Jaguar Land Rover has instructed almost three dozen I-Pace owners in the US to avoid parking their EVs near structures and to limit charging to 80% because incorrectly repaired examples are at risk of catching fire.

This recall follows on from an earlier one impacting 2019 Jaguar I-Pace models. The brand says 34 vehicles in the US have not had software updates correctly installed and have a safety defect that can cause the EVs to catch fire. Impacted models were assembled between February 18, 2018, and March 11, 2019.

Read: Jaguar Is Buying Back 2,760 Faulty I-Pace EVs Over Fire Risk

Jaguar started to audit its previous recall on November 12 and found three vehicles that had not been correctly updated, even though retailers had submitted a claim for the repair to the carmaker. Jaguar has since reviewed the logs across its retail network and found that 34 vehicles continue to represent a safety risk and must be fixed. While there have not been any reports of accidents, injuries, or fires, it’s a fault that owners should take seriously. The recall also comes just a few weeks after Jaguar said it was buying back 2,760 I-Paces in the US that can catch fire.

Dealers will be notified of this latest recall on January 2, while owners will be informed by February 7. Retailers have been instructed to install an interim software update to fix the fault.

Interestingly, JLR first issued this new recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on December 12 and did not tell owners to park their EVs away from structures. However, the recall notice was updated on December 17, warning owners of the dangers.

“In line with recommendations made by manufacturers who have had similar issues and until such time as the safety recall remedy has been completed, retailers and customers should park away from structures,” the recall states. “Where possible, vehicles should be charged outside. Customers should also limit their charge to a maximum of 80% until the recall remedy has been completed. The Owner Manual should be consulted to confirm how to monitor vehicle charge level.”

An Orange Unified School District school bus in Southern California was involved in a crash with a SUV that resulted in hospitalization for the victims but they are expected to recover.

Michael L. Christensen, superintendent of Orange Unified School District (OUSD), released a statement saying that two students and the school bus driver were onboard Monday at the time of the incident and have been transported to local hospitals.

The Orange County Fire Authority responded to the scene of the incident and stated that there three adults and two children sustained injuries. They were all transported in stable but serious condition. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash.

“Our hearts go out to our students, the driver, and their loved ones during this challenging time,” said Christensen. “We are deeply grateful to the first responders for their quick response and support, and we are working with the California Highway Patrol on their investigation.

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Related: School Bus T-Bone Crash in Minnesota Injures 10 Students on Board
Related: In Case of an Emergency
Related: Indiana Motorist Makes Obscene Gesture to Stopped Bus

The post California School Bus Transporting Students with Special Needs Involved in Crash appeared first on School Transportation News.

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Candles, flowers, crosses and plenty of television cameras have accented the Madison cityscape following a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School that wounded six and killed three, including the 15-year-old shooter. 

Here’s what it looked like this week as community members gathered to support traumatized families and memorialize lives lost.

Police and first responders lined Buckeye Road as investigations continued.

Abundant Life remains closed to students. The United Way of Dane County has established an Abundant Life Christian School Emergency and Recovery Fund, with all proceeds going to those affected by the shooting, according to the school’s website. Supporters can donate online or text help4ALCS to the number 40403.

By Tuesday morning, news media vehicles swarmed where parents would have dropped off their children on normal school days. Reporters conducted interviews along Buckeye Road, lining sidewalks and street parking spaces.

Police tape surrounded the school and neighboring City Church. Flowers and candles lined the sidewalk.

On a chilly Tuesday evening, hundreds mourned at a candlelit vigil at the Wisconsin Capitol.

Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Joe Gothard and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called on the community to support those affected. 

“That is where our focus is right now — caring for everyone who has been impacted,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Let us be a community that takes care of each other.”

She highlighted resources available through the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety and Office of Crime Victim Services, available 24-7 at 1-800-697-8761 or schoolsafety@doj.state.wi.us.

Vigil attendees sang and held their hands near their candles, protecting flames from gusts of wind. They wrote messages on crosses representing the dead.

“We will fight for change so this can’t happen again,” read one message.

Calls to end gun violence have echoed throughout Madison, including a plea from the Wisconsin State Journal’s editorial board to “break America’s curse of gunfire in schools.”

Photos: Madison mourns after Abundant Life Christian School shooting is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

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The school shooting this week at Abundant Life Christian in Madison, Wisconsin, is tragic and senseless, but it’s not at all shocking. Deliberately planned school shootings happen multiple times every school year, mostly in smaller rural and suburban communities. The perpetrators of these attacks are almost always actively suicidal current or former students at the school they target.

Back in April, I wrote an article for the 25th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. This trend line turned out to be sadly accurate. With the shooting at Abundant Life Christian, there have been five pre-planned attacks at schools this year.

Regardless of how you measure school shootings — guns fired, wounded, killed, active shooter, planned attacks, or near misses — the trend line is going up. While these planned school shootings have taken place since the 1960s, the frequency of the attacks is steadily increasing.

Like the other planned attacks this year in Perry, Iowa; Mount Horeb, Wisconsin; Apalachee, Georgia; and Palermo, California, these incidents have common patterns and connections to prior school shootings. The number of “near misses” where a school shooting almost happens are also going up.

Columbine connection

The father of the 15-year-old Madison, Wisconsin, school shooter posted a Facebook photo of his daughter at a shooting range in August. His cover photo shows Natalie Rupnow, who went by the name Samantha.

Natalie can be seen wearing a black shirt with the name of the band KMFDM. The German industrial rock band’s lyrics were thrust into the dark subculture of school shooters by the students who carried out the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School.

In the Columbine “basement tapes,” Dylan Klebold can be seen wearing the same shirt. It’s critical for parents to study prior school shooters, know their names and faces, and recognize symbols like KMFDM that represent idolization of prior attacks.

In January 2024 at Perry High, the 17-year-old student perpetrator entered the school with a shotgun, pistol, knife, and IED inside a duffel bag (important note: both planned attacks at schools in the spring of 2024 involved IEDs). He spent 22 minutes inside a school bathroom where he posted photos of himself with the gun, posted on a Discord “school shooting massacres” channel, posted the same KMFDM song played by the Columbine shooters, and started a livestream on social media.

Insider attacks

The Madison shooting follows the common patterns with planned attacks at schools. The perpetrator was a student (insider), committed a surprise attack during morning classes and died by suicide before police arrived.

Most school shootings are committed by current or former students who are “insiders” at the school and know the security plan/procedures.

Since an insider is someone who is allowed to be inside the school, most of these attacks are committed by current students.

Female school shooter

I co-published an article in the Los Angeles Times: Here’s what is so unusual about the Wisconsin school shooting — and what isn’t:

Inside during morning classes

Pre-planned school shootings usually take place during morning classes or at the start of the school day when the building is open before classes start.

Just like the shooting in Wisconsin this week, the most common outcome is the teenage student shooter commits suicide, surrenders or is subdued by students or staff before police intervene.

Begins and ends in the same room

While “active shooter training” videos produced by the Department of Homeland Security and ads by security tech vendors portray assailants roaming throughout a building while searching for every possible victim, most school shootings begin and end in the same room.

There isn’t much use for a ballistic chalkboard, drop bar lock on the door or panic button when the victims are all in close proximity to an armed assailant who is inside the same room with them.

Following this pattern, the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, took place in a classroom during study hall, and the victims were in the same age group. The teenage shooter didn’t roam the building looking for the elementary school kids; she killed herself before police arrived.

Police usually don’t stop these single shooter insider attacks because they are very short duration incidents that are usually over within the first two minutes.

Concealed handguns

When a student is committing a surprise attack inside a school, the easiest weapon to sneak inside is a handgun. Most students who are arrested inside schools with guns have a handgun hidden inside their backpack. Because of that, it’s not a surprise that a handgun is the most common weapon used during a school shooting by an insider.

