RENO, Nev. — STN EXPO West 2026 took place July 9-15 in Reno, Nevada, offering a week of professional development, leadership training, technology demonstrations and networking for student transportation professionals.

The conference began with registration, a kick-off reception and a poolside welcome event. Friday and Saturday featured specialized training on school bus inspections, active-threat response, mobility securement, reasonable suspicion and transportation supervision. The Transportation Director Summit kicked off that night with leadership discussions and an interactive session at Lake Tahoe the next day.

Main conference programming began Sunday with the Innovator of the Year Award, Green Bus Summit and Bus Technology Summit. Sessions explore alternative fuels, electric school bus infrastructure, artificial intelligence, routing, cameras, illegal passing and student safety. The day concludes with the Ride & Drive and live technology demonstrations.

Monday opened with the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence and a keynote presentation by Bruce Turkel. Breakout sessions address fleet management, communication, employee fatigue, artificial intelligence and safety technology. Attendees can later visited the “Wonderland of Ideas” Trade Show and networking reception.

Tuesday included a state-of-the-industry presentation, a leadership-focused general session with military veterans and the second day of the Trade Show. Afternoon sessions covered dispatch, budgeting, fleet operations, personnel productivity and practical uses of artificial intelligence.

The conference concluded Wednesday with an executive training session led by NAPT Hall of Fame members Dick Fischer and Pete Baxter. The session focused on safety leadership, emergency preparedness and recognizing warning signs before incidents occur.

Throughout the event, attendees connected with industry peers, explored new products and gained practical strategies for improving student transportation safety, efficiency and leadership. (Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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The Wyoming Pupil Transportation Association expanded educational programming and interactive networking opportunities during its 2026 annual conference, drawing hundreds of transportation professionals to Casper for two days of leadership, safety and workforce development.

The 2026 WPTA Conference, themed “Driving Into the Future,” was held June 30-July 1 at the Ford Wyoming Center. According to WPTA Conference Coordinator Athena Bartz, the event welcomed 477 registered attendees representing school bus drivers, dispatchers, mechanics, trainers, supervisors, administrators and industry partners from across Wyoming.

“The conference focused on providing high-quality professional development, promoting student safety, sharing best practices, and creating opportunities for networking and collaboration among transportation professionals from across the state,” Bartz told School Transportation News.

Bartz said the conference’s primary goals were to support professional growth, recognize excellence in pupil transportation and provide valuable learning opportunities tailored to every role within the industry.

Educational sessions covered leadership, student management, special needs transportation, school bus safety, maintenance, technician training, dispatcher responsibilities, driver development and current transportation issues. Bartz said the conference also expanded programming for groups that traditionally have had fewer dedicated learning opportunities.

Wyoming Attendees Learn Dispatch, Leadership and Maintenance Skills

Among the new additions were dedicated educational sessions for dispatchers, as well as roundtable discussions for dispatchers, trainers and mechanics that allowed participants to exchange ideas, discuss challenges and share best practices.

Another first-time initiative was the Vendor Passport activity, which encouraged attendees to visit exhibitor booths, ask questions and learn about products and services while becoming eligible for prize drawings. Bartz said the activity increased engagement between attendees and exhibitors. Raffle drawings and badge number prizes were also held throughout the conference to maintain participation.

Additionally, 21 participants completed the National Association for Pupil Transportation Professional Development Series course, Introduction to Leadership and Management.

The vendor show featured 40 booths showcasing school transportation equipment, technology, maintenance solutions and safety products.

Outside the classroom, the conference hosted a Bus Rodeo, Mountain Driving Competition and Mechanics Challenge. Bartz added that 100 competitors participated in the Bus Rodeo, 68 in the Mountain Driving Competition and 42 in the Mechanics Challenge.

Separate conventional and transit bus courses allowed drivers to compete using the type of vehicle they operate each day, while the Mechanics Challenge tested participants’ technical knowledge, diagnostic skills and problem-solving abilities through hands-on scenarios.

Although post-conference surveys are still being collected, Bartz said early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees praising the expanded educational offerings, new dispatcher programming and increased vendor interaction.

“I’m most proud of how the conference continued to evolve by introducing new educational opportunities while still maintaining the traditions that attendees enjoy,” Bartz said.

In a follow-up email to School Transportation News, WPTA Executive Director Adam Rydel described the conference as a success and said keynote speakers Keith Henry and Chad Hymas were well received. He also confirmed the association plans to return to Casper for its 2027 conference, scheduled June 28 through July 1

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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.

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The STN EXPO West conference is not only an educational experience, but the six-day conference features a variety of networking events that facilitate conversations and connections impacting the industry.

The conference opens Thursday, July 9 with a kickoff reception at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. EverDriven will co-sponsor the event with School Transportation News as attendees enjoy appetizers and beverages. This event allows attendees to begin networking and set the stage for an impactful experience over the course of the week.

