WALL, N.J., – Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in student transportation, safety, and fleet services, has entered the new operating year with more than $100 million in annual revenue growth, driven by a stream of recent acquisitions in the student transportation sector, new contract bid wins across the U.S. and Canada, and a strategic expansion of industrial busing solutions, which serves as a new vertical in the U.S. market for the company. STA also celebrates new market entries into Michigan, Ohio and Nevada.

“This period of disciplined growth reflects STA’s commitment to strategically expanding our transportation services,” said Gene Kowalczewski, CEO of Student Transportation of America. “By growing our reach into new states, securing additional district contracts, and expanding our expertise in employee and industrial transportation to the United States, we are broadening our service footprint. Our core legacy of safety and service remains the foundation of everything we do, and we look forward to serving more communities.”

Significantly extending the company’s operational footprint throughout Michigan, New York, Ohio and Ontario, Canada, STA has confirmed the company has completed transactions with the following operators in recent months:

Cook School Bus Lines, LTD – Located in Eastern Ontario, Canada, Cook School Bus provides student transportation services to the families of Wellington County and surrounding communities.

ABC Student Transportation – Located in Detroit, Michigan, ABC is a full-service student transportation company serving local students throughout Wayne County.

Star & Strand Transportation, Inc. – Located in Troy, New York, Star & Strand primarily provides school transportation services and charter busing to communities within the state’s Capital region, including throughout Rensselaer and Albany counties.

Universal Transportation Systems – Located in West Chester Township, Ohio, Universal Transportation primarily focuses on school transportation, non-emergency medical transportation and charter busing for communities throughout Cincinnati, Columbus and West Chester Township. Under each agreement, STA is working closely with legacy personnel to ensure business continues with minimal disruption to local customers. The company prides itself on leveraging the knowledge and expertise of its local teams to ensure services are tailored to the unique needs of every community it serves.

STA has also won several new district contracts for the 2025-2026 school year, including new agreements in California, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin, further strengthening its national service footprint. In Canada, Student Transportation of Canada has added contract agreements with new schools in Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan, expanding its customer base and bringing safe and reliable transportation to more communities.

“As we welcome new customers and expand our roster, we remain committed to the values that have guided us from the start — safety, reliability, and building strong local relationships that ensure every community receives the highest level of service,” adds Kowalczewski.

To learn more about Student Transportation of America, its growing fleet, or career opportunities, please visit ridesta.com.

About Student Transportation of America
Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in school transportation and fleet services, was founded in 1997 on the bedrock of family, community, and a safety-first mindset. Operating more than 22,000 vehicles, STA provides customers with the highest level of safe and reliable student transportation, management, logistics, and technology solutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is committed to cultivating a safety-driven culture that empowers its employees to take pride in their work, delivering safe, reliable, and on-time service. Additionally, STA’s commitment to positively impacting the health of its passengers and the planet is evident through its conscious decision to undertake each initiative that decreases its carbon footprint, helping to move the company and industry toward a greener future. For more information, please visit www.rideSTA.com.

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FOSTER CITY, Calif. and TEANECK, N.J., – As the 2025 school year gets under way in New Jersey, the students in Teaneck, Midland Park, and Ramsey public school districts will be breathing easier as they enjoy the ride in fully-electric Type B school buses operated by D&M Tours. The zero-tailpipe emission buses, manufactured by Motiv Electric Trucks and upfitted by Van-Con, Inc. will replace aging gasoline buses. The project was developed and managed by Climate Change Mitigation Technologies LLC (CCMT).

“With the start of the new school year, these new buses are on their routes, picking up and dropping off school children safely and sustainably,” said Tim Palomba, CEO of D&M Tours in Paterson, New Jersey. “These children and their communities will benefit greatly from the Motiv-Van-Con electric buses which dramatically reduce noise and air pollution in the bus “cabin” as well as in the multiple communities along the routes. Zero-emission buses are especially important for the Type A and B school buses that Van-Con makes because they are often used to transport special needs children, who generally spend a greater amount of time on a school bus than the other students.”

The four electric Type B school buses feature Motiv’s proven EPIC 4 platform and Van-Con’s safe and durable school bus body. Each bus eliminates idling, noise and vibrations as well as tailpipe pollution and CO2 emissions, providing students a healthy, quiet and safe ride to school. The routes serviced by this project, like many school transportation routes, are ideal for electrification due to their local, repetitive, predictable nature and the fleet’s ability to charge overnight at a central depot.

Editor’s note — The “New Jersey Type B” is a subclass of Type A school buses the state uses when the vehicle weighs more than a10,000 pounds GVWR.

