National School Bus Safety Week each October is another opportunity to remind motorists about the tremendous responsibility we all share around school buses and school children.

Stop for the red lights. Obey the stop arm. Slow down in school zones. Watch for children at bus stops and when crossing streets. We know the messages. But knowing what to do matters only if we are paying enough attention to recognize when we need to do it.

That is especially relevant this month. We examine the rapidly advancing collision-avoidance technology reaching school buses. Automatic braking, lane-related warnings, connected vehicle technology, cameras and other systems are increasingly capable of recognizing hazards, alerting drivers and, in some cases, reacting faster than a human can.

Similar technology is commonplace in our personal vehicles. My car can warn me if I drift from my lane or get too close to another vehicle. Other vehicles can automatically brake when their systems detect an impending collision.

All of that is remarkable and welcome. We also need to do more to avoid collisions the
old-fashioned, human way: Pay attention.

Working remotely has changed some of my own habits. Without a traditional commute to and from an office, I find myself conducting more conversations with work associates while driving to appointments, picking up the kids or running errands. Even before remote work became commonplace, I frequently spoke with school transportation professionals during their morning or afternoon commutes.

It feels productive. Why waste 20 or 30 minutes in the car when we can knock out a conversation? Because our attention has limits, that’s why.

Earlier this year at STN EXPO East, speaker Bret Brooks spoke about the difference between being careless and caring less. Being careless means failing to give something the attention it deserves. Caring less can be intentional. Sometimes we need to give less attention to things that aren’t as important at a particular moment so we can devote more attention to what is.

Behind the wheel is a great place to put that into practice. That work call might be important. The meeting might be approaching. The conversation might save some time later. But none of it is more important than what is happening outside the windshield.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but we can’t wait until then to practice mindfulness. Distracted driving needs to be top of mind every month, week, day, hour, minute and second of the year, especially in school zones and wherever school buses are loading and unloading children.

A Governors Highway Safety Association survey STN reported on last month found that 46 percent of parents whose children ride school buses said their child had experienced a close call involving dangerous driving near a school bus or in a school zone. Across all surveyed parents, 36 percent reported such an experience involving their own child. Distracted driving and speeding were among the dangerous behaviors reported.

Those numbers demand our attention. Certainly, if we take a call while driving, hands-free should be the minimum. Don’t hold the phone. And there is absolutely no justification for reading or sending texts, checking email or scrolling while you are operating a vehicle.

But hands-free does not mean distraction-free. A conversation can occupy our thoughts. So can drowsiness, passengers, food, navigation systems, vehicle controls or simply mentally working through the next deadline or problem. Even other traffic on the road.

Meanwhile, a school bus may be stopping ahead. A child may be approaching a crosswalk. Traffic may suddenly slow. Vehicle-to-everything technology promises to alert motorists when they come upon a school bus stop. The technology is impressive but still in it’s infancy, as it is only available in a figurative handful of vehicles. It will take decades for all vehicles on the road to communicate with each other and road infrastructure.

One of the most important observations this month comes from Rosalyn Vann-Jackson of Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma. She notes that the safest technology isn’t necessarily technology that removes the human from the equation. It’s technology that helps the human make a safer decision sooner.

Let’s continue developing and adopting technology that gives motorists and school transportation operators another layer of protection on the road. But we cannot surrender our own first line of collision avoidance in the process.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the October 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: Texas Sixth Grader Wins National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Related: School Bus Safety Month Again Unanimously Supported in Senate
Related: Bridging the Safety Journey: From Car Seats to School Bus Seating
Related: School Is Back, So Are Safety Risks

The post The Human Element of Collision Avoidance appeared first on School Transportation News.

Follow the adventures of Calvin, an anxious but dutiful bus driver, and his sentient and safety-conscious school bus named Christina. The short story follows Calvin’s route adventures while highlighting very real circumstances that drivers face and underscoring the importance of student transportation safety. Find group discussion prompts at the end of each article. The story advisor is Fredrick Tottenham, student safety specialist with Irving ISD in Texas.

“Alright, girl, I’m going to need your help with this one,” I whisper to the dash. My stomach twists. Why does confronting teenagers make me such a nervous wreck?

The students are all aboard, absorbed in social media feeds and the latest high school gossip—everyone except Thomas and Stephen, who can barely hold their heads up. I swallow the lump in my throat and ignore the curious stares as I make my way toward them.

“Hey, Mr. Calvin. See somethin’ you like?” Thomas slurs.

“With glasses that thick, I’m sure he does!” Stephen shouts.

The bus erupts in laughter, and suddenly I’m back in ninth-grade English, fourth period, with Ms. Fannin. She had called on me to read from the lesson, and for one brief, shining moment, I thought I was impressing the prom queen. Then Bentley—the class clown—snatched my glasses from my face, slipped them on, and joked that the lenses were as thick as a fishbowl. He earned detention and the laughter of the entire class. I earned a nickname: Cal the Clown Fish.

“Alright, guys,” I say, forcing confidence into my voice, “What’s going on? More importantly, have you been drinking anything you shouldn’t be drinking?”

The boys trade a quick glance, silently agreeing to keep up the act. Thomas drops his head into his hands while Stephen crosses his arms and turns toward the window. I give them one last chance to come clean. When neither responds, I warn them that my next step will be to contact the authorities. Still, neither one moves.

I return to the front of the bus, pick up the radio, and call Dispatch.

“Route 7568 to Dispatch.”

“Dispatch here. Go ahead, Route 7568.”

“I have a code 9-32.”

