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Update: FCC Revokes E-Rate Eligibility of School Bus Wi-Fi

By: Ryan Gray

30 September 2025 at 16:46

As expected, the Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 to end E-Rate eligibility of school bus Wi-Fi as well as other off-campus internet hotspots.

The declaratory ruling approved Tuesday finds Wi-Fi is now ineligible for E-Rate funding for pending fiscal year 2025 reimbursement requests because two of three FCC commissioners “determined that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, is that the use and provision of these services on school buses does not serve an educational purpose as defined by E-Rate program rules and conflicts with the statute’s direction to enhance access to E-Rate-eligible services for classrooms and libraries,” FCC said in a statement.

School Wi-Fi and hotspot experts disagree.

At the urging of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, the open meeting agenda was updated last week to include reconsideration of a 2023 eclaratory ruling “that would align E-Rate eligibility with section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and make school bus Wi-Fi an ineligible expense. FCC also revoked the federal school hotspot program. School bus Wi-Fi and hotspot advocates say the declaratory ruling disproportionately affects low-income and rural students.

Carr expressed his intent earlier this month to end federal reimbursements for school bus Wi-Fi. Normally the FCC seats five commissioners but currently only has three with two vacancies: Carr is joined by fellow Republican Olivia Trusty, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier this year, and Anna Gomez, a Democrat.

Gomez, who was the lone dissenting vote Tuesday, was one of three votes in 2023 to pass then-Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel’s Learning Without Limits, which included the school bus Wi-Fi eligibility. Following a 2024 FCC order to expand the Universal Service program to fund hotspots outside of schools and libraries, school districts were allowed to apply and be selected for reimbursements. Carr was also a commissioner at the time and cast a no vote.

FCC said Tuesday a statement from Gomez was forthcoming. On Sept. 3, she cautioned that millions of students as well as seniors nationwide stand to suffer as “FCC is moving to strip that connectivity away while doing nothing to make broadband more affordable.”

”Their latest proposals will only widen the gap between those with access to modern-day tools and those left behind. We must all fight back against this level of cruelty and indifference by this administration,” she added.

Carr contends the initiative illegally extended the Emergency Connectivity Fund passed by Congress to provide for federal funding of school bus Wi-Fi for neighborhood hotspots during the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdowns for children needing to access virtual classes and complete homework.

Learning Without Limits intended to “close the homework gap” between areas of the country where students have access to and can afford broadband internet with economically disadvantaged and rural communities that do not or cannot.

Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, a Democrat, is one of the original authors of the E-Rate program.

“Rolling back the FCC’s hotspot rule is a direct attack on students and educators who need Wi-Fi to complete homework assignments, create lesson plans, and connect with each other,” he said in an email to School Transportation News Friday. “This move is short-sighted and cruel. It saves no money and only makes life harder for millions of Americans. We should be expanding connections, not cutting them off, and I will fight to keep every child, family and library online.”

Markey led a letter sent to Carr by Senate Democrats Monday asking him to continue allowing school bus Wi-Fi to be an allowable E-Rate expense. The letter notes that FCC awarded $48 million through E-Rate in fiscal year 2024 for school bus Wi-Fi.

Further frustrating Markey and other school bus Wi-Fi and off-campus hotspot supporters, the FCC only gave one week notice of the meeting agenda change and did not allow for public comment. Joey Wender, executive director of the Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said the fate of internet access for students “should not be rushed through,” pointing out school districts nationwide have already made purchasing plans under the assumption federal funding would be available going forward.

“We believe FCC should provide ample notice of any changes and for stakeholders to comment, tell their stories, and share their data,” he added.

Echoing Sen. Ted Cruz, the leading opponent of E-Rate for school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots in Congress, Carr asserts that school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots were never meant to be E-Rate eligible expenses. Advocates argue that Congress left open for interpretation section 254(c)(1) of the Communications Act, reauthorized in 1996 to add Universal Service as the mechanism that funds internet service for schools, libraries and health care providers, the definition of what an elementary school and secondary school, along with libraries, for where Wi-Fi and internet connections can be established and reimbursed.

“Congress deliberately left the term classroom undefined in the Telecommunications Act because it understood that students learn in many different settings, both inside and outside of traditional school buildings,” commented Keith Krueger, executive director of the Consortium for School Networking, or CoSN. “That flexibility has always been a strength of the E-Rate program, allowing it to adapt as learning environments change.”
He also noted the federal law refers to “an evolving level of services.”

“From that perspective, school bus Wi-Fi is consistent with the program’s purpose. It is simply one of the modern settings where students do their work,” he added.

During a keynote address at the 2024 STN EXPO West, Krueger told the audience the FCC estimates between 8.5 million and 16 million school children nationwide lack broadband internet at home.

Wender noted FCC supports internet connectivity reimbursed by E-Rate for administrative offices and book mobiles that extend to parking lots, and school bus Wi-Fi is an even better use-case.

FCC’s Carr and Gomez as well as Sen. Cruz had not responded to questions posed by STN at this report.

But Carr and Cruz have publicly stated that school bus Wi-Fi is poses a safety issue for students using it, with Cruz likening it to TikTok for school children.

However, E-Rate requires all funded communications devices comply with the Child Internet Protection Act. School bus Wi-Fi services must include filters that, in conjunction with closed school district networks, prohibit students from accessing unapproved sites and logs when and where the attempts occur.

In a 2023 announcement of the All Eyes on Board Act to combat FCC voting to allow school bus Wi-Fi, Cruz along with Sens. Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina and Shelley Capito of West Virginia acknowledged CIPA regulations but added “there is currently no provision requiring schools to block access to distracting and addictive social media apps or websites. As a result, the E-Rate program risks inadvertently enabling access to social media in schools,” though state laws do exist requiring the sites be blocked.

Earlier this month, Sen. Cruz encouraged the House to pass a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn what he called “the illegal Biden hotspot rule.” In May, he led a similar CRA through the Senate, where it passed to end federal funding of external hotspot devices some school districts send home with their students. But so far, Cruz has not garnered sufficient votes in the House to consolidate and pass a final CRA, which would be needed for President Trump’s signature into law.

Cruz has also said there are existing FCC programs that could fund school bus Wi-Fi, but he has not provided specifics.

Commented Wender, “I cannot speak to the intentions of policy makers. I can only speak to the consequences of ending the [school bus Wi-Fi] program, which is widening the digital divide resulting in low-income kids not being able to do their homework.”

Still, there’s hope, he said. Wender called FCC action “the lesser of two evils” because a future commission could reverse a decision and reinstate E-Rate reimbursement. The passage of a CRA would be more permanent.

