News always travels fast, but it is not always accurate, which led to a Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Cy-Fair ISD) bus driver being incorrectly accused of driving erratically while transporting students via a local news station. The district’s superintendent released a social media statement setting the record straight.

On Monday, KHOU-11 published a news article reporting that the unidentified Cy-Fair ISD bus driver was pulled over by police and administered a field sobriety test after a receiving report from a bystander claiming they “saw the bus driving erratically.”

Cy-Fair Superintendent Doug Killian released a statement Thursday defending the school bus driver and clarifying the events.

“On Monday morning, one of our new drivers hit a curb on a tight turn to avoid a vehicle in the opposite lane,” Killian stated. “A community member reported this to Harris County Precinct 5 Constables. Our team reviewed the video of the route multiple times and can definitively say the driver was not driving erratically, as it was reported.”

Killian confirmed the driver was given a field sobriety test twice by law enforcement, as was shown by KHOU-11, and both tests came back negative. The school bus driver was then taken to a clinic for drug and alcohol testing, per district protocol. Killian confirmed those tests also came back negative.

The school bus driver was reportedly back on route Friday.

In the statement, Killian expressed his disappointment in the “click-bait report” that was released by the news station and said that the district is requesting an on-air retraction and apology to the driver.

“The media story created unnecessary embarrassment for this driver and was released prior to the completion of our full investigation. It painted a negative light on the true professionalism of our CFISD bus drivers and transportation staff,” he said.

He continued that while he does not hold out hope that the retraction and apology will happen, he felt it was his duty as superintendent to publicly release the facts of the incident and that he “cannot in good conscience sit by and watch a staff member be attacked or presented in a poor light when their actions were not poor or negatively impactful to kids.”

He explained that after the school bus driver was pulled over, the students onboard behaved well despite the delay, which he attributed to the “quality of our drivers and the high expectations they set for our riders since the first day of school.”

Killian thanked the driver involved for their service and said he encourages the media to report on positive news stories throughout the school year.

On social media, Kilian’s statement was commended by the community for defending the reputation of the driver. One Facebook commenter noted that following the release of the story, “There were so many hurtful and ugly negative comments,” illustrating how a story shared on social media can quickly garner a strong public reaction, even if the facts have not been verified yet.

“This was truly a fantastic example of leadership, accountability, and standing and speaking directly to the people and FOR the people you serve,” said another Facebook comment.

Meanwhile, KHOU published an updated article Thursday noting Killian’s response and the school bus driver passing all drug and alcohol tests, adding, “That criticism came despite the fact that we reached out to Cy-Fair ISD multiple times throughout the day ahead of our story Tuesday night and shared the district’s statement that noted the driver passed two field sobriety tests and an alcohol test, but had been placed on paid leave pending drug test results.”

The news station also reported it asked Cy-Fair for access to the video exonerating the school bus driver, but the request was denied.

Related: NTSB’s Alcohol Impairment Detection Recommendation More Nuanced for School Bus Drivers
Related: Update: Feds Withdraw Oral Fluid Collection for CDL Drug Tests Rule
Related: FMCSA Resources for Implementing Upcoming Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

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The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Sunday, June 29, 2025, as the reconciliation package was under debate. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans believe Republicans’ “big, beautiful” law will either hurt them or not make much of a difference, according to a poll released Thursday by the nonpartisan health research organization KFF.

The survey shows 46% of people expect the new tax and spending cuts law will generally hurt them or their family, while 28% said it likely won’t make much difference and 26% said it will help them.

Those beliefs were skewed by political parties, with 54% of Republicans saying the law will help them or their family, compared to 19% of independents and 7% of Democrats.

People enrolled in Medicaid, the state-federal health program for lower income individuals and people with disabilities, have significant concerns about how changes to the program will impact them.

Sixty-five percent of Medicaid patients under the age of 65 said they expect the law to hurt them or their family. Another 17% said it won’t make much of a difference for them and 18% expect the policy changes to help.

The law makes more than a dozen changes to how Medicaid is run, resulting in a $1.058 trillion spending cut to the program during the next decade, according to an analysis released earlier this week by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The report projects that 10 million people will lose access to health insurance before 2034.

The law made permanent the 2017 tax cuts from President Donald Trump’s first term and provided billions to carry out his plans of mass deportations, an immigration crackdown and increased defense spending.

Some know little about new law

KFF’s survey shows most Americans know at least something about the new law, though 9% of those polled said they know nothing at all and 23% said they know just a little.

Democrats had the highest percent of respondents who said they knew either a lot, 35%, or some, 45%, about the law. Twenty-two percent of Republicans said they knew a lot about their party’s top legislative achievement this year, with 44% saying they knew something, 27% saying they knew a little and 7% saying they knew nothing.