During just these deliberately planned attacks over the last 60 years (these victim counts in the chart do not represent all shootings on school property), there have been roughly twice as many victims killed or wounded with handguns versus rifles.

This doesn’t mean that rifles aren’t as dangerous. At Apalachee High, a student committed an insider attack by sneaking an AR-15 into the building inside a posterboard. Until the last decade, AR-15s weren’t cheap and easily accessible. As there continue to be more school shootings involving rifles, this chart will likely even out over time (unless we take meaningful action to stop these attacks).

Preventing the next school shooting

I spoke to NBC 5 Investigates on Monday afternoon right after the school shooting. I said that this shooting at Abundant Life Christian School followed a common pattern in that it was carried out by an “insider” — a student familiar with the school grounds.

“We need to understand the actual nature of this problem and apply solutions towards identifying the student who has a grievance, identifying a student who is talking about students and realizing that these are rarely random acts. All the opportunities to prevent it happen before they ever come to campus with a gun,” Riedman told NBC 5 Investigates.

Riedman said the focus should not be on fortifying schools with additional weapons detectors or metal detectors but focusing on the students’ behaviors that may help foretell a future incident — adding that there is a need to “dispel the myth that these school shootings are committed by scary outsiders,” when data shows that they are often committed by those who are familiar with the school and have a grievance that ends in violence.

“We will probably hear in the coming days about a series of missed warning signs, social media posts, a manifesto and so on,” he said.

Analysis: Six common factors in the school shooting at Abundant Life Christian is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Several hundred people gathered on the Capitol Square in Madison Tuesday evening for a vigil following a school shooting Monday that left three dead and injured six other people. (Erik Gunn | Wisconsin Examiner)

A day after a student killed two people, injured six others and took her own life at a Madison private school, public officials and community members mourned and processed their own trauma from the devastating violence.

“It is OK to ask for what you need to take care of your own mental health,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway at a vigil on Madison’s Capitol Square Tuesday evening. “Please. Please. Let us be a community where it is okay to ask for help. Let us be a community where, when we see someone who needs help, that we are the first to extend our hands and to offer resources where they are needed. Let us be a community that takes care of each other. That is where our focus is right now — on caring for everyone who has been impacted by this gun violence.”

The vigil was organized by the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. “We come together to begin the healing journey for our children and to support one another in this face of another school shooting that has hit our community,” said Michael Johnson, the organization’s president. “Let us remind each other that we are loved, that we are valued and we are not alone in this difficult time.”

“Violence in our community is preventable,” said state Rep. Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison). “We must not stand silent, but instead be moved to action.” She quoted Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights activist: “At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backwards by fear and division.”

Elected officials have united in expressing grief at the shooting. Following through on his announcement Monday, Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order Tuesday morning calling for the U.S. and Wisconsin flags to be flown at half staff on all state buildings through Sunday, Dec. 22, as well as on the date of each victim’s funeral.

In the well of the U.S. House Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, flanked by a bipartisan group of six of Wisconsin’s eight House members, led a moment of silence in recognition of those affected by the shooting. 

“These were innocent lives, innocent victims of senseless violence, and we mourn their loss with their families and loved ones and the entire Abundant Life Community,” Pocan said. He thanked law enforcement, first responders and health care workers who went to the scene or treated the victims. He emphasized as well that not just the dead and wounded, but the school community, its students, staff and parents, are all victims.

Pocan, like many Democratic lawmakers, has long been an outspoken advocate for tougher gun laws aimed at curbing gun violence. He alluded to that cause in his House speech, saying, “We must do better and we must turn these moments of silence into moments of action.”

But Pocan demurred from discussing specific policy talking points.

At a WisPolitics panel, Assembly Democratic leader Rep. Greta Neubauer cited direct policy changes that Democrats in the Legislature have tried in vain to pass over the last several years, only to be blocked by large Republican majorities: red flag laws that enable authorities to take guns from people perceived to be dangerous and universal background checks on all gun purchases. With a narrower GOP majority in both houses, she said, she hopes measures such as those could advance in the session starting in January.

Meanwhile, on the same panel, incoming Republican Senate President Mary Felzkowski highlighted concerns ranging from violent entertainment to social media — rather than firearms — as potential targets for regulation to reduce gun violence. 

In a television interview, Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) told Emilee Fannon of TV station CBS 58 that he would support a request by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul for $2.3 million in the state’s 2025-27 budget to continue permanent funding for the Office of School Safety in the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The office provides K-12 schools with resources to improve security measures and trains school staff on handling traumatic events and crisis prevention and response. It also runs a round-the-clock tip line.

The office became a partisan flashpoint in the Legislature’s 2023-25 budget deliberations after Republicans rejected funding and Democratic lawmakers attacked their decision. The state DOJ subsequently extended its operation by redirecting $1.3 million in federal pandemic relief funds.  

In the hours after the shooting, elected officials were unanimous in their expressions of grief while dividing along party lines in their policy responses.

 “Today’s tragedy is shocking, senseless and heartbreaking,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said Monday. 

“My thoughts and prayers are with the students, parents and faculty who will have to live with the trauma and grief of this day for the rest of their lives,” he said. “There are no words to adequately express condolences to those who have lost loved ones or to express gratitude for the first responders who were on scene for this violence.”

The statement made no reference either for or against legislation to address gun violence. 

Democratic lawmakers weren’t so reticent. 

“Right now, it’s hard to think of a greater moral failing as a nation and society than our inaction and unwillingness to keep our children safe from gun violence,” said Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison). “We do not have to accept this as an ordinary part of life. No other country does. Indeed – guns are the number one cause of death for American children, and that is a policy choice.”

At a news conference hours after the shooting Monday, Rhodes-Conway largely kept her focus on trauma and healing. “I am on record that I think we need to do better in our country and our community to prevent gun violence,” she said, adding that solutions should be the work of the whole community. A little later, she added: “But first and foremost, what needs to be a priority for all of us is supporting our young people, and that is where our community’s attention needs to turn at this point in time.”

And at Tuesday night’s vigil, she kept the attention on those who had immediately responded to the crisis. “Our community showed up in a big way, and is still continuing to show up,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Ultimately, that’s what gives me hope.”

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Imagine getting to work a few days or weeks after buying a brand new Tesla only to realize there are major issues. The cameras aren’t functioning, the GPS still thinks you’re sitting at home, and features like emergency braking don’t work. That’s exactly the type of situation that a number of Tesla owners are dealing with right now.

Several of these drivers claim to have taken delivery within the last month or two. This detail is important not just for the inconvenience it causes, but also because it might point to the root of the problem. These owners report that they all have Tesla’s AP4 or hardware version 4 chipset, which is responsible for the features mentioned above. If it has a problem, those features won’t work, so it could very well be the crux of this whole situation.

Glitches, Delays, and Angry Owners

Over on Reddit, several owners report very similar symptoms. On top of that, they claim that Tesla service centers are routinely scheduling to swap out AP4 hardware and delaying appointment times.

“Happened to me: 2024 Model Y. Navigation shows me at home. All the time. Cameras out. Even the display does not adjust. Auto lights don’t adjust. Appointment on January 13 wayyy delayed,” said one commenter.

More: Trump Might Kill Autonomous Crash Reporting Rules, Handing Tesla Exactly What It Wants

“I was contacted by Tesla today and the tech from my local service center told me that Tesla has told them to stop replacing the computers until they get to the root cause. He said they’re going to try and fix it with a software update and to expect 30 days. I find this mind-blowing because my symptoms started happening on Dec 2 and now my service date has been pushed back to Jan 23, nearly 2 months later,” said another.

There are many more complains on forums, including this one: “After a software update pushed by Tesla, the AP4 computer in my 2024 Tesla Model Y shorted out, causing a complete failure of all systems controlled by this computer.”