D&M tours will replace four older gasoline buses, avoiding up to 3,000 gallons of fossil fuel and related costs annually. Over the 15-year useful life of the project it is estimated that the Motiv electric buses will log 1,134,000 miles and eliminate over 2 million pounds of tailpipe emissions.

In addition to the health benefits, there are significant economic benefits to the district. According to an analysis from the Electric School Bus Initiative, an electric school bus can save the district more than $100,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance savings compared to an equivalent diesel bus.

The school buses will travel between D&M’s fleet depot in Paterson to students in Teaneck, Midland Park, Ramsey, and multiple communities in between, providing health benefits all along the way. Research has shown prolonged exposure to poor air quality increases rates of heart disease, impaired lung function and lower IQ levels. Paterson accounts for 62 percent of all asthma Emergency Room visits in Passaic County, but only accounts for 29 percent of the Passaic County’s population. Children in Passaic County under the age of 5 have an asthma rate that is 65 percent higher than the New Jersey statewide average.

“This is a wonderful representation of our Better Trucks, Better World vision. Replacing aging diesel school buses with clean, electric alternatives represents exactly the kind of meaningful health and environmental progress we’re working to accelerate as we expand the presence of our class 4 electric truck platform,” said Scott Griffith, CEO of Motiv Electric Trucks. “Students, drivers, and the communities these buses serve will all benefit from the elimination of harmful diesel emissions, while D&M Tours gains the operational advantages and cost savings of electric.”

“We are pleased to deliver these buses to one of our best customers as he helps lead the school bus industry into the next century,” said Jim Anderson, President of Van-Con, Inc. “These four buses are the first four of a total of 29 electric school buses we are building with Motiv for districts and contractors across New Jersey.”

“Climate Change Mitigation Technologies LLC (CCMT) appreciates the opportunity to partner with D&M Tours, Inc., Van-Con, Inc., and Motiv to deliver the first fleet of electric school buses built in part in New Jersey,” said James Sherman, CEO of CCMT. He noted that “CCMT’s integration of the buses, DCFC chargers, and OCPP charge management software gives D&M the operational control of charging, real-time economic transparency of charging costs, and management reports it needs. I am pleased to report that the electric school bus fleet, chargers, and control software integration worked seamlessly all summer long.”

Other project partners include the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) which provided funding for the project, Vanore Electric, Inc., which was the electrical contractor for the project; PSE&G, which helped expedite the project, and Grid Link, Inc., which was the OCPP/charge management software system provider.

A ribbon-cutting event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 11 am at the D&M Tours facility at 20 Shady Street in Paterson, NJ. Persons interested in attending may contact jsherman@ccmtdg.com for an invitation.

About Motiv Electric Trucks
Founded in 2009, Motiv is a privately held company headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Motiv is a leading manufacturer of medium duty, zero-emission electric trucks and buses, producing a range of vehicles, including step vans, shuttle buses, box trucks, and work trucks, designed to eliminate tailpipe CO2 emissions and particulate matter, while offering drivers and passengers a more comfortable, healthier and safer ride.

Motiv’s combination of operational cost savings and environmental performance helps customers meet emissions and pollution standards as well as achieve their own net-zero, ESG or other climate impact-related pledges and commitments.

On August 15, 2025, Motiv and Workhorse Group Inc. (Nasdaq: WKHS) entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in a transaction that will create a leading North American medium-duty electric truck OEM. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to approval by Workhorse’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions.

More information about the company’s products and services is available at https://www.motivtrucks.com.

About Van-Con, Inc.
Van-Con, Inc. is a 50 year old New Jersey company founded on the principle of safety first. Starting with Paul Anderson, Sr. back in 1973 and continuing today under Jim and Linda Anderson, Van-Con, Inc. has been a school bus innovator from the start. This means being one of the earliest proponents for school bus safety standards, development of the first 16 passenger Type A school bus, and one of the first school bus body builders to offer ADA compliant wheel-chair lifts. Today, Van-Con, Inc. manufactures a variety of Type A and B school buses and there are literally hundreds of Van-Con school buses on the road with scores of customers across New Jersey. Van-Con, Inc. is located in Middlesex, NJ. www.vanconbus.com

About Climate Change Mitigation Technologies LLC (CCMT).
CCMT is the leading low, zero, and negative carbon fuels and fleets project development and management firm in New Jersey that provides advisory services and also delivers design-build fully operational charging or fueling infrastructure. CCMT has delivered hydrogen and electric truck and bus fleet projects and is currently working on renewable natural gas (RNG) projects for public and private fleets. Among CCMT’s completed projects are the 2021 delivery of 5 BYD garbage trucks to the Jersey City DPW; the 2022 delivery of 10 BYD terminal tractors to the Red Hook Container Terminal in Port Newark, NJ; the 2025 delivery of 2 BYD garbage trucks and 3 Motiv senior citizen shuttle buses to Woodbridge Township, NJ; the 2025 delivery of 1 BYD garbage truck and 2 Motiv commuter “HOP” shuttle buses to Hoboken, NJ; and the 2025 delivery of multiple Motiv dry goods box and cold plate last mile delivery trucks to the Elizabeth Board of Education.

