A 15-year-old student with autism was hospitalized for severe dehydration after reportedly spending extended periods of heat exposure on board a school bus without air conditioning, reported New York Post.

Temperatures in Chula Vista, California near San Diego reached 97 degrees during the recent heat wave.

Marisol Wojciechowski told local news reporters that her son, Gabriel, is a freshman at Hilltop High School. He released from school about 30 minutes before other students because he receives special education services. She said he was required to wait on the school bus until the other students arrived.

Wojciechowski added that her son’s autism makes it difficult for him to communicate when he is becoming overheated or feeling ill. She first noticed symptoms in early September, when Gabriel began experiencing nosebleeds, severe headaches and lightheadedness after riding the school bus.

“Right away, I would put ice pack on him on his neck and gave him water,” Wojciechowski told local news reporters.

After Gabriel repeatedly displayed the symptoms, his mother took him to an emergency room. She said medical personnel determined that he was severely dehydrated and administered intravenous fluids.

Wojciechowski later boarded the school bus herself and experienced the conditions inside. She said the bus driver told her that Gabriel could not leave the bus after he had been released into the driver’s supervision.

She said that she instructed her son to get off the bus and wait in her air-conditioned vehicle. According to Wojciechowski, the driver told her it was normal for students to remain on the bus during high temperatures.

The mother is now calling on Sweetwater Union High School District officials to implement additional precautions to protect students during periods of extreme heat.

“I want them to put the kids first,” she told local news reporters. “Leaving them on the bus is not safe, not even for five minutes during the heat.”

Written with the assistance of AI.

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A parent faces a felony battery charge after allegedly boarding an Escambia County school bus and striking its driver with a water bottle following a missed morning pickup, reported WEAR News.

According to the news report, Lisa Brown, 32, was arrested Sept. 11 and released later that night on a $1,000 bond.

Escambia County Public Schools Transportation Director Darlene Hart said in an interview with local news that the incident began that Friday morning when a Bellview Middle School student ran toward the bus stop. The student was in the driver’s blind spot and could not be seen as the bus pulled away, Hart said.

Brown, the student’s parent, reportedly called the school afterward and threatened to retaliate that afternoon if the matter was not addressed. When the school bus returned to the stop that afternoon, Brown allegedly approached it while yelling as students were still exiting. Hart said Brown pushed past the students and boarded the bus without authorization.

Brown then reportedly threw water from a bottle onto the driver before throwing the bottle and striking her, Hart said. Brown also allegedly directed profanity at the driver before leaving the bus.

The bus driver remained on the route after the incident. Hart described her as an older driver who regularly greets her students warmly in the morning and afternoon.

Hart relayed that students who witnessed the alleged confrontation immediately asked the driver if she was OK. The driver reassured the students and declined to switch routes.

“She did not want to move from her students,” Hart told local news reporters. “She said, “No, I love these kids and they love me. I’ve never had a problem with this child. I don’t want to switch routes.”

The district’s code of conduct prohibits unauthorized people from entering school buses. Florida law also defines school buses as school facilities and makes unauthorized entry or remaining aboard an act of trespass, punishable as a second-degree misdemeanor. The offense becomes a first-degree misdemeanor when a person enters or remains after being directed not to enter or to leave.

Written with the assistance of AI.

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Nearly half of parents with school bus riders say their child has experienced a close call near a bus or in a school zone, according to a new national survey that also found broad support for automated enforcement against motorists who illegally pass stopped buses.

The Governors Highway Safety Association said in a Sept. 15 news release that 46 percent of parents whose children ride a school bus reported such an incident. The survey also found that 91 percent of parents support automated stop-arm enforcement, which uses cameras mounted on buses to identify vehicles that pass while a bus is stopped to load or unload children with its flashing red lights activated and federally mandated stop arm extended.

Overall, 36 percent of the respondents said their children experienced a similar close call involving dangerous driving near a school bus or school zone, which GHSA said includes distracted driving and speeding. Another 43 percent said they know another child who had experienced a close call.

When asked why they think motorists drive dangerously around school buses, 53 percent of the parents think the motorists do not believe they will be caught.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted June 16 through 25 by the Ocamb Group and included 525 U.S. parents with children ages 6 to 17 living at home. Separate oversamples of 250 Texas parents and 251 Ohio parents were interviewed June 26 through 28. Ocamb Group founder David Ocamb said respondents were recruited through a national online research panel. The national sample was weighted by gender and geographic region to better reflect the U.S. population of parents with school-age children. For the national sample of 525 respondents, the equivalent maximum margin of sampling error is approximately plus or minus 4.3 percentage points at the 95-percent confidence level. The Texas and Ohio oversamples each have an equivalent maximum margin of sampling error of approximately plus or minus 6.2 percentage points.

The findings come as students are back in classrooms across the country and communities renew efforts to protect children at bus stops, crosswalks and school zones. Parents responding to the survey described motorists passing buses with flashing lights and extended stop signs, speeding through school zones and driving while distracted.

In accounts released with the findings, one parent said a motorist tried to pass a school bus on the side where the parent’s child was walking and nearly struck the student. Another described a car swerving within feet of a child who was crossing in front of a school bus while its lights flashed and its stop sign was extended.

“Parents are telling us that dangerous driving around school buses and school zones is not an abstract concern but something their children are experiencing firsthand,” GHSA CEO Jonathan Adkins said in a statement.