So, What’s Actually Wrong?

Electrek reports that sources from inside Tesla say that it’s related to a short circuit: “The cause is still being investigated, but one source told Electrek that one of the possible causes is the low-voltage battery short-circuiting the computer during the camera calibration process.” According to the outlet, one source claimed that Tesla Service has a mandate to “to play down any safety concerns related to this problem to avoid people believing their brand-new cars are not drivable.”

That seems like a tough job for Tesla Service employees considering how much emphasis the brand itself places on touting its safety record and technology. Notably, the NHTSA currently requires cars to have a functional backup camera, so it’s strange no recall related to this issue has been announced. That could change any day, but it’s also possible that Tesla will send an update that will fix the problem remotely, if it’s software related.

We’d ask Tesla, but, well, they don’t have a press department, though it appears that they might’ve recently hired one, as you can see from this Linkedin posting. We’ll keep an eye out to see if they decide to actually say something.

Are you a Tesla owner dealing with this headache? Share your saga in the comments. You can also report the issue to the NHTSA here, or if you’re in Canada, go ahead and do that here

The yellow school bus might be the most iconic way for students to get to school but the industry is also increasingly utilizing alternative vehicles in circumstances where a traditional school bus may not be able or be the best option to accommodate the route or students.

“While it is always preferable that children ride on yellow school buses there are some areas and instances where this may not be possible,” reads a statement paper the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) released earlier this year and ahead of the National Congress on School Transportation in May. “In such situations, it is crucial that children are transported in the safest possible vehicles and driven by qualified, trained, and well-regulated drivers.”

The NAPT paper outlines the current emerging trend of alternative transportation and the association’s recommendations to student transporters who are using vehicles other than the school bus. It notes the ongoing shortage of school bus drivers is a contributing factor to the increase of use of alternative vehicles.

“As this trend has increased, NAPT believes it is important to clarify appropriate and necessary steps to ensure the safety of our school children when such services are utilized by school districts,” the statement says.

It comes as no surprise that safety is the top priority and consideration, which NAPT says includes driver qualifications, vehicle integrity and safety features. The statement recognizes that alternative transportation service providers have taken the initiative to set safety standards and that the NAPT has worked directly with some of these providers.

“Our purpose and interest is to create clearer and nationally applicable standards that can be employed by school districts to make appropriate decisions to meet their needs,” emphasizes the statement. “We intend to involve the alternate provider community in our efforts as partners and collaborators.”

School Transportation News discussed the statement with Peter Mannella, who is NAPT’s public policy and communications liaison. Mannella recently spoke at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference in November, leading a panel discussion on alternative transportation services for students with special needs. He mentioned the statement and pointed attendees to it on the NAPT website. He also said the NAPT took no position in publishing the paper.

Instead, he told STN that NAPT intentionally did not set standards but chose “to identify those elements or factors for which school districts should have standards, especially in the absence of national standards or even consistent state-level standards. Clearly, standard setting rests with federal and/or state agencies with input from professional associations like NAPT and our partners.”

During the Nov. 11 TSD Conference panel discussion, Mannella noted that the industry recognizes that alternative transportation can be a good thing “but it would be better if we could shape it differently, if we could put some restrictions or regulations or requirements around it to help us be sure we’re doing the right thing.

The NAPT statement lists what it describes as “clear and reasonable criteria” to help districts ensure that the alternative transportation service providers are not only able to meet the transportation needs of the students but that they are meeting the same or similar safety standards that are required of the yellow school bus and its drivers.

“We are seeing diverse approaches to these services including entry into the market of major private school bus contractors, parental arrangements and more,” Mannella said, which he added also emphasizes the need for consistent federal and state regulations.

He also advised districts to involve legal departments and insurance providers to make sure liability considerations are addressed.

“These arrangements are legal and financial transactions and need to be handled and managed accordingly,” he said. “It is incumbent on a school district to take reasonable care and precautions in ensuring the safety of their students and to not compromise on safety in those relationships, and that of necessity applies to alternate transportation providers.”

NAPT said alternative transportation providers should ensure that all their drivers have a current license appropriate to the vehicle they are using and have systems in place to require drivers undergo criminal background checks and random drug and alcohol testing. Training is also crucial, including training for emergency situations, loading and unloading, student behavior management, bullying and bullying prevention. Transporting students with special needs will also require drivers to be aware of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) requirements and provisions that need to be made.

The statement continues that vehicle safety requirements should include “adequate signage to ensure that the public is aware that the vehicle is transporting children, and that caution is needed.” There should also be frequent maintenance inspections to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and safe, in accordance with state requirements.

NAPT also lists evacuation training protocol, enforcement of vehicle capacity, and ensuring that safety equipment outlined in the IEP is onboard, which can include child restraint safety systems, capacity to secure wheelchairs or medical equipment, as factors that should be present.

“The board and our CEO/Executive Director [Molly McGee Hewitt] have determined that it is important for NAPT to offer members resources to help them in the performance of their duties for their schools and the children they serve. We believe this statement sets the table for further conversations and advocacy,” Mannella added

NAPT concludes the papers aying that it will continue to collaborate with state associations, business partners, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, and the National School Transportation Association to continue the discussion, moving towards consistent, safety-centered federal/ state guidelines and legislations regarding alternative transportation.

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Related: NHTSA Releases Report on Nationwide Illegal School Bus Passing Laws
Related: Beyond the Yellow School Bus: Alternative School Transportation
Related: Turning School Bus Driver Shortages Into Opportunities

The post NAPT Statement Provides Recommendations for Alternative Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

LOS ANGELES, Calif., HopSkipDrive a technology company solving complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care, today announced the addition of Sandra Dainora Petersen as Senior Vice President of Product. A seasoned product executive with extensive marketplace experience, Petersen will oversee HopSkipDrive’s Product and User Experience teams, and spearhead the company’s product strategy and development as it continues to raise the bar and set new industry standards in student transportation technology.

The senior hire comes as HopSkipDrive continues its substantial momentum, with ride volume soaring 300% in the last academic year and its RouteWise AI solution optimizing student transportation operations and helping save districts up to 20% of their annual operating budget on average. She joins the Product & Technology team under Chief Product & Technology Officer Corey McMahon’s leadership, alongside Jacob Green, VP of Engineering, and the recent addition of Lacey Plache as VP of Data Science & Analytics. Petersen brings deep expertise in scaling technology platforms and driving growth, most recently serving as Chief Product Officer at Sittercity where she oversaw the development of cutting-edge B2B solutions that transformed how organizations leverage care services and led the company’s trust and safety teams.

“Sandra’s exceptional ability to harness technology in solving complex operational challenges, combined with her proven track record of building delightful user experiences, makes her the perfect leader to drive our product innovation forward,” said Joanna McFarland, Co-founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive. “Her experience scaling marketplaces and her deep understanding of the care economy aligns perfectly with our mission of creating opportunity for all through mobility.”

Previously, as Senior Director of Product at Grubhub, Petersen played a pivotal role in expanding the delivery vertical to 200+ regions. She brings significant expertise in building high-performing teams that foster collaboration and accountability, with an unwavering focus on creating seamless customer experiences that drive growth. Petersen began her career serving in product management and operations roles at Harpo Productions, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Chicago Tribune Interactive, Discover Financial Services, and A&E Television Networks.

“The opportunity to join HopSkipDrive at this transformative moment is incredibly exciting,” said Petersen. “As both a product leader and a parent of a fourth-grader myself, I deeply understand the critical role that reliable, safe transportation plays in expanding educational opportunities. I’m energized to work alongside the talented HopSkipDrive team as we continue to develop innovative solutions that help schools, students, and families thrive.”