“10-4, 7568. Call Dispatch directly for further assistance.”

I call Dispatch directly, and Ms. Debbie answers.

“Hi, Mr. Calvin. I’m relieved Sasha is safe and the police have cleared the area. You reported an emergency over the radio. Is that correct?”

“Yes. Thank you, Ms. Debbie. And, uh, I have a problem on my bus.”

I rub the back of my neck and glance toward Thomas and Stephen while I explain what’s happening. Ms. Debbie listens carefully, then says she’ll contact an administrator at Townsend High and notify the authorities.

I sigh and glance back at the boys. They have no idea how much trouble they’re in.

Then Christina’s dash pings:

CANS

A moment later, it pings again:

BACKPACKS

How could Christina possibly know what was inside their bags? Then again, she seems to notice everything. Which is ridiculous, of course—Christina doesn’t have eyes. Or does she?

A sharp knock strikes the folding doors. An officer reaches for the exterior handle and pulls it hard. The doors fold outward with a screech, and two officers climb aboard, their boots thudding against the steps. Christina shifts beneath their weight as a wave of hot, humid air rolls through the doorway, carrying the scent of sunbaked pavement. Around me, the students’ chatter fades row by row until the bus falls silent.

“Hello, sir. I’m Officer Wilmer and this is my partner, Officer Hutchins. We were dispatched by request of Ervens ISD on a report of public intoxication of a student.”

I introduce myself to the officers and tell them that the students are hiding booze in their backpacks. When Thomas and Stephen hear this, they both aggressively object.

“You ain’t even looked in my bag, Mr. Calvin,” Stephen protests. “You don’t know what’s in there!”

“Is that right? Well, open your backpacks and let us look inside,” Officer Hutchins demands.

The officers motion for the boys to hand over their backpacks and then begin searching them. It doesn’t take long. From the bags, they pull a mix of empty and unopened beer cans. With the evidence in plain sight, the officers order Thomas and Stephen to stand and escort them off the bus.

With their heads hanging, the boys sober up to the reality of what they’ve done. They may face suspension from transportation, suspension from school, and whatever charges may result from their actions. I thank the officers and close the doors behind them while the rest of the students whisper and stare out the windows as Thomas and Stephen are led to the patrol vehicle.

“Alright, everyone, I think we’ve all learned a lesson here, haven’t we? Let’s take our seats and put on our seat belts,” I say, feeling a bit more confident.

I hear the students shuffle into their seats and hear their seat belts click into place.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The familiar sound echoes through Christina’s cabin. I glance into the student mirror, scanning the rows of seated students, and every belt I can see appears secure.

Satisfied, I turn forward, fasten my seat belt, and push in the parking brake, ready to put Christina in gear. Before I can pull away, Christina’s dash pings, as if she knows exactly what I’m thinking:

NOT SO FAST

I glance back into the student mirror, adjust it, and spot a student near the rear. She glares at me with her arms folded, her seat belt hanging at her side. I signal for her to fasten her seatbelt, but she only scoffs.

What a route.

In one afternoon, I’ve faced more than enough: The false but still terrifying alarm of an active shooter at Sasha’s workplace, my own near-miss in safety at the crosswalk, and two inebriated students being escorted off the bus by the authorities. Now, after all that, one student is refusing to fasten her seat belt. For her safety, I know I can’t move the bus. I run both hands through my hair, remove my glasses, and rub my eyes and face.

Some days, transporting students is simple. Other days, it feels impossibly complicated. Right now, I can’t tell if I’m driving a bus or clinging to the front seat of a roller coaster, bracing for every twist, turn, and unexpected drop.

Christina’s dash chirps once more:

BUCKLE UP.

Ask Your Team:
What signs might indicate that a student is under the influence of alcohol or another substance, and how would you work with Dispatch to keep all students safe?

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Next Stop:
Episode 4
Click It or Risk It! – Seatbelt Safety: Ensure every student is buckled up before the bus moves.

Previous Stop: Episode 2
The Yellow Brick Line

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© 2026 Gabrielle Marie Kelley. Calvin & Christina: Where Safety Takes the Wheel and all associated characters, concepts, and illustrations are the intellectual property of Gabrielle Marie Kelley, office manager for the Irving Independent School District transportation department. Published with permission through School Transportation News.

The post Episode 3: Sip, Sip, No Way! appeared first on School Transportation News.

I’ve spent a good part of my career thinking about how we measure transportation performance. Like many in our industry, I’ve helped develop ways to quantify success, compare systems and identify opportunities for improvement. I still believe those things matter. But lately, I’ve found myself wondering whether we’ve been answering the wrong question.

Student transportation has always had to justify itself. That’s nothing new. Yet I can’t help but think that, somewhere along the way, we became so good at purportedly demonstrating our value through savings that we forgot to show the value of the outcomes we support. It’s time to start a different conversation.

The World Has Changed
Declining enrollment, school closures, grade realignments, school choice, specialized programming, and alternative learning pathways are reshaping how students access education. Transportation professionals have done an excellent job recognizing these trends. We’ve talked at length about how they will affect routing, fleet utilization, staffing and operations. What we’ve done less well is ask what these changes mean for the role transportation plays within the education system. Here’s the thing: Every one of those changes make transportation more important not less to the success of students.

As educational opportunities become more diverse and geographically dispersed, transportation is no longer simply connecting students to the neighborhood school. It is connecting students to opportunity. And that’s a fundamentally different responsibility.

