge Transportation
2nd Place: Wilfredo Ramos, Monroe-Woodbury CSD
3rd Place: Dawn Elsaesser, Monroe-Woodbury CSD

Rookie Award
Manuel Claudio, Educational Bus Transportation

Acknowledgments
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers and judges whose time, effort, and support made this event possible. Your dedication plays a crucial role in promoting school bus safety and creating a meaningful experience for our drivers.

Special thanks to Seth Corwin (Chappaqua Transportation, Inc.), James Rogan (The Trans Group, LLC), and Frank Klein (Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc.) for your dedicated participation in the weekly Roadeo planning meetings and for your support with course setup and facilitation. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Sean Corr (The Trans Group, LLC) for supplying the essential equipment that made the event possible. Your collective efforts were instrumental to the success of this year’s competition.

We also gratefully acknowledge our presenting sponsor, BusPatrol, and contributing sponsors Bird Bus Sales & Service, Leonard Bus Sales, Inc., Nesco Bus and Truck Sales, Inc., and Goosetown Communications. Your support brings this important event to life.

About: The New York School Bus Contractors Association represents the private school bus transportation industry that provides transportation services to 85% of the school districts in New York. School bus contractors transport more than half of all the children who ride a school bus to and from school each day. The association’s mission is to promote safe, reliable, and cost-effective student transportation services for New York’s school children. For more information, please visit: www.nysbca.com

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AVON, Ohio – The commercial vehicle landscape has transformed dramatically since 1930, when the Bendix-Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Company opened its doors. Yet through it all, the mission of the company, now known as Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix), has remained strikingly consistent: deliver the technologies, services, value, and support that help keep fleets safe, vehicles on the road, and communities strong.

Now, as Bendix marks its 95th anniversary, the company reflects not only on a legacy of engineering leadership, but also on the people, partnerships, and purpose-driven values that continue to shape its future.

“Bendix has always stood at the intersection of innovation and responsibility,” said Piotr Sroka, Bendix president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer. “Our products help fleets navigate today’s roadways, and our workforce powers solutions for tomorrow. Whether it’s next-generation braking technologies, energy efficiency, or educational partnerships, our story has been one of constant progress and we’re honored to celebrate 95 years with so many colleagues, customers, and community partners along the way.”

Founded in 1930 and originally based in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, Bendix has played a central role in shaping commercial vehicle safety across North America. The company moved its headquarters to Northeast Ohio in 1941, where it remains today. Since 2002, Bendix has operated as a proud part of Munich, Germany-based Knorr-Bremse – the global leader in braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. Since becoming a part of Knorr-Bremse, the company has grown threefold and employs a workforce of over 3,600 across North America.

A Legacy of Safety
For nearly a century, Bendix has helped shape commercial vehicle safety in North America. From the first air brake valves to today’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), Bendix technologies have evolved in step with – and very often ahead of – industry needs.

That forward momentum continues with two of the company’s most important recent innovations: Global Scalable Brake Control (GSBC®) and Global Scalable Air Treatment (GSAT®). Built on a modular global architecture, GSBC and GSAT are designed to support the transition to electric and highly automated vehicles while delivering immediate value in today’s market.

The two technologies are being produced at Bendix’s new Plant 4 in its Acuña, Mexico, operation. A state-of-the-art, 185,000 square-foot facility equipped with advanced automation and strict environmental controls, Plant 4 features some of the most sophisticated manufacturing processes in the Bendix network.

“GSBC and GSAT represent the best of our approach representing strong global collaboration and combining decades of proven product knowledge,” Sroka said. “And as we build them on lines developed from a global Knorr-Bremse design, we’re strengthening our ability to serve both North American and international markets.”

As the commercial vehicle market moves toward broader adoption of electronic braking systems (EBS), Bendix continues to develop platform-ready solutions that support smoother, more responsive braking and enable the next generation of safety and automation capabilities.

Building for the Future
Bendix’s ability to innovate is deeply rooted in the strength and diversity of its manufacturing and engineering footprint. Across its growing network of North American operations, the company continues to invest in advanced capabilities, sustainable infrastructure, and high-performing teams.

Acuña, Mexico – With three manufacturing plants and a logistics center, Acuña is one of the largest and most complex operations in the Knorr-Bremse global network. The site produces Bendix® air dryers, antilock braking systems (ABS), compressors, actuators, valves, and other technologies – and now houses the production of the company’s next-generation GSBC and GSAT platforms.

Avon, Ohio – The company’s North American headquarters, opened in late 2021, is home to engineering, R&D, sales, marketing, and business functions. The LEED Silver-certified facility reflects Bendix’s commitment to collaboration, flexibility, and sustainable design.