About D&M Tours, Inc.
D&M Tours, Inc. has been in business for over 25 years and is one of the largest private school bus contractors in northern New Jersey and a leader in the drive to more sustainable fuels and school buses. The D&M fleet consists of diesel, gasoline, propane, and now electric school buses. D&M is trusted to serve some of the largest and smallest school districts in New Jersey including Paramus, Teaneck, and other public and private schools. D&M is also a pillar of the local Paterson, NJ community, providing a source of employment for dozens of drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, yardmen, and others whom together make D&M one of the safest and cleanest operators in the business.

The post Motiv Electric Trucks, Van-Con, Inc. and CCMT Bring Clean Electric School Buses to D&M Tours and the Teaneck, Midland Park, and Ramsey New Jersey Boards of Education appeared first on School Transportation News.

WOODSTOWN, N.J. – B.R. Williams Inc., a leading school bus contractor in New Jersey, announced today that it is the first school bus contractor in the state to pilot the DEMINeuFuel school bus platform (aka the “CowFartBus”) to run on a blend of renewable natural gas (RNG) and diesel. This initiative marks a significant step for the company towards utilizing nearzero carbon fuel in student transportation.

The DEMI-NeuFuel system, made possible through a partnership between American CNG® and Ingevity®, allows operators to convert existing diesel school buses to run on a blend of diesel and RNG. Ultimately, it provides a cost-effective way for school bus contractors and districts to reduce fuel costs with the use of natural gas and a low-cost and small footprint fueling appliance. And,unlike other alternative fuel options, the DEMI-NeuFuel system’s dual-fuel capabilities eliminate the range anxiety that many drivers experience.

“We are excited to be the first school bus operator in New Jersey to implement the DEMI-NeuFuel platform,” said Chloe Williams, President at B.R. Williams Inc. “This technology offers a cost-effective and environmentally responsible solution for reducing our carbon footprint on our existing diesel vehicles.”

Through the use of the DEMI-NeuFuel technology and RNG, B.R. Williams can reduce its annual fuel costs by over 60% on the displaced diesel, eliminating approximately 1,945* gallons of diesel per year, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 20 metric tons per year, which is the equivalent of 10,800 miles driven by a diesel school bus, further protecting New Jersey’s air quality.

B.R. Williams joins a growing number of school bus contractors and districts nationwide that are working toward reducing emissions and improving air quality for students and communities. The use of the DEMI-NeuFuel system is part of a broader effort by B.R. Williams to maximize its environmental stewardship while also enhancing its fiscal responsibility with the use of cleaner, more cost-effective fuel solutions for student transportation.

“Ingevity is proud to support B.R. Williams and school districts around the country on their sustainability journeys,” said Dante Marini, Product Engineer at Ingevity. “Our DEMI-NeuFuel technology offers the flexibility school bus fleet operators need to meet their operational requirements without compromising performance or efficiency. We are excited to continue advancing clean energy solutions for school transportation.”

The post B.R. Williams Furthers its Fiscal and Environmental Initiatives with the Launch of the DEMINeuFuel School Bus Platform appeared first on School Transportation News.

A teen girl was struck by a school bus in Bergen County, New Jersey, reported ABC 7.

The incident reportedly occurred last Wednesday at an intersection just before 9 a.m.

According to the news report, the driver of the school bus operated by First Student, Inc., remained on the scene after the crash and cooperated with the investigation.

Police stated child was seriously injured and taken by medevac helicopter to an area hospital. It was unclear at this report how the incident took place. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, but a preliminary information indicated it not appear a crime occurred.

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Related: Massachusetts Student Struck, Killed by School Bus
Related: Louisiana Student Struck and Killed by School Bus
Related: 8-Year-Old Struck, Killed by Vehicle After Exiting School Bus in Texas
Related: Texas Student Struck and Killed by School Bus

The post 14-Year-Old Struck by School Bus in New Jersey appeared first on School Transportation News.

A trailblazing regional greenhouse gas partnership on the East Coast is considering possible changes or expansion that would allow it to keep building on its success — and the stakes grew higher last month with the reelection of Donald Trump.