Succeeding All the Way to Unsustainability
For decades, transportation professionals have been remarkably good at answering one particular question: “How efficiently can you do your job?” And to be fair, there was a reason for that. We understood that resources were limited. We wanted to demonstrate responsible stewardship. We wanted school boards and district leaders to know we could be trusted with taxpayer dollars.

So, we talked about efficiency. We minimized bus counts. We maximized seating capacity. We reduced deadhead miles. We optimized routes. We proudly shared stories about doing more with less.

None of that was wrong. In fact, it was what many of us believed people wanted (or needed) to hear. But I’ve started to wonder if we misunderstood our audience.

The efficiency so diligently pursued by so many departments has introduced an element of uncertainty and unsustainability to many transportation operations. By minimizing the number of buses and maximizing efficiency, we have left policy makers in a position where they have to make a binary choice between greater investments or eliminating services. I am fearful that greater investments is not a path many will take.

What Do ‘They’ Want from You?
I don’t think most parents wake up wondering how efficiently we utilized fleet assets yesterday morning. I don’t think board members are hoping transportation can shave another percentage point off bus utilization.

What they want is much simpler. They want transportation to work. They want the bus to be like a light switch. Flip it on, and it works exactly as expected. They don’t spend much time thinking about the wiring behind the walls that makes it possible.

Transportation is much the same way. When it works, very few people think about it. When it doesn’t, everything else begins to unravel pretty quickly. And perhaps that’s where we’ve gone astray. We’ve spent years explaining how efficiently we run transportation systems when what people really needed to understand was why those systems matter in the first place.

Sometimes the Obvious is Not So Obvious
One phrase has become almost impossible to avoid in education: “We don’t want to divert resources from the classroom.” No service gets hit with that phrase more than transportation. It is both a reminder and a warning.

It’s also a statement that almost everyone instinctively agrees with. With everyone’s heads nodding, the conversation often ends before it really begins. But I think it’s worth asking a simple question: “Does transportation actually divert resources from the classroom?”

It certainly requires resources. No one disputes that. However, I would argue that transportation does not divert resources from classrooms. Instead, transportation fills classrooms and that’s resources to a district.

Every student sitting in a classroom today first depended on someone figuring out how to get them there. Every magnet program, special education placement, regional program or school choice initiative depends on transportation to transform opportunity into reality.

For years, we’ve measured success largely by how little transportation costs. We’ve celebrated our ability to provide the same level of service with fewer buses, fewer people or fewer dollars.

Those are worthwhile accomplishments, but they aren’t the mission. The mission is educational access. Efficiency should support that mission, but it should never become the mission itself.

The future of education funding is becoming increasingly uncertain, and transportation funding sits squarely in the middle of that uncertainty. Many state funding formulas continue to rely on student enrollment at precisely the moment enrollment is declining. Public schools are also serving an educational landscape, where more families are choosing charter schools, private schools, homeschooling and other educational pathways. These realities place increasing pressure on district budgets, while transportation funding rarely changes in ways that acknowledge the additional complexity required to support them.

Which brings me back to what I think is the fundamental point. None of those educational models work if students cannot get there. And expanding opportunity is only meaningful if students can actually access it. Transportation is not competing with educational opportunity. It is what makes educational opportunity possible.

A Different Way to Think About Success
If we’re going to rethink how transportation communicates its value, then I think we also need to rethink what we mean by capacity and capability. And before anyone assumes I’m talking about seating capacity, I’m not. Capacity is our ability to respond to the question, “How are we going to get all these students where they need to be?” It includes buses, funding, technology, personnel, time, partnerships and every other resource that allows us to build and sustain a transportation system. It is our organizational capacity to do the work.

Capability is something different. It is our ability to use those resources well. It’s the knowledge, experience, creativity and professionalism transportation teams bring to solving increasingly complicated problems. Those two ideas are important because they change the conversation.

Imagine someone asks, “How many additional students could we transport to more schools with only a modest increase in resources?” In an organization focused almost exclusively on efficiency, the answer often becomes “Very few.” Not because it can’t be done but because additional demand is viewed primarily as additional cost.

A capacity/capability-focused organization tends to answer differently: “It depends.” How many more students could gain access to educational opportunities? What would the incremental investment be? How can we maximize access while responsibly managing additional resources? Those aren’t simply different answers. They’re different philosophies.

What We Measure Says More About Us Than Anyone Else
This is the uncomfortable part. If this conversation is going to change, I think we have to acknowledge that our own profession bears some responsibility for where we are today. For years, we’ve proudly told stories about accomplishing more with fewer resources.

Every time we solved a problem no one heard about… Every time we absorbed another challenge without asking for additional support… Every time we found another efficiency… we reinforced a narrative that transportation’s greatest value was its ability to cost less. We wanted to demonstrate professionalism, innovation, stewardship and responsibility.

Instead, we may have unintentionally taught decision-makers that transportation would always find a way to absorb the next challenge. If the only story we tell is how little we need, we shouldn’t be surprised when people conclude we need very little.

From Here to Where?
I’m not suggesting efficiency no longer matters. It absolutely does. Public resources deserve thoughtful stewardship, and transportation professionals have earned a reputation for delivering exactly that. But efficiency cannot remain our highest calling.

The educational environment is changing too quickly. Transportation is becoming more central to how students access learning, not less. As districts adapt to changing demographics, expanded educational choice, and increasingly specialized programming, transportation becomes one of the few services capable of connecting students to those opportunities.