Bowling Green, Kentucky – A center of excellence for wheel-end technologies, the Bowling Green operation manufactures the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake and other foundation brake components. It spans over 430,000 square feet and is recognized for its quality and workplace safety performance.

Huntington, Indiana – Bendix’s Indiana site has evolved into a multifaceted campus, supporting manufacturing, remanufacturing, modules, electronics assembly, and distribution. A major upgrade to its primary state-of-the-art distribution center is underway, with completion expected in late 2025. The site also recently centralized its vibration damper production, moves that improve material flow, increase capacity, and prepare for future automation and expansion.

Monterrey, Mexico – The Bendix Technical Center in Monterrey is a growing research and development hub focused on ADAS technologies, software, and customer engineering support. The site also serves as one of four strategically placed global support centers for Knorr-Bremse in areas such as finance and human resources to help increase overall productivity and efficiency.

Progress Through Sustainability

Sustainability is more than a priority at Bendix – it’s a strategic emphasis. In 2024, the company:

·Diverted over 99% of waste from landfills

·Achieved Zero Waste to Landfill certification at nine locations plus the Avon HQ

·Reduced energy use by more than 17.6 million kilowatt-hours since 2020

·Expanded its solar energy portfolio to include four arrays across Huntington and Acuña

·Surpassed its U.S. Department of Energy Better Climate Challenge goal six years ahead of schedule

These efforts build on a long-standing commitment to environmental responsibility. Since first launching its waste and energy reduction programs more than a decade ago, Bendix has pursued a deliberate strategy to reduce its environmental footprint while aligning with evolving industry expectations and global sustainability frameworks.

“Across every Bendix location, our teams are finding new ways to cut emissions, reduce energy use, and close waste loops,” said Maria Gutierrez, senior director, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). “These aren’t abstract goals, they’re concrete actions driven by employee commitment and backed by measurable results.”

From plastic-free cafeterias to Green Teams and Earth Day events, Bendix is embedding sustainability into the day-to-day rhythm of its operations. EV charging, solar power, composting, and LEED principles are just a few of the ways Bendix is translating values into progress.

A Deep Commitment to Community

Bendix’s impact extends far beyond factory walls. In 2024, the company and its employees:

·Contributed more than 11,000 volunteer hours

·Donated over $1 million in grants, sponsorships, and matching funds

·Supported nearly 500 projects through the employee-led Get Involved! grant program

·Partnered with Knorr-Bremse Global Care North America (KBGCNA) – the North American philanthropic arm of Knorr Bremse – to provide long-term community support

Guided by a focus on education, environment, health, and social cohesion, Bendix Local Care teams supported initiatives ranging from STEM camps in Acuña and Monterrey to Habitat for Humanity home builds in Huntington and Avon. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) – such as Women@Bendix; Bendix Patriots, supporting active and retired military employees and family members; and EnAbles, an ERG focused on increasing awareness and meeting the needs of disabled employees and caregivers of the disabled/aged through education and resources, organized fundraising events, donation drives, and community programs to expand impact even more.

Over the last half-decade, total volunteer engagement has increased by more than 30%, reflecting a deepening culture of service throughout the organization. These activities are supported by employee-led teams, dedicated program funding, and long-term partnerships with local organizations.

“Service is at the heart of who we are,” Gutierrez said. “Whether mentoring students, planting community gardens, or rolling up sleeves at food banks, our employees lead by example – and that makes all the difference.”

Looking Ahead to 100 Years and Beyond

As Bendix turns 95, the path forward is clear: continue advancing technologies that help make roads safer and support fleet performance; and operate more sustainably as a company.

The company’s role within Knorr-Bremse also strengthens its ability to transfer knowledge, standardize advanced technologies, and deliver scalable solutions that meet diverse market requirements.

Through close collaboration with OEMs, fleets, suppliers, and Knorr-Bremse, Bendix remains positioned to help lead the transformation of the industry.

“We’re exceptionally proud of what we’ve built over 95 years,” Sroka said. “But what drives us is the future – and the chance to help shape it. That means listening to our customers, investing in our people, strengthening our communities, and building on a legacy that’s just getting started.”

About Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, a member of Knorr-Bremse, develops and supplies leading-edge active safety technologies, energy management solutions, and air brake charging and control systems and components under the Bendix brand name for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and other commercial vehicles throughout North America. An industry pioneer, employing more than 3,600 people, Bendix is driven to deliver the best solutions for improved vehicle safety, performance, and overall operating cost. Contact us at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) or visit bendix.com. Stay connected and informed through Bendix expert podcasts, blog posts, videos, and other resources at knowledge dock.com. Follow Bendix on X, formerly known as Twitter, at https://x.com/Bendix_CVS. Log on and learn from the Bendix experts at brake-school.com. And to learn more about career opportunities at Bendix, visit bendix.com/careers.