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace arranges care-centered transportation, supplementing other transportation options by connecting kids, older adults, or anyone needing extra support to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses. HopSkipDrive also builds software and offers advisory services that solve the biggest transportation challenges facing schools and school districts around the country, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive partners with school districts, government agencies, and nonprofits including supporting more than 10,000 schools across 13 states. More than 3.3 million rides over 61 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

The post Marketplace Leader Sandra Dainora Petersen Joins HopSkipDrive as Senior Vice President of Product appeared first on School Transportation News.

Reading Time: 5 minutes

A 15-year-old student killed a teacher and another teenager with a handgun Monday at a Christian school in Wisconsin, terrifying classmates. A second-grade teacher made the 911 call that sent dozens of police officers rushing to the small school just a week before its Christmas break.

The female student, who was identified at a press conference Monday night, also wounded six others at a study hall at Abundant Life Christian School, including two students who were in critical condition, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. A teacher and three students had been taken to a hospital with less serious injuries, and two of them had been released by Monday evening.

“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. … We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened,” Barnes said.

Barbara Wiers, director of elementary and school relations for Abundant Life Christian School, said students “handled themselves magnificently.”

She said when the school practices safety routines, which it had done just before the school year, leaders always announce that it is a drill. That didn’t happen Monday.

“When they heard, ‘Lockdown, lockdown,’ they knew it was real,” she said.

Police said the shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound when officers arrived and died en route to a hospital. Barnes declined to offer additional details about the shooter, partly out of respect for the family.

He also warned people against sharing unconfirmed reports on social media about the shooter’s identity.

“What that does is it helps erode the trust in this process,” he said.

Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school — prekindergarten through high school — with approximately 420 students in Madison, the state capital.

Wiers said the school does not have metal detectors but uses other security measures including cameras.

Children and families were reunited at a medical building about a mile away. Parents pressed children against their chests while others squeezed hands and shoulders as they walked side by side. One girl was comforted with an adult-size coat around her shoulders as she moved to a parking lot teeming with police vehicles.

A motive for the shooting was not immediately known, but Barnes said they’re talking with the parents of the suspected shooter and they are cooperating. He also said he didn’t know if the people shot had been targeted.

“I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening,” he told reporters.

A search warrant had been issued Monday to a Madison home, he said.

Barnes said Tuesday the first 911 call to report an active shooter came in shortly before 11 a.m. from a second-grade teacher — not a second-grade student as he reported publicly Monday.

First responders who were in training just 3 miles away dashed to the school for an actual emergency, Barnes said. They arrived 3 minutes after the initial call and went into the building immediately.

Classes had been taking place when the shooting happened, Barnes said.

Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol, a law enforcement official told the AP. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Police blocked off roads around the school, and federal agents were at the scene to assist local law enforcement. No shots were fired by police.

Abundant Life asked for prayers in a brief Facebook post.

Wiers said the school’s goal is to have staff get together early in the week and have community opportunities for students to reconnect before the winter break, but it’s still to be decided whether they will resume classes this week.

Bethany Highman, the mother of a student, rushed to the school and learned over FaceTime that her daughter was OK.

“As soon as it happened, your world stops for a minute. Nothing else matters,” Highman said. “There’s nobody around you. You just bolt for the door and try to do everything you can as a parent to be with your kids.”

In a statement, President Joe Biden cited the tragedy in calling on Congress to pass universal background checks, a national red flag law and certain gun restrictions.

“We can never accept senseless violence that traumatizes children, their families, and tears entire communities apart,” Biden said. He spoke with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and offered his support.

Evers said it’s “unthinkable” that a child or teacher would go to school and never return home.

The episode was the 323rd shooting at a K-12 school campus thus far in 2024, according to researcher David Riedman, founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database. The database uses a broad definition of shooting that includes when a gun is brandished, fired or a bullet hits school property.

“This shooting follows the common patterns with planned attacks at schools. The perpetrator was a student (insider), committed a surprise attack during morning classes, and died by suicide before police arrived,” Riedman wrote Monday on his website.

It was the the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas.

The shootings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to doing active shooter drills in their classrooms. But school shootings have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

Firearms were the leading cause of death among children in 2020 and 2021, according to KFF, a nonprofit that researches health care issues.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the country needs to do more to prevent gun violence.

“I hoped that this day would never come to Madison,” she said.

Wisconsin Watch contributed information to this story.

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup. This story is published in partnership with The Associated Press.

Teacher and a teenage student killed in a shooting at a Christian school in Wisconsin is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

If there’s one thing America loves, it’s a good tug-of-war between corporate power and government oversight, especially when it involves cutting-edge tech, fiery CEOs, and a whole lot of car crashes. Today, any accident involving an automated driving system must be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thanks to a Standing General Order issued in June 2021. This rule keeps automakers honest—well, sort of—but now, a newly surfaced document suggests that the Trump administration wants to kill it.

And surprise, surprise: the potential repeal would be a massive win for Elon Musk and Tesla, while also leaving regulators with fewer tools to keep autonomous driving tech in check.

More: See What Happens When Two Cars Hit A Chinese EV At 60KM/H In Triple Crash Test

Reuters reports that it has seen a document that “recommends repealing requirement that companies report automated vehicle crash data.” That’s notable for several reasons, not least of which is one of the requirement’s biggest opponents: Elon Musk. The high-profile CEO, who not only campaigned openly for Donald Trump before the election but also became his largest donor, spending at least $277 million to support him, now stands to benefit in a significant way.

A Rule Tesla Really Hates

Under the current rules, Tesla, like many other companies, must report crashes to the NHTSA under the General Order if they meet two specific criteria. First, the vehicle’s Level 2 autonomous driving system must have been in use within 30 seconds of the accident. Second, the crash must either involve a vulnerable road user (like a pedestrian or cyclist) or result in “a fatality, a vehicle tow-away, an airbag deployment, or any individual being transported to a hospital for medical treatment.”

Musk takes exception to this order for several reasons. To be fair, the NHTSA itself even outlines some of the potential issues with the order on its website. For instance, car companies can only report the accidents that they’re aware of—which isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds.

More: Tesla’s Sub-$30K Model Q And 2025 Product Plans

“For example, some entities may have access to detailed vehicle and crash data immediately after a crash, because the vehicles supply instantaneous telematics, while others may only learn of crashes from consumer complaints submitted days or weeks afterwards and which may include limited crash information,” says NHTSA.

Reuters points out that its analysis of the NHTSA crash data shows Tesla accounted for 40 out of 45 fatal crashes reported to the agency through Oct. 15. It’s plausible that Tesla not only reports more incidents but also that the statistics look tilted against the brand because so many of its cars have Level 2 driving technology and owners use it more.

More: Tesla Shares Soar By 69%, As Musk Becomes First Person To Top $400 Billion Net Worth

Moreover, Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor in the University of South Carolina who focuses on autonomous driving, said Tesla collects real-time crash data that other automakers don’t and, as a result, probably reports a “far greater proportion of their incidents” than its rivals.

Did Tesla Wait This Out? Probably.

To that end, Reuters says a source claims that Tesla executives have wanted to squash the crash reporting for years. The team evidently decided that the only solution was to wait until President Biden, whose administration was supportive of the program, was out of office.

In the meantime, stay tuned—because if this unfolds the way it seems, you’ll probably be hearing about it next time someone’s Tesla decides to “assist” them into a ditch.

MERIDIAN, Idaho – Durham School Services recently welcomed Mayor Simison of Meridian to its new facility and introduced its advanced fleet of buses.

During his visit, Mayor Simison was given a tour of Durham’s brand-new facility by General Manager Samuel Ray while Safety Training Supervisor Terry Marinos proudly showcased a bus from Durham’s new 200+ bus fleet. The mayor was also given an in-depth overview of the safety technology and other features aboard all of Durham’s buses. This includes DriveCam (driver safety monitoring system), Zonar (pre and post trip inspection reporting), CCTV, LED lights, and more.

