Parents are raising serous concerns after two underage girls wanted for armed robbery boarded a Rio Grande High Shool bus in Albuquerque’s South Valley and entered the campus, resulting in a lockdown, reported KOAT 7.

The incident occurred May 15, when the unidentified girls managed to board the school bus, entered the high school campus, and hid in a second-floor bathroom stall before being discovered by staff and escorted out.

According to the news report, the girls fled on foot but were quickly apprehended by Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies, who confirmed that both girls had outstanding warrants for armed robbery and were facing additional charges from Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) police.

A letter sent to parents explained the timeline of events and how students had reported seeing to “suspicious females” on campus. This report prompted staff to initiate a “shelter in place” protocol, securing classrooms while searching the building.

Parents told local news reporters that they wondered how the girls managed to get on the school undetected. APS told reporters that the incident should not have happened. Additionally, the school districtc stated that school bus drivers are required to contact dispatch via radio when hey encounter an unfamiliar student, to verify the child’s name, address, school and other relevant details. It is unclear if the driver of the bus involved in the incident is facing any consequences for not following protocol.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said suspects are expected to face new charges in addition to their other warrants. As questions are left unanswered, parents demand more transparency from APS and its transportation providers.

The case remains under investigation.

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Related: Man Arrested After Allegedly Stealing a School Bus in New Mexico
Related: Georgia Armed Robber Crashes Into School Bus During Chase
Related: 91% of Parents Believe U.S. School Bus System Needs Improvement, Zum Survey Finds
Related: North Carolina Student in Custody for Bringing Gun on School Bus

The post New Mexico Parents Concerned After Armed Robbery Suspects Board School Bus appeared first on School Transportation News.

A woman in DeKalb County, Geogia, is infuriated after her 6-year-old daughter was kicked off the school bus during a rainstorm and a mile from their home, reported Fox 5.

Alicia McClendon, the mother of the student, told local news reporters that she dropped off her daughter around 6:45 a.m. May 12 at her school bus stop. Around 15 to 20 minutes later, she received a call stating that her daughter was walking the streets in the rain, crying and screaming for help.

According to the news report, McClendon said her daughter, identified as Kaylani, was supposed to be dropped off at Flat Rock Elementary School, but the school driver kicked the child off the school bus after telling the girl to stop talking.

McClendon reportedly stated that her daughter had been left alone in the rain and was terrified. The child did not know where she was or what was going on.

Aisha Parker, a woman from the neighborhood, told local news reporters she was at her house when she heard a commotion. She thought it was kids playing around but then heard someone screaming and crying. It was Kaylani. The girl approached Parker and asked her for help, then told her what happened and how the school driver had kicked her off the bus.

Parker reportedly called McClendon immediately after and told her what happened. McClendon says she’s beyond upset and wants to press charges. The district said via the article that the driver has been placed on administrative leave until further notice and is prohibited from entering any DCSD schools, properties or fleet vehicles while the incident remains under investigation.

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Related: Georgia School Bus Driver, 7 Children Charged After Student Attack
Related: Iowa Parents Claim School Bus Driver Forced Son Off Miles from Home
Related: Ohio Student Left on School Bus, Parent Speaks Out
Related: Procedures Not Followed, Tennessee Student Left on School Bus

The post Georgia Woman Outraged After Daughter Kicked Off School Bus During Rainstorm appeared first on School Transportation News.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Orange Grove Charter School, based in Charleston, South Carolina, continues to go green and sets a new standard by converting a majority of their diesel school buses to run on renewable natural gas (RNG). Today, the Charleston-based charter school announced they are the first in the nation to convert their school bus fleet to the DEMI-NeuFuel diesel displacement platform.

The DEMI-NeuFuel school bus platform (aka the “CowFartBus”) is made possible, through a partnership between Ingevity, a specialty chemicals and materials manufacturer based in North Charleston, South Carolina, and American CNG, based in Layton, Utah.

This fleet conversion follows a successful pilot program with Orange Grove Charter School upfitting an existing school bus with Ingevity’s NeuFuel technology and American CNG’s DEMI Diesel Displacer system. Together, the platform enables buses to run on a blend of diesel and RNG, a near-zero carbon fuel that is derived from the biodegradation process of organic matter from agricultural, landfill, and wastewater facilities. This system is designed for use on in-service, existing diesel school bus and does not require districts or contractors to purchase new buses. Orange Grove CEO, John Clendaniel, says the new system will save the school $750 dollars a month in addition to helping clean up the environment.

Orange Grove’s school bus fleet will now rely on this highly cost-effective and sustainable platform utilizing low-pressure technology to unlock the value of lowcost natural gas, specifically highly sustainable RNG, by using a natural gas hook up
installed on their Charleston, South Carolina campus.

Through the use of the DEMI-NeuFuel technology and RNG, Orange Grove will reduce its fuel costs by over 25%, displacing approximately 270 gallons of diesel per month, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 32.6 metric tons per year, which is equivalent to 18,549 miles driven by a school bus (Based on EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator and the Department of Energy’s AFLEET Tool).

“This project marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable
transportation and demonstrates how we can reduce our carbon footprint and provide cleaner air to our students and our community, while we remain financially prudent,” said John Clendaniel, CEO of Orange Grove Charter School.

“Ingevity is proud to support Orange Grove’s sustainability journey with the deployment of our DEMI-NeuFuel platform across their entire fleet. This project highlights the benefits of low cost natural gas and zero-to-low carbon RNG as a transportation fuel designed specifically for school bus fleets supporting the transition to a lower cost and more sustainable mode of operations,” said Dante Marini, Product Engineer at Ingevity. “Ingevity’s NeuFuel technology and American CNG’s DEMI Diesel Displacer system can provide school bus fleet operators with the flexibility they need to address their unique requirements without compromise to vehicle or fleet operations.”

“The team has done an excellent job in making the process seamless for drivers.”
said Steve Arato Senior, Bus Driver at Orange Grove Charter School. “Our drivers have all noticed a smoother and quieter operation, which makes for a better ride. Overall, I feel proud knowing that what I’m driving is good for the school financially and better for the environment.”

Orange Grove Charter School was an early adopter of the school bus technology with their initial pilot program beginning in early 2023. Today, this low-pressure RNG solution continues to be utilized across various vehicle classes with school districts, independent bus contractors and other fleets around the country in Wyoming, New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Alabama, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina and others. These fleets engaging in pilot programs and follow-on orders are enjoying the sustainability benefits of RNG as well as significantly reduced fueling costs.

The post Orange Grove Charter School First in the Nation to Convert Their Bus Fleet to a Greener Solution Using DEMI-NeuFuel. appeared first on School Transportation News.

The number of charter schools in the U.S. is growing. This is creating new opportunities for private school companies that serve charter and private schools.

According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, charter schools added more than 80,000 new students during the 2023-2024 school year. Local public schools lost about 1.8 million students from the 2020-2021 school year while charter school enrollment grew by almost 400,000 students during the same period, creating a noticeable contrast in enrollment trends.

Many of the larger and innovative private school transportation companies don’t treat charter schools or private schools differently than public schools. They are closely monitoring the trend of more charter schools coming online.

An example of the changing dynamics in a large school system can be found in South Florida. The Broward County Public School District reported its enrollment declined by about 30,000 over the past 10 years and will likely decline by another 9,000 students this year. School board meetings over the past 12 months have discussed closing school sites.

The Florida Legislature has made it easier for charter schools to open and use existing public-school buildings for their campuses. The state also expanded eligibility for school choice vouchers to all students.

Alternative student transportation provider HopSkipDrive offers transportation to growing charter schools and is looking for ways to further serve the market.

The company works with students who are facing various challenges and may not be served as well by traditional school bus systems. Examples include students who must move frequently because they are homeless or in the foster care system, or they may have a severe disability. HopSkipDrive offers flexibility.

Emily Uhland, vice president of customer success at HopSkipDrive, said the company works to provide the best service for all students. “HopSkipDrive is a proud partner to over 600 school districts around the country, as well as many charter and private schools. The fact is, no matter what school a child is attending they can only get there if they have safe, reliable transportation,” she said.

She noted that many charter and private schools may not own school buses or are stretched too thin with transportation requests from students who live far away. This can make supplemental and small vehicle transportation a better fit.

Traditional school bus companies are also finding more opportunities to serve charter and private schools.

First Student operates in 43 states and has 46,000 school buses. While the company strives to offer the best possible service to all its customers, it may face different requirements when serving smaller charter schools than when it serves large public school districts.

No two schools are the same as some operate independently and may need few school buses, while others are part of larger networks and need more school buses, according to Kim Worster, senior vice president for First Student.

First Student offers full transportation management. This means the company can fully take over and manage systems from route planning to fleet operations to driver staffing.

“For schools that prefer to remain in control of certain operations, we provide buses and technology while they keep their own drivers,” said Worster “We can maintain the school’s existing bus fleet to keep them running safely and reduce the burden of operations for their team. We offer fully trained drivers who meet our safety standards.” .

