Tony, Ryan and Taylor go over the highlights from STN EXPO West last week which focused on not only skills, technology and training but also teambuilding, workplace culture and making emotional connections.

Highlights included focused inspection and special needs trainings, a musical keynote, Great Gatsby and Alice in Wonderland themed networking events, multiple awards given, a Mr. Bus Driver appearance, a military leadership panel, the Green Bus Summit and Bus Technology Summit, an AI track, and the Pete & Dick Show.

Read more STN EXPO West coverage.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

Message from IC Bus. 

 

 

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The post (STN Podcast E316) Recap STN EXPO West: Harmonicas, Great Gatsby & Transportation Teambuilding appeared first on School Transportation News.

Nicole Wheeldon, North American general manager of buses for Cummins, and Matt McGinn, senior director of e-mobility sales for Accelera by Cummins, examine exciting product innovations and meeting customer needs amid school bus energy options, rising costs and tightened budgets.

Enterprise Account Manager Chase Cloyd shares how Netradyne’s AI-driven cameras and technology take a proactive approach to school bus driver coaching, safety around the bus and incident review.

Co-founder Michael Tinter reviews how the universal, easily installed Magnetic Mic radio mounts, which got their start in law enforcement applications, can help reduce school bus driver distractions and equipment damage while increasing student safety.

Multiple industry studies reveal that driver shortages and student behavior are top concerns for student transporters. Sam Freshner, dean of transportation for North Clackamas School District in Oregon, explains how a unique pilot program supports effective student discipline and enhances school bus driver retention.

Read more STN EXPO West coverage.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

Message from IC Bus. 

 

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E315) Onsite at STN EXPO West, Pt. 2: Oregon District Tackles Driver Shortages, Student Behavior appeared first on School Transportation News.

Communications came in #3 on procurement lists created by Transportation Director Summit attendees at STN EXPO West. Business Development Manager David Weber discusses how School Radio supports reliable communication for the professionals transporting precious cargo on school buses.

Joel Stutheit, former transportation director who now serves as senior manager of Autogas business development for the Propane Education & Research Council, shares why propane makes financial and operational sense for school districts, such as Oregon’s Beaverton School District which has seen great success with the fuel.

Matt Reich, who oversees growth and strategic partnerships for school bus stop-arm enforcement system provider Verra Mobility, speaks on the illegal passing epidemic, safety conversions at the Transportation Director Summit, and success in districts like Polk County Public Schools in Florida.

Wa-Nee Community Schools in Indiana just won the Top Transportation Teams award for the third straight time, and Hoover City Schools in Alabama won it for the second straight time. Matt Hostetter, transportation and school safety clerk for Wa-Nee, and Brad Hayn, director of transportation for Hoover City, are joined by John Daniels, vice president of marketing for award sponsor and technology provider Transfinder, to examine their secrets to success.

Read more STN EXPO West coverage.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

Message from IC Bus. 

 

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E314) Onsite at STN EXPO West, Pt. 1: Hear From Repeat Top Transportation Team Winners appeared first on School Transportation News.

Transfinder announced its annual Top Transportation Teams award winners, the industry is concerned about autonomous vehicles ignoring school bus stop arms, and two federal grants provide opportunities for school transportation emergency training.

Veteran transportation leader Jim Schiffler draws on his personal and family experience in the school bus industry to offer thoughtful advice on building stronger teams and healthier workplace cultures, from company values and unions to recruitment and promotions. He’ll share more at STN EXPO West in July.

Read more about leadership.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E313) Put People First: School Bus Driver Shortages & Retention Advice appeared first on School Transportation News.

Summer plans, school bus driver fatigue, diesel dominance and a student transportation safety reminder after an elephant killed a mother walking to school with her kids in India.

Director of Transportation Richard Jimenez shares why AI is not something to fear and how he leverages it in his operations at Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in Southern California. He will participate in a panel on the topic at STN EXPO West this July.

Read more about technology.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E312) Student Transportation Never Sleeps: AI, Bathroom Breaks & Elephants appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tony and Taylor are back with their recommendations on sessions you must attend at STN EXPO West in July. It’s a packed conference and trade show including an in-demand mentorship program, CEO Tech Talks, military-inspired leadership and the Best of the Dick & Pete Show.