“This visit from Mayor Simison was an exciting experience. In addition to showcasing our facility and buses, it gave us the special opportunity to display the incredible safety technology we use to transport the students of Meridian safely, every day. It also allowed us to highlight the phenomenal hard work our team put into ensuring a successful school start-up for the school district,” said Samuel Ray, General Manager, Durham School Services. “Moreover, we were able to reaffirm our Company’s values and commitment to always providing safe and reliable service. I’d like to thank Mayor Simison for his visit and sincerity in learning about our bus operations. It was an honor.”

Durham School Services currently serves the West Ada School District, the largest district in the state of Idaho. This new five-year partnership was announced in February and consists of 200 routes. In early November, the Durham and West Ada team were recognized at the district’s board meeting for a “smooth and effective” school start-up.

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

The post Durham School Services Showcases State-of-the-Art School Buses & Safety Technology for Mayor Simison of Meridian, Idaho appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tesla is currently facing a wide array of legal challenges. While the company works to expand the adoption of robotaxis and continues to be investigated over concerns about Autopilot, it is now dealing with a lawsuit brought by a California woman. She alleges that a flaw in Tesla’s locking system allowed an assailant to enter her vehicle and attack her.

The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe in court filings from the Golden State, claims that Tesla doors can still be opened from the outside, even when the car is locked via the Tesla app.

According to the filing, the incident occurred at the Galleria at Tyler mall while Jane Doe was charging her Tesla Model Y. After plugging in the vehicle, she moved to the passenger seat to take a nap while the EV charged. Upon getting in, she used her Tesla app to lock the car. Evidently, the wing mirrors folded in and she saw an icon indicating that the car was locked.

More: Judge Rules Tesla Phantom Braking Lawsuit Can Proceed

Before she woke up, a person identified in the lawsuit as Jabari Marquis shook the car from the outside and then entered through the driver’s side door. While the woman believed the vehicle was locked, the exterior door handle allegedly worked as normal.

She claims that Marquis proceeded to assault her and she called 911, attempting to alert them to her predicament by saying things like “I hate this Mall, it’s full of rapists,” and “The charging stations are so slow.” The call apparently lasted for approximately seven minutes and ultimately police arrived and intervened.

The lawsuit accuses Tesla of failing to secure the vehicle’s doors from the outside and for not alerting occupants about the situation either. Interestingly, the suit isn’t solely against Tesla as the woman also includes the site of the assault, Galleria At Tyler. Her council claims that the mall failed to provide adequate security. Finally, the defendant, Mr. Marquis, is also facing legal consequences here as the woman is suing for damages related to assault and battery.

Melissa Yang, a student at Bethlehem Central Middle School was the winner of the 2023-2024 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

The theme this year was “Driving Safely into the Future”, and the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) released a statement on Oct. 22 expressing their thoughts on Yang’s artwork.

“Yang’s artwork skillfully captures this theme by creatively conveying an important message intended to motivate and educate the educational community. Yang emphasizes the importance of following school bus safety protocols to guarantee a thriving future for any school community. She also illustrates the past, highlighting a longstanding commitment to school bus safety over the years”

NAPT states that the poster contest is judged on safety impact, originality, artistic qualities and visual impact.

On Wednesday, Bethlehem Central School District released a statement announcing it will be participating in the 2025 NYAPT School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

Posters may be submitted under five categories:
Division 1: Grades K-2
Division 2: Grades 3-5
Division 3: Grades 6-8
Division 4: Special Education
Division 5: CAD (Computer Aided Drawing)
Division 6: Driver, Monitor and Attendant

All posters must first be submitted to and judged by the Bethlehem Central Transportation Department. A winning poster will be chosen from each division and will then be entered into the State Contest and sent to the NYAPT office. The final day for submissions will be Feb. 17, 2025.

According to NYAPT the theme for the 2024-2025 contest will be “Safety First- Safety Always”. Posters judged and selected by each chapter for entry into the State Contest must be received by the NYAPT office on or before March 1, 2025.

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Related: Gallery: National School Bus Safety Week 2024
Related: (STN Podcast E237) Lives in Our Hands: Danger Zone Safety, Rising Star Talks Driver Training
Related: WATCH: South Carolina School District Spreads Awareness for National School Bus Safety Week
Related: Safety in the Danger Zone

The post New York Middle Schooler Wins Annual Poster Contest appeared first on School Transportation News.

The future of autonomous driving is edging closer, but Tesla’s latest plans reveal it may not be as driverless as we’ve been led to believe—at least for now. On December 5, Deutsche Bank hosted an Autonomous Driving Day in New York City, featuring Tesla executive Travis Axelrod.

A private report from the event reveals several details about Tesla’s robotaxi plans for 2025. Perhaps most notably, Tesla envisions using a remote teleoperator as an initial safety measure. That’s right—these “robotaxis” will have a human on standby as a safety backup to take control if needed.

More: Tesla’s Sub-$30K Model Q And 2025 Product Plans: Key Insights From The Deutsche Bank Report

Elon Musk said earlier this year that Tesla would begin testing of Level 5 autonomous robotaxis in 2025. Now, we know more about that plan based on documents from the Deutsche Bank meeting reviewed by Carscoops. According to that report, “Tesla believes it would be reasonable to assume some type of teleoperator would be needed at least initially for safety/redundancy purposes.”

A Practical Reality Check

No doubt, the launch of any robotaxi inevitably demands significant safety considerations. Despite extensive efforts, even geo-fenced Level 5 robotaxis have been involved in dangerous accidents. Having a human remote operator could increase safety but Tesla is coy on the details. For instance, we don’t know how much work the teleoperator will do in the car. We don’t know how much control they’ll have, and we don’t know how long Tesla plans to use them after the launch of robotaxi rides. 

In addition, Tesla reiterated that these robotaxis will be based on existing Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Whether that means brand-new models or cars returned from leases is unclear (because, let’s be honest, who’s going to pay the absurdly high buyouts Tesla is proposing?). That means in theory, one could be giving up control of their very own vehicle to a Tesla employee during robotaxi rides. Notably, the meeting notes do provide a little more insight into the rollout. 

First, it tells us that these will be paid rides, so don’t expect to go from A to B without throwing some cash at Tesla. Second, it says that the initial roll-out will consist of company-owned vehicles. The automaker will then “eventually dynamically adjust supply based on customer demand/traffic patterns.”

Users will hail a ride via an internally developed ride-share application which, as the report brings out, will enable Tesla to control the “value chain.” Essentially, Tesla gets about as much control (and data) here, from the start of the hailing process to drop off, as it could want. 

Regulatory Hurdles Ahead

Finally, the report also clarifies something else that seems obvious. “Tesla views regulation as the biggest headwind to broad deployment of robotaxi, which the company hopes will be adjusted at the federal level through updating of rules at NHTSA.”

It’s no secret that the NHTSA currently has very strict regulations when it comes to robotaxis in the USA. If those rules don’t change it won’t matter how fast Tesla develops true self-driving because the law doesn’t allow for Tesla to launch a giant fleet. It could, at most, deploy 2,500 cars per year under current rules. 

Whether or not all this comes to pass is about as clear as mud right now though. We’ll know by the start of 2026 if Tesla can hit these targets. Of course, that’s the year it plans on beginning production of its Cybercab, another big maybe in the brand’s future. 

Henrik Fisker’s attempts to establish his own car companies have ended in complete failure. Twice, he has launched his own car company, and twice, those ventures have ended in collapse. Earlier this year, Fisker filed for bankruptcy while attempting to deliver the all-electric Ocean SUV. The fallout has left owners stuck with vehicles that have not only depreciated significantly but are also riddled with a host of frustrating issues.