The company also offers its own alternative transportation, FirstAlt, that uses smaller vehicles.

Worster continued, “HALO is our proprietary technology platform designed to streamline and optimize school bus fleet operations, and it integrates every aspect of First Student’s operations from recruiting and training to routing, dispatching, navigation, vehicle telematics into one system,” said Worster.

The system offers parents and the district visibility to track vehicles and view live updates. It also offers streamlined recruiting and training, resulting in reduced onboarding time and a 90 percent average pass rate on CDL exams on the first attempt. Because of smart routing and safety monitoring there is continuous evaluation of routes, improving safety and efficiency. AI-powered safety incorporates AI cameras to detect potential hazards, providing real-time alerts and recording critical moments for improvements. The end-to-end platform provides a real-time, 360-degree view of fleet performance to enhance operational efficiency, safety and communication, Worster explained.

World of Kids Transportation Corp, based in Pembroke Pines, Florida is working with charter and private schools. It is choosing to grow slowly and meet the needs of various schools, according to a spokesperson.

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Related: 50-State Comparison of Charter School Policies
Related: Transportation Remains a Barrier to Choice, Charter School Access

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At the federal level, House Republicans plan to reserve up to $5 billion a year for scholarships to help families send their children to private and religious schools. This is considered a first major effort to use public money to pay for private education.

This proposal is part of a budget reconciliation bill released May 12 that would promote President Donald Trump’s goal of establishing universal school choice by offering families throughout the nation the option to provide their children an education different from the one offered at their local public school. Almost all families would qualify except those earning more than three times the local economy.

U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, and Bill Cassidy, Republican from Louisiana, have reintroduced the bipartisan Equitable Access to School Facilities Act.

This legislation would make it easier for charter schools to access public property and provide federal grants to states for charter school facilities. The grants, available from the Federal Charter Schools Program, could be used by charter schools to acquire and renovate existing facilities, cover ongoing facilities costs, or create a reserve fund for future acquisition, renovation, or maintenance.

“All students deserve a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college and their career. Across Colorado, charter schools improve student achievement and provide students with the flexibility and innovative teaching they need,” said Bennet. “This bill will invest in charter schools and give them additional tools to support students of every background.”

“When families have the opportunity to send their child to a charter school, they are empowered to choose the best education that meets their child’s needs,” said Cassidy. “This legislation strengthens charter schools, giving them greater tools to help children succeed in the classroom.”

The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act seeks to improve charter schools’ access to facilities funding and financing within a state by reducing gaps in funding between charter schools and other public schools and adding a revolving loan fund. It will promote charter schools’ utilization of public buildings without a federal interest and increase charter schools’ access to facilities located in low-income and rural communities.

AASA: The School Superintendents Association supports public school choice, including charter schools, provided they operate under the governance of local public school boards.

The organization’s belief and position statements says charter schools must adhere to common regulations and accountability standards applied to all schools receiving public funding.

Charter school financing, it continues, should be standardized and aligned to ensure their creation does not negatively impact the quality of existing public schools.

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Related: N.Y. Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Students to Wear Seatbelts on Chartered Trips
Related: Kansas Bill Allows Public-Private Partnerships for School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Installation
Related: Ohio Charter Bus Crash Results in 6 dead, Dozens Injured
Related: Texas Charter Bus Crash Kills Three

The post Private Transportation Companies Seeing More Opportunities from Charter, Private Schools appeared first on School Transportation News.

A former Susquenita School District bus driver in Pennsylvania is facing charges after being accused of allegedly inappropriately touching elementary age students on the school bus for over six months, reported ABC 27.

John Joseph Straining, 50, was reportedly arrested by State Police at New Port and is facing 25 felony charges, including three counts each of felony institutional sexual assault, indecent assault of a minor under 13 and unlawful contact with a minor, among others.

According to the news report, two Susquenita Elementary School students reported that Straining, known to them as “Mr. John,” would tickle juvenile girls on the school bus despite being told to stop.

Upon investigation, police learned that Straining tickled multiple male and female third and fourth grade students, including tickling girls’ chests and thighs.

Police said surveillance video on the school bus showed these interactions occurring between last October and April of this year.

Rohrer Bus Company, the contractor Suquenita uses for transportation, reportedly fired Straining April 14.

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Related: Maryland School Bus Aid Charged with Sexual Assault
Related: Former Utah School Bus Driver Guilty of Viewing Child Pornography
Related: Colorado School Bus Aid Arrested, Charged with Abusing Student
Related: Florida School Bus Driver Arrested for Alleged Assault

The post Former Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Charged for Inappropriately Touching Students appeared first on School Transportation News.

Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa may need to reconsider a new school bus Wi-Fi program that relies on federal E-Rate discounts amid recent congressional resolutions and a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

It is a conundrum facing hundreds of school districts across the U.S. that rely on the funding to help their students with internet connectivity issues so they can finish their homework.

Phil Roeder, the school district’s director of communications and public affairs, said E-Rate is crucial to the success of the “DPMS On the Go” service that launched earlier this school year. In January, the district announced Wi-Fi hotspots on 126 school buses and additional mobile units on passenger vans.

E-Rate covered 90 percent of the approximate $600,000 cost for the equipment, installation, wireless data service and “other,” which the Universal Service Administrative Company that manages E-Rate defines as hardware licensing. With an estimated cost of $500,000 in subsequent years for maintenance and new systems, Roeder explained that DPMS may need to reconsider the investment.

“If these funds are removed, the district will need to consider alternatives at a time when there is already a lot of uncertainty related to education funding,” he commented in an email. “At best, we may have to consider maintaining limited connectivity in a more targeted fashion, such as our IT and transportation departments identifying routes that have the greatest need and usage in order to focus resources. At worse, of course, school bus Wi-Fi could come to an end.”

Nationwide, over $63.6 million in E-Rate discounts have funded over 2,900 school bus Wi-Fi applications across 36 states and Puerto Rico. School districts may receive numerous discounts for each school bus they are equipping based on the hardware, installation and data costs. Des Moines is one of a dozen districts in Iowa that received E-Rate discounts for this school year.

Earlier this year, Samantha Sonnichsen, director of transportation for DPMS, noted many students spend hours riding to and from class on school buses. “Now, students will have the opportunity to access Wi-Fi and complete homework for the next day,” she added.

But for how much longer? At least through next school year, as a recent Senate resolution and a companion House resolution only target external hotspot connectivity devices that some students take home with them so they and their families can access Broadband internet. But school bus Wi-Fi is expected to be targeted during the next congressional session.

The primary goal of the Des Moines program is expanding internet access for students without reliable home connectivity, either because they live in underserved rural areas or their families can’t afford it. The benefits of Wi-Fi extend beyond academics. While not eligible for E-Rate funding, Des Moines is also using Wi-Fi for like real-time GPS, live camera access for emergency monitoring and driver tools to reroute buses quickly during traffic delays or severe weather. These features create a more secure and connected commute for both students and drivers, the district said in a statement.

“We live in a time where Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” Matt Smith, associate superintendent of school support services for DMPS, said in January. “By equipping our buses, we’re ensuring that students, especially those without home internet, can keep up with their studies.”

The program was developed with support from the district’s IT team and Kajeet, a leading provider of filtered educational Wi-Fi. Students are limited to safe, education-only browsing and access is tied to their student login credentials, syncing activity with the school network to prevent misuse.

However, a looming legal challenge could upend the program’s future faster than the legislative ones. A case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court questions the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF) that finances the E-Rate program. Critics, including several federal lawmakers, argue the FCC has overstepped its original charter by using the USF to subsidize off-campus internet infrastructure like school bus Wi-Fi.

As noted in a recent STN podcast episode featuring AASA’s Noelle Ellerson Ng, this case could have ripple effects nationwide, especially for districts like Des Moines that are already relying on E-Rate to support long-term implementation.

“This is about more than hardware on buses,” Ellerson Ng said during the podcast. “It’s about whether digital equity continues to be prioritized at the federal level—because without E-Rate, many of these programs become unsustainable.”

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Related: Benefits of School Bus Wi-Fi Discussed at STN EXPO
Related: FCC Approves Funding of School Wi-Fi in E-Rate Program
Related: Directors Discuss Navigating Wi-Fi Purchases, E-Rate Funding at STN EXPO Indy

The post Iowa’s Largest School District Mulls Future of School Bus Wi-Fi Program appeared first on School Transportation News.

While navigating funding and economic uncertainties, transportation leaders may find value in creating opportunities through strategic collaboration.

If transportation projects on their own are not likely to win support in your upcoming budget cycle, they may have a path forward when aligned with other district objectives in comprehensive facility modernization programs. Such programs can bundle multiple projects into one initiative — addressing aging systems and facilities, reducing costs, and making other improvements that matter to superintendents, chief business officers, and facilities directors alike.

