Student transportation professionals looking to advance to the next leadership level are encouraged to sign up for the “So You Want to Be a Transportation Supervisor” professional development special training at STN EXPO West.
This annual conference seminar allows student transporters to prepare for a transition to a supervisor role or re-evaluate their leadership skill sets. Led by a panel of seasoned instructors and industry experts, this seminar is ideal for those looking to improve their operations, department culture and staff interactions. It will be held on Saturday, July 11 as an all-day training from 11:30-5 p.m.
The instructor team is led by Alexandra Robinson, a former executive director of transportation and current industry consultant and expert witness as well as TSD Conference tenured faculty member. She is joined by Tim Purvis of consultant group Pupil Transportation Information; and Rosalyn Vann-Jackson, chief support services officer for Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma and Pam McDonald, a retired director of transportation and current consultant.
What the Professional Development Consists Of
For those who are newer to the industry, the instructors will discuss making data driven leadership decisions, understanding return on investment, and collaborating with the right people at the district to move transportation operations forward. They will also speak on team building, customer service, communication strategies, workplace culture and productivity as well as operational considerations such as employee retention, principles of proper routing and managing data.
Attendees will be exposed to interactive leadership and team-building scenarios. The instructors through how to approach them with a correct human resources perspective. Attendees will also have a chance to ask questions of the instructors and gain invaluable supervisor and leadership lessons from real-life experiences.
At the end of the professional development class, attendees will have received strategic and practical advice that will better equip them to lead in hard times and build strong relationships with their team.
Electric school bus manufacturer RIDE will sponsor refreshments during the session. There is a maximum of 100 participants. Separate registration is required at no additional charge.
STN EXPO West will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. Attendees will have access to a week of educational sessions based on the challenges facing the industry, training classes to improve operations, networking events to bring peers together for problem-solving and innovative experiences such as the Ride and Drive/Live Product Demo, the STN EXPO Trade Show and the Transportation Director Summit. Register at stnexpo.com/west.
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America and a division of Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles, recognized Carolina Thomas as its 2025 Dealer of the Year during its annual dealer meeting, where top-performing dealers from across the network are honored each year. The distinction celebrates the dealership’s exceptional customer support, operational excellence and ongoing commitment to student transportation.
Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Carolina Thomas has been a long-standing partner within the Thomas Built Buses dealer network, serving customers across the region with a strong focus on service and support. This marks the dealership’s second Dealer of the Year honor, having previously earned the distinction in 2016, continuing a legacy of consistent, high-level performance across the Thomas Built network.
“Carolina Thomas continues to set the standard for excellence across our dealer network,” said Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas Built Buses. “From delivering a best-in-class customer experience to investing in technician training and service capabilities, their team consistently demonstrates what it means to uphold the full Thomas Built value proposition. We congratulate Carolina Thomas on earning their second Dealer of the Year recognition. We appreciate the partnership.”
“Carolina Thomas is truly honored to be named the Thomas Built Buses 2025 Dealer of the Year,” said Kelly Rivera, General Manager of Carolina Thomas. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team—across sales, service, parts, and support—who work each day to deliver for our customers and the communities they serve. We are proud to play a role in supporting safe, reliable transportation for students, and we’re deeply grateful to our customers for the trust they place in us. To be recognized among such an outstanding network of Thomas Built Buses dealers makes this achievement especially meaningful.”
Each year, Thomas Built Buses evaluates dealers across its network based on key performance metrics, including customer service, parts availability, training participation and sales performance. The Dealer of the Year award represents the highest level of achievement among all TBB dealers in North America.
Thomas Built Buses also recognized additional top-performing dealers at the annual dealer meeting:
2025 Honors Class:
Carolina Thomas, LLC – Greensboro, North Carolina
Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Thomas Bus Texas – Dallas, Texas
Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana
2025 President’s Club Platinum:
Carolina Thomas, LLC – Greensboro, North Carolina
Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Thomas Bus Texas – Dallas, Texas
Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana
New England Transit Sales, Inc. – Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
Mid-South Bus Center, Inc. – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
American Bus Sales & Service – Annapolis, Maryland
Sonny Merryman, Inc. – Evington, Virginia
Interstate Transportation Equipment, Inc. – Columbia, South Carolina
Nelson’s Bus Service, Inc. – Whitewater, Wisconsin
Transportation South, Inc. – Pelham, Alabama
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Shawnee, Kansas
Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia – Forest Park, Georgia
Matheny Motor Truck Company – Mineral Wells, West Virginia
2025 President’s Club:
Rohrer Bus Sales – Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Van Buren, Arkansas
H.A. DeHart & Son, Inc. – Thorofare, New Jersey
W.C. Cressey & Son. Inc. – Kennebunk, Maine
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – El Reno, Oklahoma
Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Litchfield, Illinois
Complete Bus & Specialty Vehicles – Clarksburg, Ohio
Empire Truck Sales, LLC – Richland, Mississippi
Matthews Buses, Inc. – Ballston Spa, New York
Gordon Truck Centers, Inc. – Pacific, Washington
Schetky Northwest Sales, Inc. – Portland, Oregon
Premier Bus Group of Manitoba – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Autobus Thomas Inc. – Drummondville, Quebec
Warner Industries – Regina, Saskatchewan
In addition to Dealer of the Year recognition, Thomas Built Buses also announced its newest class of Platinum Support dealers for 2025. The Platinum Support Dealer Program recognizes dealerships that go above and beyond in customer service, parts availability and service capabilities, demonstrating a strong commitment to delivering an exceptional ownership experience.
2025 Platinum Support Dealer Program – New Additions:
Kent Mitchell Bus Sales & Service, LLC – Louisiana
NOVA Enterprises Limited – Nova Scotia
Premier Bus Group – Manitoba
Truck Center Companies East, LLC – Iowa
Gordon Truck Center – Alaska
Premier Truck Group – Ontario
I-State Truck, Inc. – Montana/Wyoming
I-State Truck, Inc. – North Dakota/South Dakota
Established in 2015, the Thomas Built Buses Platinum Support Dealer Program is focused on improving the customer experience through continuous operational improvement and advanced service training. Today, 96% of Thomas Built dealers are Platinum Support-certified.
About Thomas Built Buses:
Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at thomasbuiltbuses.com or facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.
Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. together form Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
In student transportation, communication is not just an operational tool. It is a safety system. As fleets expand across districts, regions and states, traditional communication models are increasingly unable to keep pace with the demands of real-time coordination, incident response and compliance. Forward-looking transportation leaders are rethinking communication not as a standalone function, but as a foundational layer of a modern, safety-critical operating model.
This shift is redefining how drivers, dispatchers and operations teams collaborate to deliver safer and more reliable service for students and families.
The Growing Gap in Legacy Communication Systems
For decades, school transportation has relied on analog radio systems. While historically effective, these systems now present structural limitations in a modern, distributed operating environment: Limited range across rural, suburban and multi-district routes; channel congestion during peak routing windows; fragmented communication across regions and operating companies; lack of integration with routing, safety and compliance platforms; and ongoing infrastructure and maintenance overhead.
At scale, these constraints are not just inefficient. They introduce risks. When communication slows down, safety responses slow down.
Reframing Communication as Strategic Capability
Leading transportation providers are approaching communication transformation with a different mindset. Instead of viewing it as a device upgrade, they are treating it as a core operational capability that directly impacts:
Driver confidence and retention.
Dispatcher effectiveness and workload.
Incident response times and safety outcomes.
Cross-regional coordination during disruptions.
Visibility for leadership and decision-making.
This shift requires strong leadership alignment and a deliberate focus on change management, not just technology deployment. As one operations leader noted, the goal is not to replace radios, but to future-proof communication across the organization.