The post Update: FCC Revokes E-Rate Eligibility of School Bus Wi-Fi appeared first on School Transportation News.

Amid ‘Unprecedented Degree of Uncertainty,’ CARB Proposes Two Pathways for Emissions Regulations

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

25 September 2025 at 17:06

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposed an emergency action to continue enforcing engine emissions regulations because it says federal government efforts to undo them could result in the sale of vehicles that are not certified to any standard.

As California’s lawsuit continues against the Trump administration, challenging the presidential executive order in January directing federal agencies to terminate state emissions waivers and a resulting revocation of those waivers through the Congressional Review Act (CRA) signed into law in June, CARB said it wants to provide regulatory certainty and flexibility to manufacturers. For school buses and trucks, manufacturers could meet the Omnibus Low-NOx regulation adopted in 2020 or the previous regulation that met the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency levels set in 2010. The CRA this spring revoked three waivers, one of which allowed CARB to set a new level of 0.05 g/bhp-hr of NOx.

The public had five business days from Monday’s announcement to weigh in on CARB’s intent to enact its Emergency Vehicle Emissions Regulations by filing comments with the state’s Office of Administrative Law.

The emergency regulations do not address the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which the CRA also revoked an EPA waiver for.

“The amendments would confirm that, until a court resolves the uncertainty created by the federal government’s actions, certain antecedent regulations (displaced by Advanced Clean Cars II and Omnibus) remain operative (as previously adopted) with the caveat that CARB may enforce Advanced Clean Cars II and Omnibus, to the extent permitted by law, in the event a court of law holds invalid the resolution purporting to disapprove those waivers,” the proposal reads.

In other words, manufacturers would be able to continue certifying engines under either the earlier-adopted emissions standards or the more stringent standards.

CARB noted that most engine and vehicle manufacturers have already planned on or achieved compliance with the more stringent emissions requirements. But CARB also warned that manufacturers choosing to certify to previous emissions levels assume the risk of having engines out of compliance with regulations, should current legal cases brought against the Trump administration go in California’s favor.

Cummins spokeswoman Drew Blair told School Transportation News that it was premature to respond in detail to CARB’s proposal, as it was not final. But she added Cummins is following the issue closely.

“Cummins is focused on delivering products with the power and performance our customers need to get their jobs done, while also meeting emissions requirements,” she commented. “We also will continue to advocate for national standards to bring clarity to our business and customers and ensure efficient and affordable products are available to power their needs.”

Earlier this month, a group of vehicle manufacturers led by Daimler Truck North America, the parent company to Thomas Built Buses, filed a suit against CARB, claiming the agency would need to re-enact previous legislation before it could enforce earlier emissions regulations.

“In the event the vehicle manufacturer’s claims were deemed correct … then CARB must take immediate action to maintain a stable vehicle market in the state and prevent the sale of vehicles into the state that would not be certified to either set of standards …,” CARB writes. “… Otherwise, in light of these unprecedented circumstances, there may remain questions — for the first time since CARB’s program began decades ago — as to whether any California standard is in effect.”

A Daimler Truck spokesperson said Wednesday the company could not comment on CARB’s proposal.

International, the parent to IC Bus, signed onto the Daimler Truck lawsuit. An International spokesman declined comment because the litigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, CARB said Tuesday 23 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales in 2024 were zero emissions, more than double the minimum statewide requirement. The data is based on 30,026 zero-emission trucks, buses and vans reported to CARB by manufacturers. School buses are included in the reporting.

It was the fourth year in a row that ZEV sales increased. More than 57,000 ZEVs have been sold in California since 2021.

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Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

22 September 2025 at 18:00

The new school has begun and students are back in class, notwithstanding the dozen
school districts that have gone year-round, according to the National Association for YearRound Education. We know full well school buses never stop operating, at least in most places, but the yellow machines are marching full force across North America,
delivering the most precious cargo. It’s an exciting yet anxiety-riddled time of year. With all those school buses and all those children on roads and highways, risk follows, largely in the form of other motorists.

But this school year, more than ever before, school buses are armed with innovations that target increased safety and efficiency. And technology offerings as well as adoption will only continue its upward movement. By 2032, the global student transportation market is forecast to more than double in value, to $4.95 billion from $2.31 billion last year, according to market intelligence firm Skyquest Technology Group. The North American market, especially the U.S., makes up the lion’s share and figures to continue to do so, though Skyquest’s recent report notes the rapid emergence of China then Japan and Australia as the forerunners of the fastest-expanding market of Asia Pacific.

All this growth is being largely led by AI-based vehicle and student monitoring and tracking, safety technology, and cloud-based fleet management systems. Look no further than this month’s technology “Superusers” to illustrate these points. Repeatedly, I read about student transporters who need and are getting access to real-time data ranging from student ridership to video, communications to vehicle telematics—that not only impact the decisions they need to make but are making them easier. In fact, all these technologies and then some are becoming increasingly integrated to give a more complete picture of operational safety and efficiency.

Elsewhere in this magazine issue, the technology conversation inevitably turns to securing the plethora of data now at student transporters’ fingertips. If the technology itself doesn’t leave you feeling trepidation, cyberattacks will. The Watch Dog Blog reported last year that the Verizon Data Breach Report saw a 258-percent increase in total security incidents plaguing education and research sectors in 2023 compared to the previous year and a staggering 546 percent rise in data breach cases.

In addition to the security measures available to or being taken by student transportation operations, I found especially informative the IT glossary Senior Editor Taylor Ekbatani included in her article. It wasn’t long ago we ran a similar glossary that defined electric school bus terminology. Many of those words and acronyms are now commonplace throughout much of the industry. I suspect many of the IT terms provided this month have already entered the industry lexicon.

With all today’s technology driving student transportation operations, not to mention tomorrow’s, collaboration with IT departments and a more intimate knowledge of technological solutions is a must. At the very least, student transportation leaders need to know what questions to ask of their IT departments and their dealers. And certainly, levels of security and data redundancy are at the top of the list.

Amid all this technology talk, the solutions I am most intrigued by are emerging virtual reality and augmented reality tools for maintenance professionals. Bob Pudlewski, NSTA Hall of Famer and our magazine’s technical editor, highlights how VR and AR as well as AI are changing or will change maintenance operations. Imagine being able to see into an engine to diagnose an especially vexing (and hidden) issue. Soon, Pudlewski writes, this will be possible.

