The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) is calling on all motorists to obey traffic laws and exercise caution around school buses as students return to classrooms nationwide.

The warning follows the release of new data highlighting the ongoing problem of illegal passing of stopped school buses. According to results presented by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services at the 2026 NSTA Annual Meeting & Convention last month, 101,334 school bus drivers in 39 states and the District of Columbia (approximately 26 percent of the nation’s school bus drivers) voluntarily participated in a one-day count in the spring. They reported a total of 56,024 illegal passing motorists.

When projected nationally, the data suggests more than 213,800 illegal passings occur each school day, totaling over 38.4 million violations annually. This latest figure indicates a decrease from the 45.2 million violations estimated for the 2023–2024 school year. NASDPTS projected a total of 39.3 million violations for the 2024–2025 school year.

“School bus safety is a shared responsibility, and this data is a reminder that motorists play a critical role in protecting student,” said NSTA President Patrick Dean stated of the back-to-school reminder.

The school bus contractor association also continues its #KidsDeserveABrake social media campaign through September to raise awareness about the return of school buses to the roads. The association is advocating in Congress for H.R.2348 and S.2812, known as the Brake for Kids Act, which would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a nationwide public safety campaign about the dangers of illegal school bus passing.

“Every time a motorist illegally passes a stopped school bus, children’s safety is put at risk. As the school year begins, NSTA is calling on drivers, law enforcement and communities to treat these violations with the seriousness they deserve and to help ensure every student gets to and from school safely,” added NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn.

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Related: Action Plan Puts National Spotlight on Hidden Toll of Illegal Passing

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We analyze the conversations at the National School Transportation Association’s annual convention, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study on autonomous vehicle safety, and how student transporters can respond to the evolving trends of AI and new technology.

Cameron Wood, the lead electric vehicle performance analyst for school bus contractor Student Transportation of America, shares how his technical background led him to brainstorm an EV charging solution and accept the Innovator of the Year award at STN EXPO West this month.

Read more about technology.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

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DENVER, Colo. – John Elliott Jr., Senior Vice President of Customer Operations at Summit School Services, has been awarded the Golden Merit Award by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) for his exceptional dedication to service excellence in the student transportation industry.

The Golden Merit Award was introduced in 1969 to recognize school bus professionals who have demonstrated excellence and dedication in service and safety in student transportation. Award recipients are also selected based on their contributions to the industry and their exemplification of outstanding leadership, innovation, and decision-making throughout their careers.

John, along with other award recipients, were recognized and presented with their awards at the NSTA Awards and Installation Dinner on July 21, 2026, and were joined by family, fellow team members, and industry professionals. The award presentation was held as part of NSTA’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Convention.

John Elliott Jr. began his career with Summit School Services in 2015 as Vice President of Operations. Following his proven success in fostering positive customer relationships and contributing to business growth, John advanced into his current role as Senior Vice President of Customer Operations a few years later in 2019.

“John has led our company to many great successes over the years. Through his integrity, industry expertise, and innate ability to connect with customers, he has built trusted, long-lasting partnerships by listening to their needs and responding with decisive action and genuine care,” said Tim Wertner, CEO, Summit School Services. “This award is a tremendous testament to both who he is as a person and the amazing career he has built in the school bus industry. Congratulations, John, on this incredible recognition, and thank you for your unwavering commitment to safety and excellence.”

“I have had the pleasure in working with John since he joined Summit and can say with full confidence that this award is very much deserved,” said Carina Noble, Senior Vice President of Communications and External Affairs, Summit School Services. “John is personable, talented, and highly experienced in effectively navigating customer relationships and operations. He is incredibly skilled in both regards, and as a fellow colleague, I have immense respect for John and have learned a great deal from him and his expansive knowledge. Congrats, John, on this fittingly esteemed award.”

About Summit School Services
Summit School Services sets the standard for safe, reliable student transportation across North America. As the parent organization to trusted local operators including Durham School Services, Stock Transportation, and Petermann Bus, Summit supports over 360 school districts. Driven by our five values: Safety, Care, Transparency, Communities, and Culture, we deliver transportation that works consistently, reliably, and without disruption.