Saturday night features the Welcome Party at EDGE Nightclub, a dynamic and exciting evening. Geotab and Transfinder will be sponsoring a “Great Gatsby” themed event with food, drinks and live entertainment. Attendees can mingle with outdoor fireside discussions or enjoy signature beverages in an environment that sets the energy for an impactful conference.

The unique networking experiences continue Sunday night with the Ride and Drive/Live Technology Demonstration. The evening event blends summertime themes with an ideal setting for student transportation professionals to test the latest electric, propane and low-emission school bus models as well as connect with vendors showcasing technology solutions. Our title sponsor for the Ride and Drive the Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit event is RIDE. A full sponsor list can be found on the conference website.

Day 1 of the Wonderland of Ideas Trade Show begins Monday, July 13 with the Trade Show Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, sponsored by Safety Vision. Attendees will be ushered onto a uniquely enchanting trade show floor providing the perfect atmosphere to unwind, network, and foster meaningful relationships with peers and industry contacts.

On Day 2, the conversations continue with a three-hour Trade Show event that will allow attendees to meet manufacturers, OEMs and suppliers with the products and technology options that can improve efficiency and safety at transportation operations. Lunch will be served on the trade show floor. Find the full list of exhibitors.

If you are looking to take your student transportation operations and professional development to the next level, you will not want to miss STN EXPO West.

The Early Bird Deadline ends on June 5, register now to save $100 on main conference registration. STN EXPO West will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The conference will feature hands-on training classes, educational sessions, a dynamic keynote presentation and networking opportunities. Register now at stnexpo.com/west.

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MACON, Ga.-Blue Bird Corporation (“Blue Bird”) (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, announced today its fiscal 2026 second quarter financial results.

“I am incredibly proud of our team in delivering another outstanding quarterly result,” said John Wyskiel, President & CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “The Blue Bird team continued to exceed expectations, improving operations, navigating tariffs, and expanding our leadership in alternative-powered buses. We delivered an exceptional Adj. EBITDA of $51M / 14% for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, a new all-time second-quarter record for the Company.

“In our push to expand our leadership in alternative-powered school buses, we delivered 201 electric-powered buses this quarter. As of the end of the quarter, we had more than 900 EV buses in our firm order backlog, which supports our EV sales target for 2026.

“Additionally, we are very pleased with the timely closing and integration progress of our recently announced acquisition of Micro Bird. The acquisition strengthens Blue Bird’s position with the industry’s most comprehensive bus portfolio and expands our addressable market with the Buy America–compliant shuttle bus market.

“Based on our strong first half of 2026 and final closing of the Micro Bird acquisition, we are raising our 2026 full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $245 million. We look forward to sustained profitable growth in the coming years as we march towards ~$2.5B in revenue and a 15%+ Adjusted EBITDA margin.”

FY2026 Guidance and Long-Term Outlook

“We are very pleased with our second quarter results, with our highest ever Q2 Adj. EBITDA and Free Cash Flow,” said Razvan Radulescu, CFO of Blue Bird Corporation. “Our business is in a very strong position and we continue to deliver ahead of the plan we have been messaging. With the strong first half we delivered, we are raising all full-year 2026 guidance metrics, as well as building in consolidated results for Micro Bird for the second half. 2026 Guidance is being raised to Net Revenue at ~$1.75 Billion and Adj. EBITDA to ~$245 million. Additionally, we are raising our long-term profit outlook towards an Adjusted EBITDA margin of $375+ million, or 15%+, on $2.5+ billion in revenue. We are confident in our profitable growth plans.”

Fiscal 2026 Second Quarter Results

Net Sales
Net sales were $352.6 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, a decrease of $6.2 million, or 1.7%, compared to $358.9 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The decrease in net sales is primarily due to a 6.4% decrease in units sold resulting from a 6.7% decrease in the number of production days in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 when compared with the same period in fiscal 2025, which primarily resulted from the timing of holidays, and our corresponding plant shutdown, in our production calendar. As a result of producing fewer buses, we had fewer units that were available to sale. However, the decrease resulting from selling fewer units was partially offset by Bus customer and product mix changes and cumulative Bus price increases, including increases that were intended to mitigate the impact of increased procurement costs for certain of our imported inventory as a result of the imposition of tariffs beginning during the second half of fiscal 2025 and continuing into the first half of fiscal 2026, as well as an increase in Parts sales.

Bus sales decreased $7.6 million, or 2.3%, reflecting a 6.4% decrease in unit bookings that was partially offset by a 4.4% increase in average sales price per unit. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, 2,148 units booked compared to 2,295 units booked for the same period in fiscal 2025. The increase in unit price for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the same period in fiscal 2025 was primarily due to customer and product mix changes as well as price increases implemented to offset increases in inventory costs.

Parts sales increased $1.4 million, or 5.4%, for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025. This increase is primarily attributed to price increases that were implemented to offset increases in inventory costs as well as higher fulfillment volumes and slight variations due to product and channel mix.