Adkins added that driver education remains important, but the findings show parents also want motorists held accountable when they endanger children. He encouraged communities to use proven tools and technology to make school travel safer.

Parents called for stronger enforcement and greater use of stop-arm cameras, according to GHSA. One respondent also suggested placing more crossing guards at busy intersections during school arrival and dismissal times.

“This is a back-to-school, wake-up call and it’s no wonder that 91 percent of parents support automated stop-arm enforcement to protect their children’s safety,” Justin Meyers, president and chief innovation officer of BusPatrol, told STN.

BusPatrol, which markets school bus stop-arm camera systems, provided financial support for the survey, according to GHSA.

The association, which represents state and territorial highway safety offices, said the results add parents’ perspectives to a broader national push to address illegal passing and other dangers around school buses.

The Illegal Passing National Action Plan

GHSA and BusPatrol released “A National Action Plan for School Bus Safety” in March. The organizations described it as the first comprehensive 50-state roadmap for protecting the approximately 20 million children who travel on the nation’s 500,000 school buses each day.

The plan includes 69 recommendations for state highway safety offices, law enforcement agencies, school districts, educators, school bus drivers, technology companies, autonomous vehicle providers, safety advocates, judges and prosecutors.

Recommendations include adding school bus safety to state highway safety plans, using data to identify locations with frequent violations, expanding public education campaigns, establishing stop-arm enforcement programs and training drivers to recognize unsafe motorist behavior. The plan also effectively calls for more consistent definitions and reporting protocols for bus-stop injuries and related incidents.

As STN previously reported, the plan refers to estimates that motorists illegally passed school bus stop arms over 39 million times during the 2024-2025 school year, the equivalent of each school bus being passed once every three days.

Since then,  the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services’ annual one-day survey, in which participating school bus drivers manually record illegal passings, extrapolated that the number of illegal passings decreased for the 2025-2026 school year but still show a significant problem. Over the summer, NASDPTS reported that 101,334 school bus drivers in 39 states and the District of Columbia observed 56,024 illegal passings in one day. NASDPTS adjusted the results to estimate nationwide daily violations and projected that figure across a 180-day school year.

The action plan grew out of discussions at the inaugural National School Bus Safety Summit in December 2025. BusPatrol convened the event with support from GHSA and Safe Kids Worldwide, bringing together nearly 500 government officials, law enforcement representatives, transportation professionals and safety advocates.

The plan also seeks to draw more attention to close calls and psychological trauma that may never appear in traditional crash statistics.

GHSA Captures Perspectives on Real-Life Illegal Passings

The new GHSA survey did not measure crashes or injuries. Instead, it captured parents’ reports of close calls and their views about enforcement. Two recent incidents in Michigan and Florida illustrate the different dangers children can encounter around school buses and nearby roads.

In Bedford Township, Michigan, an elementary student came within inches of being struck by a car that passed his stopped school bus Sept. 9, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident happened about 4:05 p.m. in the 7600 block of Douglas Road as the student was being dropped off by a Bedford Public Schools bus. Sheriff Troy Goodnough said the bus had its flashing red lights and stop arm activated, legally requiring other motorists to stop.

Video released by the sheriff’s office shows the student beginning to cross the road in front of the bus before abruptly stopping as a blue Chevrolet Malibu passes in the opposite direction.

“Thankfully, a devastating incident was avoided due to the awareness of both the student and bus driver observing the vehicle prior to the student completely crossing the roadway,” Goodnough said.

Bus surveillance video captured the vehicle’s license plate, allowing investigators to identify the driver as a 19-year-old from Toledo, Ohio, authorities said. Police used Flock cameras in Bedford Township and Toledo to locate the vehicle.

The sheriff’s office is seeking a reckless driving charge against the driver.

Michigan law requires motorists to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus when its overhead red lights are flashing. Passing a stopped school bus can result in a civil infraction and a fine of up to $500. A violation resulting in injury can carry a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail.

In Escambia County, Florida, a 12-year-old Pensacola boy suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a car Sept. 8.

The Florida Highway Patrol said via local news reports that an Escambia County school bus was stopped facing west on La Ventana Drive and unloading students at the intersection. After leaving the bus, the boy walked west toward Muldoon Road.

“As he attempted to cross Muldoon Road to reach Perkins Street, he walked directly into the path of a northbound white sedan driven by a 25-year-old Pensacola woman,” the Highway Patrol said.

The boy was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Authorities did not say the Florida driver illegally passed the school bus. The incident nevertheless highlights the risks children can face after leaving a bus and crossing nearby roads.

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A family dog turned the first day of school into an unexpected adventure after escaping from his home and boarding a school bus in Farmington, New York, reported Today News.

According to the news report, Ashley Miller had promised her daughter, Madelyn, a 10th grader, that she would remain inside while Madelyn and her brother, Parker, a seventh grader, boarded the bus at about 7 a.m.

Madelyn reportedly considered having her mother at the bus stop embarrassing. Miller’s husband, Jason, was upstairs secretly recording the children as they prepared to leave for school.

However, the family’s 1-year-old golden retriever, Finley, disrupted those plans.

Miller opened the front door as the school bus approached the family’s cul-de-sac, and the 83-pound family dog slipped between her legs. Finley ran directly toward the bus and climbed aboard, where he was greeted by students eager to pet him.