That changes the conversation. At least it should. It also means transportation leaders may have to become less comfortable with the quiet professionalism that has long defined our work. We’ve often preferred to let that work speak for itself. Operationally, that’s admirable. Strategically, it may no longer be enough. Transportation leaders need to become better advocates, and not for bigger budgets simply because we want them, but for investments that match the educational outcomes our communities expect.

If we continue defining our value by how little transportation costs, others will continue seeing transportation as something worth spending less on.

But if we begin defining our value by the educational opportunities transportation makes possible, perhaps we can finally start having the conversation our profession and our students deserve.

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Related: Transportation (Success) Leads the Way to Sustainability
Related: AI Takes a Larger Role in School Transportation Management
Related: Routing Analytics Matter for Fuel Efficiency, Experts Agree
Related: Lubricants Evolve with Eye on Sustainability

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Tim Ammon is the owner of Ammon Consulting Group and has 25 years of experience focused on routing efficiency and effectiveness as well as operational performance for school districts nationwide. He is a frequent speaker at STN EXPO conferences and an expert commentator for School Transportation News.

The post Changing Times, Perspectives appeared first on School Transportation News.

School bells are ringing again, and millions of students are flooding back to campuses by foot, bicycle, car, van and the yellow school bus.

That spike in commuter activity around schools carries greater safety risks for students. Parents’ frenzied pace rushing to drop-off and pick-up kids creates increased traffic congestion, stressed drivers and heightened dangers around school zones.

Last month, an article published by the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) shared a message urging drivers to slow down, put the phone down and save a life.

“Back-to-school isn’t just a milestone for families. It’s a reminder for every driver to slow down and stay focused,” said AAA spokeswoman Kandace Redd. “Children can be unpredictable. They may dart into the street, step out from between parked cars, or be distracted while walking. We all have a responsibility to expect the unexpected and drive accordingly.”

The AAA report specifically highlighted the hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. as being among the deadliest times for child pedestrians. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly onethird of child pedestrian fatalities occur during those after-school hours, when students are walking and rolling home or playing outside.

As school buses again navigate the roadways en masse, a pressing question emerges. Have training programs, safety measures and technology kept pace with the growing hazards of the 2026-2027 school year?

According to the most recent National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) one-day illegal passing survey, 56,024 illegal passing incidents were reported by 101,334 school bus drivers, or 26.2 percent of the nation’s total. Adjusting for 100 percent of the school bus drivers in the U.S., NASDPTS extrapolated just over 213,800 illegal passings occur each day. Projected across a 180-day school year, NASDPTS said its survey indicate the potential of more than 38.4 million violations.

It does represent a modest 2.3 percent decrease over last year’s figure of 39.3 million, but the survey also clearly highlights the scale of this major safety challenge.

Meanwhile, have you seen the public service announcements created by the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation and its Executive Director Katrina Morris, in partnership with numerous organizations?

These videos deliver an impactful message about the dangers of illegally passing school buses. They also harness star power by featuring NASCAR driver Ryan Preece and former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Lomas Brown to help spread that message.

Recently, Jeff Cassell from the School Bus Safety Company reminded me that many motorists display conscious and deliberate unsafe behaviors. He’s identified 22 unsafe behaviors that lead to almost every incident like distracted driving or following too closely.

“These are behavioral norms,” he said. “It’s the way we act automatically doing things as second nature without even thinking about it. Norms are very powerful and govern most of what we do.”

Cassell recommended reminding motorists, school bus drivers and children of these behaviors to help prevent incidents around school buses. He emphasized minimizing student crossovers whenever possible, educating students on safe crossing practices, informing parents about these procedures, ensuring school bus drivers enforce them, and considering an extended stop arm to ensure that passing vehicles stop.

He also suggested specific morning and afternoon guidelines for students and parents. Each morning, students should wait at least 10 feet from the edge of the roadway, look at the school bus driver after the bus stops, cross the street only when signaled by the driver, and walk directly across without running. In the afternoon, students should walk 10 feet away from the bus, move 10 feet ahead of the bus or crossing gate, look at the driver, and cross only when signaled. They should always check for traffic and wait if uncertain about moving vehicles.

By following these tips, student transporters and parents
can significantly reduce the risk of crossing accidents.
I highly recommend watching the video “How to Achieve World Class Safety” created by the School Bus Safety Company. Also, consider highlighting School Bus Safety Week Oct. 19-23 to bring awareness to the dangers that exist around schools and school buses in your community.

Leaders can influence change and support a culture of
safety that reinforces positive behaviors. It’s our duty to
keep school bus drivers, kids and parents updated about
safe behaviors around the school bus. If we don’t do it,
no one will.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the September 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: ‘Meet the Bus’ Event Teaches Young Riders School Bus Safety
Related: South Dakota Highway Patrol Launches School Bus Safety Outreach Week
Related: Ohio State Highway Patrol Urges Motorists to Prioritize School Bus Safety
Related: Oregon School Bus Driver Crowned Grand Champion at International Safety Competition

The post School Is Back, So Are Safety Risks appeared first on School Transportation News.

Follow the adventures of Calvin, an anxious but dutiful bus driver, and his sentient and safety-conscious school bus named Christina. The short story follows Calvin’s route adventures while highlighting very real circumstances that drivers face and underscoring the importance of student transportation safety. Find group discussion prompts at the end of each article. The story advisor is Fredrick Tottenham, student safety specialist with Irving ISD.

Sasha, I whisper.