What Modern Communication Looks Like
Modern communication models in school transportation are defined by a few key characteristics:
1. Real-Time, Nationwide Connectivity
Communication is no longer constrained by geography. Dispatchers can connect with drivers across regions instantly, enabling coordinated responses to weather events, route disruptions, or safety incidents. 2. Seamless Integration with Operations
Communication is increasingly integrated with routing systems, safety platforms and operational dashboards. This creates a unified environment where communication and data work together. 3. Simplicity for Frontline Users
Despite backend complexity, the user experience must remain simple. One-touch communication, intuitive interfaces and minimal training friction are critical for driver adoption. 4. Security and Reliability
As communication becomes digital, encryption, uptime and reliability become essential components of a safety-first architecture.
Execution Matters: The Role of Change Management
Technology alone does not drive transformation. Execution does. Successful implementations typically follow a structured approach: Pilot deployments across diverse operating environments; standardized onboarding and training for drivers and dispatchers; device and workflow standardization to reduce variability; continuous feedback loops to refine usability; and close collaboration between technology, operations and safety teams.
Organizations that invest in change management see faster adoption, higher satisfaction and more measurable outcomes.
Measurable Impact on Safety and Operations
When communication is modernized effectively, the impact is tangible: Faster dispatcher-to-driver response times, often reduced by 30 to 40 percent; improved coordination during emergencies and service disruptions; reduced dependency on physical infrastructure and maintenance overhead; enhanced incident escalation and documentation; and greater consistency across multi-location operations.
More importantly, these improvements translate into better outcomes for students. Faster communication means faster response. And in a safety-critical environment, minutes matter.
Beyond Tech: A Cultural Shift
Perhaps the most important outcome of modern communication is cultural. Drivers feel more connected and supported in the field, dispatchers operate with greater clarity and confidence, and leadership gains real-time visibility into operations. Additionally, organizations move from reactive to proactive decision-making.
This is not just a systems upgrade. It is a shift toward a more connected, responsive and people-centered operating model.
The Road Ahead
As the student transportation industry continues to evolve, communication will play an increasingly central role in enabling: Scalable growth across regions and contracts; compliance with evolving safety and regulatory expectations; integration with AI-driven routing, monitoring and analytics platforms; and a more resilient and adaptive transportation network.
The organizations that lead this transformation will not be defined by the tools they adopt, but by how they integrate communication into the fabric of their operations.
Final Thought
In student transportation, every conversation has the potential to impact
safety. Modernizing communication is not just about efficiency. It is about
ensuring that every driver, dispatcher and operations leader is equipped to
respond, support and protect the students they serve. And that is where technology, leadership and purpose come together.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the May 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
Gaurav Sharda is the chief technical officer for student transportation company Beacon Mobility and the 2025 STN Innovator of the Year.
Perrin Turney has become a familiar and trusted face in the rural Kneeland School District, where his job extends far beyond driving a school bus through the winding roads of Humboldt County.
Turney, a bus driver for Kneeland in rural Humboldt County, was recently named the 2026 California Classified School Employee of the Year for Transportation Services by the California Department of Education. The statewide recognition honors school employees who make significant contributions to public education.
For Turney, the award represents not only personal recognition but pride in the small mountain community he calls home. “Kneeland is a very small school, and not many people outside the area know we exist,” Turney told School Transportation News. “This recognition puts our school and district on the map in a really meaningful way.”
Turney has worked at Kneeland School since 2016, first serving as the school janitor before gradually taking on additional responsibilities. Over the years, he has helped with information technology, managed the school’s water system, supported students in classrooms, and assisted with math instruction for middle school students. He also manages the school website, helps troubleshoot technology issues across campus and fills in wherever needed in the one-school district.
Driving a school bus was never part of his original plan. “Eventually, the school asked if I would be willing to get my commercial license so I could serve as a backup bus driver,” Turney said. “What started as a temporary role became a job I truly care about.”
Now, transporting students safely across the district’s nearly 145 square miles of mountainous terrain has become one of his most important roles.
California School Bus Driver Wears Many Hats
The route presents daily challenges, including narrow roads, potholes, blind curves, black ice, fallen trees, and dense fog that can reduce visibility to only a few yards. Hurricane-force winds and sudden storms can quickly change driving conditions along the route, requiring constant awareness and preparation.
Perrin Turney with Kneeland students.
Turney said he begins each day by checking weather conditions, reviewing school cameras for visible hazards and driving the route himself before students board the bus. “If I feel the road conditions are unsafe, I do not hesitate to call the day off,” he said. “The goal is always the same: Get the students to and from school safely.”
His mornings typically begin before 7 a.m. with a pre-trip safety inspection at the bus yard before he heads out to pick up students in nearby Arcata, Freshwater and along the rural mountain roads leading to Kneeland School. Once students arrive safely on campus, Turney shifts into his other responsibilities for the day, helping with maintenance, assisting students, overseeing technology needs and teaching math.
School leaders say Turney’s calm demeanor and reliability have made him especially trusted among students and families. “Kneeland School District alum Perrin Turney wears many hats in the one-school district, none as important as bus driver,” district officials said in nomination materials supporting his award.
That steady presence has become especially important during unexpected situations on the road. In one memorable incident, steam suddenly poured from under the hood of the bus during a morning route after a coolant reservoir leak. Turney calmly reassured students, safely pulled the bus over and coordinated transportation arrangements while the bus was repaired.
“In those moments, the most important thing is to stay calm, understand the situation, reassure the students and make the safest decision possible,” he said.
Beyond transportation, Turney also created a “Maker’s Space” program that teaches students hands-on technical skills, including 3D printing and technology projects designed to introduce students to current technology trends.
Despite his many responsibilities, Turney said working with students remains the most rewarding part of his job. “Watching students grow into thoughtful, capable and kind people is an amazing thing to be part of,” he said. “The students also teach me how to be a better person.”
Students know Turney as a steady presence who balances safety with humor and compassion. He said consistency helps children feel secure during their rides to and from school.
“The bus should be a safe place, but it should also be a place where students can enjoy themselves a little and decompress,” Turney said.
Turney credits the California school bus driver recognition to the community members, coworkers, and families who supported his nomination.
“I feel grateful,” he said. “I am proud to represent Kneeland, and I could not be happier that this recognition shines a light not just on me, but on the school, the students, the families and the community that make this place so special.”
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., – The Women Presidents Organization (WPO) has named Zūm to its list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies, supported by J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking.
Zum ranks No. 4 on this year’s list, which highlights the impressive scale, growth, and impact of women-owned or led enterprises around the world. To be eligible, all companies must be privately held, women-owned or led, and must have reached annual revenues of at least $500,000 in each of the last five years.
“Zum is proud to be modernizing mobility systems in more than 4,500 schools nationwide through Zum CMX, a fully integrated system designed to eliminate the anxiety, uncertainty, and lack of visibility that have plagued student transportation for decades,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “We are honored to be recognized on this prestigious list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies, and appreciate all of our team, customers, investors and partners who support our mission.”
“The women leading the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies are not only scaling successful businesses, they are navigating change, seizing opportunity, and setting the pace within their industries,” said Camille Burns, CEO of the Women Presidents Organization. “Their collective impact reflects the growing influence of women at the highest levels of business. These companies are redefining what scalable leadership looks like today.”Companies on the 2026 list represent a wide array of industries, including travel and hospitality, digital marketing, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, human capital solutions, information technology and more. Combined, the 2026 50 Fastest generated $8.5 billion in revenue and employed more than 23,000 people in 2025 alone.
Zum’s technology-led and data-driven approach improves transparency, communication, and efficiency while delivering a safer, more reliable experience for students and families. The company recently announced a $100 million strategic investment from TPG, bringing its total funding to $430 million and valuing Zum at $1.7 billion.
Adopted in 17 states, Zum delivers its unified system across more than 4,500 schools, including Omaha Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and San Francisco Unified. Zum’s fully integrated Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) system connects people, vehicles, and operations in real time, reducing anxiety and creating reliable, safe and seamless transportation for families and schools.
The 2026 honorees will be formally recognized during the WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum on May 7 in Hollywood, Florida. See the full list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies at women-presidents.com/news-events/50-fastest.
To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in safe and reliable student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.