Dr. Michael Hout, professor of psychology and kinesiology at New Mexico State University, joins Ryan to discuss research into illegal school bus passing, effective ways to count incidents, the brains of offenders, the role of technology and AI, and his upcoming STN EXPO West session on the topic.

Read more about STN EXPO.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E311) Leadership & Lawbreakers: Top STN EXPO West Picks, Illegal Passing Deep Dive appeared first on School Transportation News.

We examine a school bus shooting in Pennsylvania, how the federal BUILD 250 Act would cut Safe Streets and Roads for All funding, and transportation’s role in student absenteeism.

Speaker, author and branding expert Bruce Turkel shares why it’s important for school bus operations to build a brand in an age of increasing multi-modality, discusses leveraging emotions over facts to reach the right audience, and previews his musical STN EXPO West training in July.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E310) The School Bus Ecosystem: Adapting to Multi-modality & Building a Brand appeared first on School Transportation News.

Summer break is upon us but student transporters are already ramping up for the new school year amid financial challenges. Plus, the June issue of School Transportation News magazine is out, and a camera caught a scary illegal passing incident that injured a student in Florida.

Ryan Hahn, owner of Strategic School Consultants and a former transportation director, sheds light on current school district financial hardships, creative and collaborative operational strategies, and his upcoming sessions on the topic at STN EXPO West this July.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E309) Summer’s Here & So Is a Budget Cliff: Advocating for Transportation Solutions appeared first on School Transportation News.

We analyze what 188 school districts shared in a survey about fuel prices, the impact of world events and the upcoming Clean School Bus Program, timely discussion planned for STN EXPO West in July, and a California school bus driver recognized by the state.

With 10 years’ experience in the industry, Griffin Scott, supervisor of fleet advisory and analytics at RTA: The Fleet Success Company, discusses technology and AI trends, fleet management solutions, the impact of bell times, electrification developments and more.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E308) Past & Future: Fuel Volatility, 10 Years of School Transportation Trends appeared first on School Transportation News.

We discuss fuel cost anxiety and the impact of a proposed federal fuel tax suspension, plus safety lessons to learn from the latest student pedestrian fatality in New York City.

What should you consider before buying a bus? Isaac Linson, CEO of BusesForSale.com, joins us to discuss current school bus market trends and tips for buying or selling buses remotely.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

Conversation with BusesForSale.com.

 

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The post (STN Podcast E307) Buy With Confidence: Fuel Price Frustration, School Bus Buying Tips appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tony and Ryan discuss takeaways from the ACT EXPO this past week in Las Vegas, which took a deep dive into clean fuel choices, autonomous vehicles, robotics in manufacturing, electrification interest and more.

Director of Transportation Anthony Jackson joins us to discuss the operational, cost and health benefits of propane usage at Bibb County School District in Georgia.

Read more about green buses.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E306) Sci-Fi School Bus? ACT EXPO Takeaways on Tech, Robots, Propane & More appeared first on School Transportation News.

More U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news and webinars on funding, plus how clean energy demand intersects with AI’s need for resources. Conversations continue at ACT EXPO this week and the Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO West in July.

“The tragedy will never leave you.” Shocking real-life stories abound in this special extended episode as 91-year-old industry legend and consultant Richard “Dick” Fischer underscores the need for thorough safety leadership and training. He discusses student transportation history, school bus crashes in the news, drunk and criminal drivers, illegal passing and the Danger Zone. See him live at STN EXPO West and email him to sign up for his free safety newsletter.

Read more about safety and access safety resources.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E305) It’s Your Job: Industry Legend Dick Fischer Talks School Bus Safety, Training appeared first on School Transportation News.

Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured Hannah Borg in season1, episode 5.

Hannah is a sixth-generation farmer from Wakefield, Nebraska. In 2019, she returned home to the family business, Borg Farms. She and her family raise crops, cattle, and chickens for Costco. She holds a degree in agricultural communications from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In the episode, Hannah discusses what it was like to grow up on the farm, navigating the transitions between generations, how she came to be raising chickens for Costco, among many other topics.