Usually, Sasha is the one who steadies me when life takes a U-turn. Now she is the one in trouble, and every nerve in my body screams for me to get to her. But Townsend High is still waiting—rows of students depending on me to arrive. The thought presses against my chest like an ever-augmenting weight. How can I run toward Sasha without abandoning the students?

The radio crackles and for a few seconds, all I hear is static. The white noise reminds me that I am not alone, I have help.

Base to Route 7568, please give Dispatch a landline when you are parked in a safe location.

I take a right turn and pull into a quiet neighborhood where tall trees lean over the curb and pour cool shade across Christina’s windshield. Out of the sun’s glare, my phone screen sharpens. I squint, thumb through my contacts, and zoom in on the number for Ervens ISD Transportation Dispatch.

It seems like an eternity passes before Ms. Debbie clicks over and says, “Mr. Calvin, are you in a safe location..? Good, sir. I know you heard the emergency code over the radio, and you must be worried about Ms. Sasha. We have a plan for you and your students, please listen closely…”

A comforting warmth drives through me when I realize Ms. Debbie remembers. She remembers the day that I told her Sasha had become a pharmacy tech, and the smile on my face when I said Sasha had landed a job at the pharmacy just down the road from Transportation. Ms. Debbie smiled, too, when she suggested that I take the opportunity to steal lunch breaks with Sasha to keep the romance alive. I am a darn good bus driver, steady with my hands and sharp with my routes, but romance has no clear directions or traffic signs and so I avoid roads leading to affection like a bus driver avoids cul-de-sacs. Now, with the radio humming and fear sitting bitter in my stomach, I realize that Sasha may be in the kind of trouble that makes a man regret every unattempted romantic notion.

Palms sweaty, I clamp the phone tighter to my ear and listen as Ms. Debbie lays out the plan in that calm, steady voice dispatchers use even when panic is crowding the line. Another driver is on the way to Townsend High to take over my route. After that, someone in a district vehicle will bring me back to base, where I can follow the emergency without putting myself, or my students, in danger. I try to argue, but she cuts through my protest with gentle firmness. The police have already blocked the roads around the pharmacy, she tells me. I would not get within ten feet of Sasha if I tried. All I would find is flashing blue lights, hard barricades, and the feeling of helplessness. She added that I could also put Sasha in further danger—that was enough to win over my consent.

“Ok, Ms. Debbie. I’m headed to Townsend High right now.”

“Perfect, Mr. Calvin. I will keep you updated if anything changes.”

Christina gives a low, eager hum as I ease her back onto the road toward Townsend High.

The urge to call Sasha jerks me like a brake check. Maybe she will answer. Maybe I will hear her voice, shaky but safe, on the other end and finally be able to breathe again. I reach for my cellphone on the tray beneath the dash, but the moment my fingers touch it, it refuses to move. The phone sits there, stubborn and still, as if Christina has glued it to the tray herself. Then her odometer pings, bright and sharp against the dashboard, and one word flashes across the display:

FOCUS

Heat crawls up my neck. Sorry, girl. I pull my hand away from the phone and plant both hands on the wheel, left at nine, right at three. My fear for Sasha had shoved everything else out of my head, even the law I know by heart: no mobile device while operating a school bus.

Finally, I turn into the school driveway and ease Christina into place. Beyond the windshield, the students gather in loose, laughing clusters, backpacks slung low, cellphone postures, and faces bright and impatient to climb aboard. They have no idea that danger is unfolding only five miles away, or that my nerves are rattling beneath my skin like loose lug nuts. For their sake, I smooth my face, swallow the fear, and try to keep it that way.

I secure the bus, set my hand on the door switch, and flick it open so the students can climb aboard. Nothing happens. No hiss of air, no folding door, no rush of chatter spilling into the aisle. Frowning, I flip the switch again. The doors stay sealed tight.

What’s the matter now, girl?

A soft mechanical click answers me. I look down just in time to see the gearshift slide into Drive, and my forehead tightens in a roadmap of confusion.

I can’t leave the students standing out there, Christina. Come on, girl.

Christina stays in Drive. No matter how many times I flip the switch, the doors refuse to open. I let out a slow breath and ask her again what is wrong. In answer, the right crossover mirror dips downward, smooth and deliberate, until the front tire comes into view. That is when I see it: Christina has rolled past the yellow brick line. The line is there for a reason. When the bus stops behind it, the walkway stays clear and the students can board from the safety of the marked crosswalk. Past that line, they would have to step out of their protected path and crowd too close to the bus’s nose. Christina is not being stubborn. She is keeping them safe. I need to follow the safety rules of the yellow brick line.

Backing up a bus full of blind spots is never the safe choice, and Christina knows it. She is not asking me to reverse; she is telling me to move forward, circle the drive, and return to the loading zone the right way. This time, I need to stop with her nose behind the yellow line, where the students can step from the marked crosswalk into the open doors.

Got it, girl. I’m sorry, my mind is with Sasha.

I gesture to the students to wait, and they back up with grins and nods. I circle the driveway and come back to the pickup spot, stopping at the yellow line. I flip the switch to open the doors and, this time, they open wide. Just then, Nathan, one of the stand-by drivers, steps in front of the doorway, blocking the students from entering.

“Hey Cal! I heard the bad news, man, I’m so sorry! They sent me to finish your route!” Nathan yells while entering the bus.

Christina’s dash pings:

WHO?

I didn’t think she would be happy about having a sub-driver. I don’t think I am happy about Nathan being her sub-driver. Is it odd that I’m jealous when other men ride her? Wow, that’s weird.