In this webinar, you will learn how districtwide, multi-measured facility improvement programs can capture incentive funding while generating energy and operational cost savings. These incentives and savings can help fund transportation upgrades like EV charging, school bus Wi-Fi, and other fleet improvements. Innovative programs can also create STEM engagement opportunities for students and teachers.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Updates on school transportation funding
• Strategies for aligning goals across departments and leadership roles from a superintendent’s perspective
• Case studies featuring districts that developed comprehensive modernization programs to enhance learning environments, generate cost savings, and fund transportation upgrades

Brought to you by ENGIE North America

REGISTER BELOW:

 

Presenters:

Marcus Gilmore
Senior Advisor, Clean Mobility Strategy
ENGIE North America

Marcus Gilmore has over a decade of experience in the clean energy sector, leading impactful sustainability initiatives for corporations, cities, and governments. At ENGIE, he works with organizations to develop and implement strategies for transitioning to zero-emission vehicle fleets and other clean energy solutions. Previously, Gilmore led multiple state and utility market transformation programs accelerating electric vehicle adoption, charging infrastructure deployment, and medium/heavy-duty vehicle fleet electrification. He holds an MS in PR and Corporate Communications from NYU and an MSc in Major Program Management from the University of Oxford.

Michael Decker
Senior Business Development Manager
ENGIE North America

Michael Decker has nearly 30 years of experience as an administrator in Michigan public schools, culminating in his 9-year term as Superintendent of St. Charles Community Schools. He brings this wealth of practical insight to ENGIE, as he helps both schools and local government agencies find more efficient ways to meet their infrastructure needs. He holds an MA in Secondary Education from Central Michigan University and a BA in Business Administration in Marketing and Management from Northwood University.

The post (Free Webinar) Modernizing School Transportation in Uncertain Times: Strategies to Align & Achieve Goals Across Departments appeared first on School Transportation News.

ANAHIEM, Calif. — “It’s an honor to kick off ACT Expo 2025,” said Jennifer Rumsey, chair and chief executive officer of Cummins. “We’re in a very different place than we were just a year ago. We always knew the energy transition was going to be dynamic, and it’s clear now it’s going to be even more dynamic, more uncertain, more divergent than we ever thought it would be.”

Rumsey, who has spent the last 25 years at Cummins first as a mechanical engineer and later as an executive, noted in her opening general session April 28 that regulations were driving the industry toward a net-zero future. Cummins, like most large OEMs, was investing a record amount of money to meet those goals. Yet, concerns regarding infrastructure investment to support the emerging technology also existed.

She said the trucking and bus industry is just now starting to understand how the Trump administration’s policies might impact the future.

“There’s proposals to reconsider or reevaluate EPA regulations and natural uncertainty as this process takes shape, the incentives for battery electric vehicles offered through the IRA used onshore manufacturing and help drive adoption are back on the negotiating table, and tariffs are being used as trade policies and also impacting our businesses,” Rumsey explained. “So, what does this mean for us today? It means there’s more uncertainty than ever before about the role regulations, incentives and trade policies will play for the future of our industry.”

She commented that despite a potential rollback of regulations, Cummins is continuing to invest billions of dollars to innovate and develop cleaner, more advanced and efficient technologies. “I’ve seen us over the last several decades, we’ve made real progress, real impact together,” she said, adding that even in terms of diesel engines, the industry has significantly reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency.

She noted that “advancements in fuel injection systems, turbo chargers, after treatment and controls, have reduced NOx and particulate emissions by more than 98 percent in the U.S. and 90 percent globally,” she continued. “To put that into perspective, today, it takes 60 class eight semis to emit what a single semi-truck emitted in 1988.”

Cummins, she said, has improved the per-gallon fuel mileage for its on highway heavy duty engines by nearly 25 percent since 2010. The company also set a goal of reducing 55 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its products already in the field from 2014 to 2030. That equates to 5.4 billion gallons of diesel fuel and almost $20 billions in savings.

“In fact, we are hitting that goal early,” Rumsey shared. “I’m pleased to share our goal to double our efforts for products and use over the next five years, helping many of you further improve fuel efficiency and reduce operating costs.”

She said all of this was achieved while also navigating challenges such as the COVID-19 recession and subsequent supply chain disruptions.

“I believe this is a time for us to come together to move the industry forward, to focus on the positive impact we can have in the midst of the uncertainty and challenges we are facing right now,” she said. “I remind myself each day of the beauty and goodness and the people and the world around us, and the opportunity that I and we all have to make a positive difference to ensure a planet where we our kids and our grandkids have access to clean air and water.”

She explained that everyone plays a role in empowering a more prosperous world. She provided three elements that she thinks be essential for success, the first being the right government regulations.

“We need to set clear and challenging but also achievable goals that drive innovation and allow the best technologies to compete and help meet the standards we set,” she said. “We need certainty and time to meet them, regulations that force the adoption of certain technologies may exclude some of the best solutions, and they may also overlook meaningful improvements in today’s technologies. We don’t want to let perfect be the enemy of good.”

She explained that many power solutions and alternative fuel sources will be in the mix for a long time. These include diesel, biodiesel blends, natural gas and hydrogen engines, as well as battery electric, fuel cell and hybrid solutions, “because no single solution will meet our broader goals.”

“Fair and unbiased regulations enable businesses to invest in a diverse portfolio of technologies that drive innovation and give choice to nations’ fleets,” she continued.

Second, she said the industry must consider the life cycle emissions of fuel or energy when making decisions on emission reduction and standards. Rumsey explained that it’s not just about the tail pipe emissions, but the complete cost of fuel production, transportation and distribution.

She said the industry also needs to continue making innovative improvements in technology offerings “that both reduce greenhouse gas and improve fuel efficiency, allowing our customers to find the most efficient, cost-effective solutions for their business and application needs,” she said.

She noted that improved fuel efficiency is the biggest greenhouse gas emission savings opportunity. “Our industry will continue operating internal combustion engines for many years, and it’s important to continue to make tangible and incremental improvements to diesel, while also advancing low carbon alternate fuels to give customers choice as the infrastructure builds out,” she said.

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Related: First Student’s Kenning Discusses School Bus Electrification, Technology Innovation
Related: Report Highlights Shift in Federal Policy from EVs to Conventional Fuels
Related: Gallery: ACT Expo 2025
Related: (STN Podcast E257) The Paths Forward: AI, Clean Energy, Manufacturing Discussed at ACT Expo

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For example, the new Cummins X15 engine is designed to improve fuel economy by 4 percent while greatly reducing NOx. She added, however, that battery-electric technologies are a part of the solution mix for reducing emissions and aligning with sustainability goals.

“Lithium-ion battery price per kilowatt hour has dropped by more than 85 percent in the last decade, and we are starting to see an increasing number of economic cases for electric vehicle adoption in certain commercial vehicle applications,” she said. “For example, Blue Bird has delivered more than 2,500 school buses equipped with electric powertrains and estimates that more than 90 percent of school bus routes can now be served by electric buses. That said, we need to continue to innovate in this space to ensure total cost of ownership gets close to that of diesel and enable adoption.”

She added that Cummins is partnering with Paccar, Daimler Truck of North America and Amplify Cell Technologies to manufacture lithium-ion phosphate battery cells for commercial vehicles at a plant outside of Memphis, Tennessee. A spokesman later told School Transportation News that the battery cells will be ready for market in 2027.

“While we’re currently in a period of vast uncertainty, my hope is that we can be unquestionably certain about one thing, our shared commitment to continue powering a more prosperous world to moving forward together, because no one can do it alone,” she said.

The post Cummins CEO Says Mixed Fuel Approach is Key for Commercial Sector appeared first on School Transportation News.

Every Day In K-12 Transportation is an Adventure!
Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technology’s interactive session provided attendees with a peek into a day at a school district using its Total Tyler integrated suite of offerings. Weston Bartlett, manager of the Tyler account executive team; Crystal Duchane, account representative and supervisor; and Jason Riley, chief accounting officer, played school office staff, including: the transportation director, mechanic, a school bus driver and a student. 

They showed how a science teacher, for example, can log into the system and request a field trip. The transportation director receives a link in his email which brings him into the software to approve the request and schedule it out to a driver, which the driver sees on their tablet. The software provides notification of any conflict, such as if the driver has an afternoon route.

The demo showed how the driver can complete his or her pre-trip inspection with the tablet, which recognizes if an inspection failed and a new bus is needed. For example, if there’s a broken headlight, the driver can take a picture on the inspection tablet.

Once the maintenance manager receives the notification that the headlight is broken, panelists illustrated how they can log into the fleet-specific dashboard to see the new work order, including notes and photos and can assign it to a technician.

Dispatchers have a specific portal through which they can utilize routing parameters and the fleet schedule to make changes, which are sent to driver tablets. Panelists showed that notifying parents with cellphone push notifications can be done directly from the system as well.

The demonstration included RFID cards for students, which are scanned upon boarding a bus. If a student scans onto the wrong bus, the driver tablet receives a notification and it shows which is the correct bus. School administrators can also go in and find student rider information if they need it for parents.