It might happen even faster. Just two years ago at STN EXPO East in Indianapolis, Indiana, Cummins demonstrated during a plant tour how it is poised to use VR and AR goggles in its manufacturing and troubleshooting. The next great wave of innovation to hit the garage? As you read the following pages, ask yourself how the technologies discussed could assist and streamline your operations. Perhaps you and your transportation team are already using some of them. If so, what’s your “Superuser” story? I’d love to hear about it, and so would your peers across the industry.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the September 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

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National Specifications Manual Republished to Fix Alternative Transportation Section Omission

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

19 September 2025 at 22:04

The recently approved National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures that was published online and has been printed did not contain a new and historic section on alternative transportation.

The online version was removed from the National Congress on School Transportation website as of Friday, pending the update.

School Transportation News discovered the omission this week while finalizing the October magazine edition. STN asked for clarification from alternative transportation writing committee chair Tyler Bryan of the Delaware Department of Education, who in turn notified the NCST steering committee. Steering committee chair Michael LaRocco confirmed the oversight to STN Thursday.

The NCST steering committee informed state delegates and interested parties who attended the deliberations in May via email Friday that an online version of the updated specifications and the recently printed books are “incomplete.”

LaRocco added in the email that NCST is reprinting the books at no cost to those who ordered them, and the manuals will include a notation and disclaimer “to minimize any confusion.”

The new manuals should arrive at their destinations in two to three weeks, he added.

The alternative transportation section that was omitted contained guidance on driver credentials, driver training, vehicle design/equipment, and special education policy considerations. It was a new section included in the specs manual for the 17th NCST and was the first time the event that dates to 1939 took up the issue of non-school bus transportation.

Additionally, LaRocco told STN Friday the update will include another small technical change.

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Micro Bird Officially Opens U.S. Manufacturing, School Bus Production Already Underway

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

12 September 2025 at 20:03

The new U.S.-based manufacturing of the Micro Bird joint venture between Blue Bird and Girardin Minibus of Quebec is underway, with the plant in Plattsburgh, New York, officially opening this past week.

The formation of Micro Bird USA LLC was announced last November with the factory, formerly a Nova Bus plant, acquired in December with a $38 million investment. The first U.S. manufactured Micro Birds in 15 years began rolling off the production line in July

Micro Bird said the 156,000-square-foot plant currently employs 225 workers with a goal of growing the number to 350 when it reaches full production capacity. The project is supported by the Empire State Development with nearly $10 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits and a $2.5 million capital grant from the North Country Regional Economic Development Council.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was on hand Wednesday for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Today’s grand opening celebration marks a new chapter for Plattsburgh,” she said. “We are proud to welcome Micro Bird to the North Country, where the company is tapping into our skilled workforce, thriving transportation cluster, and major regional investments. This new facility strengthens the local economy, creates good jobs, and builds a brighter future for the region and all of New York.”

The current Micro Bird joint venture dates to Sept. 14, 2009, when Blue Bird and Quebec-based school bus manufacturer and dealer A. Girardin Inc. entered a 50-50 partnership agreement to create Micro Bird, Inc. and jointly market the Type A school bus branded as Micro Bird by Girardin. Girardin provided all body design, manufacturing and assembly.

Blue Bird and Girardin also entered a supply marketing agreement in 1991 to sell the Type A vehicles through Blue Bird’s sales network. The school bus was mostly assembled at Girardin’s Brantford, Ontario, plant but also at Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, Georgia, plant from 2006-2010, said Steve Girardin, the executive chairman of Micro Bird, Inc. He also noted that Girardin designed the very first Micro Bird for Blue Bird in the 1970s.

The Plattsburgh plant opening returns a significant portion of Micro Bird production to the U.S. to supplement ongoing manufacturing in Quebec but with a much larger footprint. Micro Bird USA said last year it expects the new facility will double the company’s Type A production. NBC5 reported Micro Bird USA expects the plant will help increase daily production to 15 buses a day from its current five a day.

The new plant is also fully compliant with the Buy America Act.

“This grand opening is a proud moment for the entire team,” said Eric Boulé, president and CEO of Micro Bird. “With our new facility, we are doubling our production capacity and increasing our ability to deliver high-quality, long-lasting small and mid-size buses to our customers.”

Boule added Micro Bird had been planning expansion “for some years.”

“Plattsburgh was the perfect choice for us, the availability of a highly skilled workforce, proximity to major markets, and within a community with a strong manufacturing ecosystem,” he continued.

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U.S. DOT Proposes Rule to Add Fentanyl to CDL Drug Testing Program

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

11 September 2025 at 04:17

Citing the frequency of overdose deaths nationwide and in the interest of transportation safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it seeks to add fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl to its drug-testing panels for CDL holders.

The proposal issued Sept. 2 seeks to amend certain provisions of 49 CFR Part 40 to “harmonize as appropriate” with the current U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) mandatory guidelines for federal workplace drug testing programs using urine (UrMG) and oral fluid (OFMG) that went into effect July 7, following a final rule published in January. A majority of HHS-certified labs already can test for fentanyl and norfetanyl with “sufficiently sensitive detection limits,’ according to this month’s NPRM.

The NPRM cites HHS findings from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Forensic Laboratory Information System 2021 report that fentanyl, a schedule II synthetic opioid, was the fourth most frequently identified drug and accounted for 11.61 percent of all drugs reported by forensic laboratories. Norfentanyl is “an important component of identifying fentanyl users when urine is the specimen matrix,” the proposal adds, with fentanyl being detected in oral fluid in pain management patients, overdose cases and cases of driving under the influence of drugs.

The National School Transportation Association said it is reviewing all the provisions of the NPRM but is likely to support adding fentanyl to the drug testing panel.

If published as a final rule, school districts and school bus companies administering or managing drug tests will need to update their policies.

“If a DOT drug/alcohol policy lists the drugs that are tested for, this will need to be added to the policy,” commented Tonic Lathrop, president of operations for Sinnett Consulting Services in Reno, Nevada. “When I write policy, I only list the main categories and not sub-categories so when substances get added to the testing panel, I don’t have to change all of my clients’ policies.”

This includes updating testing procedures and protocols, if a company or school district adds a biomarker or testing type information into their drug and alcohol policy, she explained.

Additionally, Lathrop said employers would need to provide their employees with notification and education about the changes and ensure employees are aware of the additional substance testing and possible update to the drug and alcohol testing policy.  Updated education material should also include fentanyl with substance awareness.

She also noted a positive test for fentanyl may have a legitimate medical explanation. A medical review officer, or MRO, may verify and report a negative test with safety concerns.

Public comments on Docket DOT-OST-2025-0049 are due by Oct. 17 online, by mail or in person.

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Report: Inequities in Canadian Electric School Bus Transition Threaten At-risk Populations

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

4 September 2025 at 14:59

With 2.2 million Canadian students back in school via the yellow school bus, a new report by the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA) highlights the need for equity of access and funding to make the transition to electric school buses a successful one.