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AKRON, Ohio – Beacon Mobility, a national leader in student transportation services, today announced the official launch of Beacon Connect, the industry’s first fully integrated communications platform designed specifically for school transportation professionals. The new platform marks a significant step forward in improving transparency, safety, and coordination across districts, families, and transportation providers.

Beacon Connect was developed by Beacon Mobility’s technology team in response to long-standing communication challenges in the student transportation space. Drawing from cross-industry practices and ongoing user feedback, the platform provides a streamlined, user-centric experience for families, drivers, dispatchers, and school officials.

“Beacon Connect reflects our commitment to improving the daily transportation experience for the communities we serve,” said Judith Crawford, CEO of Beacon Mobility. “By focusing on accessibility, real-time communication, and operational insight, this platform helps schools and families stay connected and informed.”

VIDEO: Learn More About Beacon Connect

Key Features of Beacon Connect:

Live and Historical Vehicle Tracking
The newest and most anticipated feature, this tool gives families and school staff real-time visibility into bus locations during active routes. Parents can view exactly where their child’s bus is at any moment, helping reduce uncertainty and improve peace of mind. Historical trip data also supports operational reviews and allows schools to track past bus activity for greater accountability.

Beacon Connect Family App
Offers parents an intuitive interface with real-time alerts and seamless trip tracking.

Digital Routing Requests
Enables families to submit route changes digitally, improving efficiency and responsiveness.

Secure Video Access
Allows for request-based access to onboard video recordings to support safety and incident review.

Incident Reporting & Safety Tools
Drivers can quickly log issues while dispatchers receive live fleet updates to improve awareness and response times.

Two-Way Communication
Real-time messaging between dispatch, drivers, and school staff improves coordination and reliability.

Beacon Connect has already earned support from school districts currently utilizing the technology, including the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District in Massachusetts:

“The new online portal for communication works very well for office referrals and video requests,” said Kathleen Taylor, Principal, Ashburnham – Westminster Regional School District. “The turn around this year for video requests has been greatly improved.”

“Beacon Connect has improved the timeliness of Incident Reports and Routing Requests on the bus side.” Heather Dupont, Executive Assistant to the Director of Pupil Services Ashburnham – Westminster Regional School District.

Beacon Connect was developed under the leadership of Chief Technology Officer Gaurav Sharda and a multidisciplinary team committed to advancing innovation in mobility services. “We wanted to build more than just a technology product,” said Sharda. “We wanted a platform that reflects the values and needs of the communities we serve.”

The platform sets a new standard for communication in student transportation and reinforces Beacon Mobility’s position as a forward-looking technology partner for school districts nationwide.

About Beacon Mobility: Beacon Mobility is a growing family of transportation companies committed to serving the diverse needs of their customers. Now operating 28 local brands in 26 states, their experienced, compassionate, and dedicated team takes pride in their ability to create customized, mobility-based solutions that empower people to get where they need to go. To learn more, visit: https://gobeacon.com/

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Going green is on the radar for many student transportation fleets, but choosing what fuel to use is not always a simple decision. Read this month’s issue for articles on expectations and benefits of green energy options, the knowledge foundation needed for routing efficiency, electric school bus legislation in New York and the news from the 17th National Congress on School Transportation.

Also find the STN EXPO Reno Preview, complete with agenda topics, speaker information, unique event descriptions and trade show exhibitors.

Read the full June 2025 issue.

Features

Peeling Back the Routing Layers
Routing software is the brain of a transportation operation, but human routers are the heart that keep student safe to and from school. How to route requires a strong knowledge base along with many other considerations.

Green Expectations
STN EXPO East near Charlotte, North Carolina featured presentations from various OEMs about their latest and greatest offerings in the green bus space.

Fuel Choices Are Not One-Dimensional
Choosing the right fuel for your school district is no simple task, especially with all the options and funding available. District leaders weigh in on why they went in a certain direction.

Coming Clean
Going green is good for the environment, proving to have beneficial implications for student riders, bus drivers and the surrounding communities.

Special Reports

May, Should, Shall?
School Transportation News was on site in Iowa at the 17th National Congress on School Transportation. Learn some of the conversations held as the industry readies for an update the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures.

Q&A: Going On an Electric RIDE With Patrick Duan
Patrick Duan, co-CEO of the electric school bus manufacturer, provides insights into top trends such as federal funding, impending tariffs and battery technology.

STN EXPO Reno Preview
STN EXPO West returns to Reno, Nevada for “Content, Community and Commerce.” Prepare for next month’s conference, trade show and networking events. You won’t want to miss any of the action.