Miller, a pediatric emergency room nurse, chased Finley while barefoot and wearing pajamas. She followed him onto the bus and attempted to remove him from the aisle, according to her comments to local news reporters.

Because Finley was not wearing his collar, Miller grabbed a portion of his fur and carefully pulled him backward before escorting him down the bus steps.

The bus driver reportedly embraced the unexpected interruption. Miller described him as cheerful and said he had been greeting students through the bus’s exterior speaker. “Good morning, Finley,” the driver announced after the dog boarded.

Jason captured the entire incident on video without his wife’s knowledge. He was reportedly laughing when Miller returned to the house after directing Finley back into the yard.

Parker also found the situation funny, while Madelyn was horrified that her mother had boarded the bus in her pajamas.

“I think I lost five years of my life on the first day of school,” Miller said. “I’m still recovering.”

Written with the assistance of AI.

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A substitute school bus driver was fired after failing to drop off two students with special needs at school and leaving them alone on the bus at the Tooele County School District transportation yard located west of Salt Lake City, reported 2 KUTV News.

The incident occurred Aug. 24, when 7-year-old Winston Prawitt and another unidentified student remained on board the bus instead of being dropped off at Canyon Middle School, according to local news reports.

Transportation staff later located the bus at the district depot with both students inside. “The two boys were on that bus alone, parked in direct sunlight, for nearly 10 minutes,” Travis Prawitt, Winston’s father, said via the article.

Video footage reportedly showed Winston pounding on the bus windows. Winston has level two autism and was nonverbal until nearly age 5. His parents said his disability makes it difficult for him to provide a detailed account of what happened.

The district said via the news report that the substitute driver failed to follow required procedures for ensuring all students had exited the vehicle, before returning it to the bus garage. The driver, who reportedly had several years of school bus driving experience, was terminated.

According to the news report, district transportation staff have since reviewed bus-clearing procedures with all drivers. The assistant superintendent and transportation director also presented potential child-check enhancements to the Tooele County Board of Education Sept. 8.

The Prawitts said they were permitted to view only part of the bus surveillance footage and that it did not include audio. District officials said access must comply with student privacy laws because multiple students appear in the recording. The family said it would accept redacted footage but wants the complete record involving Winston.

Since the incident, Winston has reportedly experienced nightmares and anxiety and now checks whether his regular driver is operating the bus.

His parents are calling for a proposed “Winston’s Law” that would require enhanced child-check safeguards on Utah school buses. One possible system would require drivers to walk to the back of the bus and press a button after completing each route.

“Human error does happen in any profession,” Alaina Prawitt, Winston’s mother, told local news reporters. “Anything we can do to try and help human error not be a problem, such as putting an alarm on the bus or something to help check that things are getting done accurately, is what I would love to see. I just want this to never happen to another child.”

Written with the Assistance of AI.

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Calaveras Unified School District officials in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills said a school bus driver followed district protocols during a disturbance last month that resulted in a parent allegedly breaking glass on the bus loading door and entering through a window.

Superintendent Kassie Meeks told School Transportation News that the bus had arrived at a scheduled Aug. 24 stop, when the driver took the opportunity to address students about their behavior. There had reportedly been yelling, screaming and other disruptive behavior while the bus was moving.

“Our goal is to ensure that students follow appropriate behavior expectations so the driver can safely operate the bus and maintain the safety of everyone on board,” Meeks said.

Meeks shared that district officials reviewed bus video footage and determined the driver spent approximately four minutes addressing student behavior, reviewing bus expectations and asking students to calm down. During that time, one student exited through a bus window.

Shortly afterward, a parent arrived on the scene and began aggressively banging on the bus loading door, ultimately breaking the glass. Law enforcement was immediately contacted, and the California Highway Patrol was notified because damage to a school bus with students aboard triggers specific state safety protocols, she added.

The parent then climbed through an open bus window while authorities were responding, according to Meeks. An adult outside the bus could also reportedly be heard encouraging students to exit through the windows, and additional students subsequently did so.

Meeks said law enforcement arrived approximately 14 minutes after the bus reached the scheduled stop. Students remaining onboard were directed to stay seated and calm while authorities investigated.

STN contacted the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office for comment about the arrest and circumstances surrounding the incident but had not received a response as of this writing. But according to local news reports citing the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, the parent broke glass while striking the bus door and was arrested on suspicion of vandalism.

Neither the driver nor any students were injured, Meeks confirmed.

The district also disputed claims that students had been held on the bus for more than an hour before the situation escalated.

“Regarding the driver, after reviewing the video footage, the district believes the driver acted appropriately under extremely challenging circumstances,” Meeks said. “His focus remained on student safety, maintaining order and attempting to de-escalate the situation.”

Meeks told STN the driver has returned to the regular route. The bus sustained damage to the glass in its door and underwent repairs.

The district determined the driver followed appropriate protocols and has not identified a need to change its transportation procedures because of the incident, Meeks said. However, she said officials will continue reviewing practices and reinforcing safety expectations with employees and students.

Calaveras County is known for its Giant Sequoias, Mark Twain’s story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and as a key area of mining during the state’s Gold Rush of the mid-1880’s.

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A 2-year-old boy’s birthday celebration got off to a memorable start when a school bus full of students surprised him with waves and a birthday serenade, reported People News.

According to the news report, the boy was standing outside his Phoenix home with his parents Aug. 28 when the unexpected celebration took place. He held colorful balloons, including a large silver balloon shaped in the number 2, as a yellow school bus approached.