Fewer than 4 percent of Canada’s 51,000 school buses, about 2,000 vehicles, are currently electric. But 70 percent of school buses on the road are set to be replaced in the next two to seven years, the report emphasizes.

Embedding Equity in Canada’s Transition to Electric School Buses calls on federal and provincial policymakers to ensure no one is left behind during the country’s move toward zero-emissions school buses. It identifies challenges faced by indigenous communities, students with disabilities and under-resourced areas in accessing ESBs. Adoption remains “significantly lower” in indigenous and remote communities nationwide, due primarily to cost barriers.

“We want to make sure that provinces roll out some financial incentive for electric school buses because right now just for the deployment there are absolutely no guidelines that force school bus operators or school districts to prioritize electric school buses in communities where there is more pollution and where they’re actually underserved,” lead author Valerie Tremblay of Green Communities Canada, a co-coordinator of CESBA, told School Transportation News.

The paper notes most ESBs range from $400,000 to $600,000 per bus compared to $125,000 for a diesel model — and related infrastructure, which proves especially challenging for indigenous and remote communities that already have higher transportation costs and barriers to funding. For example, transporting a student in northern Alberta costs $1,279 compared to $363 in urban areas, according to a report on education transportation needs prepared for the Assembly of First Nations, an advocacy group for indigenous people across Canada.

School bus contractor Switzer-Carty is a CESBA member company and currently operates two, 2018 model-year, Type C ESBs from the former Lion Electric. Those buses transport general education students, said Rich Bagdonas, vice president of business development for Switzer-Carty. But funding is also at issue.

The federal government targets 35 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sales to be zero emissions by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040. The Zero Emissions Transit Fund (ZETF) covers capital and planning costs, while the Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds chargers.

But Bagdonas pointed out that Ontario, where Switzer-Carty mainly operates, does not currently offer provincial funding programs or incentives though the company is exploring other local options.

Tremblay added ESB funding and deployment has so far focused on Montreal and Quebec, where 80 percent or about 1,600 ESBs operate, and other urban cities. Quebec also mandates nearly two-thirds of school bus fleets be electrified by 2030. British Columbia operates about 150 ESBs and also offers incentives, noted Bagdonas, as the province also aligns with California’s mandate that all trucks and buses be electrified by 2036.

Further illustrating the challenge, the report shares that Prince Edward’s Island also has no funding program currently in place despite targeting 100 percent ESBs province-wide by 2030. It had been relying on funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank Zero-Emissions Bus Initiative, but those funds are now exhausted.

The report recommends revising provincial and federal budgets to cover higher upfront ESB costs and better support small fleet operators.

Tremblay and associate Nicole Roach note that procurement guidelines and safety standards also need updating to ensure universal bus design and a wider range of school bus models that provide accessibility and inclusivity for all. For example, they call for standard wheelchair lifts for students with disabilities.

Tremblay and Roach write that Type A school buses now offer increased range, the prior lack of which had posed “significant challenges,” but supply remains constrained with only a few models available in Canada. The availability of Type C school buses equipped with wheelchair lifts “has the potential to ease some of the equity concerns tied to ESB adoption, especially for smaller operators or school districts,” they write.

Then, there is the obvious reduction in exposure to diesel emissions, which not only improves health but also provides better academic outcomes and school attendance. The report cites findings from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and the National Bureau of Economic Research in Massachusetts.

The report also considers the entire lifecycle of electric school buses, from resource extraction to manufacturing, adoption and use to disposal, and calls for intentional planning to ensure the transition benefits all communities, especially those on indigenous lands. Canada is a leading global producer of many critical minerals essential for ESB production, with mining predominantly located in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.

Meanwhile, the report also notes the need for improved working conditions by increasing wages and operational funding for school transportation staff, “as electric buses provide cleaner and quieter environments but may limit extra income opportunities due to range constraints.” This includes workforce development to expand ESB maintenance training programs that address skill gaps and job losses in the transition.

In addition to newly manufactured ESBs, the report recommends funding pilot projects to convert diesel buses to electric, preventing the export of decommissioned buses to countries with weaker safety standards, policies for adopting safe recycling of electric vehicle batteries and strengthening protections in mining practices to respect the rights of indigenous people and address human rights abuses linked to Canadian mining companies.

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A Jolt to School Bus Maintenance

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

25 August 2025 at 17:44

Reno, Nevada is a dichotomy in July, where the sunbaked desert meets the lush Truckee Meadows, and fir and pine trees lead the way to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Temperatures easily reach triple digits, but strong afternoon winds rolling down the mountainside make evenings pleasant. It is also the scene of the annual STN EXPO West, which last month celebrated its 32nd year, and it has hosted many events and training activities over that span. This year, it brought a new element to the conference.

The National School Bus Inspection Training Program included a high-voltage electric school bus overview that identified key safety components when working on these vehicles. Thanks to Washoe County School District Transportation Director Scott Lee and his staff, Derek Bryant of Automotive Service Excellence utilized an electric Type D Blue Bird to show and discuss with 30 participants the intricacies of electric school bus maintenance and safety inspections. Bryant was joined by Jannet Malig of the Long Beach, California chapter of Clean Cities and the head of California’s Community College program that trains school districts on electric school bus maintenance.

The high-voltage training started the Saturday portion of the hands-on training at Washoe’s South transportation facility after a day of classroom exercises and a written exam. Providing an overview of ASE’s new accreditation for high-voltage safety, Bryant took participants through an electrical journey across the entire school bus, which was elevated on a mobile lift. The overview was about an hour and a half long, and thankfully the Reno heat cooperated as the aforementioned breeze came early.

High-voltage safety training is a must for school bus maintenance technicians nationwide, not only in nearby California, where electric school bus adoption is accelerated. This fact was hammered home several days after the EXPO concluded, when the new owner of Lion Bus formally notified U.S. customers their warranties are now void. This means some 2,000 electric school buses officially have no support. Any owner of a Lion electric bus will tell you that that service has been lacking for some time.

Earlier this year, STN reported some options available to U.S. school districts. More recently, the World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative and CALSTART announced they are working to provide more resources to Lion customers.

The situation highlights a legitimate concern about new entrants into the electric school bus segment, whether that be the vehicle itself, chargers and infrastructure, or service. Already, several companies have fallen by the wayside. With the exit of Lion from the U.S. market, student transportation leaders must ensure the provider they select will be there tomorrow. Certainly, Blue Bird, IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses are in for the long haul. BYD spinoff Ride has a legacy that goes back to 2013, about the same as Lion, but BYD holds the distinction of being the largest electric vehicles manufacturer in the world.