Feedback
Online
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
New York State of Charge

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Tech-Forward Approach to Staffing

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Every day, drivers illegally pass stopped school buses, ignoring extended stop arms and flashing red lights, putting our children in immediate danger.

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) estimates over 251,000 illegal pass-bys happen daily. Projected over a 180-day school year, that’s 45.2 million times our children are at risk of injury or worse. These statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to protect students.

The Safe Fleet Illegal Passing Suite is the only solution designed to tackle the stop-arm violation epidemic from every angle. Prevention, proactive protection, and enforcement work together to safeguard students in the school bus Danger Zone.

• Preventive: The Safe Fleet Illuminated Stop Arm and Driver Alert Device ensure drivers see and recognize a stopped school bus, reducing the likelihood of illegal pass-bys before they happen.
• Proactive: Our Predictive Stop Arm^® (PSA) detects approaching vehicles that are not likely to stop in time and warns students to stay back, adding an extra layer of real-time protection. It’s the only solution of its kind that engages with students directly, giving them agency over their well-being and extra seconds to keep out of harm’s way.
• Responsive: The Safe Fleet Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System (SAVES) captures high-quality video, photographic and location-based evidence of illegal pass-bys––including context footage from the right-hand side of the bus––and packages it for citation, holding violators accountable and driving long-term behavior change.

School bus safety technology should do more than just react. It should prevent incidents, protect students in real time, and hold violators accountable. That’s how we curb the illegal passing epidemic.

The solutions in the Illegal Passing Suite work together to create a protective umbrella within the school bus’ Danger Zone. At the heart of it is SAVES.

Why SAVES Stands Out

Superior Performance with Unmatched Accuracy Rates

SAVES delivers big results while requiring minimal school administration effort by helping to keep students safe, shaping long-term positive driver behavior, and providing operational insights. With its AI-powered analytics, SAVES consistently delivers greater than 98% violation/plate-detection accuracy in real-world settings, giving districts clear, reliable evidence and full ownership of their data to support training, enforcement, and safety improvement.

Seamless Evidence Management with the SAVES Cloud Interface

Unlike competitive offerings, Safe Fleet provides the school district with full access to their data should the district want to mine the information for insight. And the Safe Fleet cloud interface streamlines the process – making it as simple as possible.

• The Stop Arm Enforcement Application Dashboard – Provides key metrics such as the number of violations over a select period, location data, and emerging trends. The district can use this information to change bus stop locations and work with law enforcement to diffuse hot zones.

System performance stays reliable without adding a burden on the district. Safe Fleet handles updates remotely to keep everything running smoothly and safe.

• Device Management – Safe Fleet remotely updates SAVES devices for districts, ensuring optimal functionality without disrupting operations.

Reliability That Stands the Test of Time

Safety technology needs to be reliable. There’s no room for failure when student lives are on the line. The Illegal Passing Suite is built with durability and consistency in mind, delivering dependable performance across all its components. Every piece of the suite is designed to work seamlessly, ensuring school buses are equipped with solutions that function when they matter most.

Evidence That Holds Up

The effectiveness of enforcement depends on the quality of the evidence collected. The SAVES system captures comprehensive evidence packages that consist of high-resolution video, photographic evidence, location-based and context-specific data with incredible accuracy, helping eliminate instances in which violations go unchecked. With built-in AI and automated evidence packaging, SAVES delivers clear and thorough documentation that streamlines the citation process and reinforces driver accountability.

Support and Resources at Every Step

Adopting new technology is easier when the right support is available. Safe Fleet provides expert guidance throughout every stage of SAVES onboarding, including installation, implementation, and developing community outreach programs. We handle all the technical aspects, including violation capture, processing, and citation management, so districts can stay focused on student safety.

Better Safety Starts Here

Creating a safer environment for students takes a complete approach. With the Illegal Passing Suite and SAVES, school districts can prevent dangerous pass-bys, protect students in real time, and hold violators accountable with high-quality evidence.

Safer buses. Smarter enforcement. Stronger results. That’s the Safe Fleet difference. 

Learn more at www.safefleet.net.

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

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Nestled 20 miles south of Rochester in upstate New York, the York Central School District may be small in size, but it’s making big strides in transportation innovation under the guidance of director of transportation, Tracey Proctor.

With nearly two decades of experience in school transportation, Proctor has brought a fresh, tech-forward approach to the district since her arrival four years ago — a move that has significantly improved efficiency, safety and confidence for both drivers and students.

When Proctor joined York CSD, she came equipped not just with experience, but also a clear vision: she needed better tools to run a more modern and responsive transportation department. Having worked with Transfinder solutions at a previous district, Proctor knew she didn’t want to operate without them.

“As soon as I started, when it came contract time, I said, ‘I really need this [Transfinder technology]. I can’t go any longer without it,’” she recalls.