About Women Presidents Organization (WPO)
The Women Presidents Organization (WPO) is a non-profit membership organization where dynamic and diverse women business leaders around the world tap into collective insight with exclusive access to entrepreneurial equals, innovative ideas, and executive education. WPO members have guided their business to generate at least $2 million USD in gross annual sales (or $1 million USD for a service-based business). Each WPO chapter serves as a professionally-facilitated peer advisory group for members where they can harness the momentum of their successes and cultivate new strategies that will take them even farther. Learn more at women-presidents.com.
About J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking
J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $4.4 trillion and operations worldwide. Commercial Banking serves emerging startups to mid-corporate businesses as well as government entities, not-for-profit organizations, and commercial real estate investors, developers and owners. Clients are supported through every stage of growth with specialized industry expertise and tailored financial solutions including digital banking and payments solutions, credit and financing, international banking, advisory services and more. Information about J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking is available at www.jpmorganchase.com/commercial.
About Zum
Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.
The Transportation Director Summit returns to Nevada this summer for a two-day exclusive leadership event designed to empower student transportation leaders.
The training begins Friday, July 10 at the STN EXPO West conference. The first part of the event features a Welcome Networking Reception and Top Challenges Discussion hosted by STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin. To attend, participants are qualified as leading their transportation operations and must fill out a survey on their leading challenges they face. Corpin will facilitate discussion on those points. The participants will be matched with vendor partners who provide technological solutions that could assist with these operational challenges.
The exclusive leadership event continues Saturday morning in scenic South Lake Tahoe for an all-day networking and leadership training experience. Monday’s keynote speaker Bruce Turkel will provide training modules on “All About Them Leadership Lab: Turning Insight Into Action.” During the day, Turkel will discuss how his signature mindset can be used to strengthen communication with team members and align goals, which improve performance and create lasting leadership impact. Turkel’s four-part training includes learning to understand what people truly value, purposely communicating with clarity, building stronger connections through trust, and guiding teams through uncertainty to create successful results.
A Leadership Networking Retreat
The transportation directors will enjoy breakfast and lunch courtesy the vendor partners sponsoring the event. All participants wlll make new connections, engage in targeted discussions that address their specific challenges, and leave with practical applications and strategies to transform their operations. Transportation will be provided Saturday to and from Incline Village.
Applicants for this exclusive leadership event must hold the position of transportation director or a qualified equivalent and be able to attend both days of the Summit. Email for more information about qualifying for the Transportation Director Summit.
The Early Bird Deadline for main conference registration ends June 5, register at stnexpo.com/west. In addition to the Transportation Director Summit, the STN EXPO West conference features educational sessions, a dynamic keynote speaker, hands-on training and unique networking experiences.
This year’s STN EXPO West keynote speaker plans to provide attendees the tools they need to cut through the noise and express their relevance in a way that stands out in the crowd.
National Speakers Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame member Bruce Turkel takes the stage in Reno, Nevada this summer at the STN EXPO West conference for student transportation professionals.
Turkel will first address transportation leaders at the Transportation Director Summit, an exclusive training at The Chateau at Incline Village at Lake Tahoe. The directors attending the exclusive training and networking leadership summit will gain insights from Turkel that they can use to instill trust throughout their organizations and how the values of honesty and integrity impact operations.
Clear Communication
Turkel’s July 13 keynote presentation “All About Them: The Power of Relentless Relevance” will bring a message to all conference attendees on how to position oneself in today’s society of instant informational access. In his high-energy presentation, Turkel plans to show attendees that just credentials may not be enough, but that connecting with stakeholders means showing them what you can do for them. Whether its customers or team members, this keynote will give attendees practical strategies to communicate clearly, relevantly and bring positive results.
Turkel’s unique musical talent will also be featured in an interactive exercise in the power of shared experience as attendees learn in minutes to play a song together. This unforgettable presentation will have attendees not only connecting through laughter but have a renewed confidence to update their communication style with necessary clarity and have a customer-centered framework that boosts success for their operations.
Turkel has been in the brand clarity field for over 30 years, running his own global branding firm. His specialty has been how to stand out in a competitive market, having worked with brands like American Express, Nike, Discovery and HBO. He wrote seven books, appeared on national tv news channels and in major publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Save $100 on main conference registration with Early Bird Savings when you act by June 5. The STN EXPO West conference will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. Updates to agenda and speaker lists can be found at stnexpo.com/west.
Findlay City Schools (OH) has faced its share of challenges in the past couple of years, from funding cuts to the tune of $6 million, key personnel departures in transportation and the ongoing driver shortage.
Superintendent Andy Hatton knew transportation would be one of the hardest areas to touch—and one of the most visible.
“We had to announce $6 million in cuts,” Dr. Hatton said. “Out of a budget of about $60 million to $65 million.”
Those reductions included roughly $820,000 from transportation alone, which led to significant alterations and hard choices.
“We eliminated high school busing,” he explained. “We went to a two-mile walk radius for all students, which is the state’s minimum requirement.”
For many superintendents, this would have been a crisis to survive. For Hatton, superintendent at the district for just under three years, it became a leadership test: How to protect families, support drivers, and still keep the system functional with fewer resources.
Turning to an Underutilized Partner: Transfinder
Findlay is a community of about 40,000 people located in the northwest of Columbus, about 40 miles south of Toledo. Its claim to fame is Marathon Petroleum, which traces its origins to the late 1880s, resulting in Findlay being a boomtown. Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: MPC) is still headquartered in Findlay today.
Findlay City Schools has 5,000 students attending two primary schools, three intermediate schools, two middle schools, and the high school. Also on the central office campus is the Career Center which serves 14 school districts across four counties.
As the district was learning of the funding shortfall it was facing, Hatton was also learning that the transportation department had a solution it wasn’t fully using: Routefinder PLUS.
“What we discovered was we were not leveraging this really powerful, amazing tool to help us route our district efficiently,” he said. “We found out that we had not updated our maps in 10 years.”
Hatton and Kelly Cheney, Findlay’s director of communications, are quoted saying in The Courier story how Transfinder’s solutions would play a role in helping the transportation navigate the challenges and get back on course. Cheney noted, before Transfinder, “our transportation department was hand-routing every single student who rode the bus, manually inputting the information for each student and then tweaking it as the year went on … again manually,” according to coverage in the local newspaper, The Courier. “Adjustments were not able to be made quickly for special circumstances, like construction, for example, so buses were delayed.”
Cheney said Transfinder’s technology was playing a key role in not just modernizing its transportation operation but solving critical issues and supporting drivers.
“This program will allow us to immediately message parents of any and all buses as soon as it is needed,” Cheney told The Courier. “Substitute drivers will have turn-by-turn directions to follow as they drive a new route, and student stop information will be updated daily.”
Hatton, in an interview with Transfinder following that meeting, said there were other challenges the transportation department was facing, such as losing key transportation staff.
“In early June, we realized we lost our router,” Hatton said. “She had been routing our district for like a decade.”
The combination of funding cuts, staff turnover, and a driver shortage could have pushed the department into chaos. But Hatton reframed the challenge as an opportunity to update the operation and increase efficiency.
“We had literally stacks of 500 pages of paper all over tables all summer long,” he said. “And then ‘sort of’ using Transfinder.” The district rebuilt its routing process inside Transfinder’s award-winning Routefinder PLUS routing software, cleaned up rider data, and upgraded GPS so routes were no longer guesswork.
He also reorganized leadership needs in the transportation department. Rather than refilling a high-cost director role, Hatton created a transportation manager position with deep system expertise.
“We decided not to replace our director of transportation position,” he said. “We went with a transportation manager and she’s been amazing.”
For Hatton, this wasn’t just about efficiency—it was about accountability to the community.
“We feel this responsibility to live up to the expectations that the community has with a high level of service,” he said. “One of the things that the Board of Education then put together for us was a set of goals that they would like to see implemented. I’m calling it our Path to Progress as we rebuild our district.”
How did Transfinder play a key role in meeting those goals? Continue reading the rest of the story below.
