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As schools, parents and students prep for the school year, so do school district and contractor bus fleets. Operational planning, vehicle maintenance, fleet technology implementation and driver training set the tone for the rest of the year. Clean out the cobwebs. Shake off the dust. And make sure your fleet is ready to roll.
Download Zonar’s complimentary white paper to learn more about:
Fill out the form below and then check your email for the white paper download link.
The post (Free White Paper) Prep Your Bus Fleet for Rolling Back to School appeared first on School Transportation News.
Could you save $15,000 in monthly payroll?
The essential dispatch and payroll solution designed to improve on-time performance and slash hours of tedious payroll processes, Bytecurve can help its users drive significant payroll savings by linking pay to tasks and routes – not simply hours assigned.
Learn how Russellville, Arkansas School District Transportation Department saved $15,000 per month in payroll by implementing Bytecurve.
Russellville Transportation Director Chris King will share his experience onboarding a new GPS solution that powered the Bytecurve solution – and drove ~$150,000 in annual payroll savings.
Register to learn how your fleet might be next to transform the way your team manages dispatch and payroll processing.
Brought to you by Bytecurve
REGISTER BELOW:
Presenters:
Christopher King
Transportation Director
Russellville School District
Christina Herdman
Payroll Specialist
Russellville School District
The post (Free Webinar) Arkansas Transportation Department Saves $15K per Month with Bytecurve appeared first on School Transportation News.
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, participates in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee says he will revamp his controversial proposal to require the sales of vast acres of federal lands in the West so it can be included in Senate Republicans’ sweeping tax and spending cut package.
Lee will be seeking approval for his revised plan from the Senate parliamentarian, who will decide if the provision complies with the chamber’s strict rules for the fast-track procedure Republicans are using to pass their bill. An earlier version of Lee’s plan was dropped from the measure.
Lee, a Utah Republican who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, wrote on X on Monday night that he would alter the proposal to include only Bureau of Land Management land within 5 miles of a population center and exempt U.S. Forest Service lands altogether.
The amended version would also create “freedom zones” and protect “our farmers, ranchers, and recreational users,” Lee said.
It was not immediately clear what either point would mean and legislative text of the proposal was not publicly available Tuesday. A spokesperson for the committee Lee leads did not return a message seeking comment Tuesday morning.
The original version of the proposal would have mandated the sale of at least 2 million acres of BLM and Forest Service land in 11 Western states. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that language did not comply with the Senate’s rules for budget reconciliation, according to Senate Budget Committee ranking Democrat Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
Budget reconciliation is the procedure Republicans are using to pass the package that contains most of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy priorities, including extension of the 2017 tax cuts.
The process allows passage with only a simple majority in the Senate instead of the usual 60 votes but comes with strict rules that every provision has a substantial impact on the federal deficit and relates to spending and taxes.
Lee’s social media post emphasized his goal was to expand housing supply by making public lands available for new construction.
“Housing prices are crushing families and keeping young Americans from living where they grew up,” Lee wrote. “We need to change that.”
Democrats and some Republicans from the affected states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming — strongly opposed the measure, seeing it as a one-time sell-off of public lands used by hunters, hikers, ranchers and other users of public lands.
The provision “would have gutted America’s public lands and auctioned them off to the highest bidder, in yet another bid to benefit the wealthy,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday.
“Republicans tried to rip away hundreds of millions of acres of public land—not to help families, not to solve real problems—but to hand yet another gift to the wealthy and well-connected,” he added. “It was outrageous, it was shameless, and it would have forever changed the character of the country. Senate Democrats fought tooth and nail to keep public lands in public hands because these lands belong to everyone—not just the privileged few.”
A similar provision was removed from the House’s version of the reconciliation bill in the face of heated opposition from Western Republicans led by Montana U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.
The former Interior secretary said last week he remained firmly opposed to the Senate version of the bill that included Lee’s proposal.
“I have said from day one I would not support a bill that sells public lands,” he wrote on X. “I am still a no on the senate reconciliation bill that sells public lands. We did our job in the House. Let’s get it finished.”