The most recent—and perhaps most troubling—issue concerned the risk of unexpected rollaway. In early February, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) began investigating unintended vehicle movement in 2023 model-year Fisker Oceans.

Read: Fisker’s Bankruptcy Plan Approved, Owners Won’t Have To Pay For Recall Repairs

The ODI discovered that impacted vehicles contain a logic that prevents the engagement of the park gear when the park gear request is made while the vehicle is moving at low speeds. Put more simply, if a driver tries to turn on the parking brake while the EV is moving, it’ll reject the request and shift into neutral. According to the safety agency, there’s a risk that drivers may not realize the parking brake hasn’t been switched on, and there’s a chance the Ocean could roll away if just left in neutral.

News of the investigation first emerged late last month. On November 15, Fisker issued a recall covering 7,745 Oceans from the 2023 and 2024 model years to address the problem. Following the issuance of this recall, the ODI has been able to close its investigation.

As part of the software update, the Fisker Ocean will automatically slow to a stop if the driver unlatches their seatbelt while traveling at low speeds. Once stopped, the SUV will automatically switch into park gear and enable the parking brake. Fisker has also introduced an Auto Vehicle Hold function, which will hold the SUV in place even after the driver removes their foot from the brake pedal. This is a standard feature on most cars, and, oddly, the Ocean didn’t have it until the introduction of OS 2.0.

Fisker has been forced to launch several other recalls for the Ocean this year, including due to a sudden loss of drive power, an unprompted reduction in regenerative braking, malfunctioning warning lights, and outer door handles that can stick and fail to open.

SHARONVILLE, Ohio., – ARI-HETRA, a leader in heavy-duty vehicle maintenance equipment, is thrilled to announce the launch of the WS-24-LPJ Kangaroo Jack, a versatile and durable hydraulic jack designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s industrial professionals.

Built to Perform in Any Environment:
The Kangaroo Jack features an adjustable lifting bracket, offering flexible positioning for a wide range of applications, from forklifts to construction vehicles and beyond. Its compact, portable design ensures ease of movement and storage, while its durable construction guarantees long-lasting performance even in demanding environments.

Unmatched Lifting Capacity:
12,000 lbs. at the lift bracket.
22,000 lbs. on top of the piston.
“The Kangaroo Jack is designed to elevate efficiency and safety in maintenance operations,” said Bill Gibson, VP Business Development of ARI-HETRA. “Its versatility and durability make it an indispensable tool for professionals across industries.”

Elevate Your Operations
The WS-24-LPJ Kangaroo Jack is now available for purchase. For more information, visit: ari-hetra.com/product/ws-24-lpj-kangaroo-jack or contact our sales team at 800-562-3250.

About ARI-hetra:
ARI-HETRA is the premier provider of innovative workshop solutions for heavy-duty vehicles and equipment and has been since 1988 (over 35 years). With a focus on safety, reliability, and efficiency, ARI-HETRA‘s wide range of lifts, wheel service equipment, and exhaust extraction systems are designed to meet the needs of any heavy-duty workshop.

The post WS-24-LPJ Kangaroo Jack: A New Standard in Heavy-Duty Lifting appeared first on School Transportation News.

When an automaker willingly puts its own vehicle to the test in front of an audience, you know it means business. Chinese automaker Chery demonstrated its confidence in the safety of its EVs by performing a very demanding crash test on camera. The triple-car collision showcased the strength of the 2025 Exeed Sterra ES chassis and the integrity of its battery pack, all in front of an audience of media representatives.

The crash test took place in Tianjin, China, with support from the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC). Unlike the typical crash trolleys used in standard tests, Chery opted for three actual Exeed Sterra ES vehicles, aiming for a more realistic simulation.

The Crash Test Setup

The scenario aimed to replicate a real-world situation, but there are two key caveats. First, it involves a static car attempting a U-turn, only to be struck from both sides by two other vehicles. The main difference here is that, in an actual U-turn accident, the turning vehicle would likely be moving when struck. Additionally, it’s unrealistic to assume both other cars would be traveling at exactly the same speed. More on that later, but it’s important to keep these factors in mind when evaluating the test.

More: Chery Hunting Wild Concept Previews New Wagon With Solid-State Batteries

Two white Sterra ES EVs, each traveling at 60 km/h (37 mph), struck the red vehicle from opposite angles. One car impacted the front-right corner at a 30-degree angle, while the other slammed directly into the passenger compartment from 180 degrees. While a challenging crash for any car, the footage and photos suggest that the Exeed Sterra ES maintained a strong level of protection for its occupants.

Despite enduring forces approaching 35 tons (70,000 pounds), the Exeed Sterra ES appears to have maintained its structural integrity, keeping the test dummies protected inside.

Chery reports that the pillars withstood the impact, all seven airbags deployed as expected, and the doors automatically unlocked. The emergency call function was also activated, adding an extra layer of safety. Crucially, the battery pack showed no signs of leaks, smoke, or fire, while the high-voltage system shut down automatically, as it should in the event of a crash.

The Need for Independent Validation

While Chery’s self-conducted crash test is certainly impressive, there’s always the question of how the Exeed Sterra ES would perform under the more stringent scrutiny of third-party evaluations from agencies like EuroNCAP or IIHS. After all, it’s one thing to conduct your own tests, but the true measure of safety comes when those tests are held to the rigorous standards set by industry authorities.

Also keep in mind that having one car stationary in the crash test affects realism by concentrating impact forces on the moving vehicles, which doesn’t replicate how energy is distributed in a real-world collision. In an actual U-turn accident, all vehicles would be in motion, dissipating force across the crash. By keeping one car static, the test isolates the impacts, potentially exaggerating their severity and not fully capturing how the vehicles would behave in a dynamic, unpredictable real-world scenario.

Tell Me More About The Exeed Sterra ES

The Exeed Sterra ES, first launched in 2023, shares its platform with the Huawei-backed Luxeed S7. It’s part of a growing list of contenders in the electric sedan market, all aiming to dethrone the Tesla Model 3. It comes with both RWD and AWD configurations, promising an impressive driving range of up to 905 km (562 miles) of range on a full charge, thanks to its large 97.7 kWh battery pack. For the 2025 model year, Chery has introduced several updates, including reinforced body and chassis elements, further improving its safety credentials.

Chinese cars have come a long way in terms of safety, as demonstrated by their performance in independent crash tests. Many EVs from Chinese automakers have earned five-star ratings in EuroNCAP, even as the organization has introduced stricter testing protocols in recent years. The growing safety standards among Chinese manufacturers signal a broader shift, with more models becoming increasingly competitive in global markets.

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Gun violence homicides dropped by nearly 17% in Wisconsin over the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same time period in 2023, according to a report by the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan policy institute.

The report, released in September, also found that gun violence victimizations, defined as all firearm-related injuries and deaths, dropped in Milwaukee nearly 20% over that same time period.

“I think this decrease is happening for a number of reasons, but one is due to community violence intervention measures that are working,” said Nicholas Matuszewski, executive director of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, a statewide grassroots organization.

Local violence intervention efforts include 414 Life, a violence interruption program; and Project Ujima, which provides services to families and children who’ve been impacted by violence.

In addition, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced in late October the launch of the national gun violence program “Advance Peace.”

“Advance Peace is an investment in solutions to decreasing gun violence that will help ensure Milwaukee County is a safe and healthy community where families and children can thrive,” Crowley said in a news release announcing the program.

‘Numbers are dropping’

Matuszewski said Milwaukee and the state are national leaders in community violence intervention efforts, citing the work of the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety and also programs supported statewide through Wisconsin Community Safety Fund grants.