Gross Profit
Second quarter gross profit of $70.6 million represented a decrease of $0.2 million from the second quarter of last year. The decrease was primarily driven by the $6.2 million decrease in net sales, discussed above, and partially offset by a corresponding decrease of $6.0 million in cost of goods sold.

Net Income
Net income was $29.3 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, an increase of $3.3 million from the second quarter of last year. Among other smaller fluctuations, the increase in net income was largely driven by a decrease of $5.6 million in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily due to the significant amount of share-based compensation expense recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 resulting from the retirement of our former President and Chief Executive Officer, with no similar significant expense recorded for the acceleration of vesting of stock awards in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Partially offsetting the decrease in selling general, and administrative expenses was a decrease of $3.4 million in other (expense) income, net, primarily due to $2.7 million in pretax costs relating to the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the outstanding common stock of Micro Bird effective April 1, 2026, with no such costs incurred during the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income of $32.5 million represented an increase of $1.0 million from the second quarter of last year. The increase was primarily driven by the $3.3 million increase in Net Income, discussed above, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted Net Income, including share-based compensation and Micro Bird acquisition costs, discussed above.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $50.8 million, which was an increase of $1.6 million compared with the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The increase primarily relates to the increase in Micro Bird earnings, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, that was partially offset by a decrease in other income, net, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above.

Year-to-Date Fiscal 2026 Results

Net Sales
Net sales were $685.7 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, an increase of $13.0 million, or 1.9%, compared to $672.7 million for the six months ended March 29, 2025. The increase in net sales is primarily due to Bus customer and product mix changes and cumulative Bus price increases, including increases that were intended to mitigate the impact of increased procurement costs for certain of our imported inventory as a result of the imposition of tariffs beginning during the second half of fiscal 2025 and continuing into the first half of fiscal 2026, as well as an increase in Parts sales. The Bus increases described above were partially offset by a decrease in Bus units sold resulting from a 4.3% decrease in the number of production days during the six months ended March 28, 2026 when compared with the same period in fiscal 2025, which primarily resulted from the timing of holidays, and our corresponding plant shutdown, in our production calendar. As a result of producing fewer buses, we had fewer units that were available to sale.

Bus sales increased $11.9 million, or 1.9%, reflecting a 5.3% increase in average sales price per unit that was partially offset by a 3.2% decrease in units booked. The increase in unit price for the first six months of fiscal 2026 compared to the same period in fiscal 2025 was primarily due to customer and product mix changes as well as price increases implemented to offset increases in inventory costs. This increase was partially offset by the impact of booking 4,283 units in the six months ended March 28, 2026 compared with 4,425 units during the same period in fiscal 2025.

Parts sales increased $1.1 million, or 2.1%, for the six months ended March 28, 2026 compared to the six months ended March 29, 2025. This increase is primarily attributed to price increases that were implemented to offset increases in inventory costs as well as higher fulfillment volumes and slight variations due to product and channel mix.

Gross Profit
Gross profit for the six months ended March 28, 2026 was $141.9 million, an increase of $10.7 million compared with the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by the $13.0 million increase in net sales. This was partially offset by an increase of $2.3 million in cost of goods sold, primarily corresponding the increase net sales.

Net Income
Net income was $60.1 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, which was a $5.3 million increase from the same period in the prior year. Among other smaller fluctuations, the increase in net income was primarily driven by the $10.7 million increase in gross profit, discussed above, and partially offset by a $6.5 million increase in other expense. During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company incurred approximately $2.7 million of pretax costs relating to the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the outstanding common stock of Micro Bird effective April 1, 2026, with no such costs incurred during the six months ended March 29, 2025. Additionally, during the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company sold certain state emissions credits that it was not projecting to use for approximately $2.6 million, with no similar income recorded during the first six months of fiscal 2026.

Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income for the six months ended March 28, 2026 was $65.0 million, an increase of $2.9 million compared with the same period last year, primarily due to the $5.3 million increase in net income, discussed above, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted Net Income.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $100.9 million for the six months ended March 28, 2026, an increase of $5.9 million compared with the same period in the prior year. The increase primarily relates to the increase in (i) gross profit, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above and (ii) Micro Bird earnings, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, that were partially offset by (iii) an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, when adjusting for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, and (iv) a decrease in other income, net, when adjusted for the impact of expenses that are excluded in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, as discussed above.

Conference Call Details
Blue Bird will discuss its fiscal 2026 second quarter and year to date financial results in a conference call at 4:30 PM ET today. Participants may listen to the audio portion of the conference call either through a live audio webcast on the Company’s website or by telephone. The slide presentation and webcast can be accessed via the Investor Relations portion of Blue Bird’s website at www.blue-bird.com.

Webcast participants should log on and register at least 15 minutes prior to the start time on the Investor Relations homepage of Blue Bird’s website at http://investors.blue-bird.com. Click the link in the events box on the Investor Relations landing page.

Participants desiring audio only should dial 646-844-6383 or 833-470-1428. The access code is 005726.

A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes via the same link on Blue Bird’s website.

About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

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