Meanwhile, the feeding frenzy on $5 billion from the EPA Clean School Bus Program appears to have subsided, though EPA finally broke its silence last month with an update on the rebate process as well as promising more information on future funding. There will likely be changes, such as more money for propane school buses. Still, with over 5,200 electric school buses on the road—and another 14,000 in the pipeline, according to the World Resource Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative—maintenance professionals must receive training and assistance. That includes warranty work.

Electric school buses aren’t going anywhere. All the OEMs have spent considerable time and money in developing their low- and zero-emissions products. No amount of uncertainty from Washington, D.C., changes that. I believe electric school buses, will ultimately be successful in specific areas and on routes where the vehicles make the most sense—and other fuels will be necessary for years to come to make up the difference. And technicians in these school districts will need to provide maintenance.

With electric school buses, there are no oil changes, no fuel filter replacements and in many cases no transmission work. But as highlighted by ASE’s high-voltage accreditation, and the work being done elsewhere, it is critical school districts and bus companies have well trained professionals on staff able to take an educated approach to maintaining them. There is nothing contradictory about that.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the August 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

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California Doubles Down on Zero-Emission Vehicles with Renewed Affordability, Adoption Priorities

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

25 August 2025 at 07:00

A new report reaffirms California’s commitment to zero-emission vehicle adoption and deployment despite attempts by Congress and the Trump administration to remove federal waivers that provide the state authority to cut pollution levels within its borders and elsewhere.

The state currently is involved in multiple lawsuits challenging the administration’s efforts to revoke the waivers approved by the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency and others.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) released the report last week in response to Gov. Gavin Executive Order N-27-25 in June that directs CARB and several other state agencies to recommend strategies that make clean transportation more affordable, reliable and accessible. The report outlines strategies to expand the adoption of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) across all vehicle types, including school buses, as part of the state’s broader effort to combat air pollution and climate change.

The report highlights California’s leadership in clean transportation, noting that the state has already surpassed its goal of deploying 2 million ZEVs. With 56 ZEV manufacturers operating in the state and nearly 178,000 public or shared private electric vehicle chargers installed, California is setting the pace for the nation.

However, the CARB report notes that five of the 10 most polluted cities in the U.S. are in California, and millions of residents still live in areas with dangerously high ozone levels, especially in the Los Angeles area and the San Joaquin Valley.

To address these challenges, CARB recommends actions across six key areas: Private investment, incentives, infrastructure, fuel pricing, regulations, and procurement. CARB seeks to sustain the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program that utilizes credits from 200 participating companies and from utilities to subsidize clean fuels like renewable diesel and to continue taking advantage of other existing funding programs. It recommends backfilling the federal clean air vehicle tax credits that are set to expire at the end of next month and providing “reliable and consistent funding” to the agency and the California Energy Commission for ZEV deployment and infrastructure incentive programs.

Noting that infrastructure remains one of the largest barriers to ZEV adoption, the report highlights the need for increased reliability of and access to EV chargers, including timely repair. CARB also recommends streamlining permitting processes and utility energization timelines. This includes implementing flexible service connections and other strategies to eliminate delays in EV charging installation.

CARB also calls for unlocking the benefits of V2G by improving the energization process to enable vehicles to power homes and businesses or to export power to the grid during peak demand periods. This includes developing utility rates “that align EV charging and discharging with grid needs” and establishing incentives to automakers that build EVs that can provide backup power. CARB also writes that standards are needed for chargers to enable the use of vehicle-grid integration.

School buses are directly impacted by the state’s push for ZEV adoption. The report emphasizes the need for incentives and infrastructure to support the transition to zero-emission buses. For school districts, this could mean additional access to funding programs that make it easier to replace aging diesel buses with electric or even hydrogen-powered alternatives. Additionally, CARB says the focus on building reliable charging infrastructure could alleviate concerns about fueling capacity and range limitations.

For companies operating school buses, the report’s recommendations present both opportunities and challenges. The emphasis on private investment through programs like the LCFS could provide financial incentives for operators to transition their fleets. Additionally, the state’s focus on workforce development could help create a pipeline of skilled workers to maintain and operate ZEVs.

However, the transition will require careful planning. CARB states operators will need to navigate new regulations, invest in charging or fueling infrastructure and ensure their fleets meet the state’s reliability and durability standards. Collaboration with state agencies and local governments will be key to overcoming these hurdles.

The CARB report also notes 17 other states and the District of Columbia have chosen to adopt at least part of California’s vehicle standards. The demand in these states for clean transportation collectively represents 40 percent of the nation’s new light-duty vehicle market and 25 percent of the nation’s new heavy-duty vehicle market, which are three to four times that of California alone. In addition, three of these states have established complementary regulations similar to California’s LCFS to further advance the clean vehicle market.

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EPA Proposal Seeks to Eliminate GHG Regulations for Vehicles, Engines

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

31 July 2025 at 00:48

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering the 16-year-old Obama administration ruling on greenhouse gases that formed the nation’s regulatory landscape for transportation emissions, including those for school buses.

The proposed rule rolled out by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Tuesday at an auto dealership in Indianapolis, Indiana could save more than $54 billion annually in manufacturing costs passed on to consumers, EPA said. It claims emissions regulations implemented over the past 15 years created $1 trillion in costs to manufacturing, power and industrial sectors for meeting various emissions requirements.

While the 300-page document does not mention school buses by name, it focuses on repealing GHG emission standards for various categories of vehicles, including the categories of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and engines that school buses fall under. Specifically, it seeks to remove Part 85 on control of air pollution from mobile sources, Part 86—Control of Emissions from New and In-use Highway Vehicles and Engines, Part 600—Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Exhaust Emissions of Motor Vehicles, Part 1036—Control of Emissions from New and In-use Heavy Duty Highway Engines, Part 1037—Control of Emissions from New Heavy Duty Motor Vehicles, and Part 1039—Control of Emissions from New and In-use Non-road Compression-Ignition Engines.

Already, EPA is reconsidering the implementation of its GHG Phase 3 Rule for heavy-duty trucks and buses that is set to start in 2027.

The proposed rule seeks to reinterpret the Clean Air Act, specifically Section 202(a), known as the Endangerment Finding, which concluded that carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride contribute to air pollution and endanger public health. The proposed rule argues that the Endangerment Finding is legally flawed, scientifically uncertain and economically counterproductive. EPA claims it was historically applied to address local and regional air pollution, not global climate change concerns.

This interpretation exceeded statutory authority, writes EPA, adding that Congress did not clearly authorize the EPA to regulate GHG emissions based on global climate change concerns “because that provision authorizes regulating only air pollutants that ‘cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.’”