The Wisconsin Community Safety Fund grants provided 10 organizations, including the Alma Center in Milwaukee, with $10.4 million in funding to reduce violence stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After the pandemic, we had a huge increase in gun ownership and gun purchases which naturally led to more gun violence,” Matuszewski said. “Those numbers are dropping now.”

While many cities cited in the report have seen gun violence return or drop to pre-pandemic levels, Milwaukee is still on pace to experience more shootings this year than in 2019, the year before the pandemic.

According to data from the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission dashboard, there were 442 nonfatal shootings in 2019. Those numbers rose to more than 750 each year from 2020 to 2023. So far this year, the city has experienced 471 shootings, according to information on the dashboard. 

‘Too many shootings’

Travis Hope, a community activist who conducts street outreach on Milwaukee’s South Side, said gun violence still occurs at an alarming rate in the city.

“Too many shootings are still happening and impacting families, communities and especially young people,” Hope said.

According to data from the Milwaukee Police Department, there have been 119 homicides in the city so far this year, compared to 153 during the same time period in 2023 and 192 in 2022.

The number of nonfatal shootings in Milwaukee also is down significantly, with 471 so far this year, compared to 769 at this time in 2023 and 788 in 2022.

Officials address drop in gun violence in Milwaukee

During a news conference discussing the reduction in shootings, among other crimes in the city, Mayor Cavalier Johnson cited the work of the Milwaukee Police Department as one reason for the drop in shootings and other crime this year.

“The work that they do is a big factor, a huge factor, in making Milwaukee safer,” he said.

Johnson said that in addition to law enforcement, intervention efforts have also been key in reducing crime.

“When we prevent a crime through intervention, that makes each and every one of us safer,” he said.

Ashanti Hamilton, director of the Office of Community Safety and Wellness, said that while the decrease in homicides and nonfatal shootings is promising, more work needs to be done.

“Reducing violence is an ongoing process,” he said. “Sustainable change requires addressing the root causes of crime, and this means looking beyond the immediate crime reduction strategies and focusing on broader social, economic and systemic changes that contribute to violence.”

News414 is a service journalism collaboration between Wisconsin Watch and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service that addresses the specific issues, interests, perspectives and information needs identified by residents of central city Milwaukee neighborhoods. Learn more at our website or sign up for our texting service here.

Report: Gun violence down across Wisconsin, including Milwaukee is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Student transportation is entering a new era, when access to real-time data, enhanced visibility for stakeholders, and higher safety standards will become essential pillars of operations.

School districts need to balance these new priorities with unprecedented pressure to meet equity goals and maintain tighter budgets. All these factors are challenging school leaders to reimagine how they transport students in the coming years.

Here are five key predictions shaping the future of student transportation in 2025:

1. Parents and Districts Will Demand More Visibility

The rise of smartphones requires instant access to information in school and beyond. Parents, teachers, and administrators all want real-time tracking updates and videos to ensure accountability and safety on school transportation. This year, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that at least 50 percent of states have enacted school bus stop-arm camera laws, which ensure cameras are present to document incidents, monitor behavior, and uphold safety standards for everyone.

This demand for visibility extends beyond school buses to alternative transportation. New technology, including in-car cameras, ensures that school districts receive recorded and stored footage that verifies safe rides, monitors drivers, and clarifies any issues. Plus, school districts can close service gaps, dispatch providers, and keep families updated. In today’s environment, an extra level of visibility for all stakeholders is expected and essential.

2. Data and Machine Learning Will Become a Cornerstone of Future Operations

In 2025, route planning, driver assignments, and real-time adjustments will all rely on advanced analytics. Districts that harness data and machine learning through smart tools will see improvements in operational efficiency, increasing attendance rates.

The larger efforts to professionalize school district administrative offices are leading to data-driven decision-making. Many school districts are even hiring transportation directors with backgrounds in logistics and engineering. As school transportation evolves, districts will rely on experts who can understand and interpret complex analytics to streamline operations and improve outcomes.

3. Districts Will Advance Safety Standards

Safety remains a top priority for school districts, and new state legislation continues to raise the bar. California’s SB88, for example, goes into effect in 2025 and strengthens requirements for student transportation providers. At the local level, many districts are also increasing training protocols for drivers and requiring the use of safe technology to protect students and mitigate liability risks.

Next year, school districts will seek out partners that proactively adopt new safety technology and comply with district, state, and federal regulations. When alternative school transportation providers uphold the highest safety standards, they put students first while building necessary trust with administrators and parents.

4. Rising Demand for Equity-Focused Transportation Solutions

In 2025, the number of students experiencing homelessness and eligible for transportation support under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act will continue to rise. A 2023 report on Student Homelessness in America by the National Center for Homeless Education identified more than 1.2 million students experiencing homelessness in the U.S. in the 2021-2022 school year — a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

Without reliable transportation, students experiencing homelessness are at higher risk of chronic absenteeism. In fact, the same study found that more than half of homeless students in the 2021-2022 school year were chronically absent, and the absenteeism rate for students experiencing homelessness is 22 percent higher than the rest of the student population. School district leaders will need to find more ways to drive students experiencing homelessness to school, turning to alternative transportation providers to scale up support.

5. Budget Constraints Will Drive the Need for Operational Efficiency

Superintendents are under enormous pressure to meet new challenges with smaller budgets, given the expiration of pandemic relief funding, including the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. These stark changes mean that leaders must prioritize cost-efficiency while maintaining access for students who have special needs, are eligible for McKinney-Vento support, or live out of district or in remote areas without making large investments in new vehicles or new hires.

Moving forward, leaders will leverage tech-forward alternative transportation providers to understand and meet their transportation needs with a click. For example, if a district has a rising percentage of students eligible for McKinney-Vento support, they could choose to used small-capacity vehicles that can make last-minute adjustments based on the students’ locations. Flexing your capacity meets new demands while optimizing transportation costs for the short and long term.

Every school year, new challenges and higher expectations require that school district leaders innovate, evolving their approach for better outcomes. 2025 is no different. By integrating smart technology into their operations, they can drive up safety standards, increase capacity in real-time, and prioritize cost-effectiveness while meeting equity goals. Leaders will ensure they’re setting up their schools and students for success in the classroom, one ride at a time.

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Mitch Bowling is the CEO of alternative transportation company EverDriven, which transported about 30,000 unique students last school year in 33 states.

The post Driving Change: 5 Predictions Shaping the Future of Student Transportation in 2025 appeared first on School Transportation News.

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• Wisconsin budgets nearly $463,000 a year to incarcerate each child at the state’s beleaguered Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools, a figure that has ballooned over a decade as enrollment has plummeted.

• A new Department of Corrections budget request would nearly double that figure to about $862,000 a year — 58 times what taxpayers spend on the average K-12 public school student.

• Experts attribute the enrollment trends and costs to demographic changes, a paradigm shift from large youth prisons to smaller regional facilities and scandals on the campus that made judges hesitant to send teens to Lincoln Hills.

Wisconsin budgets nearly $463,000 a year to incarcerate each child at the state’s beleaguered juvenile prison complex in the North Woods, a figure that has ballooned over a decade as enrollment has plummeted.

A new Department of Corrections budget request would nearly double that figure to about $862,000 a year — 58 times what taxpayers spend on the average K-12 public school student.

It comes as efforts to close the Lincoln County complex — home to Lincoln Hills School for boys and Copper Lake School for girls — and build a new youth prison in Milwaukee have slowed to a crawl.  

Six years after the Legislature approved the closure plan, Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers are blaming each other during funding and policy disagreements that have delayed the closure. 

A 2018 legal settlement restricted how guards could discipline youth. That followed a series of scandals involving allegations of inhumane conditions, such as frequent use of pepper spray, strip searches and mechanical restraints and solitary confinement. 