Merkley reported the Senate parliamentarian also ruled several other provisions of the Energy Committee’s section of the package to be out of compliance with the “Byrd Rule,” which governs what can be included in a reconciliation bill.
Among the provisions the parliamentarian removed were items that would have waived environmental review requirements for offshore oil and gas development, mandated approval of a controversial mining road in Alaska, required annual lease sales for geothermal energy lease sales while changing how geothermal royalties are calculated and allowed natural gas exporters to pay a fee to have projects exempted from environmental requirements.
Other provisions in the committee’s reconciliation instructions were still under review Tuesday, Merkley said.
In a statement, Merkley said he would continue to lead Democrats’ campaign to strip provisions from the GOP bill.
“Democrats will not stand idly by while Republicans attempt to circumvent the rules of reconciliation in order to sell off public lands to fund tax breaks for billionaires,” he said. “We will make sure the Byrd Rule is followed and review any changes Republicans attempt to make to the bill.”
As 9-year-old Luke sat idly on the school bus to his after-school activity, anger swelled in a seat not far away. The animosity soon boiled over, initiating a loud and intense struggle between Luke and an older student.
Hearing the altercation, the driver immediately tapped her event marker, triggering automated actions from her contractor’s fleet management software. These actions would ultimately help the bus contractor resolve Luke’s event within minutes.
What actions were triggered? How did they facilitate a speedy resolution?
For answers, let’s look at ARMOR
Software Suite, the contractor’s wireless, cloud-based fleet management tool, and the integrated REI surveillance system.* While the suite offers many automated features, the two triggered by the event marker involved event alerts and video downloading.
Automated Event Alerts
Seconds after the event marker’s activation, ARMOR auto-generated an alert and sent it to the contractor’s cellphone. Anxious about the alert, the contractor accessed ARMOR’s live look-in feature to assess the situation.*
The real-time, high-definition view from the onboard camera system revealed the irate older student standing over a much smaller Luke. While the incident appeared to have ended, Luke still cowered as if injured. The contractor immediately called the driver’s two-way radio to notify her about Luke’s condition, then returned to ARMOR to watch video of the entire incident.
Automated Video Downloads
Because ARMOR was configured to auto-download all event videos from vehicle DVRs, the contractor didn’t have to wait long to view it. What’s more, the video included padding and showed all actions before and after the altercation.
Within minutes of its occurrence, the contractor obtained full event details. A misunderstanding between Luke and the older student resulted in repeated punches to Luke’s head, leaving him dazed and sore. Because of ARMOR’s automation and its ability to produce video quickly, the suite saved the contractor hours of research. More importantly, it showed the hits sustained by Luke, prompting an urgent concussion assessment.
Think how these automated tools would benefit your operation. Would your team like to forget about hard drive retrieval? Be more proactive in minimizing bullying?
How would they react to even more automated features, such as:
Discover how ARMOR’s automated capabilities can enhance fleet safety, increase efficiency and reduce stress on your team. Visit radioeng.com to learn more, watch a demo or contact us.
*Requires additional hardware and/or specific cellular service plans. Ask for details.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
The post Automate to Elevate Safety & Fleet Management appeared first on School Transportation News.
The upcoming STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, will feature an innovative two-hour interactive session following the Trade Show, designed to empower school transportation leaders.
Scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, the “Bet on Yourself, Bet on Your Team” panel will provide a unique opportunity for professionals to explore leadership development through dynamic roundtable discussions. The facilitators are three of the industry’s foremost leaders: Nicole Portee, associate superintendent for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina; Teresa Fleming, chief operating officer and executive director of transportation for Philadelphia School District in Pennsylvania; and Quanika Dukes-Spruill, executive director of transportation for Newark Board of Education in New Jersey.
Portee and Fleming are also former STN Transportation Director of the Year award winners.
The session will be divided into two distinct segments. The first hour focuses on personal leadership growth, challenging participants to examine their individual leadership styles, career trajectories and professional networking strategies. The second hour shifts to team development, exploring succession planning, team building, and creating effective organizational structures.