At the time, York was operating the old-fashioned, “very manual,” Proctor said. “A lot of notebooks. That was it.”

But she knew what she was missing without having Transfinder’s award-winning routing solution.

“Once I started with Transfinder, you just can’t go back,” Proctor said.

Today, York CSD uses Transfinder’s awards-winning Routefinder PLUS and driver app Wayfinder, a combination that has transformed the way the district manages its transportation. York CSD transports just over 400 students daily, with eight large bus runs and eight out-of-district van runs. Like many districts, small and large alike, resources and staffing flexibility are critical.

“We have 18 drivers, and right now we’re doing very well with staffing,” Proctor said, joking: “Please don’t share that with anyone!” Still, the district relies on flexibility, with mechanics and even Proctor herself stepping in to drive when needed. That’s where Wayfinder has made a tremendous difference.

Wayfinder has helped the district when assigning routes to new drivers or substitutes who may not be familiar with the run.

“I don’t print routes anymore,” she said. “I just click on the Wayfinder and say the driver, ‘There it is.’ It’s done and I know that it’s correct.”

The technology is also helping shape the future of York’s driving staff. Those used to driving small vans with fewer students are appreciative of the Routefinder PLUS-built routes displayed on Wayfinder as they travel unfamiliar terrain with more students.

The ease of use of Wayfinder and Routefinder PLUS has also made an impression. Proctor recently completed her Wayfinder training and described the experience as a positive experience.

“I don’t know my way around a computer very well,” she said. “Everyone at Transfinder has been very helpful. They take their time with me. I should say, they speak my language. They didn’t speak ‘technical talk.’ The classes were very, very down-to-earth and I was able to understand everything that was put in front of me.”

That kind of client-centered support, combined with reliable and intuitive software, is what motivated Proctor to bring Transfinder technology to York in the first place.

Looking ahead, Proctor is considering how she can use Transfinder technology even more strategically, including using Wayfinder in recruiting. “I never have in the past, but now that I know how it works and how it helps the drivers, I definitely will use it for recruitment,” she said.

To learn more about Routefinder PLUS, Wayfinder 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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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fleetio, the leading fleet optimization platform, today announced the launch of Advanced Analytics, an interactive reporting tool that uncovers cost savings and enhances fleet performance. Organizations can go beyond fundamental fleet cost management to uncover high-cost vehicles, compare trends over time and analyze average costs by asset type. With real-time threshold alerts highlighting issues like cost overruns or extended service times, teams can proactively address problems before they escalate.

Standard fleet reporting offers a helpful overview of asset health, but managing data sets in different places to drive business outcomes can be challenging. Advanced Analytics enhances data analysis by centralizing comprehensive, ready-to-use dashboards, clear visual representations and adaptable reports. This allows managers to gain a complete view of their data sets, readily identify trends, track performance with greater clarity and effectively communicate key findings to leadership. With improved visibility and analysis, fleets can prevent missed opportunities and reduce unnecessary spending, while saving up to 10 hours per week on extracting, consolidating and interpreting data.

“Using Fleetio’s Advanced Analytics is very easy for our warehouse managers out in the field. They have a lot on their plate, so having access to in-depth reporting that breaks everything down is great,” said Jessica DiLallo, Technical Fleet Operations Manager at Mohawk Carpet Transportation. “We also love the customization options that allow us to tailor the dashboard exactly to our needs.”

Fleetio’s Advanced Analytics enhances standard reporting with pre-built, customizable reports designed to adapt to a fleet’s evolving priorities, enabling faster, more informed decision-making. This tool functions like a built-in data analyst, allowing managers to easily evaluate and interpret data sets within the Fleetio platform by providing intuitive insights.

“The data visuals really help the business leaders see the big picture and understand the health of the fleet to make decisions,” said Richard Tran, Business Intelligence Manager at Daylight Transport.

Advanced Analytics helps with managing both daily tasks and long-term plans by empowering fleets to:

Track metrics that drive productivity – Uncover in-depth metrics around fuel costs, maintenance spending and service timelines

Spot issues before they escalate – Set thresholds and anomaly alerts to identify areas that need attention, such as falling inspection compliance rates and rising fuel costs

See what matters, fast – Build and customize data views for a true comparative analysis that matches operational goals

Pinpoint where to improve performance – Identify underperforming teams and target areas that need additional support by comparing fleet performance metrics across multiple locations

Ensure business alignment – Share fleet data visualization summaries with stakeholders to support business strategy and align the entire team around smarter, data-driven decisions

“Every industry has its own priorities, and Advanced Analytics was built to serve a wide range of fleets that face different challenges,” said Kayleigh O’Malley, Product Marketing Manager at Fleetio. “Companies can build custom dashboards and combine data sets to monitor trends in maintenance, utilization and fuel consumption. No matter the operation, the goal is the same: make smarter, faster decisions based on clear, accessible data.”