Not Just a Bird’s Eye View but a Windshield View
Hatton doesn’t want just a “bird’s eye view” of transportation but wants to see how things are really working. Last year, he said, “I jumped on a bus on the second to last day of school. It was Miss Tammy’s bus and she was showing me how she used the tablet.”
Hatton said the driver app installed on the tablet combined with the parent app Stopfinder has done wonders for the transportation operation.
“She’s one of those drivers who has incredible relationships with her kids,” Hatton said. “That was the first time I really got to see it and some of the potential that we have behind it.”
Transfinder technology and the support provided became a way to stabilize operations under pressure.
“When we had a really rough start to the year, we had this amazing client success manager who jumped on calls with us at the ready – like daily,” Hatton said. “He showed us little shortcuts and tweaks… and that will solve this issue.”
He said as the district looked route by route, often challenging a driver’s perspective of the best way to drive a route, efficiencies surfaced immediately.
For example, Hatton said, on Day 1 the driver would travel his or her usual route. “And then Day 2 we’d say, let’s run this route exactly the way Transfinder’s mapped it out.” The result?
“It actually saves three minutes here, two minutes there, a minute there,” Hatton said. “And then they (the drivers) start to believe, ‘Wow! This is actually going to be better!’”
Communication also changed for the better. Instead of broad, districtwide alerts, tools now allow precise updates.
“Almost instant communication is expected,” Hatton said. “If we’re not communicating with our families within five to 10 minutes of something happening on that bus… that’s just not acceptable in this day and age.”
Hatton’s approach resonates with other district leaders because it blends realism with vision. He does not promise quick fixes.
“I anticipate efficiencies in our routing,” he said. “I anticipate efficiencies with not having to hire as many drivers because I think we’re going to have fewer bus stops and we’re going to be much more efficient with our routes. … I think we’re going to see savings in the efficiencies of the routing.”
But he also ties technology to human impact.
“The power of what Transfinder can bring allows that driver to focus on the road,” Hatton said. “Take their anxiety and stress down and build those relationships with kids.”
For superintendents and business managers watching state dollars shrink, Hatton’s lesson is clear: leadership is not just about absorbing cuts—it is about using the right tools and people to keep services intact.
“We’re really proud of that,” he said.
In Findlay, funding cuts forced change. Leadership—and smart use of technology—made stability possible.
Hatton’s goal is to restore the service his community received prior to the funding cuts. He is approaching that goal methodically. Certain checkpoints have to be met before making major changes, such as increasing the number of drivers to cover routes.
“We’re just looking forward to maximizing the technology,” he said. Then, referencing the movie The Matrix, he added: “Never send a human to do a machine’s job. But also, never send a machine to do a human’s job. I firmly believe that even though we need to leverage AI and prepare children for their future, the classroom teacher is never going to be replaced and I think should never be replaced. The same with the bus driver. I think that relationship is so important.”
Transfinder technology is at the intersection.
“I think the power of what Transfinder and the resources it can bring to bear allows the driver to focus on the road, take their anxiety and stress down and build those relationships with kids,” Hatton said. “And then in terms of the parents, they feel safer. They can look at their phones and see exactly where the bus is.”
Leverage technology fully before cutting service further. Findlay discovered it had powerful tools in place with Transfinder but wasn’t using them to their potential. Updating maps, data, and routing inside the system created immediate efficiencies when funding was reduced.
Use disruption as a catalyst to modernize. The loss of state funding and key staff forced the district to abandon paper-based processes and rebuild routing digitally, improving accuracy, visibility, and long-term sustainability.
Pair software with the right people. Leadership restructured transportation staffing around system expertise, ensuring the technology was supported by someone who could actively manage and optimize it.
Efficiency protects students and drivers. More precise routing reduced unnecessary stops and confusion, helping drivers focus on safety and relationships with students while maintaining service under tighter budgets.
Strong vendor partnership matters in crisis. Access to hands-on support and problem-solving from the Transfinder team helped stabilize operations quickly during a difficult transition period.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Collier. Cover design by Kimber Horne Cover photo for Zum by Alexis Cronk with Cronk & Co Collective.
This month’s issue features the leadership perspectives from superintendents on the importance of student transportation on educational access for students and how they’re navigating in the educational world. The other features look at school transportation mobility models and factors to consider when upgrading current school buses or purchasing new ones. Also, learn more about the intricacies of addressing safety issues, fresh ideas for staff recruitment and training with AI.
What’s Trending?
Superintendents share how they’re navigating some of the challenges impacting not only education but also transportation operations.
Features
Something Old vs. Something New
Other factors besides cost are considered when districts decide to either upgrade their current school buses or purchase new ones.
How Do Your Kids Arrive at School?
A child can get to school in a variety of ways. Operations discuss how they are ensuring a safe route to school regardless of the mode.
Special Reports
Safety Upgrade Complexities
State laws are normally reactive to various safety related incidents, and Texas and Maine are no different. But experts say that solving one safety issue could create others when retrofitting a fleet.
CONCORD, N.C. — Jim Knight started his keynote address at STN EXPO East like a concert, highlighting that culture isn’t something you talk about. It’s something people feel. And attendees felt that energy as they walked into the room and heard the music playing over the speakers.
His message Monday was clear: If you want a culture that rocks, you have to create experiences people won’t forget. A feeling of culture starts with moments.
Knight, the former head of global training and development for Hard Rock International’s hotels, casinos, dining and entertainment, quickly moved past traditional definitions of culture. Instead, he grounded the concept in something far more tangible: human behavior.
“Fantastic, awesome, world-beating cultures—they only exist because of human behaviors,” he said.
To illustrate, he shared a story about witnessing a fast-food employee near Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida, interact with a young girl dressed as a princess. Rather than simply take her order, the employee bowed and declared, “All hail the princess,” prompting the entire staff to follow suit.
The moment lasted seconds but its impact, Knight said, is probably something the girl’s family still talks about. “That’s culture,” he said, adding that culture is not heritage, legacy or the past. “Culture is what’s happening right now.”
The ride to and from school may be routine. The interaction is not. “The student experience has to rock,” he continued. “And that starts with the relationship. How the driver made me feel, that’s what matters.”
At its core, he defined culture simply as “a collection of people,” each bringing their own behaviors into the organization. That definition carries weight in an industry facing persistent driver shortages and turnover.
Side Bar: Jim Knights’ 10 Takeaways
1. Fantastic cultures only exist because of human behaviors
2. Celebrate heritage (past), but focus on the present (people)
3. Be Like U2 – Everyone signing off the same sheet of music
4. To avoid four-letter words, don’t provide/endorse mediocrity
5. People crave differentiation – deliver personalized experiences
6. In a world of darkness, be a bright light in each student’s day
7. Treat each person special – Like it’s your first day of work
a. Create generational fans (you have the parents & the kids on your bus)
9. The true path to cultural Nirvana’s through 3C rock stars – YOU ARE THE AMPLIFIER
10. Change your mindset from transportation to creating experiences
BONUS: Position the Job to be Tattoo-Worthy
“Every time somebody joins or leaves [an organization], culture changes,” Knight said, adding that the student transportation industry faces a retention challenge. “If you could hold on to the right people, you’d have exactly what you want.”
Knight used a simple exercise. He asked attendees to close their eyes and point in the direction of true north, to demonstrate how easily organizations drift without alignment. “If everybody’s guessing, you get confusion,” he said. “If everybody’s aligned, you get productivity.”
He compared it to a band, using U2 as an example. While Bono and The Edge may draw the spotlight as lead singer and lead guitarist, respectively, the rhythm section of drummer Adam Clayton and bassist Larry Mullins, Jr., keep the band on the same page.
“Everybody has a role to play,” Knight said. “But you’ve got to be singing off the same sheet of music.”
In transportation, that means consistent communication from leaders to the school bus drivers. Everyone needs to be in tune about expectations, priorities and purpose.
“If you don’t share it, people will make it up,” he added.
One of Knight’s most pointed observations centered on what he called “acceptable mediocrity,” and four-letter words that he hates. Words like “fine,” “good” and “okay” may sound harmless, but he argued they signal something deeper.