The presenters shared that software builds an optimized route based on district parameters, which can easily be updated yearly. Any rerouting needed after missed turns happens automatically, with the system not finding the quickest way, but the safest route. They explained that drivers can create a bus route on the fly with a random group of students, based on who is scanned on the bus.

Tyler representatives confirmed that cybersecurity and student registration systems are available through Tyler. They advised that the integrated pieces of the platform may be purchased at one time or in pieces over time as the district sees fit.

Mitigating Risk on the Road: Proactive Fleet & Student Safety Management
Zonar

Zonar’s session first centered on its Fault IQ product, a diagnostic software for predicting school bus faults before they happen and grabs data throughout a mixed fleet regardless of the OEM. Matt Dickey, Zonar’s vice president of regional sales, was joined by Bryant Maxey, senior product marketing specialist and Sales Engineer Erick Cole. They explained that they’ve seen a 25 percent reduction in maintenance costs, a 20-50 percent reduction in downtime and a 10-20 percent increase in vehicle lifespan.

They advised installing a dual facing Zonar camera in a school bus during the first 30 days of a driver’s employment to monitor behavior and help determine if the driver will work out. It also serves as a coaching and training tool since transportation leaders can view recommended videos based on severity, analyze driver scorecards and trends and exonerate drivers

Transportation staff can receive real time safety alert notifications, access video evidence in minutes, customize the video resolution and download format, view incidents on a map of the route and leverage the RideView companion app for video management.

Upcoming features discussed included backup cameras with a full 360-degree experience and AI accident recreation reports which can read video of an incident, detect the key points and explain what happened.

Best Practices with Student Ridership
Transfinder

Terrell Doolen, professional services manager for Transfinder, and Zachary Moren, manager of enablement and engineering, reviewed why tracking student ridership in real-time is important to today’s parents, how to collect ridership data through scanning students on the bus through RFID cards or manual driver input and what to do with the data once it is captured.

Notifications can be sent to just the parents who have children on a specific bus. Data can also be added on special needs or other pertinent information drivers should know.

They added that the benefits of collecting and having this data readily available include bus breakdown tracking, vehicle utilization optimization and route consolidation due to driver shortages.

They advised tracking registered riders against actual ridership to produce custom reports based on district needs as well as trip efficiency reports for better routing, enabling districts to take action based on real-time data. Dashboards can be created or reports run automatically.

Doolen and Moren explained that Transfinder staff will visit districts to conduct train the trainer events consisting of teaching the drivers about the technology. Instead of having to wait till the end of the school year to make changes, they said transportation staff could make them during the year and send out notifications to parents to let them know right away.

Some attendees said they were looking to add this technology soon and panelists advised getting complete data sets, noting that full participation from all departments was needed for a successful integration.

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Related: (STN Podcast E252) Onsite at STN EXPO East in Charlotte: School Bus Technology Interviews
Related: First Student’s Kenning Discusses School Bus Electrification, Technology Innovation
Related: Gallery: Ride & Drive Caps Day of Technology Demos, Green Energy Panels
Related: Gallery: Second Day of STN EXPO East Green Bus, Technology Sessions
Related: STN’s 2021 School Bus Technology Super Users

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Bus Technology Summit Lab & Demo
Geotab

Business Development Manager Craig Berndt focused on how the Geotab system can utilize data for better school bus driver monitoring and training. He added that while it can consolidate multiple different camera systems and provide video review for incidents no matter the camera vendor, it can also use data like speed, stops and following distance. The Collision Reconstruction feature, Safety Center and Risk Analytics give drivers safety scores and assess the likelihood of getting into an accident, using AI to contextualize the driving habits and lower the risk of collision.

During the hands-on demo, attendees logged into the Geotab website and app to see how trip data was recorded. They saw examples of customizable rules and alerts regarding harsh braking, speeding, hard turns and more. The system can recognize if the vehicle stops for longer than 200 seconds, if the ignition is turned on and off too many times, if a driver is idling in a specific area, if the door is opened while the bus was moving, and more.

The GoTalk device can beep at drivers to alert them to rules being broken, and automated email alerts can be sent to transportation leadership for specific incidents or drivers.

Other utilizations include giving context to maintenance info and data sharing with contractors through one database with a telematic data feed.

AI-Powered Safety: A Hands-On Experience with First Alt & Samsara
First Student

Gregg Prettyman, who was named by STN Publisher Tony Corpin “the Godfather of alternative transportation,” was with transportation network company ALC Schools for 11 years and now serves as vice president of FirstAlt by student transportation contractor First Student.

He noted that the cars and vans used for this variation of student transportation are starting to have the same onboard cameras as school buses, which is a big improvement on visibility for transportation staff.

Alan Geygan, senior strategic customer success manager, explained that Samsara is a global camera company with a single platform for operations data, which Prettyman confirmed FirstAlt can now tap into when placing the cameras on school buses. Transportation staff can toggle bus route, construction or weather map overlays to give parents information about late rides.

Geygan and Prettyman explained that the video is live and sections can be quickly downloaded, blurred, password-protected, or shared via web link, for example to law enforcement.

Notably, AI-enabled software is used to capture real-time safety alerts triggered by G-force changes like a potential or actual crash, as well as poor driver behavior like drowsy or distracted driving, which are immediately sent to relevant staff. Driver behavior coaching applications are included as the system gives audible alerts like “put down phone,” “take a break,” or “increase following [distance].” Geygan responded to an attendee question on a bus being driven by multiple drivers in a day, that there are several ways to determine which driver is at fault based on a badge scan or AI facial recognition.

Transportation staff can determine the strictness levels and set custom parameters for alerts so notifications don’t overwhelm them, Geygan confirmed. Smoking, food and drink usage recognition is in development, he added. Software updates with updated AI technology are pushed over the cloud and many integrations are available via API.

Bus Technology Summit Lab & Demo
Edulog

Jason Corbally, Edulog president and COO,emphasized the importance of product interconnectivity so routers can build routes taking into consideration attendance, walk or hazard boundaries by school, grade or program as well as so parents know their child’s bus information even if there is a vehicle substitution. He recounted an instance where a district’s 29 special needs routes were speedily rerouted based on vehicle capacity, wheelchair bays and bus depot location.

Director of Transportation Jeremy Stowe recounted how Buncombe County School in North Carolina modernized its old school bus garage with GPS, Samsung tablets, electronic route sheets, and digital time and attendance recording. He added that a parent app implementation was a life saver after Hurricane Helene.

“We had to pivot and change daily,” he said. “[The Department of Transportation] would be reopening roads faster than I could route.”

Industry veteran and consultant Derek Graham added that parents don’t like when the bus is late. “But they really don’t like not knowing the bus will be late,” he said.

Arthur Whittaker, director of transportation for Cabarrus County Schools in South Carolina, underscored the importance of community education when new tech comes to school buses and talked through potential pitfalls.

“Some parents were watching the whole route and critiquing where the bus was going. Part of the confusion was that there were three tiers, so parents would see their student’s bus running the first tier and be confused,” he said. “[Some] parents are using the app to send the kids out at the very last second but due to cellphone lag or bad signal it might lead to them not paying attention to when the bus is actually there.”

Corbally noted some districts use the parent app as a messaging system without connecting to the routing system.

Revolutionizing Student Transportation: How AI is Driving Efficiency and Addressing Budget Challenges for School Districts
HopSkipDrive

Strategic Account Executive Chris Wickman said that creativity and innovation is needed with many school bus drivers calling out or retiring, resulting in 60 percent of surveyed districts reducing school bus service. He urged listeners to not fear or avoid AI but leverage it as a tool.

Dustin Kress, software and advisory director, pointed out that HopSkipDrive’s RouteWise AI is not a replacement to a district’s current routing system but a partner that helps districts relieve burdens on staff and do what’s best for students. Using it, Colorado Springs District 11 reduced bus routes, increased wages and increased on-tine rates.

Gregory Dutton, transportation analyst for HopSkipDrive and former transportation director, noted that RouteWise AI can complete billions of calculations in an hour while considering bell times, driver constraints, students with special needs, maximum commute times and the other myriad aspects that student transporters might have to manually work in. Human expertise is still needed to analyze and confirm everything, he assured.

The presenters handed out routing scenario worksheets and attendees worked out potential schedules, identifying challenges like obtainable tiers, driver availability, teachers’ unions, community desires, and sunrise and sunset conditions. Given the problem, RouteWise AI suggested 13 schedules and brought the number of buses needed from 70 to 48. Transportation can also create models and easily share data from this application, such as cost per student rider, with district administration and other stakeholders, Kress said.

Take Action Now: How First Light’s Illuminated Solutions Are Saving Lives
First Light

First Light Sales Manager Stephen Climer and Regional Account Executive Graham Matthews shared that their technology is the most visible stop arm in the industry today, observable from over 1,000 feet away. They said the signs will not lose their yellow color for 14.5 years and come in a floating padding frame for extra durability on rough roads.