In a video recorded by the family, the boy’s mother, Logan Seeger, asked him whether he was going to wave at the passing bus. “Yes,” the boy replied before excitedly waving and repeatedly calling out, “Hi,” as the bus traveled past the family’s home.

The students reportedly responded by leaning toward the open bus windows and waving to the birthday boy. Moments later, the group began singing “Happy Birthday” to him while the bus continued down the street. “Thank you,” Seeger called back to the students.

Seeger told local news reporters that the bus driver has regularly interacted with the students and helped create a positive atmosphere along the route. “The bus driver has been so wonderful and engaging with all the students,” Seeger said.

The birthday greeting was not the only recognition the family received that morning. Seeger said neighbors stopped by, while passing motorists rolled down their windows to greet the toddler and acknowledge his birthday.

Seeger said the kindness shown by the students, driver and community made the morning especially meaningful for the family. “It is so wholesome,” she said via the news report. “It brings tears to our eyes and full body chills!”

Written with the assistance of AI.

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A South Carolina mother was granted a $25,000 bond after authorities said her 6-year-old child brought a loaded gun onto a school bus, reported WIS 10.

Destar Hall, 35, was arrested Aug. 18 and charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. She was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and is expected to return to court in October.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said a school resource officer at J.P. Thomas Elementary School was called after the child was found with a loaded AR-style firearm during the morning route. Officials safely took the weapon from the child and called Hall to the school.

Investigators reportedly said the gun had not been properly secured at the family’s home, allowing the child to gain access to it. Hall’s husband, Tony Hall, offered a different account during last week’s bond hearing. He said the couple’s children found the gun in the woods near their home and showed it to their parents. He said he told his wife to dispose of it but did not know what she did with it.

The 6-year-old later obtained the firearm and carried it onto the bus, according to the report.

“I felt like I could police it myself, and that was the problem, and that’s the step we should have took.” Tony Hall said via the article, adding that he should have contacted law enforcement when the children found the gun. “We looked at it as a toy. It looked like a toy for real.”

He reportedly described the incident as a serious mistake and expressed relief that no one was hurt. “I’m just glad that things didn’t happen in a matter where things could have gotten out of hand, or somebody could have really gotten hurt,” he added.

Information presented at the hearing showed that the couple’s four children had reportedly been placed in emergency custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.

Richland One School District Board Chairman Robert Lominack and Superintendent Todd Walker also addressed the incident during a district work session, though details of their remarks were not included in the report.

Written with the aAssistance of AI.

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CINCINNATI, Ohio -First Student, North America’s largest student transportation services provider, today announced new enhancements to First View, the leading parent transportation app that brings together traditional yellow bus and First Alt alternative transportation into one connected experience. Whether a student rides a yellow bus, an alternative vehicle, or both, First View gives parents one place to stay informed with real-time visibility, communication, and support throughout every journey.

With more than 1.1 million downloads and 300,000 active users as of June 30, First View continues to help families stay informed and confident about their student’s transportation. New enhancements for the 2026–2027 school year expand the app’s capabilities while making it even easier for families to manage transportation across multiple students, multiple vehicles, and multiple service types – all within a single experience.

“Every great school year begins with a safe ride, and families deserve confidence in that journey,” said John Kenning, President and CEO of First Student. “Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and most efficient ride to school so students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential. First View brings that mission to life by giving families greater visibility and confidence in their child’s journey, whether they travel by yellow bus, alternative transportation or both. It’s another way we’re living our values of Caring for Our Students and Setting the Highest Standards while creating a safer, more connected transportation experience for every student and family we serve.”

New Features and Enhancements for the 2026–2027 School Year

Track multiple students in one app, regardless of the type of vehicle they ride to school.

Expanded language support, now available in 15 languages including English, Spanish, Canadian French, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Somali, Portuguese, Swahili, Haitian Creole, Nepali, Amharic, Russian, and Pashto.

Push and in-app notifications when the vehicle arrives for pick-up and drop-off, both at the stop and at school.

Trip change notifications, including driver, vehicle, and schedule updates, as well as when a student boards or exits the vehicle.

Service alerts from districts/divisions and locations, including weather changes, delays, and road closures.

Expanded multilingual customer support, including a First Alt call center that is 50% bilingual, outbound Spanish-language parent outreach, and a dedicated Spanish-language inbound support line for families.

Unlike most transportation apps that support only one type of service, First View’s parent app allows families to manage transportation for every student in one place. Parents can track yellow bus routes, alternative transportation, and even charter transportation for summer programs through a single app, creating one seamless transportation experience regardless of how their children travel to and from school. This unified approach is especially valuable for families with multiple children or students whose mode of transportation changes throughout the school year.

“Providing families with accurate and timely transportation information is important to us,” said Lisa Riveros, Director of Transportation for Wichita Public Schools. “I really like how First View gives parents real-time visibility into their student’s transportation so they can stay informed, know what to expect, and have confidence that their child is getting to and from school safely.”

Families can also share feedback after every trip through First Student’s Feedback Portal, helping the company continuously improve the transportation experience.

For families who use First Alt, First Student’s alternative transportation service, First View provides additional capabilities designed specifically for individualized transportation. Parents can view and cancel same-day rides, manage trips scheduled up to 14 days in advance, access driver and vehicle information, and receive notifications when their student boards or exits the vehicle. The app helps ensure a better experience for families whose students have disabilities.