Social media

The vast majority of those polled, 78%, said they saw information about Republicans’ new law on social media during the last month.

Facebook and YouTube were the more popular social media platforms for people to see information about the tax and spending cuts law, followed by Instagram, TikTok, X and Reddit.

Forty-seven percent of those surveyed said the content they saw on social media opposed the policy changes included in the law, while 41% said it was mixed and 11% said it supported the GOP’s work.

Republicans said 26% of what they viewed on social media was in support of the law, with 53% mixed and 21% opposed. Democrats polled said 76% of what they saw was opposed, 21% mixed and 3% was supportive.

Most of those surveyed said the social media content helped them understand what the new law actually does. Sixteen percent said it was very helpful, 46% said it was somewhat helpful, 27% said it was not too helpful and 11% said it wasn’t helpful at all. 

Many school transportation operators I have spoken with lately continue to struggle with finding qualified school bus drivers, mechanics and fleet managers. But how are they marketing themselves?

Are we simply being out-marketed by other companies and industries that are seeking candidates in the same job categories? How do you compete against corporate giants like Amazon and Walmart for talent? Marketing to qualified candidates seeking jobs in 2025 demands forward-thinking. Social media platforms like TikTok (if your district allows it), YouTube Shorts, Facebook and Instagram continue to gain traction and popularity, and both offer paid and free opportunities.

Executing a paid media strategy allows you to fine tune your target audience within your hyperlocal community, using geographic and demographic data like relevant job titles, certifications (CDL holders) or interest groups to reach key candidates. That could be retirees looking for meaningful part-time work, a stay-at-home parent wanting mid-day flexibility in their schedule, military veterans with transferable logistics skills, or gig economy workers seeking stability.

My suggestion is to build a thoughtful and authentic content strategy. The team of school transportation professionals that work in your operation are your biggest assets. Those individuals can share stories of why your district or company is a great place to work. It’s word of mouth amplified to the Nth degree. Consider that a video can be used on your website, email and on social media platforms.

Making video clips of team members sharing experiences like a day-in-the-life showcases typical responsibilities of a bus driver or mechanic and gives prospects a realistic and relatable perspective. Testimonials are very powerful, too. Interviews or stories from current employees on job satisfaction, work-life balance and company culture make a real impact. Also, short form reels are great for quick engaging clips of team camaraderie, well-maintained buses, or “behind-the-scenes” fun.

Audience engagement is important for this type of campaign to work. Use ideas like behind-the-scenes tours highlighting facilities, buses, workshops or training areas to reduce job apprehension. Host an interactive Q&A session with HR or current employees to answer applicant questions in real time.

Prospective employees don’t just evaluate your fleet. They evaluate your investment in the overall experience you are demonstrating. That includes newer buses, modern GPS and routing software, and digital tools that streamline daily operations. These can be big selling points to a prospective employee.

Hiring the right people is just the beginning. Retaining them and helping them thrive requires consistent leadership, strategic investment and a culture that blends human empathy with technological support.

Once you’ve built your team, keeping them engaged is key. Many departments now use mobile apps and communication platforms to interact with staff in real time sending schedule updates, reminders and even recognition messages.

An emerging trend is the use of AI to track performance metrics like on-time arrivals, safety records or attendance to trigger personalized recognition or feedback. These tools make appreciation immediate, meaningful and data informed.

Competitive pay is still essential but so is a benefits package that reflects the real lives of employees. Districts offering flexible schedules, retention bonuses and easy-to-access benefits dashboards are seeing greater success in retaining drivers and technicians.

Some districts are providing monthly meals, wellness perks and even transportation specific, career development plans to deepen loyalty and satisfaction.

Positive reinforcement remains one of the most powerful tools for retention. From digital shout-outs to monthly awards, recognition programs create a culture of appreciation. Add ongoing professional development, mentorship and AI-driven training, and you’ve built a workplace people don’t want to leave.

And let’s not forget safety, as recognizing employees can result in a positive impact on performance and morale. Whether through improved communication, fewer accidents or higher job satisfaction, a valued employee is a safer, more committed one. As the world evolves, leaders in school transportation have a chance to embrace change while adjusting to the new standards and norms team members and prospective employees expect.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the June 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: Social Media’s Influence on Student Transportation Industry Hard to Track
Related: Social Media as a Recruitment Tool: School Bus Driver Influencers
Related: (STN Podcast E263) Not an Easy Button: Expert Gives School Bus Routing Technology Tips
Related: (STN Podcast E259) Feel the Passion: Debates on Wi-Fi, Technology, Alternative Transportation & Safety

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