As technology evolves and demands shift, this enhancement reflects Fleetio’s ongoing commitment to the fleet industry, empowering fleets to operate more efficiently, strategically and confidently.

To learn more about the Advanced Analytics add-on and schedule a personalized demo that highlights fleet savings, visit www.fleetio.com/features/advanced-analytics

About Fleetio
Fleetio is the leading fleet optimization platform, helping fleets, repair shops and partners efficiently manage their assets by providing resources to gain control of daily operations while planning for the future. The company supports over 1 million vehicles, including more than 7,500 fleets across 100+ countries, and processes over 13 million repair orders through a network of 110,000 repair shops. Designed with data-driven recommendations and expert insights, Fleetio is setting the industry standard with its extensive fleet maintenance and management ecosystem. Fleetio equips fleet professionals with the tools they need to extend asset life, reduce downtime and confidently deliver results for their business. Learn more at www.fleetio.com.

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, recognized Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. as its 2024 Dealer of the Year. The distinction celebrates Kerlin’s exceptional customer support, industry leadership and ongoing commitment to student transportation.

Based in Silver Lake, Indiana, Kerlin has been a Thomas Built Buses dealer for over 60 years. This marks the dealership’s fourth Dealer of the Year honor, with prior recognition in 1995, 2008 and 2021.

“Kerlin has been an integral part of Thomas Built for decades and has successfully passed the legacy from one generation to the next,” said Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas Built Buses. “The entire team at Kerlin consistently raises the bar on excellence through their unwavering commitment to the overall TBB value proposition and exceptional customer experience. Congratulations to Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing on being named the 2024 Dealer of the Year.”

In addition to the Dealer of the Year award, Kerlin was also named to the Thomas Built Buses President’s Club, President’s Club Platinum and Honors Class, which recognizes the top seven dealers for overall performance. The dealership remains a trusted advisor to schools throughout Indiana and beyond, providing expert guidance and service for diesel and electric bus fleets.

Each year, Thomas Built Buses evaluates dealers across its network based on key performance metrics, including customer service, parts availability, training participation and sales performance. The Dealer of the Year award represents the highest level of achievement among all TBB dealers in North America.

2024 Honors Class:

H.A. DeHart & Son, Inc. – Thorofare, New Jersey
Interstate Transportation Equipment, Inc. – Columbia, South Carolina
Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana
Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
Mid-South Bus Center, Inc. – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Litchfield, Illinois
New England Transit Sales, Inc. – Tyngsboro, Massachusetts

2024 President’s Club Platinum:

Carolina Thomas, LLC – Greensboro, North Carolina
H.A. DeHart & Son, Inc. – Thorofare, New Jersey
Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Interstate Transportation Equipment, Inc. – Columbia, South Carolina
Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana
Matthews Buses, Inc. – Ballston Spa, New York
Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
Mid-South Bus Center, Inc. – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Litchfield, Illinois
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Shawnee, Kansas
New England Transit Sales, Inc. – Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
Rohrer Bus Sales – Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Sonny Merryman, Inc. – Evington, Virginia
Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia – Forest Park, Georgia
Thomas Bus Texas – Dallas, Texas

2024 President’s Club:

American Bus Sales & Service – Annapolis, Maryland
BusWest – Carson, California
Complete Bus and Specialty Vehicles – Clarksburg, Ohio
Empire Truck Sales, LLC – Richland, Mississippi
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Commerce City, Colorado
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – El Reno, Oklahoma
Myers Equipment Corporation – Canfield, Ohio
Schetky Northwest Sales, Inc. – Portland, Oregon
Transportation South, Inc. – Pelham, Alabama
W.C. Cressey & Son, Inc. – Kennebunk, Maine

About Thomas Built Buses:

Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at thomasbuiltbuses.com or facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.

Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.

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SCHENACTADY, N.Y. – The deadline to enroll in the Top Transportation Teams program ends on Friday at midnight ET. The Top Transportation Teams awards program, now in its third year, aims a much-deserved spotlight on the best school transportation providers in North America.

Launched in 2023 by Transfinder Corp., the leader in school transportation logistics and hardware, is designed to provide recognition to unsung heroes in the school transportation industry and provide tools for districts to improve their operations by learning from others.

For the past two years, winners have been divided into two categories: Districts or contractors with more than 100 employees and districts and contractors with 100 or fewer employees. In 2024, the Top Vote-Getter was recognized as well as an Honorable Mention.