Air or electric options are available with five-year, full replacement warranties, sold through traditional dealer networks regardless of bus OEM. As recently announced, IC buses will offer the illuminated stop arms standard on CE Series buses, with electric currently in effect and equipped diesel buses coming around August 1.

Addressing light failure, the panelists said that their stop arms and school bus signs contain over 450 LED lights each with heat compressed over them.

“If you look at your product, you can’t count LED bulbs because they’re hitting fibrotic mesh and it’s dispensing the light evenly. So, if the light goes out, you would have to lose over half of the bulbs to notice a slight difference,” Climer explained.

The panelists predicted about four and a half years before the internal LED lights start to dim or go out and if a couple did, no one would notice.

To retrofit, the school bus signs take about an hour and half. Stop arms are plug and play, coming in at 15-minute installation time.

Attendees were engaged, with about one-third of the room indicating they have at least one First Light product installed on their buses.

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Related: WATCH: School Bus Safety Systems Demonstrated Live at Bus Tech Summit
Related: Bus Technology Summit Session Advocates for Integrated Tech Platform
Related: Eclipse to Have Little if Any Impact on School Bus Technology

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Empowering Schools Across the US
Samsara

Mackenzie Krebs, senior public sector account executive and team lead, shared that Samsara provides foundational, integrable technology that drives real-time visibility, operational safety, immediate incident response, accessible and actionable data, and fuel efficiency.

Dash cameras have panic buttons that allow districts to view the footage immediately and Satellite View includes real time location and ETA, vehicle tracking, parent portal integrations, and asset tracking. The ability to remotely pull audio in addition to video will be added next year, he confirmed.

Idling summaries illuminating fuel waste district and tracking planned versus actual route stops help improve efficiency.

He shared facets that can be used for proactive response and training, like AI based incident detection, existing camera investments, driver safety scores and automated coaching workflows. Investigative data like speeding, phone usage and seatbelt usage can be used in place of cameras so there are no SD cards or hard drives.

Krebs revealed that Canyons School District in Utah reduced incidents by 50 percent with proactive coaching and spent 75 percent less time pulling camera footage for review. It also saved $80,000 in insurance claim payouts.

He closed with Samsara’s free trial offer, since purchasing school bus technology is a five- to 10-year commitment. “We want to make sure it’s going to work for you,” he assured.

Next-Gen School Bus Safety: Tech Innovations and Cloud Solutions for a Safer Ride
Safe Fleet

Mike Hagan, president of Safe Fleet/Seon Digital Solutions Group; Chris Dutton, director of product development; Chris Fox, senior product manager of visibility solutions; and Julian Jimenez, senior product manager of violation detection and enforcement solutions, led an informative session on their Predictive Stop Arm, which utilizes radars, sensors, AI and predictive algorithms to actively notify students of imminent illegal passing danger with an audible warning.

They explained how the Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System (SAVES) issues a citation so motorists won’t repeat the offense. Video capture activates automatically when the stop arm is deployed, autonomously identifies a violating vehicle’s license plate and sends evidence to the Safe Fleet Cloud for review and enforcement. Districts can set what kind of evidence is needed and what triggers a report. Cameras show the right side of the bus too even when a left side incident is taking place because people contest tickets saying that there weren’t kids exiting the bus.

A law enforcement official does not have to witness the incident or make a report, and drivers are not distracted from students by having to activate anything manually. Presenters discussed the importance of Compelling Evidence that is handled correctly and will hold up in a court of law.

Panelists demonstrated during the demo how, during research to make the stop arm more visible, a black background with flashing red lights was found to be most effective. They promoted the security benefits of cloud data management, which also allows supervisors to gather insights about fleet operations.

Connected, Protected, Perfected: Transportant’s Evolution of Bus Safety
Transportant

National Sales Executive Paul Gandrud and Vice President of Sales Jeff Shackelford shared that technology could improve driver stress levels compared to having to follow a paper route, not knowing the names of students on their routes, and receiving no support in resolving student behavior issues.

School bus drivers are able to see names and pictures of every student assigned to each stop, which also fosters relationships between drivers and students. Students can scan on and off a bus with an RFID card or a driver can check in each student on their tablet.

Robyn Pickard, transportation director for West Des Moines Community Schools in Iowa, explained how the software assists in parent communications. Real time student rosters on the Director Dashboard let office staff quickly inform parents of a student’s location in case of emergency. Staff can use the Bus Compass App to answer common questions about student locations as well as to send out messages to the whole school or just to the families of the students that are on a particular bus.

Gandrud and Shackelford explained how the Live Video System allows a driver to hit the incident button which sends a link to the Director Dashboard, where supervisors can see and hear both live and recent video, then take action to resolve or response.

These technologies are still subject to state laws. One attendee in West Virginia said parents didn’t want students’ faces on the RFID cards and another stated that in Illinois it’s illegal to gather biometric information on students.

Panelists explained that Transportant doesn’t have routing but can partner with any other routing software and is the only company that is a fully integrated cloud-based solution.

The post Roundup: Bus Technology Summit at STN EXPO Charlotte 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.

In addition to the state’s Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), California has also awarded school districts $500 million to purchase zero-emission school buses and chargers.

The Zero-Emissions School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) project selected 133 educational agencies to receive 1,000 zero-emission school buses and related charging infrastructure to school districts and other local educational entities. Statewide grants are expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

ZESBI is a program in collaboration between the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), and is administered by CALSTART, a nonprofit clean transportation organization.

“Cleaning up the state’s school bus fleet is central to California’s efforts to provide clean transportation in priority communities that are disproportionately hurt by air pollution,” stated CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “The vast majority of these grants will go to local educational agencies that serve these communities.”

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Related: Update: Quebec Government Passes on Saving Lion Electric, Companys End Imminent
Related: Infrastructure Investor I Squared to Acquire National Express School Bus Contractors
Related: First Student’s Kenning Discusses School Bus Electrification, Technology Innovation

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Meanwhile, HVIP is surging with voucher redemptions skyrocking by 177 percent from 2023 to 2024, with early 2025 data showing continued momentum. A press release states that in February alone, more than 200 HVIP-funded, zero-emission trucks and buses were deployed with $31 million in incentives.

“Over 15 years, HVIP invested $754 million, helping 2,000 fleets deploy 10,000 clean trucks and buses,” the release states, adding that the vehicles have logged more than 340 million miles.

The sale of new zero-emission trucks, buses and vans doubled in 2023, over the previous year, “representing one out of every six new vehicles sold for services including last-mile delivery, freight transportation, and school buses,” the release adds.

Several funding categories within HVIP have reached capacity, though funding remains through the transit set-aside and Innovative Small e-Fleets (ISEF) project. HVIP is also administered by CALSTART on behalf of the California Air Resources Board.

The post Despite Federal Funding in Peril, California State Funding for EVs Continues appeared first on School Transportation News.

School districts are contemplating how to best move forward with the cleanest-emitting school bus that best meets their individual needs, be that an electric school bus (ESB), one fueled by propane, or a cleaner diesel variety.

Several factors lead to the uncertainty over more widespread adoption of ESBs. Pricing, infrastructure and range remain concerns, and Lion Electric customers are still figuring out their next moves amid the company’s auction following financial trouble. But none are bigger than the the fate of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) five-year, $5 billion Clean School Bus Program.

Some anxiety eased in late February, after the Trump administration a month earlier put a temporary pause on award distribution, despite a memo from the EPA CFO that all program funds appropriated by the IIJA and IRA should continue to flow. Last month, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) announced funding through the 2023 grant competition awards is now accessible.

By the end of 2024, the EPA made three rounds of awards to 1,344 school districts, totaling some $2.8 billion. Over 98 percent of those funds have gone toward purchasing ESBs.

NAPT noted it is not clear whether the EPA plans to award the remaining $2.2 billion as was authorized by Congress or to let its authorization run out, adding the program has received some strong support from senators in states where electric buses were being purchased and in at least one state where they are being manufactured.

The EPA did not respond to questions for this article. If the Clean School Bus Program lives on, one electric vehicle insider told School Transportation News funding could be funneled toward more propane school buses.

Meanwhile, Blue Bird used its first quarter results to address the impact of the federal funding pause on ESB deliveries through the Clean School Bus Program. Some
750 ESBs were sold or scheduled for production and delivery, whereas 250 were awarded with funding paused. Blue Bird initiated a reprioritized production plan to build fully funded buses earlier and push back build dates for ordered buses where EPA and federal funding was paused.

The company said it is processing new ESB orders attached to state and local funding and has confirmed political support for the Clean School Bus Program from elected officials in Washington, D.C. Blue Bird also indicated it has lowered its range of annual forecasted ESB deliveries from 1,300 to 1,000 buses.

The company noted uncertainty over the impact of tariffs means it will explore sourcing and other options with suppliers. All applicable government tariffs will be passed through to the end customer, with a potential five percent increase on all Blue Bird non-ESB buses expected by the end of February, should the tariffs on components be applied as originally proposed. School districts are exploring available options.

