The roadeo competition presented by School Transportation News in partnership with industry group Women in Transportation (wit.) returns to the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference this fall with a new scholarship opportunity.

The 2025 TSD Roadeo Scholarship, also offered by STN and wit., will allow one participant to receive free main conference registration and a $500 voucher for travel. The scholarship will go to a registered roadeo participant (driver or attendant on a team), and the winner will be chosen based on need and a letter of intent in the application. Scholarship applications close Friday, Sept. 19.

“While not a traditional competition, this event has rather been developed as real-world training that will include hands-on child safety restraint systems (CSRS) and wheelchair securement, classroom education, a written test and driving events,” said Alexandra Robinson, wit. co-founder and a TSD Tenured Faculty member. “This coupled with real-life student behaviors and emergency scenarios is guaranteed to increase the skills and knowledge of those who participate as either competitor or judge.”

The roadeo event presented by wit. and sponsored by Q’Straint/Sure-Lok is open to any transportation teams of drivers and attendants from across North America, even if they have never participated in a previous state, provincial or national roadeo competition. Individuals can also register to be teamed with another solo participant. The only pre-requisite is that participating teams download and complete the Roadeo Competition Knowledge Test and bring it with them to the event.

The teams will conduct real passenger pickups, railroad crossing, parking in a confined space, and handling an unauthorized parent boarding the school bus. The student passengers are played by adult volunteers portraying various special needs or disabilities such as visual or hearing impairment or intellectual disabilities. Teams will be judged based on factors such as pre-check inspection, wheelchair loading and securement, CSRS securement, and the handling of simulated emergency events.

The roadeo will begin on Friday, Nov. 7 with the Wheelchair Hands-On Securement Training hosted by Q’straint/SURE-LOK, followed by a meeting later that day for participants and judges. On Saturday, roadeo participants will be transported to Prosper Independent School District for the competition. This will be an all-day event followed by an evening banquet to announce the winners.

With roadeo-only registration, participants can attend the educational sessions and keynotes offered Friday, Saturday afternoon following the competition, and Sunday. They will also have access to the Friday night Safety & Technology Product Demonstration/Special Needs Ride & Drive, the TSD Welcome Party at Topgolf and the Trade Show.

This year’s TSD Conference will feature dozens of educational sessions, hands-on wheelchair and child securement training, product demonstrations, a trade show and other networking opportunities with peers and vendors from Nov. 6-11.

Save $100 on main conference registration with the Early Bird Discount, available through Oct.4. The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda.

Related: Hands-on Training Opportunities for Student Transporters at TSD Conference
Related: TSD Keynote Speaker Looks to Reveal Power of Praise in Student Transportation
Related: TSD Conference Topics Plan to Cover Unique Aspects of Transporting Students

The post New Roadeo Scholarship Offered for TSD Conference, Applications Open appeared first on School Transportation News.

The Safety & Technology Product Demonstration/Special Needs Ride & Drive returns to the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in Frisco, Texas.

This interactive event on Friday, Nov. 7, allows for TSD attendees to not only see live demonstrations of the safety technology designed for school buses and vehicles that transport students with disabilities and who are preschoolers but will have the opportunity to ride the buses themselves. There will be a networking reception as part of the event.

The Ride and Drive and Technology Demonstration allows attendees to ride different fuel types of school buses as well as see special needs route specific technology such as wheelchair lifts in action.

“Exploring new technology and special needs transportation options at the TSD Conference is time well spent,” said Tony Corpin, STN president and publisher. “Through the Technology Demonstration and Ride & Drive, attendees gain hands-on experience with innovative solutions from top school bus OEMs and technology suppliers, empowering them to address challenges and enhance the ridership experience.”

The TSD Trade Show begins the evening of Sunday, Nov. 9 with the Trade Show and Tailgate Reception and continues Monday morning. This will be another opportunity for attendees to connect with vendors and find technology and service solutions to further safety and benefit students with unique needs.

Find the full conference agenda at tsdconference.com. Register by Oct. 10 to save $100 with the Early Bird Discount.

Related: TSD Conference Registration is Open for Event in November
Related: TSD Conference Topics Plan to Cover Unique Aspects of Transporting Students
Related: (STN Podcast E236) TSD 2024 Recap: Supporting Students with Special Needs as Unique People

The post Ride and Drive, Technology Product Demos Return to Texas in November appeared first on School Transportation News.