Teams enroll in the program by visiting TopTransportationTeams.com. From there they will upload their team’s email addresses. Team members will then receive anonymous surveys, answering a variety of questions about their department, such as: Morale within the department, leadership, safety and benefits. Team members are comprised of transportation supervisors and directors, routers, dispatchers, drivers and others considered core to the transportation department.

The winners will be selected solely on the responses to these anonymous surveys.

“This program has surpassed my expectations. To hear the stories about how teams came together to compete for this award has been inspiring to me and so many,” said Antonio Civitella, President and CEO of Transfinder. “It has also been rewarding to hear how communities have recognized the winners. That was the sole purpose behind the program, to recognize those who often go unnoticed.”

Each winner will be highlighted in news releases, social media posts and webinars. Representatives from each of the winning teams will be featured on a leadership panel discussion on Transfinder’s award-winning Best Practices webinar series to discuss what makes a Top Transportation Team.

Visit TopTransportationTeams.com to read about the past winners.

About Transfinder:
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to municipalities, school districts adult care facilities and police department. Transfinder award-winning technology routes one in three students in North America. The company is one of the fastest growing companies in New York’s Capital Region, according to the Albany Business Review. At one point, Transfinder landed on Inc. magazine’s fastest-growing private companies list for 12 years. Transfinder has offices in Austin, Texas, as well as China and India. The software and hardware company has repeatedly been named a Best Place to Work, a Top Workplace and Best Company to Work for in New York State. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com.

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MACON, Ga. – The Blue Bird School Bus Foundation, charitable arm of iconic school bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), continues to advance the education, health, and safety of children in its home state of Georgia. The Foundation hosted a community event at its corporate headquarters in Macon, Ga., and awarded a total of $53,300 to ten local area nonprofit organizations, including:

1. Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center 6. Peach Association for Intellectual Disabled, Inc. aka Kay Center.

2. Brave Meadows Therapeutic.

Riding Center, Inc. 7. The Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation – Warner Robins Corps.

3. Fort Valley Lions Club 8. Safe Kids Central Georgia.

4. Girl Scouts of Historic.

Georgia, Inc. 9. Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc.

5. Macon Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities Program by the Boys and Girls Club.

6. Peach Association for Intellectual Disabled, Inc. aka Kay Center.

7. The Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation – Warner Robins Corps.

8. Safe Kids Central Georgia.

9. Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc.

10. United in Pink, Inc.

Donations ranged from $2,500 up to $12,500.

“Georgia has been our home for nearly a century,” said Blue Bird president and CEO John Wyskiel. “Our school buses safely transport children, so we deeply care about their education, health, and safety. We’re pleased to fund ten local nonprofits that work tirelessly to improve our communities for children every day.”

“As a first-time recipient, we are delighted to accept the generous donation from the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation to promote child car seat safety in our local communities,” said Abbie Price, Coordinator at Safe Kids Central Georgia, which was awarded Blue Bird’s top-level donation of $12,500 at the community event. “The funding will enable us to provide free car seats and educational materials to low-income families in need.”

Since its inception in 2015, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation has donated more than $600,000 in charitable contributions to various community organizations, including more than 85 Georgia-based nonprofits.

In addition, Blue Bird has donated three all-electric, zero-emission school buses to three community organizations since Dec. 2023, including Peach County Schools in Fort Valley, Ga., the Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pa., and to Hoop Bus in Los Angeles, Ca.

Peach County Schools added the zero-emission school bus to its all-Blue Bird school bus fleet as a clean transportation option for day and field trips, as well as on special routes. The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation is turning the electric bus into a mobile computer lab to expand the foundation’s digital literacy programs for local community members in need. And Hoop Bus equipped the zero-emission bus with basketball hoops at the front and back, turning the vehicle into an interactive, mobile court serving thousands of at-risk youth in under-resourced communities across California.

About Blue Bird School Bus Foundation Inc.
The Blue Bird School Bus Foundation Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit corporation with the mission to promote education, health, and safety for children in the state of Georgia. Established in 2015, the Foundation supports organizations that directly benefit school age children under 19 years old as well as organizations which directly support disadvantaged communities. For more information, visit https://bbsbf.org.

About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

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CAMPBELL, Calif., and CLEVELAND, Ohio, – ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of EV charging solutions, and intelligent power management company Eaton, today announced a collaboration to accelerate and simplify the deployment of EV charging infrastructure in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The companies will integrate EV charging and infrastructure solutions, co-developing new technologies to advance bidirectional power flow and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) capabilities—enabling EVs to act as a power source for homes, buildings and more.

Providing a one-stop shop for the EV charging ecosystem, the companies will deliver EV chargers, electrical infrastructure and engineering services as turnkey offerings enabling the electrification of transportation, from vehicles to chargers to the grid. ChargePoint and Eaton will streamline the purchase, design and deployment of EV charging projects, offering joint solutions that will help customers effectively manage site power requirements, optimize infrastructure and enhance reliability at a reduced cost.