“They scream mediocrity,” he said, adding that over time, organizations begin to accept these outcomes as success.
Differentiation Happens One Interaction at a Time
Knight emphasized that creating a standout culture doesn’t require sweeping changes. It starts with small, intentional actions.
“Read the person. Seize the moment. Personalize the experience,” he said, recalling his time at Hard Rock, where he made it a point to engage each guest in a unique way—whether through humor, conversation or simple recognition.
“You do that, you create loyalty,” he said. “You create stories.”
The same principle applies to student transportation. “People crave differentiation,” Knight said. “Deliver personalized experiences, and you build comfort, safety and trust.”
He played a video each Chick-Fil-A location shows to all new employees. The video highlights different people eating at the chain fast-fodd restaurant, with captions about what’s each person has going on in their lives. Everyone is dealing or navigating something. Every life has a story if we bother to read it, he said.
As a result, Chick-Fil-A immediately communicates the culture of caring they want from their employees.
“In a world of darkness, be a bright light in each student’s day,” Knight continued.
For many students, the bus ride is more than transportation. It’s a transition point, and sometimes the first interaction students have of the day. It puts drivers in a uniquely influential position.
Jim Ellis, director of transportation at Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, noted that culture and the driver shortage tie hand and hand. “If you don’t want to be here, then I really don’t want you,” he said, underscoring the importance of cultural fit in a role that involves transporting children. He pointed to the driver shortage as a complicating factor, making it harder to be selective, but stressed that long-term success depends on building a team committed to more than just driving.
“You’ve got to be the one that fits that culture… making sure that you are that first thing they see.”
Britton Overton, director of transportation for Pender County School District in North Carolina, added that staffing challenges also impact morale, which in turn shapes culture. “It definitely affects culture, but also morale—and morale helps to build that culture or tear it down,” he said, noting that supporting drivers and maintaining positivity are critical to sustaining both.
Knight also challenged attendees to reflect on their own mindset. Think back to the first day on the job, he said, a time when employees arrived early, paid attention and took pride in every detail.
“Somewhere along the way, we lose that,” he said, adding that employees start cutting corners by focusing on their own gain the longer they stay in an organization.
Reclaiming that “day one attitude” is essential to sustaining culture over time, he commented.
Tisha Hergert, transportation director for Onsted Community Schools in Michigan, said Knight was very enthusiastic. “Everything that he mentioned to us, it was so easy to break down and will be very easy to implement. When I go back to my district, I feel like I can fire my crew up.”
Ultimately, Knight reinforced that culture is amplified, or diminished, by the people delivering the experience. He outlined what he called the “three C’s” of high-performing teams: Competence, Character and Culture fit.
“The true path to cultural nirvana is through 3C rock stars,” he said, adding that in student transportation, those rock stars are the drivers.
Beth Allison, safety and training instructor for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia, poses with Jim Knight after his keynote at STN EXPO East March 30, 2026.
Knight closed with a mindset shift that tied the session together. “Stop thinking about transportation,” he said. “Start thinking about creating experiences.”
Because while routes, schedules and safety protocols are essential, they are only part of the equation. What students and families remember and what defines culture, is the human interaction.
“Don’t just think about this stuff,” Knight said in his final remarks. “Act on it.”
Overton told School Transportation News that Knight’s keynote was “very inspirational.” He noted that culture has become “a big word in discussion nowadays,” adding that Knight offered practical takeaways that he plans to implement back home. “
“[Knight] gave me some good insight and broadened my thinking of how I can make our transportation better in our district,” Overton added, emphasizing that sessions like the Monday keynote are about learning what works and adapting it locally.
As we navigate through 2026, school transportation professionals face an evolving landscape marked by staffing shortages, the accelerated shift toward zero-emission fleets, heightened student safety challenges, and increasingly complex demands from parents, local government and school executives.
Attending industry conferences has never been more essential. These state, regional and national events bring together dedicated peers to exchange innovative ideas, forge lasting networks, reconnect with trusted partners and colleagues, and commit to meaningful professional growth. The practical, actionable insights shared by expert presenters, panelists and fellow attendees translate directly into safer routes, more efficient operations and improved experiences for the students we serve every day.
“The chance to gain inspiration, motivation and network with other successful school transportation operators is a big factor in why I attend conferences like STN EXPO,” said Brooke Millar, president at 4 Seasons Transportation. Her words resonate deeply in an industry where burnout and rapid change can challenge even the most committed leaders.
“Professional development at conferences provides a nice break from daily routines to focus on my personal growth, fostering innovation and identifying knowledge gaps,” she added.
Attending industry conferences can deliver profound, multifaceted benefits. Participants draw fresh inspiration and renewed motivation from accomplished leaders who have overcome similar obstacles. They sharpen critical skills through in-depth educational sessions exploring emerging trends, regulatory updates and proven best practices. Powerful keynote presentations and interactive workshops help cultivate a resilient growth mindset, boosting confidence in tackling ambitious goals.
Beyond the classroom sessions, networking opportunities enable professionals to crowdsource real-time solutions to pressing challenges, spark collaborations across districts and states and open doors to new career advancements or operational efficiencies. The expansive trade shows connect attendees directly with cutting-edge technology, vehicles and products designed to address core priorities such as fleet optimization, advanced safety systems, driver retention strategies, procurement, and specialized transportation for students with disabilities and special needs.
Events like STN EXPO stand out for their comprehensive educational programming, including specialized deep dives into niche topics. The Transportation Director Summit offers exclusive leadership training, while creating opportunities to connect with peers, key business partners and OEMs. The Bus Technology Summit offers the opportunity to experience live technology demonstrations and to compare solutions from business partners. The Green Bus Summit delivers compelling success stories and conversations from fleet decision makers that have invested in a sustainable future. These targeted tracks provide focused education, hands-on skill development and invaluable connections with like-minded professionals.
Meanwhile, the trade show floor and evening networking receptions create an energetic environment for exploring innovative solutions, testing new equipment and building potential vendor partnerships that can transform district operations.
Our most recent attendee surveys continue to highlight professional development and networking as the primary reasons professionals invest their time in these gatherings.
Engaging peers, industry experts, suppliers, school bus dealers, and OEMs provides a unique forum for market research, product comparisons and honest discussions about what truly works in the field. Whether you’re seeking solutions for sustainable fleets, enhanced security measures, comprehensive driver training programs, or inclusive special needs transportation, the trade show serves as a one-stop resource for discovering partners that align with your district’s specific needs and budget.
In an era of tight budgets and high stakes, investing time in these events yields measurable, lasting returns: Enhanced knowledge that informs better decisions, stronger professional networks that provide ongoing support, renewed motivation to lead through challenges, and direct access to innovations that elevate safety and efficiency. Look for hands-on workshops, certifications and powerful keynotes from leaders with a focus on leadership, technology and green fleets.
Conferences are a catalyst for excellence and truly time well spent. I personally invite you to experience STN EXPO East March 26–31 and STN EXPO West July 9–15 firsthand and see the impact for yourself. Registration is open now at stnexpo.com.
It’s time to invest in leadership for you and your team. I look forward to seeing you soon and hearing about the ideas you’ll bring back to drive success.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – “For district nirvana, crush both student and driver experiences,” advised Jim Knight, who spent over two decades as head of global training and development for Hard Rock International’s hotels, casinos, dining and entertainment. “From a leadership standpoint, you can always ramp it up.”
“What I want to be for you is a catalyst,” the best-selling Culture That Rocks author told the transportation directors and supplier partners gathered at Topgolf Charlotte Southwest Saturday morning for leadership advice. “I know a lot about getting the right people around you and then loving on them, so they won’t want to leave.”
Leaders in attendance for the Transportation Director Summit at STN EXPO East said their priorities included driver retention, on-time performance, low absenteeism and reduced accidents. They also identified integrity, empathy, vision and communication as the most important leadership qualities. This lines up with top qualities acknowledged by popular motivational trainers, Knight confirmed, with the overall goal of building trust.