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DENVER, Colo. — National Association of School Transportation members saw the installation of a new board as well as several awardees during its July 19-22 annual meeting.

The event at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel introduced three new at-large board of directors: Scott Burkoth, vice president of mergers and acquisitions at First Student; Denis Gallagher, Jr., senior vice president of operations at Student Transportation of America; and Jacob Iverson, senior vice president of Landmark Student Transportation as the new. Michael Ahern, CEO at Karpf School Bus was elected Region I Director and David Duke, chief development officer at Beacon Mobility, was elected Region 4 Director.

The Blake A. Krapf Distinguished Service Award went to Bobbie Harman of First Student, the school bus contractor’s senior director of customer and community engagement, in recognition of “recent, significant, substantial and special contributions to pupil transportation contracting.” NSTA memorialized Krapf’s name on the award last year following his death.

B.R. Williams Inc., of New Jersey took home the Contractor of the Year Award, presented in by NSTA in partnership with School Transportation News. Cameron Wood, the 2026 STN Innovator of the Year, was also acknowledged during the annual meeting.

Related: Historic Year for Minnesota School Bus Contractor Punctuated by NSTA Award
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Related: (STN Podcast E315) Onsite at STN EXPO West, Pt. 2: Oregon District Tackles Driver Shortages, Student Behavior
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John Elliott, Jr., senior vice president of customer operations at Summit School Services, was awarded the Golden Merit Award for his exceptional dedication to service excellence in the student transportation industry. The Golden Merit Award, introduced in 1969, recognizes school bus professionals who have demonstrated excellence and dedication in service and safety in student transportation. Award recipients are also selected based on their contributions to the industry and their exemplification of outstanding leadership, innovation and decision-making throughout their careers.

AMF-Bruns was announced as the NSTA Vendor Partner of the Year. The award goes to a vendor who has offered superior support to NSTA through committee service, financial commitment and educational contributions to the organization, as well as student transportation as a whole.

Finally, Pat Regan, president of Minnesota Coaches that has been in business serving school districts since 1959, was inducted into the  NSTA Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame recognizes excellence in long-term efforts on behalf of the pupil transportation industry.

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RENO, Nev. — Cameron Wood, the lead electric vehicle performance analyst for school bus contractor Student Transportation of America, accepted the sixth annual Innovator of the Year award July 12 during the opening session of STN EXPO West.

Wood is highlighted on the cover and a feature article in the July issue of School Transportation News. He joined STA in 2024 after working as a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin. His background in engineering, algorithms and data analysis helped him bring a new perspective to student transportation.

He is recognized as Innovator of the Year for creating a machine-learning system that determines the appropriate state of charge for individual buses. The program combines real-time information from electric school buses, chargers and local weather with historical performance data. It then automatically recommends charging levels and adjusts charging times based on operating conditions, route needs and expected energy use.

The technology addresses challenges that can make electric school bus charging more complex than conventional fueling. Charging sessions can fail because of dirty connectors, improperly inserted plugs or communication problems between the vehicle and charger. Cold weather also increases energy consumption because heating systems draw power from the battery. These factors are especially important when buses must recharge between morning and afternoon routes or share sequential chargers.

Related: Sharda Presented with Innovator of the Year Award at 2025 STN EXPO West
Related: Zum’s Prakash Accepts Innovator of the Year Award at STN EXPO
Related: Innovator of the Year Talks School Bus Charging Solutions
Related: 2023 Innovator of the Year Drives Technological Advantages Needed for Fleet Growth
Related: Inagural Innovator of the Year Leads Electrification of North America’s Largest Fleet of School Buses

Before launching the automated program, Wood developed a calculator that required employees to enter charging and scheduling information manually. While useful, that approach could not easily scale as STA added more electric buses and chargers. Wood’s updated system, which is patent pending, now manages charging sessions throughout the day with minimal intervention, reducing work that could take employees several hours to a process completed in seconds. The automation also minimizes human error and gives drivers greater confidence that buses will be ready for their routes

During STN EXPO West conference, Wood was joined by his mother and her partner, as well as Rachel Lane, the company’s vice president of electrification and sustainability, and Thomas Yessman, the executive vice president of shared services at STA.