The non-profit Vermont Energy Investment Corp. (VEIC) has a clean transportation team specializing in programs and projects supporting electric vehicle fleet adoption and alternative fuel vehicle technology.

VEIC published a report last September for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on ESB performance, summarizing evaluation activities and results associated with ES deployments in the program over the 2023-2024 academic school year.

The report found ESBs performed well in all weather conditions and route types. In extremely cold conditions, vehicle efficiency was reduced by up to 40 percent. However, ESBs were found to start up more consistently and reliably than diesel buses. ESBs also had better acceleration and quieter operation than diesel buses, but a lower top speed. Each ESB averaged $1,575 in annual fuel savings compared to diesel buses.

The report indicated primary vehicle downtime causes were related to components outside of the electric drivetrain. Resolving these issues proved more challenging with some vendors than others.

Incorporating feedback from interviews with 15 school transportation managers, school bus drivers and mechanics who engaged the most with ESBs in this program, the final section of the report offers key guidance for future ESB deployments in Montana, including in the areas of training and support, charge management, regenerative braking, and charging strategies.

Dan Rispens, superintendent of East Helena (Montana) Public Schools, noted his district received a grant through Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality that was derived from the Volkswagen settlement of 2016-2017.

“Grant funds offset approximately 80 percent of the purchase price of our bus,” said Rispens. “We were motivated by the prospect of new technology and reduced operating costs, but the primary force in our decision was grant funding.”

Its Lion Electric C bus was ordered in 2021 and delivery was accepted last August. Rispens said the district received EPA rebates to supply three additional Lion Electric buses, but East Helena passed on purchasing them given Lion Electric’s current financial status.

Speaking to the challenges East Helena Public Schools has encountered with its electric bus, “delivery timelines are challenging due to backlog in manufacturing and supply chain disruptions,” Rispens said.

“Our vendor does not have a nationwide network of dealers, so any technical assistance or warranty work is done by remote consult or sending technicians out on the road, making it cumbersome and complicated.”

Local mechanics do not know how to fix or repair the bus and do not have service manuals for it, Rispens added.

“Our bus has been here since last summer and has only been used for about a month on an actual route,” he said. “The heat system was found to be non-functional.

We are still waiting on repairs. This left the bus unusable during Montana’s harsh winter.” Last July, the World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative reported that while the EPA had by that point funded more than 8,000 electric school buses through the EPA Clean School Bus Program, demand for ESBs is outpacing funding.

States, financing entities and utilities continue driving momentum for ESBs, noted WRI spokeswoman Katherine Roboff. “The Maryland Energy Administration recently launched a new funding program in support of school bus electrification,” she said. “We are tracking $2.3 billion in state-level funding for which ESBs are eligible. California and New York are good examples of robust state-level funding.

“We have also been in conversation with a wide range of green banks and financial institutions across the country who are also exploring the topic of financing electric school buses,” Roboff continued. “The Connecticut Green Bank, for example, has developed a new ESB financial product.”

However, the EPA is revoking $20 billion in contracts the Biden administration approved with at least eight green banks. Many Republican leaders call green banks “slush funds,” the Associated Press reported last month. At press time, the Connecticut Green Bank was one of seven green banks still listed on the EPA website.

States Continue Funding Work
The Public Service Commission of Maryland recently approved an electric school bus utility pilot program, Roboff added. The program is one of a dozen nationwide that recently closed or soon will close applications for funding. Districts also continue to explore electrification through transportation-as-a-service providers and other innovative business models built around subscription fees, Roboff said.

“School districts across the country continue to grow their electric school bus fleets,” she added. For example, the Beaverton School District in Oregon has been adding ESBs on an annual basis, leveraging a range of funding sources. In 2021, Beaverton was the first school district in Oregon to acquire an ESB and has added them yearly for a current total of 15 electric buses and 31 charging stations. Among the funding sources was a voter-approved $723 million bond, a portion of which is designated for replacement of diesel-powered buses with propane and electric buses.

Other funding sources include the Oregon Department of Energy’s Public Purpose Charge Program, Portland General Electric’s Electric School Bus Fund—funded through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program—and the EPA.

Beaverton also has 65 clean-burning propane buses using renewable propane. While the district plans to replace 225 diesel-powered buses with ESBs and propane-powered buses, some will be retained for long-distance field trips and athletic events. The district uses renewable diesel fuel, noting its higher cost is expected to drop as its supply expands.

That plan may be revisited if future battery technology improves to extend the distances ESBs can travel on a single charge. Molly Hale, marketing communications manager for Cummins’ Accelera zero-emissions business, noted Blue Bird has the company’s integrated powertrain, the PowerDrive 7000, that includes the BP97E battery, assembled in Columbus, Indiana, at its main manufacturing facility.

“Additionally, Thomas Built Buses recently announced the launch of their new Jouley Gen 2 bus with the new addition of our 14Xe eAxle and ELFA inverter,” she said. “We are pleased to be partnering with two major school bus OEMs and are excited to see the success of these buses gaining momentum and adoption. Blue Bird has delivered more than 2,000 ESBs with our powertrain.”

As speed bumps increase on the path to school districts incorporating more ESBs into their fleets, districts are pursuing a variety of approaches, such as this pilot project in New Mexico, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ESB manufacturer GreenPower Motor Company. The state will seek an appropriation of $5 million to conduct a pilot program funding the purchase of ESBs, charging station installations and management costs.

Rolling with the Punches
Uncertainty over the future of ESB funding has affected many school districts, including the Ritenour School District in Overland, Missouri. The district on Feb. 4 announced the arrival of the first three Thomas Built Buses Jouleys of a 24-ESB fleet funded by a nearly $9.5 million EPA Clean School Bus Program grant sought to replace 24 diesel buses.

The district announced 24 new charging stations as well. However, the district indicated uncertainty over receiving the remaining 21 ESBs from the Clean School Bus Program due to its funding pauses. Brooks McQuinn, transportation director for the Malone Central School District in Malone, New York, noted the district has four ESBs and had received the EPA grant. The district received $1.4 million dollars for the purchase of the buses and chargers, covering most of the project cost. McQuinn pointed out existing infrastructure accommodated the chargers. The district also has its own lot and inside storage space for the buses.

The district’s fleet includes 43 65-passenger buses fueled by propane, gas, diesel and now the four ESBs. “We cover 386 square miles in this district, with a lot of different terrain,” said McQuinn. “We have used propane buses for years because it was a cleaner source of fuel, and we get tax credit for that fuel type. We have geared to gasoline engines due to the size of our district and sporting events. We have phased out our diesels and only have three left.” McQuinn noted the district is surprised the power capability of the ESBs is limited to about 75 miles a day.

“We have also not had a very cold winter here since we received these buses last March,” he added. “Our winters here can hit 30 degrees below [zero]. Overall, [ESBs] have a place in this district, but we certainly cannot meet the [state of New York] deadlines of 2035 for a complete EV bus world.” McQuinn said the cost of a propane or gasoline bus is about $185,000, including added options. The ESB costs about $465,000 and has limited options.

“The New York State [Department of Transportation] is very strict about what has to be on a school bus,” he said. “If the federal grants go away, it would put our district in a very vulnerable state. We are currently maxed out with our energy output, and if we were to add anymore [electric] buses we would have to put all new infrastructure here that would cost the district and local taxpayers millions of dollars.

“We would also have to look for alternative means for sporting events, field trips and any other trips outside of to and from school transportation,” he continued. The Electrification Coalition notes ESB procurement can take up to 18 months. This includes installing the charging infrastructure and getting enough power from the local utility. The organization noted Climate Mayors Electric Vehicle Purchasing Collaborative offers cooperative purchasing contracts for Blue Bird, IC Bus, Lion Electric, and Thomas Built Buses. The Collaborative also includes resources for the procurement process, policy guidance and a variety of other informative resources.

The Coalition advises districts to identify the appropriate type of EV charging stations, determine their locations and explore charging software to help achieve electricity cost savings.

Three types of charging stations include Level 1 (120V), Level 2 (240V), and direct current fast charging (DCFC). Engagement with the local utility is critical to assist
with the connection process for EV charging equipment, determine whether infrastructure upgrades are needed, determine charging rates and best charging times, and available software platforms.

Other Options
A video interview conducted by Steven Whaley, Blue Bird’s alternative fuels manager for eastern North America, and Anthony Jackson, executive director of transportation at Bibb County School District in Georgia, highlights operational benefits of propane school buses, including the elimination of diesel regeneration issues, reduced maintenance costs due to fewer parts and quieter operation. Bibb County School District purchased 31 propane buses in 2014, with the driving factor being issues with regeneration on the diesel engines. Benefits derived included no need for NOx sensors or having to replace particulate matter filters.