Drawing from the idea of a curated concert setlist, Knight led attendees through an exercise to pare down their most time-consuming work activities and prioritize the essentials with the greatest immediate impact.
Recruitment, Retainment Strategies in a Changing World
Organizational environments are either virtuous or vicious depending on who leaders hire, Knight explained during his fast-paced “edu-tainment” training.
He expounded that the vicious cycle sees morale and work culture tainted by negative school bus drivers, which in turn disturbs student experiences and may lower ridership. Targets missed and staff leaving mean mounting pressure and poor decisions, such as supervisors having to drive routes or lowering standards to put any warm body behind the wheel. In contrast, a positive driver and student experience leads to rave reviews and organizational growth at what will become known as an attractive place to work. This virtuous environment births more rock star leaders, Knight established.
“Stop recruiting like you’re filling seats – you have to build a band.”
– Jim Knight
While today’s average age of a U.S. school bus driver is 56, Knight underscored that the next generation of Millennial and Generation Z workers values individuality, flexibility and work-life balance. They are tech-savvy and socially conscious. For better or worse, he said, he’s noticed they don’t tolerate bad bosses, readily job hop, are prone to litigiousness and desire enrichment. They are generally visual learners with shorter attention spans, so he prioritizes pictures in training manuals.
He encouraged attendees to embrace generational differences from Baby Boomer to Generation Z workers and to tap into these characteristics when hiring new talent. While colorful hair or facial piercings, for instance, may give managers pause, he noted that student riders appreciate seeing role models who resemble them.
Rather than complaining about a talent drought, Knight advised actively seeking out potential drivers in unconventional places. Attendees suggested searching among fast food restaurants, colleges and trade schools, social media, stay-at-home parents, veterans, retirees, job boards, aides and custodians.
Framing the job through flexibility, purpose, stability, community and student impact helps, as does tailoring the hiring message to the recipient.
“If you want rock stars, you have to think differently,” Knight stated. “Stop recruiting like you’re filling seats. You have to build a band.”
He suggested using eye-catching AI-generated recruitment posters with humorous sayings or rock music puns, with an attendee contributing the promotional slogan, “Yellow air-conditioned office with corner windows!”
Knight stressed the importance of valuing the often-overlooked workers who are the backbone of the school district, sharing the story of how Hard Rock Cafe once utilized premade food to save costs, to the chagrin of its customers. Reversing course, the restaurant chain reintroduced fresh-cooked food accompanied by a marketing campaign featuring a leather-clad, fancy car-riding “rock star” who turned out to be a chef.
“Who are your rock stars?” he queried. Valued and celebrated student transporters are the show, he said, so make them feel appreciated.
Similar to how volunteers show up for the cause and not for money, Knight encouraged attendees to have such strong workplace culture that student transporters enthusiastically choose to stay.
Team meetings, regular employee check-ins and open communication channels are a must, Knight emphasized. “If you want people to stay with you long term, you need growth and development,” he added.
White it may be tempting for a boss to zip straight to their office first thing in the morning, it’s more important for the team dynamic to take time for small talk and make employees feel loved, he said.
He reviewed a Gallup survey of over two million employees at 700 companies worldwide which found that a supervisor is the single most important influence in an employee’s decision to quit.
Additionally, Knight shared statistics from Heart-Centered Leadership by Susan Steinbrecher and Joel Bennett, Ph.D. showing that almost half of employees leave a company because they feel underappreciated. Almost 90 percent said they don’t receive acknowledgment for their work.
“People join companies. They leave individuals,” he noted.
He encouraged the leaders in the room to intentionally and authentically fill their employees’ “emotional bank accounts” to encourage them to stay. An attendee added that this is also an important concept when at home among families.
Just as every great musical group has a signature sound, every leader has a signature strength to offer their team, which Knight encouraged them to crank “up to 11” ala the music mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. And like superfans don’t just love the music but also desire the connection of a backstage pass to meet the artists personally, Knight stated that leaders should ask intentional questions and get to know their workers on a deeper level.
“I can teach someone with a good heart to drive a bus, but I can’t teach someone to have a good heart.”
– Gerald Henry
Director of Transportation
Lexington 1 School District (S.C.)
He also advised leaving job positions open longer to hire the right person.
“I can teach someone with a good heart to drive a bus, but I can’t teach someone to have a good heart,” agreed Gerald Henry, director of transportation for Lexington 1 School District in South Carolina.
Quoting Bob Dylan’s quote “there is nothing so stable as change,” Knight encouraged attendees to refocus their thoughts and resources to only their “circle of influence” to maximize happiness and effectiveness.
He also advocated for supportive mentorship opportunities, such as the inaugural School Transportation NewsPeer-to-Peer Mentorship Program, which grouped STN EXPO East attendees based on years in the industry, district size, fleet makeup and areas of interest.
Knight provided famous music industry stories to demonstrate that success can be achieved through perseverance and resilience. He cited the examples of Phil Collins taking over the Genesis lead singer duties from Peter Gabriel, a street performer who went on to become Lady Gaga, or a drummer losing an arm and reinventing his playing style like Def Leppard’s Rick Allen.
While every concert has a slow song where the lighters (or the cellphone flashlights) come out, Knight noted that moment is not when the show ends. Instead, the energy always ramps back up with a faster paced song.
“Each of you has the power to light up or extinguish the cultural flame of the district, via your leadership,” he concluded. “Light it up!”
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Speaker and author Jim Knight, left, smiles with STN Publisher & President Tony Corpin, right.
Jim Knight will present the keynote “Culture That Rocks: Set List on How to Amp Up the Company’s Culture (to Eleven) and Deliver Sustainable Results” on Monday, March 30, 2026, from 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
BACONTON, Ga., — ADAboy Van Conversions has announced the addition of two senior leaders to guide strategic development and expand growth in its wheelchair-accessible vehicle division.
Todd Hawks has been appointed Executive Director of Business Management. Hawks brings extensive experience working with transit agencies nationwide to improve transportation access and safety for ADA passengers. Throughout his career, he has worked with manufacturers and suppliers serving the accessible transportation market, including selling vehicles for MV-1 and providing wheelchair restraint systems for AMF.
Hawks also recruited Dave Rose, who joins the company as Vice President of Sales. Rose brings more than 30 years of experience in the transportation industry, including the past two decades with Freedman Seating, a leading manufacturer specializing in passenger safety solutions and ADA-focused seating systems designed to improve space and accessibility for wheelchair passengers.
CEO Hayes Stills, a founding member of ADAboy Van Conversions, said the new hires represent a major step forward for the company’s growth strategy.
“These two are the best at what they do,” said Stills. “ADAboy Vans are growing our relationships and building trust with some of the best dealerships in the country. Their experience will help us continue expanding our reach while delivering high-quality accessible transportation solutions.”
ADAboy Vans is a leading provider of 10-passenger multipurpose vehicles (MPVs), available in both full-passenger configurations and wheelchair-accessible models with stowable seating. The company is preparing for a busy summer production season as it works to supply school systems across the country with vehicles in time for the start of the fall school year. ADAboy’s flexible seating and accessibility options allow school districts and transportation providers to quickly adapt vehicles to meet the needs of both traditional and wheelchair-accessible student transportation.
The company will also serve as a leading sponsor at the Transportation Alliance Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. this May.
GLENDALE, Ariz.— RTA: The Fleet Success Company is proud to be Certified by Great Place To Work for the 3rd time in the last 4 years. The prestigious recognition is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at RTA. This year, 99% of employees said it’s a great place to work, 42 points higher than the average U.S. company.
Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation.
“Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that RTA stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees.”
At RTA, culture isn’t a perk; it’s a foundation. The company operates on three core virtues: Humble, Hungry, and Smart. These aren’t aspirational values written on a poster, but a rigorous hiring and operational standard that shapes every decision the company makes, from who joins the team to how they serve their 1,000+ fleet management clients.