The 11-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, established in 2005, is the country’s first regional cap-and-invest system for reducing carbon emissions from power generation. Since 2021, administrators have been conducting a program review, analyzing its performance since the last review in 2017 and weighing potential adjustments to make sure it continues to deliver benefits to member states.

The role of such programs is more crucial as Trump’s pledges to roll back federal climate action leaves it up to cities, states, and the private sector to maintain the country’s momentum on clean energy over the next four years. In RGGI, as the regional initiative is known, states have a potential model for scaling their impact through collaboration. 

“RGGI has not only been an effective climate policy, it’s been an extraordinary example of how states can work together on common goals,” said Daniel Sosland, president of climate and energy nonprofit Acadia Center. “It is a major vehicle for climate policy now in the states, more than it might have seemed before the election.” 

How RGGI works

RGGI sets a cap for total power plant carbon emissions among member states. Individual generators must then buy allowances from the state, up to the total cap, for each ton of carbon dioxide they produce in a year. The cap lowers over time, forcing power plants to either reduce emissions or pay more to buy allowances from a shrinking pool.

States then reinvest the proceeds from these auctions into programs that further reduce emissions and help energy customers, including energy efficiency initiatives, direct bill assistance, and renewable energy projects. Since 2008, RGGI has generated $8.3 billion for participating states, and carbon dioxide emissions from power generation in the nine states that have consistently participated fell by about half between 2008 and 2021, a considerably faster rate than the rest of the country. 

“It has really thrived and been really effective across multiple administrations,” said Jackson Morris, state power sector director with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “RGGI is a winning model. It’s not theoretical — we’ve got numbers.”

Currently, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont are part of the program. Virginia joined RGGI in 2021, but in 2023 Gov. Glenn Youngkin repealed the state’s participation, a move immediately challenged in court; a judge ruled last month that the governor lacked the authority to withdraw the state from initiative, though a spokesman for the governor has declared the state’s intention to appeal. 

There is widespread agreement that RGGI will endure despite likely federal hostility to climate measures. There was no attempt to take direct action against it during Trump’s first term, nor has there been any concerted industry opposition, said Conservation Law Foundation president Bradley Campbell, who was involved in the founding of RGGI when he was commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Supporters also note that the program has historically had broad bipartisan support: Participating states have been led through the years by both Republican and Democratic governors and legislatures. 

Politics has had some influence over the years, though only at the margins. New Jersey, a founding member of RGGI, left in 2011 when Chris Christie was governor, but returned in 2020 following an executive order from his successor. Pennsylvania joined in 2022 through an executive order from the governor, but its participation is now being challenged in court. 

Still, RGGI’s foundations are solid and will remain so, experts said. 

“The basic infrastructure has weathered the political winds over the decades,” Campbell said.

Looking forward

Nonetheless, RGGI will need to make some carefully thought-out program design decisions during its current review to make an impact in the face of falling federal support for decarbonization. 

One question under consideration is whether to maintain the existing trajectory for the overall emissions cap for the program — a reduction of 30% between 2020 and 2030, then holding steady thereafter — or to continue lowering the limit after 2030. 

The RGGI states are also contemplating a possible change to the compliance schedule that would require power generators to acquire allowances worth 100% of their carbon emissions each year, and certify compliance annually. The current system calls for certification every three years, and only mandates allowances equivalent to half of carbon emissions for the first two years of each period.

The program is looking for ways to appeal to potential new participant states that have less aggressive decarbonization goals than current member states without watering down the program’s overall impact on decarbonization, said Acadia Center policy analyst Paola Tamayo. Acadia suggested possible program mechanisms such as giving proportionately more allowances to states with more stringent emissions targets to incentivize tighter limits.

“At this point it is critical for states to maintain a high level of ambition when it comes to programs like RGGI,” Tamayo said. “There are different mechanisms that they can implement to accommodate other states.”

The program review is expected to yield a model rule some time over the winter, though updates may be made into the spring as the RGGI states receive and consider feedback on how to accommodate potential new participants.  

States will also need to maintain and strengthen their own climate policies to magnify the impact of RGGI, Campbell said. He pointed to Massachusetts, where Gov. Maura Healey needs to show “bolder leadership,” he said, and Maine and Vermont, where the Conservation Law Foundation has filed lawsuits in an attempt to compel the states to meet their own carbon reduction deadlines. 

“It’s especially important that the states that have strong emissions reduction mandates speed up the implementation of their climate laws,” he said. “State leadership on these issues is going to be more important than ever.”

As climate focus shifts to states, East Coast partnership offers model for multi-state collaboration is an article from Energy News Network, a nonprofit news service covering the clean energy transition. If you would like to support us please make a donation.