Bus drivers love that the bus is much quieter compared to diesel buses, Jackson said.
Now, most of the district’s fleet is comprised of propane-fueled buses, with propane fuel provided by Bobtail loads to the district’s four 1,000-gallon tanks. There also are diesel buses and those running on unleaded gasoline are used for field trips.

The district spent $790,599 to run over 2 million miles at a cost of 39 cents a mile, a 27 cents per-mile cost savings with more than a $500,000 in annual fuel savings. The Alternative Fuel Excise Tax Credit for propane vehicles is 36 cents a gallon for even more cost savings.

“The fate of the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit for propane vehicles is tenuous at best,” Whaley noted. “But the value proposition for propane without any incentives stands impressively on its own.” Clean diesel has also become a more attractive option, especially when using renewable diesel. But incentives for RD only currently exist in California, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico, the only states that have passed the
Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Still, tougher EPA emissions standards have been a driving factor in diesel being more
than 90 percent cleaner today than a decade ago. Those emissions are expected to only get cleaner starting in 2027, when EPA’s Phase III GHG standard is scheduled to go into effect. But at this report, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signaled the rule and others are under reconsideration. If rolled back, diesel school buses could be easier and less expensive to obtain, especially in states that were previously forecasting limited availability.

As the industry awaits word on Phase III , Cummins announced last month its much-anticipated B7.2 diesel engine on the company’s HELM or fuel-agnostic platform. The emissions reduction to less than 0.035 grams of NOx per horsepower/hour, as required by EPA Phase III represents, an approximately 83-percent-cleaner engine than 2010 engines with 50-percent fewer particulate matter.

These are achieved by using a “clean sheet base engine,” a culmination of all the components, a Cummins spokesperson said.

The emissions warranty and useful life requirements also increase, with automatic engine shutdown and stop-start that can further lower emissions and GHG. Meanwhile, in anticipation of the Trump administration, the California Air Resources Board ceased seeking the additional federal waivers it needed to fully implement its Advanced Clean Fleet rule that about a dozen states were set to adopt. Many of those states are now not implementing it, which set out to reduce the number of diesel heavy-duty trucks that could be sold in California and the other so-called CARB states.

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act reauthorization was also introduced in Congress last month. That program, which ran through fiscal year 2024, had been marked for review by the Trump administration. It has been responsible for replacing over 5,100 high emissions school buses since 2010.

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

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Related: EPA Extends 2024 Clean School Bus Program Rebate Application Deadline
Related: EPA, Treasury Disseminate Electric School Bus Tax Credit Information
Related: (STN Podcast E251) Making Safety Safer: Seatbelts, Technology, Training & Electric School Buses
Related: Fourth Funding Opportunity for EPA Clean School Bus Program Opens

The post Future of Clean School Bus Program? appeared first on School Transportation News.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story inaccurately included school bus Wi-Fi as being stripped from E-Rate. 

Sen. Ted Cruz and fellow Republicans in Congress view Wi-Fi hotspots as an overstep of the federal E-Rate program, which was originally mandated to serve the internet needs of students at school campuses and libraries. 

The senator from Texas notched an initial victory in his attempt to prohibit the funding of individual hotspot devices that school districts send home with students who don’t have affordable or any high-speed broadband access Thursday.  Senate Joint Resolution 7 passed by a vote of 50-38 with 12 senators not casting votes. It does not include a provision prohibiting school bus Wi-Fi.

Using the Congressional Review Act, Cruz and 15 other Republican senators—including co-sponsor Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota—await the fate of a companion bill in the House, H.J. Resolution 33, to void the Federal Communication Commissions’ “Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program” published in the Federal Register last August.

If the House version proceeds, both chambers would need to reconcile any differences in committee before approving a final version for President Donald Trump’s signature.

A spokesperson for internet connectivity company Kajeet noted that the resolutions don’t impact school districts that have already completed required paperwork to obtain E-Rate discounts for school bus Wi-Fi equipment scheduled to be installed this summer for next school year. But Congress could revisit school bus Wi-Fi at a later date.

In 2023, then FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel’s advanced her “Learning Without Limits” initiative that included an expansion of E-Rate to provide 20- to 90-percent discounts for school bus Wi-Fi equipment purchases and installations, depending on if the location is urban or rural and the economic needs of the community. The Democrat-majority FCC board approved a declaratory ruling that October, and school bus Wi-Fi was included under E-Rate for the current school year.

But congressional Republicans led by Sen. Cruz say E-Rate funding is tantamount to “subsidizing TikTok on school buses.” He also claims USF spending is out of control and was instrumental in filing a lawsuit against FCC alleging that school bus Wi-Fi promotes student online bullying, a case that made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court this spring.

However, FCC mandates content filtering and adherence to the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Kajeet issued a statement Thursday that the Senate approval of the CRA represents “a setback to efforts aimed at funding off-campus student Wi-Fi hotspots through E-Rate.” The wireless connectivity provider also urged the House to “carefully consider the compelling data demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of managed hotspots.”

Kajeet said its cloud-based Sentinel content filtering, management and analytics platform blocked billions of student attempts last year to access Tik Tok and other non-educational sites. The company added that thousands of schools and libraries have already applied for E-Rate funding next year, and a reversal of the off-campus Wi-Fi could impact more than 6 million people nationwide.

“We fully recognize the significant impact this E-Rate reversal for hotspots will have on districts’ carefully laid plans to provide essential off-campus connectivity,” said Kajeet CEO Ben Weintraub. “By honoring E-Rate pricing, we aim to provide immediate stability and empower districts to continue their indispensable programs without disruption, ensuring that no student is left behind.”

David Schuler, executive director of AASA: The School Superintendents Association, said during a Thursday press conference held outside Capitol Hill rolling back the FCC policy will have a “devastating impact” on the 15 million students and families nationwide who rely on E-Rate for internet access outside the school building. He added nearly 20,000 schools and libraries have already applied for E-Rate funding for hundreds of thousand of hotspots.

“If this resolution passes, those applications, those children will be left offline and left behind,” he said. “Our nation continues to grapple with the digital divide that disproportionately affects low income rural and historically underserved students. Now is not the time to roll back access and connectivity.”

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Related: (STN Podcast E246) Internet is Foundational: Why Universal Services Fund Matters to School Buses
Related: Benefits of School Bus Wi-Fi Discussed at STN EXPO
Related: Directors Discuss Navigating Wi-Fi Purchases, E-Rate Funding at STN EXPO Indy
Related: FCC Releases Eligible Services List for E-Rate School Bus Wi-Fi Funding

The post Update: Senate Approves Stripping Individual Wi-Fi Hotspots from E-Rate Program appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Wilmington teen diagnosed with autism was found safe after a New Hanover County school bus driver helped police locate the boy, reported WRAL News.

According to the article, bus driver Marie Murphy and her monitor Valeria Davis were picking up students April 25 during their normal route when Davis received a notification on her cell phone.

Davis told local news reporters that the WECT app, which provides local news alerts, notified her that a teenager was missing around the Wilmington area.

Davis showed the update to Murphy, and they realized the 14-year-old often rode their school bus. The teen was reported missing at midnight, and the Wilmington Police officers had spent five hours looking for him that morning.

After seeing the boy’s picture, Murphy and Davis were on the lookout as well. Murphy told local news reporters that it made her think of her own kids.

During their last school bus stop, the women reportedly saw the teen standing with a friend on the side of a street. They tried talking to the teen about the incident but all he said was that he wanted to go to school.

Davis and Murphyc contacted their supervisors, Laura Sebert and Stacy Greene, who called 911. Murphy drove the teen to New Hanover High School, where police met them. The reasons for the teen’s disappearance remain unclear.

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Related: Fourth Grader Drives Pickup Truck to School After Missing School Bus
Related: New Jersey School Bus That Went Missing Was Found

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A Lynden School District bus driver in Lyden Washington, died following a traffic incident, reported KPUG News.

The incident occurred May 1, when the school bus driven by Annette Lyon collided with a white SUV just before 8 a.m.

According to the news report, there were no students on board the bus or involved in the crash. Lyon had been with the district since 2021.

Police said via the article that the SUV driver was sent to a local hospital with unknown injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is being asked to contact authorities.

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Related: Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Dies as Result of Crash
Related: Over a Dozen Injured in a New Jersey School Bus Crash
Related: Massachusetts School Bus Driver Crashes into Trees Due to Medical Emergency
Related: Michigan School Bus Driver Charged in Fatal Crash

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A Georgia school bus driver and seven students have been charged in relation to a violent attack of a 7-year-old student during a bus ride, reported WTOC.

According to the news report, a William James Middle School resource officer in Bulloch County received a report April 23 of an attack on the child during the morning bus route of April 18. Following the report, a criminal investigation into the incident was initiated.

Details from the investigation revealed that seven students ages 5 to 14 physically attacked a 7-year-old child during the bus ride to Mattie Lively Elementary School.

Capt. Todd Hutchens with the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office told local news reporters that one used his feet to stomp on the 7-year-old. Authorities said the nature of the attack was very violent, which led them to be very concerned for the safety of the 7-year-old as well as other children on the bus.