Tony Corpin, the president of STN Media Group and publisher of School Transportation News, introduced Wood as a passionate, intelligent and articulate individual.

“To say that I’m honored is an understatement,” Wood said on stage Sunday morning. “I want to thank Tony and the team at STN and along with NSTA for giving out this award every year. I want to thank Rachel Lane and Thomas Yesman for coming out from STA to support me. Especially Rachel, she’s a great boss. And thank you to my family, my mom and her partner came out all the way from Pennsylvania to support me and it means a lot. Thank you everyone.”

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Related: Leadership Strategies Shared at STN EXPO West
Related: TD Summit Shares What the Business World Can Teach Student Transporters

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WALL, N.J., Student Transportation of America (STA), a leader in student transportation, safety, and fleet services across North America, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Tremblay’s Bus Company, effective June 30, 2026.

Tremblay’s Bus Company is an ideal addition to the STA Family of Brands. Based in New Bedford and Fall River, Massachusetts, Tremblay’s operates a fleet of approximately 400 vehicles, serving school districts and communities throughout southeastern Massachusetts. The acquisition adds approximately $35 million in annual revenue and further strengthens STA’s strong and growing footprint across the Northeastern United States.

For STA, this acquisition is about far more than geography and growth. It’s about welcoming a company whose values closely mirror its own.

Founded in the late 1960s with a single station transporting local workers to nearby factories, Tremblay’s has grown into one of the region’s most respected transportation providers. Today, the company serves key customers including the New Bedford School Department, Fall River School Department, and Dartmouth School Department and is widely recognized for its longstanding commitment to safe, reliable service.

Tremblay’s has earned a reputation as an organization deeply connected to the communities it serves. For decades, Tremblay’s has supported veterans, public servants, seniors, youth organizations, and charitable causes throughout the greater New Bedford and Fall River area, becoming known for having a heart every bit as large as its fleet. STA values and celebrates this local commitment while supporting the business with corporate resources and best practices to ensure continued growth and success.

“Tremblay’s Bus Company represents exactly the kind of organization we are proud to welcome into the STA Family of Brands,” said Gene Kowalczewski, CEO of Student Transportation of America. “Their commitment to safety, their strong local leadership, and their deep ties to the communities they serve align perfectly with who we are as a company. We are excited to build on Tremblay’s remarkable legacy while continuing to support the students, families, employees, and school districts that have trusted them for generations.”

Across North America, STA’s Family of Brands is united by a shared focus on what matters most: safety, reliability, and care for people. The model combines local expertise and relationships with the resources, technology, and support of a larger organization—ensuring communities continue to receive personalized service while benefiting from industry-leading transportation practices.

STA will work closely with Tremblay’s leadership and employees to ensure a seamless transition for customers and staff. Day-to-day operations will continue without interruption, and the company looks forward to preserving the strong local relationships that have defined Tremblay’s success for more than half a century.

About Student Transportation of America
Student Transportation of America (STA) is an industry leader in school transportation, management, driver training, safety, routing, fleet services, maintenance, and innovative transportation solutions. Through the STA Family of Brands, the company operates more than 22,000 vehicles and serves communities across the United States and Canada with an unwavering commitment to safety, reliability, and customer service. For more information, please visit rideSTA.com.

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The July issue introduces the STN 2026 Innovator of the Year, Cameron Wood, the lead electric vehicle performance analyst for Student Transportation of America. Read the full story to learn how the 26-year-old is helping shape the future of electric vehicle charging. Read articles on how student enrollment affects transportation operations, cameras with new AI capabilities impact on driver training, school bus driver fatigue, alternative vehicles and learn more on the National Express to Summit Services contractor rebrand.

Read the full July 2026 issue.

Cover Story

Taking Charge
Cameron Wood, the lead electric vehicle performance analyst for Student Transportation of America, is this year’s STN Innovator of the Year. At only 26 years old, Wood is credited with developing a patent-pending program to help electric school buses charge smarter.