“ChargePoint’s partnership with Eaton will deliver innovation that addresses the biggest barriers to electrified transportation,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “Together with Eaton we will create unprecedented value for institutions that deploy EV charging, accelerating electrification, and decarbonizing the planet in parallel.”

With Eaton’s collaboration, ChargePoint now elevates its strategic position as an end-to-end enabler of the EV ecosystem, from grid to vehicle. As EV charging infrastructure matures, core components like chargers and infrastructure must integrate at scale to realize their fullest potential. ChargePoint’s work with Eaton and numerous automotive OEMs will enable the seamless integration chargers, infrastructure and EVs, managed with ease on the ChargePoint cloud software platform.

Paul Ryan, general manager, energy transition at Eaton, said: “Customers rely on Eaton to solve their toughest power management challenges. This game-changing partnership will help do just that for vehicle charging—bringing together trusted power distribution and EV charging solutions to simplify electrification at scale.”

Information regarding available EV charging and infrastructure solutions, which address every charging scenario, including fleet, workplace, commercial real estate, fueling and convenience, multifamily, residential and public transportation charging needs, is available on our website.

ChargePoint and the ChargePoint logo are trademarks of ChargePoint, Inc. in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other trademarks, trade names, or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.

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

About Eaton
Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. We make products for the data center, utility, industrial, commercial, machine building, residential, aerospace and mobility markets. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges and building a more sustainable society for people today and generations to come.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. – Orange Grove Charter School, based in Charleston, South Carolina, continues to go green and sets a new standard by converting a majority of their diesel school buses to run on renewable natural gas (RNG). Today, the Charleston-based charter school announced they are the first in the nation to convert their school bus fleet to the DEMI-NeuFuel diesel displacement platform.

The DEMI-NeuFuel school bus platform (aka the “CowFartBus”) is made possible, through a partnership between Ingevity, a specialty chemicals and materials manufacturer based in North Charleston, South Carolina, and American CNG, based in Layton, Utah.

This fleet conversion follows a successful pilot program with Orange Grove Charter School upfitting an existing school bus with Ingevity’s NeuFuel technology and American CNG’s DEMI Diesel Displacer system. Together, the platform enables buses to run on a blend of diesel and RNG, a near-zero carbon fuel that is derived from the biodegradation process of organic matter from agricultural, landfill, and wastewater facilities. This system is designed for use on in-service, existing diesel school bus and does not require districts or contractors to purchase new buses. Orange Grove CEO, John Clendaniel, says the new system will save the school $750 dollars a month in addition to helping clean up the environment.

Orange Grove’s school bus fleet will now rely on this highly cost-effective and sustainable platform utilizing low-pressure technology to unlock the value of lowcost natural gas, specifically highly sustainable RNG, by using a natural gas hook up
installed on their Charleston, South Carolina campus.

Through the use of the DEMI-NeuFuel technology and RNG, Orange Grove will reduce its fuel costs by over 25%, displacing approximately 270 gallons of diesel per month, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 32.6 metric tons per year, which is equivalent to 18,549 miles driven by a school bus (Based on EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator and the Department of Energy’s AFLEET Tool).

“This project marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable
transportation and demonstrates how we can reduce our carbon footprint and provide cleaner air to our students and our community, while we remain financially prudent,” said John Clendaniel, CEO of Orange Grove Charter School.

“Ingevity is proud to support Orange Grove’s sustainability journey with the deployment of our DEMI-NeuFuel platform across their entire fleet. This project highlights the benefits of low cost natural gas and zero-to-low carbon RNG as a transportation fuel designed specifically for school bus fleets supporting the transition to a lower cost and more sustainable mode of operations,” said Dante Marini, Product Engineer at Ingevity. “Ingevity’s NeuFuel technology and American CNG’s DEMI Diesel Displacer system can provide school bus fleet operators with the flexibility they need to address their unique requirements without compromise to vehicle or fleet operations.”

“The team has done an excellent job in making the process seamless for drivers.”
said Steve Arato Senior, Bus Driver at Orange Grove Charter School. “Our drivers have all noticed a smoother and quieter operation, which makes for a better ride. Overall, I feel proud knowing that what I’m driving is good for the school financially and better for the environment.”

Orange Grove Charter School was an early adopter of the school bus technology with their initial pilot program beginning in early 2023. Today, this low-pressure RNG solution continues to be utilized across various vehicle classes with school districts, independent bus contractors and other fleets around the country in Wyoming, New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Alabama, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina and others. These fleets engaging in pilot programs and follow-on orders are enjoying the sustainability benefits of RNG as well as significantly reduced fueling costs.

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