According to the article, the school nurse said the 7-year-old had multiple injuries, including heavy bruising. Video footage from the bus reportedly shows the seven students involved in the attack. Since then, all the students have been identified, suspended from school and charged with battery.

The bus driver, 70-year-old Joey Edwin Jackson, was also charged following the investigation. He faces charges of cruelty to children in the second degree and failure to report child abuse.

Hutches said via the article that Jackson did not pull over, did not call the bus garage to report an incident, and did not ask for help. Instead, he continued driving to the school. Jackson was fired for failing to follow mandatory reporter protocol. He had been employed by the district since October 2023.

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Related: Florida School Bus Attendant Arrested for Inappropriate Behavior with Young Girls
Related: Alabama School Bus Driver Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Student with Special Needs
Related: 11-year-old Charged in Maine School Bus Incident
Related: Teen Charged in Pennsylvania School Bus Shooting, 3 Others Wanted

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DES MOINES, Iowa — The National Congress on School Transportation completed a day early, something that hasn’t happened “in recent history,” steering committee chair Mike LaRocco told delegates when the final gavel sounded.

On-site chair Charlie Hood, a former NASDPTS president and retired state director for Florida, added Tuesday at the conclusion of the 17th NCST that it was the hard work of the committees, leadership team and delegates “who understood the importance of this process,” that attributed to the expedited timeline.

NCST is scheduled to meet every five years to update the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures. The congress last met in 2015 and was scheduled to meet in 2020, but it was canceled due to COVID-19. At this year’s congress, most delegates were newcomers to the process. Forty-eight states were in attendance, there were no representatives from New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington, D.C.

Especially noteworthy was the quick passage of crossing arms or gates affixed to the front bumper of school buses. The proposed change during the School Bus Specifications deliberations stated, “school buses shall be equipped with a crossing control arm mounted on the right side of the front bumper. When opened, this arm shall extend in a line parallel to the body side and aligned with the right front wheel.”

The delegation passed the proposal by a vote of 34 to 13 without discussion. It was the first proposal to be read at the congress Monday morning. Currently, 26 states require crossing arms in their state specifications or regulations.

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Related: Crossing Arms: Do They Work?
Related: Canada Becomes First Country to Mandate External School Bus Surveillance Feeds
Related: McManamon Citing ‘Personal and Professional Reasons’ Relinquishes NCST Chair
Related: Updated: NCST Takes on Issue of Non-School Bus Transportation

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Two proposals failed in School Bus Specifications, the first being a requirement that school buses have two stop-arms on the left-hand side, one toward the front and one in the rear. State delegates noted that while dual stop arms are generally a good idea, they should remain optional as because of the price increase per bus. State delegates cited no data to support this assertion.

A Utah delegate noted the Beehive State already requires two stop-arms on the left side, but that hasn’t seemed to deter illegal passers. A New Jersey delegate added student transporters there, too, “found that the second stop-arm is irrelevant and has no affect whatsoever on people stopping or not. It should be an option.”

Proposal 25, the requirement for LEDs on “all exterior body/chassis lighting with the exception of head/park/turn combination assemblies,” also failed. A delegate from Pennsylvania noted that no financial impact of the requirement as listed on the proposal was an inaccurate statement. Another delegate from Wyoming noted that LEDs may be the current technology but inserting them into the specs would beholden districts to the technology, even if future technology proves to be a better option. A Texas delegate agreed, noting that the word “shall” restricts school districts from using improved technology. The proposal failed by a vote of 45 opposed to 2 in favor.

New to NCST this year was the alternative transportation committee for non-school-bus vehicles, a first for deliberations. The states approved criteria for driver credentials, driver training, vehicle design/equipment and special education policy considerations.

“The 17th National Congress on School Transportation has successfully completed its work,” LaRocco told School Transportation News. “Thank you to the NCST Steering Committee, all writing committees, the editing, technical, appendices, Terms and Definitions Committee and resolution committees, and most importantly the 48 state delegates that were present.”

According to conference attendees, six states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine, Kansas, Minnesota, and Louisiana) currently adopt the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures as written into regulations or law. This is a decrease from the last conference in 2015, when 11 states adopted the manual. School Transportation News was seeking to confirm these number at this report.

The dates and location of the 18th NCST were not announced. State delegates were surveyed about whether they felt meeting every five years was appropriate, or if they would rather meet every two or three years. Survey results were not available at this report.

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Tony, Ryan and Taylor recap the conversations, updates and new technology showcased at the ACT Expo in Anaheim, California last week, including: how AI and automation can assist the industry, developments in clean energy choices, tariff impact on manufacturing, the dismantling of Lion Electric, and more.

Read more about ACT Expo.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

 

 

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

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A 5-year-old boy was struck and killed by a Boston Public School bus in Boston Hyde Park neighborhood, reported WCVB 5 News.

The incident reportedly occurred April 28 around 2:42 p.m., when the boy, identified by his family as Lens Arthur, was coming home from school. Nathaniel Thomas, a witness at the scene, told local news reporters that he pulled up to his driveway and saw Arthur lying on the ground.

According to the news report, Arthur’s uncle confirmed that the boy lived in the neighborhood, attended Up Academy in Dorchester, and had traveled on the school bus that struck him just minutes before being hit by it.

The family told local news reporters that Arthur and his 11-year-old cousin were dropped off on Washington Street instead of their regular bus stop location on Glenwood Avenue.

The order of the events that led to Arthur being struck by the bus remains unclear. However, he reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital where he later died. The bus driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the authorities.

Other children who were on board the school bus at the time of the incident were taken to the hospital to be evaluated. It is unclear if any sustained physical injuries.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox told local news reporters an investigation is ongoing. Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them.

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Related: Louisiana Student Struck and Killed by School Bus
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Related: 7-year-old Struck and Fatally Injured in Canada
Related: Wisconsin Child Fatally Struck by Car While Waiting for School Bus

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SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced that three Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST school buses have been delivered to its West Virginia dealer for the Grant County School District under Round 2 funding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP).

“GreenPower continues to manufacture and deliver its all-electric, purpose-built school bus products to its dealer in West Virginia and dealers across the nation for school districts in a timely manner despite the current uncertainties of public policy, tariffs and funding,” said Brendan Riley, President of GreenPower. “This week’s delivery to our West Virginia dealer is for the second school district in West Virginia under the Clean School Bus Program since the contract with EPA was signed just four months ago and the federal funding became available in mid-March.”

Delivery of the West Virginia-manufactured school buses under the EPA grant was paused for a few weeks as part of the freeze on spending implemented by the Trump Administration as the new EPA team evaluated program spending. After the freeze was lifted, GreenPower’s first delivery to its dealer in West Virginia under the CSBP was for Kanawha County and today’s announcement represents the second set of buses under the award to Grant County. Calhoun County’s school buses funded under the CSBP will be the next delivery for GreenPower to its dealer.

To date, GreenPower has delivered 22 of its all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses in West Virginia for deployment in school districts across the Mountain State, including 16 BEASTS and six Nano BEASTs. The deployments represent approximately one-half of the orders placed for West Virginia school districts that have installed charging infrastructure and are prepared to accept the buses.

As the leading purpose-built American manufacturer of EV school buses, GreenPower is the only all-electric OEM that manufactures both a Class 4 Type A school bus and a Class 8 Type D school bus. The BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up as an EV, it is a fully integrated structure that features a strong and corrosion resistant aluminum body made from extruded aluminum, manufactured by Constellium, seamlessly mated to a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for adjustable track seating with no wheel wells in the passenger compartment, and the high floor keeps students out of the impact zone. Combined port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW, allowing for full charging in less than three hours.

About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.

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A 15-year-old boy was accused of raping a 7-year-old boy on a Jennings County school bus, reported WTHR News.

The alleged incident reportedly occurred April 16 on a school bus for students with disabilities. The Jennings County Juvenile Probation Department is overseeing the investigation.

According to the article, the incident was detected in bus security footage and Jennings County School Corporation is now reviewing other security videos from the entire school year to determine if there were other similar incidents.

The news report states that the 15-year-old, who was not identified at this writing, was taken into custody April 17 and had his initial hearing April 22, where prosecutors filed the rape charge.

The teen reportedly has another court hearing this week and is currently being held at the juvenile detention center.

Local news reports confirmed that the family of the 7-year-old is preparing to sue the school district, claiming “grossly negligent” actions resulted in permanent injury to the boy and violated his civil rights.

The family’s attorneys reportedly say that the 7-year-old was “helplessly left unmonitored by two school employees who were on the bus and charged with caring for his safety.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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Related: Maryland School Bus Aid Charged with Sexual Assault
Related: Sexual Abuse Prevention Expert Provides Strategies When Transporting Students with Disabilities
Related: Former Massachusetts School Bus Driver Facing Charges of Sexual Assault
Related: TSD Keynote Speaker to Address Sexual Behavior Concerns on Special Needs Routes

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