Features

Growth Spurt
Districts leaders say growth isn’t solely defined by an increase in student enrollment. Factors such as increased routes and new schools contribute to expanded transportation operations.

Smart Move
What do cameras with AI capabilities that record driver activity and student behavior mean for the future of school transportation?

Dealing with Driver Fatigue
While they love aspects of the job, school bus drivers share the many external and internal factors that contribute to burnout and resignation.

Special Reports

Same Goals, Different Vehicles
Increasingly, non-yellow vehicles are taking students to and from school and extracurricular activities. This makes it even more paramount that the bar of alternative transportation safety standards is set high.

Q&A: Industry Ascension
CEO Tim Wertner discusses the reasons for the recent rebrand of one of the largest school bus contractor groups and plans its companies have for the present and future.

Conversations
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
Safety in Sight

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Fuel Choice, Budgets & Fresh Ideas

The post July 2026 appeared first on School Transportation News.

KYLE, Texas – Each year, the Bill Loshbough Grand Champion award goes to the winner of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition produced by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA). This year’s two-day event concluded over the weekend, and Brian Rickmann of Oregon’s Beaverton School District took home the honors.

Rickmann finished the event with a grand total of 694 points, which gave him a commanding lead in the Type D competition over second place winner James Hethcock of Colleyville Independent School District in Grapevine, Texas (571.53) and Kevin Beck of Salem-Keizer Public School District in Oregon (545.87).

For the title of Bill Loshbough Grand Champion across all categories, named for the Hall of Fame member of NSTA and the National Association for Pupil Transportation, the overall race was a little tighter. Rickmann’s 694 points bested the 628 points tallied by James Tiensvold of Dickson County School District in Tennessee in the Type A competition and the 624.67 points by Betty Nelson of Dean Transportation in Lansing, Michigan in Type C.

The 52nd edition of the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition took place in Uhland, Texas June 27 and 28 at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District transportation facility. The competition was sponsored by Beacon Mobility and hosted by the National School Transportation Association. Hays CISD has hosted the event since 2019, with no competition held 2020-2022 due to COVID-19. The site has proved to be the perfect fit for a competition of this sort, “This facility is really tailormade for a competition like this. As you can see, the spacing and just the layout is really helpful” said Curt Macysyn, NSTA’s executive director.

This year’s competition consisted of a total of 93 school bus drivers from 27 states and two Canadian provinces. In order to qualify for the international competition, each driver had to win their state, regional, or provincial competition, or be an NSTA Member Inclusion Driver.

Drivers were grouped by type, with 11 Type A (small bus) drivers, 30 Type D (conventional bus) drivers, and 52 Type C (transit bus) drivers. While drivers mainly competed with drivers in their classification, the Bill Loshbough Grand Champion was crowned to the driver with the most points overall.

The competition itself was split into two separate competitions: A CDL knowledge test, which took place Saturday, June 27, and the scored driving competition, which took place Sunday, June 29. An awards dinner followed.

The scored driving competition consisted of 10 different events along one continual course. Before driving the course, drivers toured the course by bus and received the details of each individual event.

The course started with student loading, followed by a railroad crossing, then a right-hand turn. It continued with the offset alley, which required drivers to shift to the left, right and back to the left without hitting any barriers.

After the offset alley, drivers completed a left-hand turn, which directed them to the straight-line test that required them to keep their right dual wheels within a straight line. Drivers then paralleled parked their buses and navigated the diminishing clearance.

The competitors then found themselves faced with what proved to be the toughest task of the day, the backup stall. The backup stall required drivers to back their buses into a tight stall and stop in a marked and measured parameter. Upon securing the buses, drivers were scored on the timing and accuracy. Drivers then needed to pull their bus forward out of the stall without hitting any obstacles and proceed to the final event of the competition: The stop line.

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Type A Results

Type C Results

Type D Results

Each event was scrutinized by a set of judges stationed along the course at their respective events. All judges were volunteers, many of which came from school districts or companies. To avoid conflicts of interest, judges stepped away from the course when a competitor represented the same school district or company.