The proposed rule also notes the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in West Virginia v. EPA and Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA that federal agencies cannot assert transformative regulatory authority without explicit congressional approval. Instead, agencies must have more than a “colorable textual basis” to decide major questions of policy.

EPA also questions “unreasonably analyzed” scientific data used to support the original “Endangerment Finding” that declared GHG to endanger public health and welfare. The proposed rule cites projections of global warming increases, health risks from heat waves, and impacts of other health events. It also notes empirical data, peer-reviewed studies and real-world developments since 2009 that “cast significant doubt on many of the critical premises, assumptions and conclusions in the Endangerment Finding.”

The proposal also claims technological limitations in addressing global climate change concerns, as “reducing GHG emissions from all vehicles and engines in the U.S. to zero would not have a scientifically measurable impact on GHG emission concentrations or global warming potential,” according to a May 27 draft report by the U.S. Department of Energy Climate Working Group.

EPA also notes President Donald Trump’s recent “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” repealed certain GHG provisions.

As for economic concerns, EPA highlighted that GHG emissions standards have increased vehicle costs, slowed fleet turnover and reduced consumer access to newer, safer and more efficient vehicles.

Public comments on EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194 are due by Sept. 21.

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Suffolk Transportation, Past-President Noble Among NSTA Honorees at Recent Convention

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

30 July 2025 at 00:37

The National School Transportation Association named Long Island, New York contractor Suffolk Transportation as its Contractor of the Year and inducted NSTA past-president Carina Noble to its Hall of Fame during the Annual Meeting and Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.

School Transportation News is in its third year as sponsor of the NSTA Contractor of the Year award.

One of the largest school bus contractors in New York state, Suffolk Transportation Services and Suffolk Bus was established in 1955, though the company traces its origins to 1922, and was acquired in 1970 by John A. Corrado. John J. Corrado currently serves as president and CEO with his sons John R. and Joseph as assistant vice presidents. Suffolk Bus transports 62,000 students in 24 Long Island school districts each school day with 1,800 school buses over 1,500 routes.

“This award is a testament to the passion, integrity and professionalism of every member of our team,” said Thomas Smith, Suffolk’s chief operating officer. “Their dedication to safe, reliable service, a strong company culture, and leadership across the student transportation industry inspires me every day. We’re proud to stand with our fellow NSTA member companies in raising the bar for what excellence in pupil transportation truly means.”

Thomas McAteer is executive vice president and Angelo Carbone is director of the company’s transit and paratransit operations for Suffolk.

Meanwhile, Noble joined the NSTA Hall of Fame following her term as the association’s president from 2021 to 2023. She is the senior vice president of communications for National Express, the second largest school bus contractor in North America.

NSTA credited her with helping to obtain a two-year exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for under-the-hood requirements of the school bus inspection exam needed for the commercial driver’s license and amendments to the Clean School Bus Act that now allows private contractors direct access to grants.

“Carina Noble’s impact on NSTA cannot be overstated. She has served in a variety of capacities with the organization and left us in a better place each time. As government relations committee chair, Carina was focused and determined to use our advocacy platform in a positive way,” commented NSTA Executive Director Curt Macsysn. “Personally, I have leaned on Carina for advice and support over the years, and she has always come through with her calm and reasoned approach. I’m thrilled that she is entering into the NSTA Hall of Fame, and there isn’t a more worthy recipient.”

In all, NSTA awarded 18 members and two companies during its Annual Meeting and Convention, held July 20-23. STN President and Publisher Tony Corpin joined Macysyn in presenting the magazine’s Innovator of the Year award to Guarav Sharda, chief technology officer of Beacon Mobility, for his direction and implementation of AI-based HR tools for employees. Sharda was also recognized at STN EXPO West a week earlier.

**Carina Noble accepts her induction into the NSTA Hall of Fame on July 22, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of NSTA.**

Six individuals also received NSTA Golden Merit awards for their dedication and contributions to school bus safety, community service, business practices and vehicle maintenance. They are Glenn Brayman, fleet manager for First Student in Massachusetts; Melissa Castle, a location manager for Mid Columbia Bus in Oregon; Michelle Harpenau, manager for Durham School Services in Boston, Massachusetts; Kevin Kilner, director of safety for Beacon Mobility; David Kinley, vice president of operations in New York for Student Transportation of America; and Barbie Stucker, general manager of Big Sky Bus Lines in Montana.

Distinguish Service Awards were given to Paul Mori, the New York director of client relations for Beacon Mobility and Susan Rady of Johnson School Bus Service in Wisconsin, for “significant, substantial and special contributions to pupil transportation contracting.”

NSTA Outstanding Driver Service Award Recipients went to Linda Caudillo of Mid Columbia Bus Company; Jeffrey Flitcraft of B.R. Williams in Pennsylvania, Kilra Hylton of TransAction Associates in Massachusetts, Duane Versteegh of School Bus Inc. in South Dakota, and Becky Williams of Dousman Transport Company in Wisconsin.

First Student took home the Go Yellow, Go Green Award for adopting and advancing electric school buses, which the company operates over 2,000 across North America. Tim Weaverling of insurance provider RWR-Keystone was named Committee Member of the Year while John Benjamin, president of Benjamin Bus in Minnesota was named Committee Chair of the Year. Lee Edwards of Wells Fargo Equipment Finance was awarded Vendor Partner of the Year.

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Securing Industry Wins

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

28 July 2025 at 18:11

In another galaxy not that long ago, conversations about contracting school transportation focused solely on the yellow school bus. Not anymore. Today’s discussions, while still centering on school buses, have evolved to include the growth of alternative vehicles such as vans, sedans and SUVs.

Many of these are operated by third-party companies with no previous school bus experience. Traditional school bus contractors also now offer this form of transportation, and that has led the industry to do something that is even more historic. As previously reported, the National Congress on School Transportation in May for the first time approved non-school bus recommendations. This month, I talk with the recent alternative transportation writing committee chair, Tyler Bryan.

He is the education associate for the Delaware Department of Education and de facto state director of student transportation. Bryan is also the president-elect for the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, which organizes NCST.

He told me that this topic has been of great interest to him because Delaware, like all states, is grappling with alternative transportation for schoolchildren and how to provide training and oversight. A couple of states have strong laws or regulations, such as California’s inclusion of mandatory pre-employment drug and alcohol testing among the provisions that go into effect this month. But most states do not. Hence, the writing committee was formed at the behest of my good friend and renowned expert in transporting students with disabilities and preschoolers, Linda Bluth, TSD Conference tenured faculty emeritus and long-time magazine contributor.