Portee, Fleming and Dukes-Spruill will facilitate interactive activities, including metaphor-based discussions and fill-in-the-blank leadership tools. Attendees can expect a highly engaging experience that goes beyond traditional conference presentations, with opportunities for real-time dialogue and collaborative learning.
Participants will have the additional bonus of professional headshot photography, allowing them to capture their leadership moment while gaining valuable insights into personal and professional growth strategies.
The session represents a departure from standard conference breakouts following the Trade Show, promising a more interactive and meaningful professional development experience for school transportation professionals.
Register today for STN EXPO West, which runs July 11-16 at the Peppermill Resort.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fleetio, the leading fleet optimization platform, today announced the launch of Advanced Analytics, an interactive reporting tool that uncovers cost savings and enhances fleet performance. Organizations can go beyond fundamental fleet cost management to uncover high-cost vehicles, compare trends over time and analyze average costs by asset type. With real-time threshold alerts highlighting issues like cost overruns or extended service times, teams can proactively address problems before they escalate.
Standard fleet reporting offers a helpful overview of asset health, but managing data sets in different places to drive business outcomes can be challenging. Advanced Analytics enhances data analysis by centralizing comprehensive, ready-to-use dashboards, clear visual representations and adaptable reports. This allows managers to gain a complete view of their data sets, readily identify trends, track performance with greater clarity and effectively communicate key findings to leadership. With improved visibility and analysis, fleets can prevent missed opportunities and reduce unnecessary spending, while saving up to 10 hours per week on extracting, consolidating and interpreting data.
“Using Fleetio’s Advanced Analytics is very easy for our warehouse managers out in the field. They have a lot on their plate, so having access to in-depth reporting that breaks everything down is great,” said Jessica DiLallo, Technical Fleet Operations Manager at Mohawk Carpet Transportation. “We also love the customization options that allow us to tailor the dashboard exactly to our needs.”
Fleetio’s Advanced Analytics enhances standard reporting with pre-built, customizable reports designed to adapt to a fleet’s evolving priorities, enabling faster, more informed decision-making. This tool functions like a built-in data analyst, allowing managers to easily evaluate and interpret data sets within the Fleetio platform by providing intuitive insights.
“The data visuals really help the business leaders see the big picture and understand the health of the fleet to make decisions,” said Richard Tran, Business Intelligence Manager at Daylight Transport.
Advanced Analytics helps with managing both daily tasks and long-term plans by empowering fleets to:
Track metrics that drive productivity – Uncover in-depth metrics around fuel costs, maintenance spending and service timelines
Spot issues before they escalate – Set thresholds and anomaly alerts to identify areas that need attention, such as falling inspection compliance rates and rising fuel costs
See what matters, fast – Build and customize data views for a true comparative analysis that matches operational goals
Pinpoint where to improve performance – Identify underperforming teams and target areas that need additional support by comparing fleet performance metrics across multiple locations
Ensure business alignment – Share fleet data visualization summaries with stakeholders to support business strategy and align the entire team around smarter, data-driven decisions
“Every industry has its own priorities, and Advanced Analytics was built to serve a wide range of fleets that face different challenges,” said Kayleigh O’Malley, Product Marketing Manager at Fleetio. “Companies can build custom dashboards and combine data sets to monitor trends in maintenance, utilization and fuel consumption. No matter the operation, the goal is the same: make smarter, faster decisions based on clear, accessible data.”
As technology evolves and demands shift, this enhancement reflects Fleetio’s ongoing commitment to the fleet industry, empowering fleets to operate more efficiently, strategically and confidently.
To learn more about the Advanced Analytics add-on and schedule a personalized demo that highlights fleet savings, visit www.fleetio.com/features/advanced-analytics
About Fleetio
Fleetio is the leading fleet optimization platform, helping fleets, repair shops and partners efficiently manage their assets by providing resources to gain control of daily operations while planning for the future. The company supports over 1 million vehicles, including more than 7,500 fleets across 100+ countries, and processes over 13 million repair orders through a network of 110,000 repair shops. Designed with data-driven recommendations and expert insights, Fleetio is setting the industry standard with its extensive fleet maintenance and management ecosystem. Fleetio equips fleet professionals with the tools they need to extend asset life, reduce downtime and confidently deliver results for their business. Learn more at www.fleetio.com.