David Jorgensen, transportation operations manager of Salem-Keizer Public Schools in Oregon, did just that, as one of his district’s drivers, Kevin Beck, not only qualified for the competition, but also placed third amongst Type D drivers. Jorgensen, who judged the backup stall, had no shortage of pleasantries when speaking about NSTA and the competition as a whole.

“It’s fun to be out here. It’s fun to meet people from other places. It’s fun to watch the skills of the drivers and it’s just fun. It’s really smooth. It’s a great facility, the weather has been nice,” he commented. “Drivers have been doing okay. I mean, we are one of the most challenging events on the course, so anytime someone does well, that feels really good.”

Not only did the competition prove to be enjoyable, it allowed bus drivers from across North America to enhance their safety knowledge and skills, something that can go a long way in ensuring the safety of students.

Photos 

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National School Transportation Association (NSTA) bus driver event continues in 2026. When: Sunday, June 28, 2026 – 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM (CT). Host: National School Transportation Association (NSTA). Title Sponsor: Beacon Mobility. Participants: We are now up to 93 School Bus Drivers from 27 states, and 2 Canadian Provinces, who have qualified by winning a state, regional, or provincial competition, or been classified as NSTA Member Inclusion Driver. Where: Hays CISD Transportation Facility, 2385 High Road, Uhland, TX 78640. GPS Location: 29°58’10.5”N , 97°47’03.4”W|Tel.: 512-268-2141.

For the third time since 2019, NSTA hosts the SBDISC, as the event returns to the
Hays CISD Transportation Facility once again in 2026. In 2023, the NSTA Board of
Directors decided to revive this iconic event, and after careful consideration, the
organization approved Hays CISD Transportation Facility as the permanent location for
the event. This two-day Weekend Competition provides an opportunity for school bus
drivers to test their CDL Knowledge through a scored test and Driving Skills in one of
three (3) categories: Small Bus (Type A), Conventional Bus (Type C), or Transit Bus (Type D). Drivers must complete Driver Orientation and complete a CDL Knowledge Test on Saturday, June 27th, prior to the Driving Skills Competition on Sunday (June 28th). In order to qualify for the SBDISC, drivers must win in their Bus Type Classification at a state, regional, or provincial competition, or be granted NSTA Member Inclusion status,
in order to gain entry to compete in SBDISC.

Invitees: In addition to the approximately 93 drivers, there are 41 competition judges –
who volunteer to officiate at the event. Additionally, spectators are invited to attend the competition, and shuttle buses are provided to-and-from the Hays CISD Transportation
Facility directly from the event’s host hotel – the Austin Marriott

Downtown (304 E. Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701, Phone: 512-457-1111). The hotel is approximately 45 minutes away from the Hays CISD Transportation Facility. Food
Trucks will be available on-site at Hays CISD for spectators to purchase breakfast, lunch,
and other refreshments.

Cost: There is no cost to attend the Driving Skills Competition at Hays CISD on Sunday
morning, and a photo opportunity for all Driver-Competitors is scheduled for 4:30 PM
with NSTA President Patrick Dean at the host hotel. The Driver Awards Banquet will be
hosted at the Austin Marriott Downtown Hotel on Sunday evening from 5:30 PM to 8:00
PM (CT), and there is a $85.00 registration fee for spectators and guests to attend.
Notes: In 2024, the NSTA Board of Directors approved the Hays CISD Transportation
Facility to be the permanent location for the SBDISC – starting in 2024.

About NSTA: NSTA is the leading resource for school bus transportation solutions and the voice for private contractors for more than 60 years. We are a membership organization for school bus contract-operators engaged primarily in transporting students to and from school and school-related activities. Members range from small family businesses Private school bus contractors account for 38 percent of the nation’s pupil transportation services and employ more than 250,000 individuals as bus drivers, mechanics, maintenance workers, dispatch, and office workers. School transportation represents the largest form of mass transportation in the United States. Daily, almost 26 million K-12 students are transported by an estimated 480,000 yellow school buses.

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