I throw that thought into neutral before it can roll into the gutter. Nathan is an experienced driver; surely, he can safely drive Christina for one route. Sasha is the one in danger.

Just as I jump out of the driver’s seat Ms. Debbie comes on the radio and announces:

Base to all drivers. Base to all drivers. There is no longer a threat at Culter Road and Pits. This area is now clear and safe. Please proceed as normal on your routes.

The news hits me like clean air after inhaling exhaust. I sink back into the driver’s seat, let out a long, shaky breath, and drag my fingers through my hair. My chest still feels tight but loosens each second I realize Sasha is safe. Then my phone buzzes against the tray beneath the dash. I snatch it up, and Sasha’s name and image glow on the screen.

Heard the news, babe? Don’t worry, I’m safe. I’ve been home since noon, wrapped in a blanket and sipping ginger tea. I’ve felt queasy all morning. Everybody is ok. The police stopped the “gunman” outside—some kid with a realistic water gun. I’ll explain everything when you get home. I love you.

Relief washes through me first. Then my brain, apparently done surviving one emergency, highlights two words in Sasha’s message like hazard lights:

Queasy.

Morning.

Now, I am no doctor, I drive a bus for a living. But even I know those two words ride the same route.

Morning sickness?

“Did you hear that Cal! The coast is clear! I guess I don’t have to finish your route, after all!”

“Well, Nathan, I guess you’re off the hook.” I mutter, my voice still rough from the scare. Nathan grins, gives Christina’s handrail a quick slap, I wince, and he hops back down the steps.

Christina’s dash pings before I can settle myself in the driver’s seat:

Whew!

I pause with one hand on the wheel. Whew? Was Christina relieved because the threat was over or because Nathan would not be driving her after all? Sometimes I wonder if student safety is the only thing that truly stirs her metal heart.

I shake my head, let the question roll away like loose gravel under the tires, and turn toward the waiting students with my best bus driver’s smile.

Then two students climb aboard with their heads hanging low, their steps clumsy and uneven. When they pass me, a sour, yeasty stink rolls off them putting the pub in public school.

My smile disappears.

Surely not.

Before I can decide when to question them, Christina’s dash pings again:

UN-HAPPY HOUR?

Ask Your Team:
What can happen when students load outside of the loading area? And what can you do to keep students safely within loading zones?

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Next Stop: Episode 3
Sip, Sip, No Way! – Student Monitoring: Prevent alcohol use and recognize impairment

Previous Stop: Episode 1
Roll, Roll, No Bus Bus! – Avoid Distractions During Pre-Trip Inspections

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© 2026 Gabrielle Marie Kelley. Calvin & Christina: Where Safety Takes the Wheel and all associated characters, concepts, and illustrations are the intellectual property of Gabrielle Marie Kelley, office manager for the Irving Independent School District transportation department. Published with permission through School Transportation News.

The post Episode 2: “The Yellow Brick Line” appeared first on School Transportation News.

Introducing a new story series from author Gabrielle Marie Kelley, a school bus dispatcher for Irving Independent School District in Texas. The story advisor is Fredrick Tottenham, student safety specialist with Irving ISD. Follow the adventures of Calvin, an anxious but dutiful bus driver, and his sentient and safety-conscious school bus named Christina. The short story follows Calvin’s route adventures while highlighting very real circumstances that drivers face and underscoring the importance of student transportation safety. Find group discussion prompts at the end of each article. The series will resume on the second Tuesday of each month.

Hi. My name is Calvin, and I am a bus driver for Ervens Independent School District in Ervens, Texas. I’ve been driving for nine years, and by now, you’d think I’d have everything figured out. Well, you’d be wrong.

You see, my anxiety is a constant passenger, and without permission, it rides along whenever it wants. Things are always changing around here. Routes and rules disappear like ghosts and reappear in dierent forms, only to haunt me
until they become familiar.

I have a girlfriend named Sasha. Olive skin, beautiful ebony locs, and a smile that could stop a fleet. She always knows the right thing to say and her touch washes away the stress of any day. She is something, alright, but she is not the only special lady in my life.

There’s also Christina.

I know what you’re thinking. You named your bus? Yeah, I know it’s sort of odd. But I’m sort of an odd guy. Besides, if you spend enough early mornings sitting behind the wheel, hearing the low hum of the bus speak into the quiet and dark streets, you start to feel like your bus has a personality of its own.

Christina does.

And when it comes to student safety, her personality shines as bright as her yellow coat. She hears everything. And sometimes I swear she knows things before I do. Don’t believe me? Well, you’ll see for yourself, I’m sure.

Right now, I’m standing in front of the dispatch counter, waiting to grab my smart tablet. Beads of sweat forming on my forehead while I try to focus on the cinema that Benjamin Stevens, known as Ben to fellow drivers, is recounting. His flailing expressions reveal armpits that have also succumbed to the summer’s heat. I cross my arms as he gets to the end of his story and I think to myself, Christina would never allow such a thing.

“Cal! You should have seen it! My crossover mirror flew—”

“Mr. Stevens. In my office, please.” Mr. Pottenham, the safety specialist, calls with a stern expression.

With his arms frozen in gestures, Ben looks at Mr. Pottenham, smiling sheepishly. I wring my hands and say, “Well, I guess I’ll catch you later Ben!”

Would I see him later? The safety of our students was no laughing matter, and the look on the safety specialist’s face proved it.

But I have enough problems of my own, don’t I? My nerves are all over the place ever since Sasha stood in the doorway this morning and said, “We need to talk.”