The main issues discussed at NCST were driver credentialing, vehicle inspection and student behavior management, as the intent of the recommendations is to more align vans and the like with what is required to operate a school bus. These are much needed aspects of alternative transportation and reasons why recommendations needed to be made in the national school transportation specifications and procedures.

In the meantime, one of the vital aspects of alternative transportation that had not been addressed, at least to the liking of certified child passenger safety technicians I have spoken with, is the issue of child safety restraint systems on these alternative transportation vehicles. The NHTSA-sponsored, eight-hour, hands-on Child Passenger Safety on School Buses seminar that is presented again at STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, this month and returns to the TSD conference in Frisco, Texas, in November provides everything a student transporter or a child passenger safety technician needs to know about the differences with CSRS in school buses, compared to other vehicles.

The training also demonstrates how to properly and safely secure students in a variety of CSRSs, whether those are traditional rear- or forward-facing car seats for infants and toddlers, the various safety vests and harnesses that students with disabilities might need, or proper securement and support in wheelchairs.

CPSTs I’ve spoken with were at first dismayed that initial industry conversations on alternative transportation lacked focus on CSRS. In the run up to NCST, a NASDPTS paper on alternative transportation did not mention the need for training alternative transportation providers on correct CSRS usage (Indiana is the only state that requires CSRS for preschool children riding in school buses.) Those same CPSTs expressed relief when CSRS training did make it into the NCST proposal in Des Moines, Iowa, where state delegates approved it.

That was a win for the industry. It gives the guidance that alternative transportation companies as well as school districts need when increasingly transporting students with disabilities, out-of-district students, and preschoolers in non-school bus vehicles. Already we have seen proactive measures taken by providers when it comes to managing student behavior. EverDriven announced earlier this year it is requiring video cameras in all vehicles. Ostensibly in response to the CSRS inclusion in the national specifications, HopSkipDrive last month said it was offering new rider assistants and a “car seat program” in addition to wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

The new industry recommendations that give best-practice guidance on alternative transportation could be a defining moment in the industry’s evolution.You can bookmark that, literally. The updated National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures manual is expected to be available later this summer.

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

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NASDPTS Revises Illegal School Bus Passing Count After California Fixes Error

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

24 July 2025 at 21:20

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) says 39.3 million motorists could be illegally passing school buses nationwide, after updating its National Stop Arm Count survey to correct data reported by California.

The California Department of Education provided new figures to NASDPTS to correct the number of driver-side and student loading-door-side illegal passes by motorists at school bus stops. As a result, NASDPTS extrapolated a decrease in the number of potential violations based on a 180-day school year and nationwide, further indicating that while still a major issue illegal passing rates improved during the 2024-2025 school year.

NASDPTS announced its 13th National Stop Arm Violation Count, a one-day snapshot of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses while loading or unloading students during the 2024-2025 school year, at National School Transportation Association Annual Meeting and Convention Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts. Earlier this year, California joined 35 other states and the District of Columbia in voluntary one-day counts of motorists passing the federally mandated stop arm and flashing red lights at school bus stops while children are loading or unloading.

Initially, the NASDPTS report indicated that the 1,943 participating school bus drivers in California — accounting for approximately 8 percent of the 21,668 school buses in operation each school day, according to the California Department of Education’s Office of School Transportation — observed 10,381 violations, and that all occurred on the right-side of the school buses where students load and exit.

California clarified Thursday that a total of 8,231 violations of the school bus stop arm and red lights were reported, with 3,881 occurring from the front of the bus and 4,350 from the rear. None occurred on the right side where the loading door is located, Anna Borges, supervisor the Office of Student Transportation, told School Transportation News.

California is also the only state to require all kindergarten through eighth grade students be escorted by their drivers, when the students must cross the street to and from the school bus to get to or from their homes. In these instances, the Office of Student Transportation clarified that 136 illegal passes were observed, where the motorist or motorist approached the school bus from the front or as oncoming traffic, during afternoon routes. Fifty-nine motorists passed during morning routes and dight during mid-day routes. Motorists passed from the rear of the school bus during escorted routes 104 times in the afternoon, 32 times in the morning, and 10 times at mid-day.

Illegal passes spiked on non-escorted routes, a total of 7,882 instances, or nearly 96 percent of the total observations. This included students who don’t need to cross the street and students in grades 9 through 12.

A total of 1,711 school buses operated by 149 of the California’s 950 school districts that provide home-to-school transportation and 11 private carriers participated in the April 29 count.

With the correction, NASPDTS said 218,000 illegal passing incidents report indicates 114,471 school bus drivers, or 31 percent of the nation’s total, reported a total of 69,408 vehicles passed their buses illegally. Adjusting to account for 100 percent all school bus drivers in the U.S., NASDPTS said over 218,000 illegal passing violations could occur on one day, a decrease of 7,000 based on the initial sample previously reported. NASDTPS also extrapolates 1.3 million fewer incidents could occur during a 180-day school year across all 50 states, 39.3 million compared to the original estimate of 40.6 million. While still high, the new figure represents 13-percent fewer illegal passes than the 45.2 million reported for the 2023-2024 school year.

“Even with these corrected numbers the illegal passing of stopped school buses continues to be the greatest safety danger to children,” said NASDPTS President Mike Stier. ”Regardless of the number, 39.3 million violations is simply too many. We continue to encourage each state to raise awareness on this important safety issue and to do everything possible to ensure motorists put the safety of school children first.”

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts nationwide saw the number of illegal passings spike. NASDPTS had previously cited 41.8 million violations occurring using data from the 2019 and 2022 surveys, as the survey was suspended for two years during the height of COVID, when schools nationwide closed their doors and few school buses were on route. The survey returned in 2022.

Meanwhile, the most recent survey indicated 80 percent of the reported illegal passes occurred on the left side of the stopped school bus. More notably, that left almost 20 occurring on the right side of the bus, where the loading doors are located and where students enter and exit.

According to the NASDPTS update, over 50 percent of the observed illegal passes, 33,914 instances, occurred during afternoon routes. About 46 percent, or 31,127 violations, occurred in the morning and 2,217 violations, over 3 percent, occurred during midday routes. Sixty-nine percent of the observed violations, 39,442, were committed by motorists in oncoming vehicles as opposed to 22,203 vehicles, 36 percent, following from the rear.

Georgia led the way with the most school bus drivers participating in the one-day count at 13,468 followed by Tennessee with 11,811 and North Carolina with 10,597.

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School Transportation Veteran Reveals Critical Management Challenges, Solutions

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

17 July 2025 at 22:53

RENO, Nev. — Jim Schiffler, a veteran transportation industry leader, dissected the complex challenges of leadership promotion based on his book “Stepping Up: From Valued Employee to Supervisor.”