The post Fleetio Launches Advanced Analytics to Help Fleets Turn Data into Action appeared first on School Transportation News.
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CINCINNATI, Ohio – First Student, the leading provider of student transportation, today announced it was selected by Fort Worth Independent School District to provide a comprehensive suite of fleet maintenance services. Through its division, First Services, the company will manage maintenance for the district’s 240 buses, integrating its advanced HALO technology platform to improve efficiency, safety and reliability. The partnership reflects First Student’s leadership in fleet management, predictive maintenance, and route optimization, ensuring a smoother, more dependable ride for students.
First Student will offer Fort Worth ISD’s existing technicians the opportunity to join their team with competitive wages and benefits, or they can choose to remain district employees. Forth Worth ISD will now be supported by ASE-certified technicians, providing the highest standards of service and reliability. Through First Services, the district will gain a more efficient and cost-effective approach to fleet maintenance and management, with potential savings of up to 20%.
“We’re proud to partner with Fort Worth ISD to deliver comprehensive fleet maintenance and services that keep student transportation reliable, safe and efficient,” said Leslie Norgren, vice president of First Services. “This partnership reflects First Student’s commitment to helping districts operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and uphold the highest standards of safety and service excellence.”
Operating directly from Fort Worth ISD’s facilities, First Student will equip the district with its comprehensive HALO technology platform. Technicians will leverage tablets for real-time diagnostics and integrated fleet maintenance, ensuring efficient service tracking. Through predictive analytics, the system will minimize breakdowns, while enterprise-level inventory and asset management will enhance parts availability across the district’s fleet.
“Partnering with First Student to manage our fleet maintenance allows us to ensure safe, reliable transportation for our students, minimizing the risk of bus breakdowns and ensuring they arrive at school on time,” said Kellie Spencer, Deputy Superintendent at Fort Worth ISD. “Reliable transportation is essential to student success, and this partnership enables us to provide high-quality service while focusing on our core mission, education.”
Through customized transportation assessments, First Services collaborates with school districts to identify challenges, align with their goals, and improve operational efficiency. By evaluating current transportation systems and providing recommendations, First Services helps districts optimize performance and achieve long-term success. Its comprehensive offerings include:
Fleet Management: Fleet as a Service (FaaS) enables districts to create a program that meets their transportation needs and lower costs. First Services supports bus procurement, vehicle maintenance, technician training, and best practices.
Fleet Maintenance: Maintenance as a service (MaaS) offers best-in-class, full service maintenance as a stand-alone contract, to ensure well-maintained vehicles without worrying about parts, technician staffing or varying maintenance costs.
Fleet Electrification: First Student is the largest operator of electric school buses in North America with more than 5 million electric miles driven. As more districts look to electrify fleets, First Service’s experts assist with grant applications, infrastructure design, hardware and software selection, charger and bus selections, site assessments, utility outreach and construction, and deployment.
School Bus Routing: First Services offers a standalone routing efficiency analysis, reviewing routes, school schedules, and bus utilization. With experience managing more than 44,000 vehicles a year, First Student helps districts improve on-time performance and reduce costs.
Transportation Management: First Services brings extensive experience in evaluating key metrics, maintaining high safety standards, and delivering consistent analytics and reporting to stakeholders.
About First Student:
As the leading provider of K-12 transportation solutions, First Student ensures the safest and most reliable ride to school each day for 5.5 million students in communities across North America. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company is on track to complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. Recognized as one of Fast Company’s 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student delivers a wide range of essential services, including home-to-school transportation, special needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, maintenance, and charter services. The company’s focus goes beyond logistics by creating a positive, welcoming environment for students on each of its 45,000 buses. By continuously enhancing the transportation experience for students and families, First Student helps to ensure every child arrives to school ready to achieve their full potential.
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