Maybe she wants to talk about our prolonged engagement. Perhaps it’s the dishes I left in the sink last night. Maybe it’s something deeper. God, I hope she’s not pregnant.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Calvin, ready for your PM route?” Ms. Bineht, the dispatcher asks chipperly as she reaches for my smart tablet and keys.

I greet her and Ms. Debbie, the other dispatcher, and quickly make way for other drivers to do the same. I dash to the parking lot to escape the hustle and bustle of animated drivers and to keep my promise. Christina hates it when I’m late.

She is parked in her usual spot, facing me. I wave inconspicuously and a driver with her back to Christina thinks the greeting is meant for her. Christina’s left windshield wiper rises and then falls without a squeak before the driver turns.

I climb the steps of the bus to put away my backpack so that I can start the exterior inspection. Christina’s odometer beeps and flashes: 7 MIN.

“I know, I know. I’m on it, girl.”

I dismount the bus and inspect the front, the passenger’s side, and then I go around the back. I close the back door and just like a phantom, Ben appears and is so close he’s almost kissing my lips.

“Man, you’re not going to believe your ears!”

I swear, all the saliva in his mouth lands on my upper lip. I’m sure this counts as a French kiss. Second base, minimum.

“…And they wrote me up for that!”

Aggressively wiping my mouth, I reply, “A slap on the wrist for attempted murder?” His face says that, unlike his saliva, my joke didn’t land.

“Listen, I’m sorry Ben. I really am. But my route starts in less than seven minutes. Glad you’re still with us, buddy—And the students, too.”

I wink and pat his shoulder. He relaxes but his demeanor is screaming for a more sympathetic ear.

I perform the interior inspection and then I climb into the driver’s seat and turn the key.

Nothing.

“Come on, girl. What’s the deal?”

Again. Nothing.

The doors slowly swing open.

What is it?

I exit the bus with my back to Christina’s doors and the smart tablet in my hands. I look to my left. Nothing is out of place. I look to my right: Christina’s passenger side. I go around the back and as soon as I turn to the other side of the bus, it dawns on me: I forgot to perform the driver-side inspection. I must have accidentally tapped “Next” when Ben startled me. Thanks, Ben.

No. Thanks, Christina.

“Alright girl, let’s try this again.”

Her engine roars awake and the doors close.

As I exit the bus lot, the radio crackles with excitement and then Ms. Debbie’s voice comes through, loud and clear:

Base to all drivers! Base to all drivers! A 9-32 is in effect. Please avoid Culter Road and Pits. This area is blocked due to a 9-32 at the pharmacy on the corner. Please avoid this area.

My heart dropped into a bottomless pit in my stomach. What would an active shooter want with the local pharmacy?

Thankfully, for the students’ safety, my route is in the opposite direction, but my satisfaction quickly fades into a sickening sensation: The pharmacy on Culter and Pits—Sasha works there.

Ask Your Team:
What steps can you take to avoid distractions while performing pre-trip inspections?

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Next Stop: Episode 2
Follow the Yellow Brick Line—Proper student loading and unloading

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© 2026 Gabrielle Marie Kelley. Calvin & Christina: Where Safety Takes the Wheel and all associated characters, concepts, and illustrations are the intellectual property of Gabrielle Marie Kelley. Published by permission through School Transportation News.

The post Episode 1: Roll, Roll, Roll, No Bus! appeared first on School Transportation News.

School transportation professionals often say the industry is all about the students. Yet departments frequently describe their work with facts and figures: How many buses are in the fleet or how many miles they drive. Those numbers matter, but they don’t capture the emotional value transportation provides to families, schools and communities.

At STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, keynote speaker Bruce Turkel challenged attendees to rethink how they communicate that value. His message was simple. Effective communication must be “All About Them.” He urged student transporters to “figure out the difference between what you sell and what you exchange for money.”

That idea became a central theme of the fourpart education leadership discussion held at the Transportation Director Summit in nearby Lake Tahoe and later during the keynote address back at the full conference. The goal was to help transportation leaders move beyond operational language and build messages that make stakeholders feel seen, heard and understood.

“What you sell is treating every child like your own,” Turkel said. “What you sell is peace of mind. All these things will affect what you exchange for money. But none of them will affect what you sell. You don’t buy your own products. You don’t use your own services. Perhaps there’s something your audience or your clients see that you don’t.”

Student transporters’ audience includes parents, school boards, superintendents, financial analysts, legislators, mayors and many others who view transportation through different priorities and pressures. Turkel advised leaders to be clear in conversations rather than clever, noting that even the catchiest or most sincere message can fall flat if it fails to connect with the intended audience.

He explained how Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan helped shift the shoemaker’s conversation with customers from exercise excuses to empowerment and potential. Student transportation, he noted, has a similar opportunity to reframe its story, not simply as a service that moves buses or students but as one that provides access to education, supports the broader economy and enables students to become contributing members of society. “You’re not moving buses, you’re not moving children. You’re moving opportunity,” Turkel said.

Parents bring strong emotions to anything involving their children, he added, which means student transporters may not need to create to “repaint the bus.”

Instead, they may need to explain differently the value. “Hearts, then minds,” he advised. “Make an emotional connection before an intellectual connection.” That message resonated with attendees looking for practical ways to strengthen trust and communication within their own communities. Quanika Dukes-Spruill director of transportation for the Newark Board of Education in New Jersey, said Turkel gave her immediate action items.

“We have a Special Education Action Committee and they host parent meetings, so I’m asking to join those meetings to share information with parents and, most importantly, listen to them,” she said. “The point our
speaker made today was to listen to your audience.”