“The expansion of First View to 15 languages is a tremendous benefit for our families,” said Victoria Storti, Transportation Specialist for Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. “Every parent deserves access to timely transportation information in a language they understand. By offering more language options, First View is helping us create a more inclusive experience, improve communication with families and ensure more parents can stay connected to their student’s daily transportation.”

The enhancements are being introduced as part of First Student’s broader back-to-school readiness efforts, helping families start the school year with greater confidence while reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering one connected transportation experience across every student, every vehicle, and every journey. First Student’s continued investment in technology and innovation was recently recognized with a 2026 CIO 100 Award, honoring organizations that use technology in innovative ways to deliver business value.

First View is available to download in the App Store or Google Play.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Recognized as a CIO 100 Award winner and named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO technology platform, First Student is helping shape the future of student transportation by integrating safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management, and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that enhances safety, improves operational performance, and creates a more connected transportation experience for students and families. Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

About First Alt
First Alt, the alternative transportation service from First Student, facilitates safe, reliable, and customized transportation for students with specialized needs. Backed by First Student’s quality training, technology, and safety standards, the First Alt service ensures that every student, regardless of ability, housing, or placement, receives equitable, high-quality transportation to and from school. Learn more at: https://firstalt.com

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School transportation professionals often say the industry is all about the students. Yet departments frequently describe their work with facts and figures: How many buses are in the fleet or how many miles they drive. Those numbers matter, but they don’t capture the emotional value transportation provides to families, schools and communities.

At STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, keynote speaker Bruce Turkel challenged attendees to rethink how they communicate that value. His message was simple. Effective communication must be “All About Them.” He urged student transporters to “figure out the difference between what you sell and what you exchange for money.”

That idea became a central theme of the fourpart education leadership discussion held at the Transportation Director Summit in nearby Lake Tahoe and later during the keynote address back at the full conference. The goal was to help transportation leaders move beyond operational language and build messages that make stakeholders feel seen, heard and understood.

“What you sell is treating every child like your own,” Turkel said. “What you sell is peace of mind. All these things will affect what you exchange for money. But none of them will affect what you sell. You don’t buy your own products. You don’t use your own services. Perhaps there’s something your audience or your clients see that you don’t.”

Student transporters’ audience includes parents, school boards, superintendents, financial analysts, legislators, mayors and many others who view transportation through different priorities and pressures. Turkel advised leaders to be clear in conversations rather than clever, noting that even the catchiest or most sincere message can fall flat if it fails to connect with the intended audience.

He explained how Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan helped shift the shoemaker’s conversation with customers from exercise excuses to empowerment and potential. Student transportation, he noted, has a similar opportunity to reframe its story, not simply as a service that moves buses or students but as one that provides access to education, supports the broader economy and enables students to become contributing members of society. “You’re not moving buses, you’re not moving children. You’re moving opportunity,” Turkel said.

Parents bring strong emotions to anything involving their children, he added, which means student transporters may not need to create to “repaint the bus.”

Instead, they may need to explain differently the value. “Hearts, then minds,” he advised. “Make an emotional connection before an intellectual connection.” That message resonated with attendees looking for practical ways to strengthen trust and communication within their own communities. Quanika Dukes-Spruill director of transportation for the Newark Board of Education in New Jersey, said Turkel gave her immediate action items.

“We have a Special Education Action Committee and they host parent meetings, so I’m asking to join those meetings to share information with parents and, most importantly, listen to them,” she said. “The point our
speaker made today was to listen to your audience.”

Emotional connection and clear communication are not separate from school transportation operations. They are essential to effective leadership. Budgets, contracts, routing systems and compliance requirements matter, but successful departments also depend on genuine relationships with employees, families, administrators and stakeholders.

Later during STN EXPO West, Keba Baldwin of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and STN’s 2025 Transportation Director of the Year encouraged industry leaders to stay close to the people who keep daily operations moving. True partnership, he said, begins with understanding and empathy.

Many administrators describe school bus drivers as “the backbone of the operation,” but Baldwin said appreciation must go beyond words. Leaders must spend meaningful time with frontline employees and understand their daily reality. He challenged attendees to examine their own visibility: “How often are you at your bus depot? How often do you ride a bus?” Frequent route ride-alongs and depot visits help to better understand driver challenges, build trust, strengthen relationships and show that they value the human side of the work.

Leaders who stay connected in the field can communicate more effectively with families about route realities, safety priorities and service improvements. That visibility can reduce misunderstandings, build confidence and support transparent conversations with administrators and broader stakeholders. Firsthand experience also strengthens reporting, collaborative problem-solving and shared goals centered on student well-being and educational outcomes.

The challenge now is to think differently. Transportation leaders have an opportunity to become stronger storytellers, clearer communicators and better listeners. They can help redefine the narrative around school transportation and reinforce the true value they provide to the families and communities they serve.

The post It’s All About Them appeared first on School Transportation News.

Opponents of signs placed near a school bus stop at Champion Avenue in Florida say they could leave children in unsafe positions as they wait for school buses, reported Gulf Coast News.

JoeAnn Alaniz, a Lehigh Acres resident whose five children ride the school bus, said the signs appeared after the first week of school, which began Aug. 11. Similar signs also appeared in a nearby San Carlos Park neighborhood.

Alaniz said she had a bench made for children at the stop because she was concerned about their safety, particularly after the death of a girl in a previous crash.