“Earning this recognition three times isn’t something that happens by accident,” said Josh Turley, CEO of RTA. “It happens because we are deeply intentional about who we bring into this company and how we treat them once they’re here. We set a high bar, and our team clears it every single day. Seeing 100% of our employees say they trust our leadership to be honest and ethical, and that they genuinely care about each other. That’s the culture we’ve worked hard to build and protect. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
Additional highlights from this year’s survey include:
100% of employees say management is honest and ethical in its business practices.
100% say people here are willing to give extra to get the job done.
100% say people care about each other here.
100% say when you join the company, you are made to feel welcome.
99% say people here are given a lot of responsibility.
RTA’s commitment to its people is also a commitment to its purpose: We Help Fleets Succeed. The company believes that the same care and intentionality brought to serving fleet managers, an often overlooked and under-resourced profession, must be brought to caring for the people doing that work.
According to Great Place To Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits, and have a fair chance at promotion.
WE’RE HIRING!
Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: rtafleet.com/careers
About RTA
With over 45 years of industry experience, RTA: The Fleet Success Company delivers a modern fleet management information system (FMIS) and legendary fleet consulting services. RTA’s software is built by fleet professionals for fleet professionals that manage most of their maintenance in-house. From budgeting and performance reporting to streamlining technician and inventory workflows, RTA gives fleet teams the tools and resources they need to run high-performing, cost-efficient organizations. The combination of easy-to-use software, practical consulting, and the industry’s best customer service helps public sector and enterprise fleets make better decisions and maximize operational efficiency.
About Great Place To Work Certification
Great Place To Work Certification is the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience, specifically how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified.
When Francis Wang ’21, MEng ’22 first joined the MIT Edgerton Center’s Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT), his approach to engineering projects was “to focus my energy and attention on a tidy problem with neat boundaries that I could completely control.”
“But on Solar Car, I realized it takes a very different mindset to manage a substantial project with many moving pieces. It takes engineering leadership,” he recalls.
Wang was determined to strengthen his leadership skills. When he became Solar Car captain, he applied and was accepted into the Gordon Engineering Leadership (GEL) Program.
GEL’s courses and hands-on labs equip students with capabilities they need to lead and contribute to complex, real-world engineering challenges. The one- or two-year program for juniors and seniors complements MIT’s technical education, teaching teamwork, leadership, and communication skills in an engineering context. GEL students also benefit from personalized coaching, mentoring, industry networking, and career support throughout their professional lives.
“Before GEL, I saw the leadership parts of my role as a necessary evil to get to the actual interesting parts, which was the engineering,” says Wang. “The GEL Program gave me an understanding of how engineering leadership is crucial, because in the real world any project worth working on is larger than the scope of an individual engineer.”
In GEL he improved capabilities such as decision-making, taking initiative, and negotiating. He became a more effective SEVT team captain, able to navigate the challenges of taking an engineering project from concept to completion.
“It was often the case that the challenges I faced on Solar Car were not solely technical, involving aspects of communication, coordination, and negotiation. From GEL, I had the framework and the language to approach them,” says Wang.
Each year, 30-40 Edgerton students are accepted into the GEL Program. They come from a variety of teams and clubs including Arcturus, Assistive Technology Club, ChemE Club, Combat Robotics Club, Design Build Fly (DBF), Design for America, Electric Vehicle Team, Engineers Without Borders, First Nations Launch, MIT Electronics Research Society (MITERS), Motorsports, Robotics Team, Rocket Team, and Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT).
“MIT’s best engineering students have GEL training and authentic project management experience with our competition teams,” says Professor J. Kim Vandiver, director of the Edgerton Center.
Edgerton project teams are entirely student-run organizations responsible for all levels of project and team management including fundraising, recruiting, designing, testing, risk mitigation, and project validation. The most successful teams have skilled leaders.
“Many of the excellent Edgerton project team students admitted to GEL are team or sub-team leaders who credit their GEL experience, particularly the experiential learning component, with improving their leadership skills,” says Leo McGonagle, executive director of GEL.
“It’s a win-win-win. GEL gets hard-working, motivated Edgerton Program students who are intent on self-development and improvement. Edgerton project teams often perform better with leaders who are GEL-trained. And the students gain leadership, teamwork, and communication abilities that they can use beyond their project team — in their capstones, course projects, internships, and jobs after MIT,” says McGonagle.
The overlapping connection between GEL and Edgerton truly becomes obvious when students begin to take ownership of project milestones.
“When you become the leader of a technical project, no one gives you a roadmap to team success,” says senior Hailey Polson, former captain of First Nations Launch team. “Technical expertise is not enough to leverage the talent and skills of an entire team or the ability to coordinate a multifaceted project; that’s where the tools, skills, and leadership theory I learned in GEL helped me bridge the gap between knowing how to accomplish our goals and actually leading my team successfully.”
Faris Elnager ’25 served as testing lead on the Motorsports team, which designs, manufactures, and competes with a formula-style electric race car every year.
“Making tough decisions was something that I learned in GEL. On Motorsports, I had to make high-stakes decisions about testing time that affected how we performed at a competition,” he says.
He found that GEL’s weekly Engineering Leadership Labs were a way to test for himself specific leadership capabilities that he could use to improve his Motorsports team.
“One of the most useful skills from GEL was evaluating your stakeholders and learning how to balance their needs. I remember thinking, we’re doing this right now in the [GEL] lab, and then we’re going back to the [Edgerton] shop to do this for real!” says Elnager. “It’s like a positive feedback loop. GEL labs make you better on project teams, and project teams make you better in GEL.”
Now a startup co-founder, Elnager says that the communication skills that he learned through Motorsports and GEL have been critical to his company’s early success. “You can build the best tech in the world. If you can’t pitch it to people, you’re never going to raise any money. Being able to explain a technical project to anyone, whether they're an investor or someone in your industry, is something that’s incredibly valuable.”
Adrienne Lai ’25 served as both mechanical lead and then captain of the Solar Electric Vehicle Team. She recalls how her GEL training would kick in on race day.
“It’s quite tricky to be captain of a build team, because there’s no adult to tell you what to do. You have to figure it all out for yourself. When you’re competing, it can be very chaotic. You are trying to maximize a score by driving more miles, but that comes with a trade-off of spending energy or ending the day in a more rural area, or with less sun, so there are a lot of trade-offs to consider. Sometimes someone just has to make a decision. I was very comfortable doing that because I had learned how to take initiative, which is one of the GEL capabilities,” she says.
Now a course assistant in GEL, Lai helps design scenarios that enable GEL students to become better and more resilient leaders. She particularly enjoys playing the role of an uncooperative supplier.
“We close our store randomly. We don’t have what they need. We won’t tell them what we have,” she laughs. “Students get very frustrated. They think that we’re just being mean. But from a real-world perspective, that is all very true. It simulates unpredictability, which is important not just in a job, but in life.”
The value of the engineering leadership skills learned in GEL and honed on Edgerton project teams carries forward into industry, graduate studies, and entrepreneurial ventures.
“GEL preparation, coupled with authentic project management on a competition team, prepares MIT students for great careers in industry,” says Vandiver.
Henry Smith ’25 says he still relies on skills such as negotiation, communication, and understanding stakeholder needs that he used when he was a Motorsports mechanical lead.
“I was doing high-level management, planning, and organization on the team. Being in the GEL Program really increased my value for the team and helped me be prepared to enter the job field. When I graduated, I wasn’t worried about being ready or not. It was a definite yes,” says Smith.
As project teams continue to address ambitious engineering challenges, the synergy between Edgerton and the Gordon Engineering Leadership (GEL) Program ensures that as students graduate, they’re prepared to not only become strong technical contributors, but confident leaders prepared to tackle complex engineering problems in the real world.
We discuss the potential impact of the national jobs report on school district budgets, the DOT’s non-domiciled CDL final rule and cutting-edge technology takeaways from the Geotab Connect conference.
“It’s all about service: I went from servicing my country to now servicing my community.” Bernando Brown, director of student transportation for DeKalb County School District in Georgia, shares how his military experience shaped his work ethic, leadership style and focus on training and mentorship. He also discusses handling retention, budgeting and operational challenges.
