Login(STN Podcast E318) Trying to Make A Difference: 40 Years of Service & Leadership Honored
We discuss the postponement of the New York state electric mandate, feedback on the annual NASDPTS illegal passing survey, the impact of Daylight Savings Time conversations on students, and accolades for former STN Transportation Director of the Year Teresa Fleming of the School District of Philadelphia at Zum’s Mobility Summit.
See how mentorship and teamwork star in the noteworthy career of Sandy Dillman, a longtime school transportation director and certified driver trainer who was named the 2026 Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence winner at STN EXPO West last month.
Read more about leadership.
This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.
Message from School Radio.
Message from EverDriven.
Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.
The post (STN Podcast E318) Trying to Make A Difference: 40 Years of Service & Leadership Honored appeared first on School Transportation News.
A 25-year industry veteran, Daniel oversees operation and maintenance of a 53-bus fleet with a dedicated team of 60 transportation professionals. In previous roles, he maintained a fleet of 217 school buses and managed a team of 13 mechanics. Daniel has served as President of the Capital Chapter of the New York Head Mechanics Association for the past six years, training mechanics across the region. He’s a certified School Bus Driver Instructor and a 19-A Certified Examiner. Daniel has been featured twice in School Transportation News magazine, including as their Garage Star in August 2021.
Fin’s deep expertise in rooftop snow removal automation, fleet safety and operational productivity has helped customers for more than 30 years. He leads Rite-Hite’s development of solutions designed to improve safety and performance in transportation, logistics, and fleet and school bus operations. Fin entrusted his four children to school bus operators for the entirety of their education, giving him a profound personal appreciation for safe, reliable student transportation.
Mike helps transportation and fleet operators get the most out of their equipment. With his passion for customer success and automated solutions, he collaborates with industry experts to take your snow removal capabilities further. Mike’s experience in industrial safety gives him opportunities to partner with customers to identify equipment, technology and data solutions to improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency.
Jackie helps school bus and truck fleet operators across North America improve winter safety, productivity and operational efficiency. For the past decade, she’s been a driving force in fostering the Scraper Systems customer network, working directly with transportation directors, fleet managers, contractors and operators to get their insights and advocate for solutions to their challenges. Jackie’s passion is born of the practical, on-the-ground considerations of Scraper Systems customers to improve safety, reduce labor demands and maintain winter readiness.
Malinda Sandhu leads strategic account relationships at Zonar, working directly with transportation directors to translate operational challenges into technology solutions. With more than 20 years in transportation, she has watched safety technology, automated enforcement and fleet electrification reshape the industry across North America. Her work connects vendors, operators, regulators and industry partners, turning innovation into revenue, partnerships and scalable market growth. She also founded Malinda Sandhu Innovation Partners, advising transportation, mobility and K-12 pupil transportation organizations on strategy, partnerships and growth.
With seven years in the industry across support and marketing, Valeria translates product capabilities into real-world value for fleet operators. She built her foundation leading customer support teams through complex technical and operational issues, gaining first-hand insight into how fleets actually use Zonar products day to day. Now she works across product, engineering and regional leadership teams to guide platform initiatives, drive adoption and keep operations aligned.
Ty Estes is the Marketing Director for Hytera US, Inc., where he oversees promotion of the company’s radio communication products. Ty has over twenty years of experience in marketing wireless communications and network technologies, and he has chaired committees in telecommunications trade associations and authored several technical papers. Ty has a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Long Beach.
Gladys De Lucio is the Director of Transportation for East Aurora School District 131, one of Illinois’ largest Spanish-speaking districts. With 21 years of experience in school transportation, she oversees daily operations with a strong focus on safety, bus stop planning, and community engagement. De Lucio leads both traditional bus services and alternative transportation programs, working closely with bilingual dispatch teams to support non-English-speaking families. Her deep commitment to equitable access ensures that every student has reliable transit to and from school. She holds a degree from Robert Morris University–Illinois.
Leon Fornelli, MBA, is the Area General Manager of Alternative Transportation at First Alt®, where he leads inclusive student transportation programs across nine states. A seasoned leader in education logistics, Fornelli develops and scales operations from the ground up, always with safety, equity, and innovation in mind. He’s deeply committed to increasing access, amplifying parent and community engagement, and building systems that meet diverse student needs, including non-traditional routes and support. Fornelli also champions technology integration and workforce development in transportation services.