The bench follows earlier community efforts to create safer waiting areas for Lee County Public Schools students. School Transportation News reported in 2019 that residents formed Benches for our Babes after 12-year-old Alana Tamplin and 8-year-old Layla Aiken were killed in separate traffic incidents involving travel to or waiting at school bus stops.

Volunteers and local businesses assembled benches and picnic tables for stops across Lee County. Some were equipped with reflective tape, locks, and chains. Lee County school officials said at the time that benches could be part of the solution, but that student safety also requires adult supervision, lighting, sidewalks and attentive motorists.

“You can replace grass, but you can’t replace kids,” Alaniz said, criticizing what she said is a greater concern for landscaping than for children.

She also described drivers speeding around stopped school buses or trying to go faster than the bus, so they don’t have to stop. This behavior, she said, puts children walking to the stop at risk. Lee County officials said via the report that residents generally may not place signs within county-maintained rights of way along county roads.

The resident who installed the signs reportedly told deputies and local news reporters that they were intended to keep parents from parking on the easement. She said parked vehicles leave students without enough room to wait and sometimes force them to stand in the roadway as the bus approaches.

Deputies suggested removing the trespassing signs, and the resident complied, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Lee County Public Schools urged parents to obey the law and treat others respectfully when picking up or dropping off children at bus stops. “We expect and encourage parents to follow the law when picking up or dropping their children off at the bus stop,” the district said via the news report. “We also expect and encourage them to be respectful. If that is not happening, then law enforcement should be notified.”

Written with the assistance of AI.

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Related: When the Journey to the Bus Stop Becomes the Greatest Risk
Related: Florida Officials Stress School Bus Stop Safety After Illegal Passer Hits Student
Related: Florida Community Discusses School Bus Stop Safety Amid Recent Tragedies
Related: STN EXPO East to Feature Illegal Passing Trends, Safety Recommendations

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Taylor sits down for a special extended conversation with STN’s 2025 Transportation Director of the Year Keba Baldwin, director of transportation and fleet services at Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland. He talks school startup operations, parent and media communication, AI and autonomous technology, leading STN EXPO sessions, alternative transportation and more.

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 E319) Been Around the Block: Transportation Director of the Year Expertise & Advice appeared first on School Transportation News.

A 9-year-old boy who fell asleep on a school bus was left inside the vehicle and later found wandering a New Jersey school district’s transportation yard, reported ABC News.

Wanda Chandler said via the news report that her son boarded the bus about 8 a.m. Thursday for his final day of summer classes at Union Valley Elementary School in Blackwood. About two and a half hours later, Gloucester Township Public Schools called to say he had not arrived.

Chandler reportedly said the boy fell asleep during the ride and awoke alone on an empty bus parked at the district’s bus yard. He figured out how to open the door, got off and searched for help.

“I got off the bus and looked for anyone,” he said via the article. “I found this man, so I asked him, ‘Do you know where I can go back?”

He continued, “I was trying to be a big boy, so I just acted brave and normal,” he said via the report.

A district employee found him in the parking lot, asked his name and age and brought him inside, Chandler told local news reporters. The district told her that Child Protective Services had been notified. Her son was later taken to school for the rest of the day.

Chandler said officials had not told her how long her son was asleep on the bus or alone in the yard. She said he has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and the incident could have ended differently. “Thank God he’s safe, that’s number one, but what if he didn’t wake up?” she said via the article. “What if he walked out into that bus depot and a stranger took him?”

Chandler said her family recently moved into the district and enrolled the boy in the five-week summer program partly so he could become comfortable riding a school bus before the new academic year. She called the incident “unacceptable” and said the district had assured her that a driver and an aide were assigned to the bus.

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Related: Ohio Parents Sue School District After 6-Year-Old Left on Bus for Hours
Related: Mississippi Student Left on Bus for Hours
Related: Florida School Bus Driver Arrested After Girl is Left on Bus, Drove Around for Hours
Related: California Student Left Alone in Hot School Bus

The post New Jersey Boy Left Asleep on School Bus, Found Wandering District Bus Yard appeared first on School Transportation News.

DENVER, Colo. — More than three in four parents and guardians say a reliable ride to school makes their child more successful in the classroom, according to new national research released today by EverDriven, the nation’s alternative student transportation leader. The same study found the reverse is just as true: 77% of teachers say they lose instructional time to transportation every week, with 71% losing at least a full day a week to transportation-related lateness or absenteeism. Together, the findings point to a conclusion that reframes how districts might think about transportation entirely: it is not simply whether a ride exists that matters most, but whether that ride is consistent.

The research study, Transportation Consistency is a Lifeline for Students with Additional Needs, surveyed 812 U.S. parents and guardians, teachers, and district administrators. All respondents were connected to students with additional needs, a group that includes students on an IEP or 504 plan, students with medical fragility, students experiencing housing instability under the McKinney-Vento Act, students in foster care, students requiring out-of-district transportation, and students in afterschool or vocational programs.

Consistent Transportation’s Role in Student Success

Across every group surveyed, the same pattern emerged. Students with consistent transportation arrive prepared for the school day, resulting in better academic and social-emotional outcomes. Sixty-nine percent of parents and guardians said a reliable ride left their child noticeably calmer, a finding echoed independently by teachers and administrators describing the positive effect on student behavior and readiness to learn.