Republicans earlier this year pushed to lift pepper spray restrictions after a 16-year-old incarcerated at Lincoln Hills struck a counselor in the face, resulting in his death. A judge denied requests to alter the settlement in a dispute that has added to closure delays, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Meanwhile, the facility’s population is dwindling. As of late November, it served just 41 boys and 18 girls on a campus designed for more than 500 youth.  

Wisconsin Watch and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service spoke to judges, lawmakers, former prison staff and researchers about the eye-popping price tag to incarcerate fewer young people. They attributed the trends to demographic changes, a paradigm shift from large youth prisons to smaller regional facilities and scandals on the campus that made judges hesitant to send teens to Lincoln Hills. 

“No judge wants to send a kid to Lincoln Hills,” said Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello, who has presided over juvenile cases. “You feel like you’re damning the kid. And if you look at the recidivism rates that come out of Lincoln Hills, you pretty much are damning a kid.” 

Here’s a closer look at the numbers. 

Who sets budgets for youth prisons? 

Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools are the state’s only youth prisons, but they are among four main state facilities for young people convicted of serious juvenile offenses. The others are Mendota Mental Health Institute, a psychiatric hospital in Madison that treats youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and Grow Academy, a residential incarceration-alternative program outside of Madison.

The Legislature sets uniform daily rates that counties pay to send youth to any of the locations — spreading costs across all facilities. 

In 2015, lawmakers approved a daily rate of $284 per juvenile across all four facilities, or nearly $104,000 a year. This year’s rate is $1,268 a day, or nearly $463,000 annually. 

The annual per-student rate would jump to about $841,000 in 2025 and nearly $862,000 in 2026 if the Legislature approves the latest Department of Corrections funding request. 

By contrast, Wisconsin spent an annual average of $14,882 per student in K-12 public schools in 2023, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum. 

Why have costs ballooned? 

A campus built for more than 500 is mostly underused as enrollment declines, but taxpayers must still pay to maintain the same large space. It affects county budgets since they pay for youth they send to state juvenile correctional facilities.

Fixed infrastructure and staffing costs account for the largest share of expenses, said department spokesperson Beth Hardtke. Spreading the costs among fewer juveniles inflates the per capita price tag.

But taxpayers haven’t seen overall savings from the steep drop in enrollment either. The state in 2015 budgeted about $25.9 million for the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake complex. That number climbed to about $31.3 million by 2023 with the addition of staff — a cost increase nearly in line with inflation during that period. 

Driving requests to further hike rates: The Department of Corrections seeks $19.4 million in 2026 and $19.8 million in 2027 to expand Mendota Mental Health Institute’s capacity from 29 beds for boys to 93 beds serving girls or boys — an expansion required by state law. 

The expansion requires adding 123 positions at the facility. Such additions affect calculations for the rates of all state facilities for incarcerated juveniles, including Lincoln Hills.  

Why are there fewer incarcerated students? 

The trends driving high costs at Lincoln Hills started more than 20 years ago, said Jason Stein, president of the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

First, Wisconsin is home to increasingly fewer young people. 

The state’s population of youth under 18 has been shrinking. The state saw a 3.2% dip between 2012 and 2021 — from 1,317,004 juveniles to 1,274,605 juveniles, according to a  Legislative Fiscal Bureau report.

Juvenile arrests in Wisconsin dropped by 66% during the same period.  

Meanwhile, judges became reluctant to sentence juveniles to Lincoln Hills —  even before abuse allegations escalated and prompted authorities to raid the campus in 2015.     

“I was the presiding judge at Children’s Court, when we blew open the fact that kids weren’t getting an education and they were having their arms broken,” said Mary Triggiano, an adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School and former District 1 Circuit Court chief judge.

“But we knew before that there were problems with Lincoln Hills because we watched the recidivism rates. We would bring in DOC and say: ‘Tell me what kind of services you’re going to give. Tell me why they’re not in school. Tell me why you’re keeping them in segregation for hours and hours and hours’ — when we know that’s awful for kids who experience trauma.”

Enrollment dropped and costs increased, but outcomes didn’t improve. 

More than 61% of the 131 boys who left Lincoln Hills in 2018 committed a new offense within three years, while about 47% of the 15 girls who left Copper Lake reoffended. The recidivism rate for boys during that period was roughly the same as it was for those released in 2014. The rate for girls was worse than the nearly 42% it was four years earlier. 

Stein compared Lincoln Hills to a restaurant that tries to compensate for lost customers by raising meal prices. If prices keep rising, customers will look for a different restaurant, he said. 

“That, in a nutshell, is how you get into this spiral where you’re seeing fewer residents, higher rates, and greater costs for counties,” Stein said. “Then it’s just rinse and repeat.”

How much do other states spend to incarcerate youth?  

Wisconsin is not the only state spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per juvenile it incarcerates. 

A 2020 Justice Policy Institute report showed Wisconsin spent less than the national average in 2020. But Wisconsin’s per-juvenile costs have since more than tripled as Lincoln Hills remains open and incarcerates fewer young people.  

Incarcerating juveniles is generally more expensive than it is for adults, said Ryan King, director of research and policy at Justice Policy Institute. Rehabilitation plays a bigger role in juvenile corrections, and those programs cost more. Incarcerated children typically access more  counseling, education and case management programs. 

States nationwide are rethinking their approach to youth incarceration as crime rates fall and more research shows how prison damages children, King said. 

“There was an acknowledgement that locking kids up was not only failing to make communities safer, but it was making kids worse, and really just putting them in a position where they were more likely to end up in the adult system,” he said.  

How is Wisconsin trying to reshape juvenile justice? 

In 2018, then-Gov. Scott Walker signed Act 185, designed to restructure the state’s juvenile justice system. The law kicked off plans for a new state youth prison in Milwaukee and authorized counties to build their own secure, residential care centers.

Milwaukee and Racine counties are moving forward on such plans to build these centers. The centers function similarly to county jails: County officials operate them under Department of Corrections oversight. Officials hope keeping youth closer to home will help them maintain family connections. 

“We have always pushed smaller is better. You can’t warehouse young people like you do adults,” said Sharlen Moore, a Milwaukee alderwoman and co-founder of Youth Justice Milwaukee. “Their brain just doesn’t comprehend things in that way.”

The law aimed to close troubled Lincoln Hills and give judges more options at sentencing while balancing the needs of juvenile offenders and the public. But those options have yet to fully develop. 

Today’s alternative programs typically have limited space and extensive waitlists. That won’t be fixed until more regional facilities go online. 

How else could Wisconsin spend on troubled youth? 

Triggiano, now director of the Marquette Law School’s Andrew Center for Restorative Justice, was astounded to learn youth incarceration costs could nearly double next year. 

“You just want to drop to your knees because if I had that money, we had that money, what could we do differently?” she said. 

She quickly offered ideas: programs that recognize how traumatic experiences shape behavior, violence prevention outreach in schools, community mentorship programs — evidence-based practices shown to help children and teens. Milwaukee County had worked to create some of those programs before funding was pulled, Triggiano said.

“It all got blown up in a variety of ways at every juncture,” she said. “Now there’s going to be an attachment to the secure detention facility because that’s all people could muster up after being slammed down every time we tried to do something that we thought was going to work.”

State Rep. Darrin Madison, D-Milwaukee, echoed Triggiano and offered additional spending suggestions, such as housing resources, mental health support and summer jobs programs. 

“The cost of sending one young person to Lincoln Hills would be enough to pay several young people working jobs over summer or the span of the school year,” Madison said.  

Wisconsin’s disproportionate spending on incarcerating its young people runs counter to the Wisconsin Idea, its historical commitment to education, he added. 

“We’re so committed to incarcerating people that we’re willing to eat the cost of doing so, as opposed to making investments in deterrence and getting at the root cause of the problems.” 

One child, $463,000 per year: Ballooning costs of troubled Lincoln Hills youth prison is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.