Schiffler was literally born into the school bus industry as his father owned a school bus contracting business. He later led two school bus contractor and dealership operations in Minnesota and South Dakota.

“Stepping Up,” which he said is being utilized by multiple organizations as a leadership development resource, is based off his decades of experience in business. It identifies five critical mistakes organizations consistently make when promoting employees to supervisory roles. He shared his perspective and advice for improving employee morale and organizational culture during his morning STN EXPO West general session Tuesday prior to the continuation of the trade show.

Schiffler emphasized that top performers in technical roles — such as mechanics or drivers — do not automatically possess leadership capabilities.

“The best mechanics solve problems independently,” he said. “Leadership requires getting things done through other people.”

Organizations frequently promote long-serving employees or family members without evaluating their leadership capabilities. This approach, Schiffler warned, can create workplace dysfunction, decrease productivity and increase employee turnover.

Undefined role expectations are also a fast route toward dysfunction in the workplace. Without clear job descriptions, new supervisors often default to performing tasks they enjoy rather than responsibilities critical to their role. “Lack of structure breeds uncertainty and underperformance,” Schiffler explained.

Then there is insufficient training of employees to become supervisors in the first place.

Many organizations provide minimal guidance to new supervisors, essentially saying “congratulations and good luck,” he noted. This approach leads to frustration, potential misconduct and potential leadership failure.

Schiffler also recommended weekly one-on-one meetings between new supervisors and their managers to provide immediate feedback, build confidence and reinforce accountability.

Critical skills for supervisors, Schiffler explained, include exceptional communication abilities, public speaking proficiency, performance management, cultural awareness and employee training capabilities.

“Leadership is a calling, not just a job,” Schiffler told the audience. “It’s about inspiring people and helping them through life’s challenges.”

He stressed that creating a people-first workplace culture ultimately drives organizational success, emphasizing empathy, recognition, and consistent communication.

“Building a culture is not a difficult thing, folks,” he added. “It just takes time to think about it.”

An attendee asked for advice on changing what he called “terrible” culture in his school district, where he has only worked for the past five months.

“I would think about calling a meeting and videotaping it. That means everybody hears the same thing because we have different locations. Share with them your observations over the five months you’ve been there,” Schiffler advised. “Let them know that you would like things to be better.”

He also suggested conducting a survey aimed at improving culture, to understand the root causes of the issues and make a commitment to address them. Schiffler also said it is necessary to set clear values and regularly communicate progress to employees. He emphasized the importance of following through on commitments to build trust and improve morale.

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Update: I Squared Completes Acquisition of National Express School Bus Contractor

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

17 July 2025 at 09:41

Infrastructure investment firm I Squared Capital announced it finalized its purchase of all National Express School divisions and assets from the UK’s Mobico Group, including over 14,000 school buses operated by Durham School Services, Petermann and Stock Transportation.

The companies announced the completed deal for a reported $608 milloin to acquire Durham School Services, Petermann Bus and Stock Transportation Tuesday, ahead of the original expected date of Sept. 30, coinciding with the company’s third-quarter end. National Express is one of 69 companies in I Squared’s portfolio.

“Closing this transaction marks an important milestone and an exciting new chapter for NEXS. We are a trusted, safe and reliable transportation brand that represents a vital link to education for the communities we serve,” said National Express CEO Tim Werner in a statement. “Businesses like ours have the potential to have a positive impact on millions and provide the lifeblood for a functioning society, regardless of economic cycle.”

Wertner added National Express is looking to I Squared’s investment commitment and expertise in the transportation sector to strengthen and improve services and “further build on our reputation for safe and reliable student transportation.”

A National Express spokesperson told School Transportation News in April that the transition should be seamless for school district customers.

“We expect to continue business as usual under our current operating brands,” the spokesperson said at the time. “We will continue to deliver the high-quality, safe and reliable service that we’ve provided for more than 100 years.”

Durham School Services is the oldest company and service operated by National Express, dating back 108 years.

Mobico Group, formerly known as National Express Group and based in Birmingham, England, had been looking to sell its North American school bus division to reduce debt. In April, I Squared Capital also said it was seeking entrance into the school bus industry and announced its intent to do so in October 2023, “to address the long-term challenges which the pandemic created for school bus.”

I Squared noted that National Express has made “significant operational improvements, primarily improving driver retention and recruitment, route reinstatement, and improved contract pricing.

“The business has also improved fleet allocation which has led to better asset utilization, cash flow and customer satisfaction. All of these culminated in school bus delivering a net positive route outcome for the current school year bid season, the first in over a decade,” the company stated in a transaction summary. “However, whilst school bus has demonstrated its recovery from the pandemic’s effects, it continues to require significant maintenance and growth capital investment and has experienced persistent market challenges such as driver wage inflation and, more recently, potential fleet cost inflation from new tariffs.”

Wertner is expected to continue serving as CEO of National Express. He said the school bus contractor has focused on recovering lost routes, securing new contracts, recruiting and retaining drivers, and delivering price rises above inflation since he joined the company in 2023.

“This transfer of ownership will allow us to stand on a much stronger financial foundation for a wider spectrum of new opportunities and growth to benefit our stakeholders, valued partners and prospects, as well as reinforce our position as a transportation leader and flourish to even greater heights,” he said in a statement Friday. “With I Squared Capital’s strong reputation and support of our company, we firmly believe they will be an outstanding steward for us, and we look forward to furthering our footprint in the student transportation industry together.”

I Squared manages over $40 billion in assets that build and scale infrastructure businesses that deliver critical services to millions of people worldwide. The company’s portfolio includes over 90 companies operating in more than 70 countries and spanning sectors such as energy, utilities, digital infrastructure, transport, environmental and social infrastructure.

“School transportation is more than just a daily commute. It’s a vital link to education, which underpins a functioning society regardless of the economic cycle,” commented Gautam Bhandari, the global chief investment officer and managing partner at I Squared. “As infrastructure specialists, I Squared has specific expertise in providing vital public services, including public transport. Our investment will provide the capital needed to upgrade equipment and maintain safe, efficient transportation for children using this essential service so parents can [be] rest assured each time their family member travels.”

Mobico had operated Durham in the U.S. since the former National Express Group purchased the school bus contractor in August 1999, a year after acquiring Crabtree-Harmon that mostly operated in the Midwest. The company followed in 2000 with the purchase of School Services & Leasing, which at the time was the second-largest school bus contractor in the U.S. Two years later, it acquired Stock Transportation in Canada and in 2018 purchased Petermann in the U.S.

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