“When transportation is reliable, it becomes something students and families can count on to build their routine,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “This research confirms what we hear from districts and caregivers constantly: consistency is one of the clearest levers we have to help the students who need the most support succeed, both in the classroom and beyond. A reliable, on-time ride with the same driver improves caregiver trust, classroom stability for teachers, and attendance-based funding for districts.”

Transportation Reliability’s Financial Impact: From District Funding to Caregiver Careers

The research also found that transportation reliability shapes decisions well beyond the ride itself. Sixty-two percent of parents and guardians said transportation was a major or significant factor in their decisions about where to send their child to school, and district administrators independently reported seeing transportation reliability influence enrollment, transfers, and family trust. For districts where per-pupil funding follows enrollment, the findings suggest transportation reliability functions as a retention issue. The study also examined the operational and compliance pressures districts face when transportation is inconsistent, including its effect on legally required services for students with IEPs and McKinney-Vento protections.

For caregivers, more than half (55%) carried a financial cost tied to their child’s transportation including lost hours, lost wages, or a changed job. Several caregivers surveyed described transportation consistency as unlocking employment opportunities that previously weren’t possible. Angela, a caregiver in Florida, said: “There were certain jobs I couldn’t get because there was nobody else willing to take [my child’s transportation] on. It definitely opened up a lot for me. Now I’m not having to say, ‘I can’t apply for this job because of the hours, or that job because of the location.’”

Despite the clear benefits of consistency, the research found that many districts have not yet closed the gap between the students who qualify for this kind of support and the students actually receiving it. Only 13% of administrators surveyed said all of their qualifying students currently have transportation arranged, a gap the study frames as a meaningful opportunity for districts rather than a shortfall in effort, since the same administrators consistently rank specialized transportation among their top institutional priorities.

Research Methodology

This research combines an independent survey of 812 respondents, fielded in May and June 2026, with 15 in-depth interviews conducted by video with parents and guardians, teachers, and administrators across 10 states.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed more than 2.1 million successful trips in the 2025–26 school year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

The post 76% Say Reliable Transportation Makes Child More Successful in School, Research Finds appeared first on School Transportation News.

DATTCO, a leading school transportation provider, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of The Big Yellow Adventure, its children’s book created to help young students overcome anxiety and build confidence before riding the school bus for the first time. Since its launch, the book has become a trusted resource for parents, caregivers, schools and communities preparing children for one of the first big steps in their educational journey.

One Year of Impact
One year later, The Big Yellow Adventure continues to help children understand what to expect when they board a school bus for the first time. Through a warm, age-appropriate story, the book helps young riders manage first-day nerves, learn basic safety expectations and see the school bus as a welcoming part of their daily routine.

The response from families has been significant. To date, the book’s website has been visited by more than 14,000 people, and the book and related resources have been downloaded more than 4,000 times. For parents and caregivers, the book has become a practical way to start conversations about school bus safety, independence and confidence before the first day of school.

“When we created The Big Yellow Adventure, our goal was simple: help children feel more comfortable and confident the first time they ride the school bus,” said Kyle DeVivo, COO of DATTCO. “One year later, seeing how many families have used this resource tells us there was a real need. It gives parents a way to talk through the experience, answer questions and make that first bus ride feel less intimidating.”

Don DeVivo, CEO and President of DATTCO, added: “At DATTCO, school transportation is about more than safely getting students from home to school and back again. We are part of the communities we serve, and we believe that means looking for meaningful ways to support families beyond the bus ride itself. This book is a great example of how DATTCO goes above and beyond to serve children, parents, schools and the broader community.”

A Resource for Parents and Caregivers
The book was developed in collaboration with behavioral health professionals from OPTIMUS Healthcare, who reviewed the content for age-appropriateness and emotional impact. Written by Paul Mayer, children’s author and DATTCO’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and illustrated by Nancy Ingenito, the book combines practical guidance with engaging visuals designed to help children feel prepared, reassured and ready for the school bus experience.

Designed for parents and caregivers to read aloud, The Big Yellow Adventure gives families a shared language for discussing what the first day of bus riding may feel like. It helps adults reassure children, explain the bus routine, reinforce safety expectations and turn uncertainty into confidence.

Going Above and Beyond for Communities
The success of The Big Yellow Adventure reflects DATTCO’s broader commitment to serving its communities beyond traditional school bus transportation. By creating and sharing a free educational resource, DATTCO is helping families prepare children emotionally and practically for a positive school transportation experience.

The free digital picture book and coloring book remain available through DATTCO’s website at www.dattcoschoolbus.com/the-big-yellow-adventure/. The resources are available in both English and Spanish, making them accessible to families across the communities DATTCO serves.

Supporting Families Before the First Ride
For many children, the first school bus ride is also one of their first experiences with independence. The Big Yellow Adventure helps make that transition easier by giving families a positive, approachable way to talk about new routines, new people and new responsibilities. The book reinforces DATTCO’s belief that a safe ride begins with trust, preparation and care.

About DATTCO
DATTCO has provided safe, reliable school transportation for decades, transporting more than 120,000 students daily. The company’s commitment to safety, reliability and community engagement has made it a trusted partner in education transportation. The Big Yellow Adventure reflects DATTCO’s dedication to student well-being and its commitment to supporting families beyond the bus ride. The book is available through DATTCO’s website at www.dattcoschoolbus.com/the-big-yellow-adventure/.