Listen to the episode.

Find Hannah on Instagram: itshannahborg

Music: “Country Roads” by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Reach us at communication@farmfoundation.org.

The post Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer Podcast with Hannah Borg appeared first on Farm Foundation.

Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured A.G. Kawamura in season 1, episode 4.

A.G. is a third-generation farmer in Southern California and operates Orange County Produce with his brother. He served as California Secretary of Agriculture from 2003 to 2010. He is founding chair of Solutions for Urban Agriculture, which grows produce for area food banks. He is involved in many other organizations, including as founding co-chair of Solutions from the Land, and with Farm Foundation as a Roundtable Fellow since 2011, and currently serving on the Farm Foundation Board of Directors. He also serves on the board of Western Growers.

In this episode, A.G. discusses what it means to be a landless farmer, his work to solve food insecurity, and some of the dynamics of the fresh produce industry that are not widely known.

Listen to the episode.

Music: “Country Roads” by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Reach us at communication@farmfoundation.org.

The post Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer Podcast with A.G. Kawamura appeared first on Farm Foundation.

Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured Steve Kaufman in season 1, episode 3.

Steve is a fifth-generation farmer. He returned to his family’s Idaho farm full time in 2014 when his uncles and father were ready to retire. He and his two brothers farm 14,000 dryland crop acres, growing primarily winter wheat, spring wheat, peas, garbanzo beans, and canola. Prior to that, he worked at Northwest Farm Credit Services while also farming part time. Steve is an alum of Farm Foundation’s Young Farmer Accelerator Program.

In this episode, Steve talks about how gratifying it is to produce enough grain for 30 million loaves of bread on his farm, the hard work of trying to balance life with young kids and farm life, and what the process was like to switch over to no-till.

Listen to the episode.

Music: “Country Roads” by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Reach us at communication@farmfoundation.org.

The post Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer Podcast with Steve Kaufman appeared first on Farm Foundation.

Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured Amanda Butterfield and her daughter, Evelyn, in Season 1, Episode 2.

Amanda Butterfield is director of corporate partnerships at The Meat Institute, and she also owns and operates a farm in Pennsylvania. With her husband and daughter, they raise beef cattle at Maple Valley Cattle Company, a 180-acre cow-calf operation. The farm was recently selected as a finalist for the 2024 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award, which honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.

At her farm, Amanda uses strategies like rotational grazing, cover crops, integrated pest management strategies, and has preserved the farm’s woodlands and wetlands and native grasslands to improve soil health and support biodiversity.

The conversation covered some of the logistics of rotational grazing and land restoration on the farm, Amanda’s path to farming as a first-generation farmer, and what the future holds for young people on the farm today.

Listen to the episode.

Find Maple Valley Cattle Company on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amcbutterfield2/

See the farm on this video by the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQhbW3MRfeo

Music: “Country Roads” by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Reach us at communication@farmfoundation.org.

The post Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer Podcast with Amanda Butterfield appeared first on Farm Foundation.

Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured Klaas Martens in season 1, episode 1. Klaas is a third-generation farmer in New York. He operates Martens Farm and Lakeview Organic Grain Mill with his wife Mary Howell Martens and their son Peter. On 1,600 acres, he produces numerous crops, including corn, soybeans, spelt, wheat, einkorn, emmer, triticale, buckwheat, oats, barley, rye, cabbage, dry beans, and hay. He’s been farming since the 1970s and shifted to organic farming in the 90s. Klaas is a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow (since 2015) and also serves on the Farm Foundation Board of Directors. He also serves as a mentor in our Young Farmer Accelerator Program.

In this episode, Klaas discusses being the son of immigrant farmers, how his farming practices changed over the years, and one of his favorite things about wheat. He also shares some stories of how he has helped young farmers get into farming and the importance of community.

Listen to the episode.

Video presentation referenced in episode: My Organic Grain Journey with Klaas Martens, recorded at the 0Grain 2024 Winter Conference.

Music: “Country Roads” by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Reach us at communication@farmfoundation.org.

The post Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer Podcast with Klaas Martens appeared first on Farm Foundation.