Emotional connection and clear communication are not separate from school transportation operations. They are essential to effective leadership. Budgets, contracts, routing systems and compliance requirements matter, but successful departments also depend on genuine relationships with employees, families, administrators and stakeholders.

Later during STN EXPO West, Keba Baldwin of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and STN’s 2025 Transportation Director of the Year encouraged industry leaders to stay close to the people who keep daily operations moving. True partnership, he said, begins with understanding and empathy.

Many administrators describe school bus drivers as “the backbone of the operation,” but Baldwin said appreciation must go beyond words. Leaders must spend meaningful time with frontline employees and understand their daily reality. He challenged attendees to examine their own visibility: “How often are you at your bus depot? How often do you ride a bus?” Frequent route ride-alongs and depot visits help to better understand driver challenges, build trust, strengthen relationships and show that they value the human side of the work.

Leaders who stay connected in the field can communicate more effectively with families about route realities, safety priorities and service improvements. That visibility can reduce misunderstandings, build confidence and support transparent conversations with administrators and broader stakeholders. Firsthand experience also strengthens reporting, collaborative problem-solving and shared goals centered on student well-being and educational outcomes.

The challenge now is to think differently. Transportation leaders have an opportunity to become stronger storytellers, clearer communicators and better listeners. They can help redefine the narrative around school transportation and reinforce the true value they provide to the families and communities they serve.

The post It’s All About Them appeared first on School Transportation News.

As another school year begins nationwide, transportation departments are again measured by a basic expectation: Every route needs a safe, reliable school bus ready to roll. This means fewer last-minute swaps, fewer missed instructional minutes and fewer calls from concerned parents. It also depends on what happens in the garage long before a driver turns the key.

I saw that connection between preparation and performance firsthand last month at STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada. The National School Bus Inspection Training Program brought together transportation professionals determined to go beyond checking boxes.

It challenges participants to dig deeper into the vehicles entrusted with carrying students. Forty-eight participants began July 10 with classroom instruction. The program developed by Marshall Casey, a former South Carolina Department of Education maintenance director and creator of the America’s Best School Bus Inspector and Technician Skills and Training Competition, goes beyond minimum state and federal Department of Transportation inspection requirements.

The next day, 44 participants traveled to Washoe County School District’s newly constructed George Getto Central Transportation Yard in Sparks for the hands-on portion.

The $33 million facility is an impressive backdrop for any discussion about fleet readiness. Named for Washoe County School District’s first transportation director, the 36,396-square-foot building includes an eight-bay school bus shop, a separate three-bay white fleet shop, a bus wash, parts and tire storage, offices, training space
and a driver break room.

Yet a modern building and new equipment only reach their potential when skilled people know how to use them. The best inspection techniques and enhanced training are vital to this end.

On July 11, the STN EXPO West participants moved through guided inspections with the instructors before 13 elected to compete that afternoon. They inspected school buses on their own and completed a written test, with their combined scores determining their finish.

Larry Noble, a mechanic with Shasta Union High School District in California and a first-time STN EXPO attendee, took first place.

Instructor Harley Pinson, director of fleet maintenance for Paulding County School District in Georgia and a 2016 America’s Best participant, told me the training brings previously unknown information to light and gives technicians a path to finding the correct answers to everyday shop questions. He was especially impressed by the participants’ engagement, overall knowledge and test scores, which ranked among the highest he has seen.

That is the value of pairing training with competition. The contest creates pressure and recognition, but winning is not the only point. A missed defect becomes a learning opportunity. A test question leads technicians back to the inspection manual. A conversation beside a lifted bus can provide a better process to take home and share.

A great example of building upon that opportunity was the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation sending several technicians to Reno. Winners from the state’s 2025 competition attended and competed, with Benjamin Ortiz of Sunnyside School District finishing in second place. Maurine Simons, herself a former school bus mechanic and a 2016 America’s Best participant as well as a WAPT board member, said the association plans to send this year’s winners to STN EXPO West 2027. That is an investment in employees and a pipeline for professional growth.

We understandably devote considerable attention to the school bus driver shortage. But the technician shortage is just as serious, and in some operations it may be worse. Recruiting drivers and purchasing new school buses don’t matter if too few qualified people are available to inspect, diagnose and repair an increasingly complex fleet. Professional development, modern working conditions and meaningful recognition tell technicians their employer values their expertise.

The same principle applies across student transportation. At the TSD Conference, Nov. 4-10 in Frisco, Texas, the special needs roadeo gives teams a hands-on opportunity to sharpen skills for safely transporting students with disabilities and special needs. At STN EXPO East, April 1-6, 2027, in Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina, the inspection training and competition will provide another opportunity to learn from instructors and peers nationwide.

State associations, school districts and contractors should make room in their budgets for these experiences. Do not view professional development as time away from the job. It is an investment in doing the job better and in keeping talented people in the profession.

The best-equipped garage with the newest software, lift or diagnostic tool cannot guarantee uptime by itself. Uptime begins with professionals who know what to look for, where to find the right answer and when to act before a defect becomes a failure. As another school year begins, investing in those people is one of the smartest fleet-management decisions an operation can make.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the August 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: School Bus Safety Taught to Children at Ohio Safety Town Program
Related: Advancing Fleet Safety & Efficiency with AI Assistance
Related: Brigade Introduces Advanced Bus Safety Technology at STN West in Reno
Related: 2026 Garage Stars: Celebrating Excellence in Fleet Maintenance

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