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For many kindergarteners, the first day of school also marks their first time traveling to class without a parent. Whether they board a traditional yellow school bus or use another form of student transportation, the unfamiliar vehicle as well as new routine and separation from family can make the experience intimidating.

Preparing children before their first ride can help make the process more predictable. Families can visit the assigned pickup location, explain what will happen when the vehicle arrives and make sure children know their bus number, stop or other identifying transportation information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that children riding school buses should arrive at their stop at least five minutes before the bus and wait at least 10 feet from the curb. Students should wait until the vehicle stops completely, and the school bus driver indicates it is safe before boarding or exiting.

NHTSA also advises children who cross in front of a school bus to make eye contact with the driver. Industry standards require school bus drivers train the students on a hand gesture made by the driver as an all-clear sign for the students to cross the street. If an item falls near or underneath the vehicle, students should notify the driver instead of attempting to retrieve it.

Although the school bus is one of the safest vehicles on the road, NHTSA states that children face greater risk while approaching or leaving it. Practicing those steps before school begins can turn unfamiliar instructions into a recognizable routine.

Student Transporters Take Safety Initiative

Some school districts have incorporated practice rides and additional assistance into kindergarten orientation. For instance, Monroe School District in Washington state invites incoming kindergarteners and their parents or guardians to meet school bus drivers and take a practice ride from the transportation facility to their future school. During the event, students also learned important school bus safety practices.

Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia explained to families that drivers help provide kindergarteners with a safe and welcoming ride while teaching them school bus safety and appropriate behavior. At Forestville Elementary School within Fairfax, kindergarteners sit near the front of the bus, board and exit before older students, and receive yellow identifying markers on their backpacks, so drivers and substitutes know when they may need additional assistance.

Transportation professionals have also developed creative resources to help children understand what riding a school bus will be like. The use of children’s books to prepare young riders was discussed during the STN EXPO East conference in March.

Monique Jackson, an area transportation manager for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Rocky River Transportation, and Valerie Higley, a substitute school bus driver and dispatcher for First Student in East Lyme, Connecticut, shared how the children books they wrote can introduce young readers to school bus safety and make the riding experience feel more familiar.

The books represent one resource families and transportation professionals can use alongside practice rides, safety lessons and conversations with drivers.

Head Start Guidance

Federal Head Start guidance also addressed how transportation teams can assist young children who become upset while riding. It advised drivers and monitors to learn about the interests and needs of the children they transport so they can recognize when a child may require additional attention.

Families and transportation staff are encouraged to communicate when a child may need extra support and develop ways to help the child manage their feelings during the ride. Transportation staff can respond by offering reassurance, redirecting the child’s attention, starting a conversation, or sitting nearby when additional encouragement is needed, according to the guidance.

Communication can be equally important for caregivers learning a new transportation routine, particularly when language barriers make ride information difficult to understand.

HopSkipDrive announced July 21 that the company’s caregiver app, ride notifications and live support are now available in Spanish. The app automatically displays information in Spanish when a caregiver’s phone is set to the language, according to the company.

Spanish-speaking caregivers can track rides, receive pickup and drop-off notifications and contact a Spanish-speaking support agent during an active ride. HopSkipDrive said its Caregiver Great Start program helps families learn how to use the app before a child’s first ride and is too available in Spanish.

The update applies to HopSkipDrive’s supplemental student transportation service via alternative vehicles rather than traditional school bus routes. However, it illustrates how providing families with clear information before and during a ride can help reduce confusion surrounding an unfamiliar transportation process.

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Related: Safety in Sight
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Related: Georgia Grandmother Writes School Bus Safety Book for Children
Related: Building Trust on the Bus: The Lasting Impact of Student-Driver Relationships

The post Helping First-Time Riders Approach the School Bus with Confidence appeared first on School Transportation News.

Bullitt County Public Schools in Kentucky is warning families to prepare for possible school bus route disruptions as the district continues recruiting staff amid a driver shortage ahead of the 2026-2027 school year reported, WDRB News.

In a letter sent to families last week, the district said canceled routes remain a possibility if substitute bus drivers are unavailable. The district reminded parents that they are responsible for ensuring students get to school if a route is canceled.

“Families are responsible for student transportation and attendance,” the district said. “If a bus route is canceled, absences will not be excused.”

To help minimize disruptions, the district reportedly said elementary and middle school students may be dropped off as early as 6 a.m. through its Right at School before-school program and remain until 6 p.m. High school students will also have access to designated community pickup locations, where buses will provide transportation to campus.

The district reportedly noted that parents have up to six excused absences for their children each school year to use for unexpected emergencies.

District Short on Sub Drivers

Superintendent Jesse Bacon said the district expects to have enough full-time drivers to cover all regular routes when school begins but continues to face a shortage of substitute bus drivers. “Our problem is that there are not enough people who want to drive a bus,” Bacon said in a statement. “We have raised pay considerably over the last five years.”

According to Bacon, the average bus driver reportedly earns $25.44 per hour over a 179-day work year and receives benefits including health insurance, retirement, paid sick leave, personal leave and emergency leave. He added that the district’s most experienced drivers earn $30.20 per hour.

Some parents say canceled routes have already affected student attendance. Parent Chelsea Stanley said her first-grade daughter missed multiple days of school last year after repeated route cancellations. “It’s actually been a nightmare,” Stanley said, adding that without reliable transportation, her family was left with few safe alternatives for getting her daughter to school.

Written with the assistance of AI.

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