Lamar Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens reportedly shows a solid understanding and strong support for transportation operations by staying in regular contact with operations and transportation leaders as well as frontline staff.
Roosevelt Nivens of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District gives the thumbs up as he accepts the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year Award on Thursday, Feb. 12. (Photo courtesy AASA: The Superintendents Association.)
Chief Operations Officer Greg Buchanan said Nivens, “has contributed to meeting transportation needs by helping secure successful bond elections to fund fleet expansion.”
Plus, Nivens — who was named the winner Thursday from among three other finalists for the National Superintendent of the Year award at the National Conference on Education — actively engages with employees during site visits, where he expresses appreciation for drivers, mechanics and leadership alike.
“Recently, he supported funding for 16 additional full-day drivers to cover absences and open routes, and he added leadership roles to keep transportation operations aligned with district growth,” Buchanan said.
The Superintendent of the Year Award is sponsored by AASA: The School Superintendents Association, along with Corebridge Financial and Sourcewell, celebrate the contributions and leadership of public-school superintendents.
Transportation Operations
Lamar CISD runs an entirely in-house transportation system that facilitates daily student mobility across a rapidly expanding district, “which allows the district to directly oversee safety standards, staffing and service quality,” Buchanan said.
It employs 275 drivers across three terminals for 265 daily bus routes. The district transports approximately 22,700 students each school day. During the 2024–2025 school year, school buses traveled more than 4.6 million miles, serving both general and special education routes.
Lamar CISD relies heavily on technology to streamline operations, enhance communication and improve safety. This includes Tyler Technologies’ comprehensive student transportation software for route planning, driver navigation, student ridership tracking, and a parent app. Fleet Vision helps the district manage fuel and parts inventory and Trip Tracker coordinates campus-based trip scheduling.
Ahead of the 2026 Superintendent of the Year being named Feb. 12 at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tennessee, School Transportation News sat down with those in charge of transportation operations at the respective districts to gain a better understanding of how the services function.
A $10,000 college scholarship will be presented in the name of the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year to a student at a high school the winning superintendent graduated from or from the school district the winner now leads.
Lamar CISD also uses Safety Vision camera systems to monitor bus interiors and exteriors, aiding accident investigations. “Additionally, AI-enabled tools are used daily for operational planning, communication and leadership support, enabling staff to respond swiftly to changing conditions,” Buchanan said.
When it comes to workplace culture, transportation encourages engagement and morale through constant communication. Culture is a key focus of the department to align with the district’s overall strategic plan, “which highlights recognizing exceptional performance and fostering a culture of excellence,” he added.
Communication is fostered through including weekly newsletters, terminal-level outreach, and a sunshine committee that organizes employee recognition, morale-boosting activities and celebrations.
“These efforts culminate in an annual end-of-year awards banquet that honors outstanding service and achievement,” Buchanan said.
One current initiative is to address Texas Senate Bill 546, which requires all school buses to be equipped with three-point seatbelts by Sept. 1, 2029. “The district is meeting this mandate through a combination of new bus purchases and retrofitting select existing buses,” Buchanan said, adding that it is not operating alternative-fuel or energy school buses due to the significant costs and infrastructure requirements.
Another initiative was the opening of a new transportation facility, which was opened to support district growth and improve operational efficiency. In addition, the district opened a new Junior High School which was named after Ella Banks, a 40-year veteran school bus driver at the district.
“This recognition underscores the district’s commitment to treating transportation as an essential component of student success,” Buchanan said.
Insights on national school bus contractor First Student’s purchase of Chicago area contractor Cook Illinois Corp., the Blue Bird 2026 Q1 earnings report, and a California study on lap/shoulder seatbelt efficacy.
“Make sure that the right people are on the right seats on the bus.” Heather Perry, superintendent of Schools for Maine’s Gorham Public Schools, was named as one of four finalists for the 2026 National Superintendent of the Year Award by The School Superintendents Association, AASA. She discusses her leadership journey, winter transportation operations, the value of collaboration and staff support, and a robust student career support program.
Jessika Trancik, a professor in MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, has been named the new director of the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC), effective July 1. The SSRC convenes and supports researchers focused on problems and solutions at the intersection of technology and its societal impacts.
Trancik conducts research on technology innovation and energy systems. At the Trancik Lab, she and her team develop methods drawing on engineering knowledge, data science, and policy analysis. Their work examines the pace and drivers of technological change, helping identify where innovation is occurring most rapidly, how emerging technologies stack up against existing systems, and which performance thresholds matter most for real-world impact. Her models have been used to inform government innovation policy and have been applied across a wide range of industries.
“Professor Trancik’s deep expertise in the societal implications of technology, and her commitment to developing impactful solutions across industries, make her an excellent fit to lead SSRC,” says Maria C. Yang, interim dean of engineering and William E. Leonhard (1940) Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Much of Trancik’s research focuses on the domain of energy systems, and establishing methods for energy technology evaluation, including of their costs, performance, and environmental impacts. She covers a wide range of energy services — including electricity, transportation, heating, and industrial processes. Her research has applications in solar and wind energy, energy storage, low-carbon fuels, electric vehicles, and nuclear fission. Trancik is also known for her research on extreme events in renewable energy availability.
A prolific researcher, Trancik has helped measure progress and inform the development of solar photovoltaics, batteries, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other low-carbon technologies — and anticipate future trends. One of her widely cited contributions includes quantifying learning rates and identifying where targeted investments can most effectively accelerate innovation. These tools have been used by U.S. federal agencies, international organizations, and the private sector to shape energy R&D portfolios, climate policy, and infrastructure planning.
Trancik is committed to engaging and informing the public on energy consumption. She and her team developed the app carboncounter.com, which helps users choose cars with low costs and low environmental impacts.
As an educator, Trancik teaches courses for students across MIT’s five schools and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
“The question guiding my teaching and research is how do we solve big societal challenges with technology, and how can we be more deliberate in developing and supporting technologies to get us there?” Trancik said in an article about course IDS.521/IDS.065 (Energy Systems for Climate Change Mitigation).
Trancik received her undergraduate degree in materials science and engineering from Cornell University. As a Rhodes Scholar, she completed her PhD in materials science at the University of Oxford. She subsequently worked for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Earth Institute at Columbia University. After serving as an Omidyar Research Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute, she joined MIT in 2010 as a faculty member.
Trancik succeeds Fotini Christia, the Ford International Professor of Social Sciences in the Department of Political Science and director of IDSS, who previously served as director of SSRC.
Professor Jessika Trancik conducts research on technology innovation and energy systems.
Farm Foundation has announced the recipients of its prestigious 2025 awards, recognizing outstanding individuals dedicated to addressing critical issues in food and agriculture. The honorees exemplify Farm Foundation’s work of fostering innovation, leadership, and thoughtful public policy dialogue.
The recipients of the 2025 Farm Foundation Awards are:
Innovator of the Year: Robbie Dye, CEO, and Tyler Speer, COO, co-founders of Our Farms. Emerging Leader Award:Dr. Shandrea Stallworth, Senior Agronomist and Global Resource, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Regenerative Agriculture, Nestlé Purina North America. RJ Hildreth Public Policy Award: Dr. Keith H. Coble, Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University. Book of the Year: Land Rich, Cash Poor by Brian Reisinger, award-winning writer, rural policy expert, speaker, and consultant.
“We received a remarkable range of inspiring nominations this year, and these four honorees stood out for their exceptional contributions,” said Tim Brennan, vice president of programs and strategic impact at Farm Foundation. “Their dedication to tackling critical issues in food and agriculture is vital to improving our food system.”
The awards ceremony will take place during the July 2025 Farm Foundation Round Table meeting in Spokane, Washington.
2024 recipients of Farm Foundation Awards include Dr. Jayson Lusk of Oklahoma State University; Dr. Robert Fraley, former executive vice president and chief technology officer at Monsanto Company; Dr. Yangxuan Liu of the University of Georgia; and Dr. Stephen Adejoro of the Livestock Industry Foundation for Africa.
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