To retrofit means to add a component or accessory to something that was not there when originally manufactured. Sounds simple enough, at least according to new or proposed state laws. However, when retrofitting safety technology such as seatbelts or crossing arms, there are many considerations that school district leaders need to consider.

The Lone Star State
Texas Senate Bill 546 requires all school buses transporting students to be equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts by 2029. It expands upon a 2017 law that only applied to buses manufactured after 2018. SB546, which took effect on Sept. 1, tasks school districts with reporting seatbelt status and retrofit costs to the Texas Education Agency.

SB546 does not provide state funding but allows a temporary exemption if retrofit costs are too high, or retrofitting would void the bus manufacturer’s warranty. Districts are required to publicly report the reason for not ordering lap/shoulder seatbelts and estimated retrofit costs. Teri Mapengo, director of transportation for Prosper Independent School District near Dallas, noted that while all 230 school buses in her fleet have lap/shoulder seatbelts, she cautioned other districts to do their homework. At a previous district, she recalled the challenges of retrofitting seatbelts.

The process is harder than specifying a new purchase order. Instead, legacy buses must be taken out of service while retrofit work is conducted. Plus, she said it takes people power and resources to deliver each bus to the facility, transport that driver back to the facility, then arrange for the bus to be picked up once the installations are completed.

“The hard piece is, that you’re going to have to have some of your buses go out of commission,” she said. “So, if you don’t have spare buses to be able to use for operation, then it’s tough.”

She noted that her previous district also encountered seat structure malfunctions when retrofitting. She recalled taping off seat rows to prohibit students from sitting in them due to safety concerns. Those buses had to be sent back again to be fixed.

She noted the metal attachment that secures the seats at the wall flange would break. Seats are also secured at the aisle floor pedestal. Every bus that was retrofitted would
then need to be inspected by the mechanics to determine any deficiencies.

“The biggest thing that I took away was, when you’re going to retrofit your buses, you [need to be] talking with that company [doing the retrofit] and saying, ‘If this were
to happen, how would we get this fixed? And is there a warranty on that work that you guys are doing?’”

Because all Texas school buses manufactured and sold after 2018 should have seatbelts installed at this point, older buses may not be compatible with newer seats. Around 2014, school bus manufacturers offered seating options that allowed standard seatbacks to be upgraded to those with lap/shoulder belts, which is still an option today. Most older buses do not have options for retrofits or upgrades.

“We were having a big issue with that in my previous district, and so it was just having that communication with the company that we were working with, and they ended up still fixing all of those and then figuring out why that was happening,” she said.

In conversations with other Texas transportation directors, she said many are hoping that the law will add a funding element, especially since Texas districts have received less funding than previously.

Forty miles down the road, Jennifer Gardella sits in a very different situation. The director of transportation for Rockwall Independent School District near Austin currently has almost 50 school buses in need of retrofitting, at an estimated cost of nearly $1.5 million. She noted that the cost estimate depends on the school bus model and how the seats are attached.

She, however, also shared concerns about the scope of statewide installs. “If everyone is doing the retrofit, then how will the vendors keep up with repairs and/or getting the buses back for the start of the school year?” she asked, adding that Rockwall ISD doesn’t have extra activity buses or special program buses to be used as replacements.

Retrofit Decisions Not to Be Taken Lightly
“School bus and seat manufacturers rely on specific manufacturing and assembly processes to ensure their vehicles, seating and lap/shoulder seatbelts meet all applicable state and federal safety regulations,” explained Albert Burleigh, vice president of North America Bus Sales at Blue Bird. “School bus makers typically do not sanction or certify compliance of any aftermarket installations or modifications made to the bus that changes the original seating configuration. Therefore, retrofitters need to conduct their own evaluations to ensure full compliance with all safety regulations. They bear full
responsibility.”

A spokesperson for Thomas Built Buses shared a similar sentiment, noting that “school bus seating systems are engineered as an integrated structure that must meet specific safety standards for strength, crash performance, and so on.”

They added that in many cases adding lap/shoulder seatbelts requires replacement seats specifically designed and tested to accommodate those restraints, as well as proper attachment to the bus structure.

“Thomas Built Buses certifies that each vehicle meets all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards at the time it is manufactured but cannot attest to the compliance of items installed after that,” the spokesperson continued.

For buses originally built with convertible seating designed to accommodate future restraint upgrades, Thomas can provide technical guidance, the spokesperson said, adding that school districts and operators “should work closely with qualified vendors and ensure that any retrofit work is properly certified and compliant with all applicable regulations.”

A spokesperson for IC Bus said the process of adding lap/shoulder seatbelts to existing seats involves various considerations with federal seatbelt standards and requirements. IC Bus encourages its customers and operators to consult with their local IC Bus dealer to discuss retrofitting options.

Addressing Other Safety Needs
Meanwhile, Maine lawmakers introduced legislation that would require school buses in the state to have crossing arms mounted on the front of the vehicle and anti-pinch door sensors that detect objects caught in the loading doors. The bill aims to address two safety issues, which resulted in state fatalities within a little over a month span. A 12-year-old was killed in Rockland by their own school bus during drop off in November, and a 5-year-old in Standish was dragged and killed by a bus door in December. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the dragging incident.

The bill would apply to all buses regardless of model year, meaning older buses without these systems would need to be retrofitted or replaced. Additionally, school bus drivers who do not activate the crossing arm when students load or unload could lose their school-bus endorsement for up to two years.

Different from Texas, Maine state leaders proposed funding to support the upgrades, about $4.3 million. A school bus mechanic in Maine who requested to remain anonymous shared their district hasn’t started the retrofitting process as it waits to see if there will be funding. The mechanic said the district currently has 50 to 55 school buses in its fleet and all but seven have crossing arms. Those are more straightforward retrofits due to the fact they have already been on buses for many years.

Retrofitting anti-pinch systems onto older buses, the mechanic said, will be harder and more expensive. “Not only do you have to fit a new door mechanism but you have to run a new electrical system and reprogram if not swap out modules to be able to properly operate the system,” he said.

They added a preference that retrofitting be performed in-house to save on labor and overall costs to the district. “If the legislation passes, we are prepared to do what is
needed to meet it,” the mechanic noted. “I haven’t heard any specifics yet, but I know Blue Bird is taking this issue very seriously and is working on a solution to the retrofitting issues of the anti-pinch. Without funding from the state, I believe that a large portion of the entire bus fleet in Maine will be out of service and off the road.”

Andrew Wiseman, sales engineer at anti-pinch sensors manufacturer Mayser USA, said his company is working with Maine very closely on the potential retrofit.

Based on conversations, he said there are 2,000 to 3,000 school buses statewide that would require anti-pinch doors. “We have our partnership with Blue Bird, so we will be working on an aftermarket kit with them in the near future,” he said, adding there are also ongoing discussions with IC Bus and Thomas dealers in Maine on retrofit solutions.

“One of our big unknowns is some of the older buses do not have the necessary [electronic] logic to process an anti-pinch sensor’s signal, so we are also providing a control unit that can be mounted above the door and wired into the main control system, but we are still determining how many of these vehicles need control units at this time.”

He said it would be ideal for Mayser to work with the dealers on the best or recommended installation, and then the bus dealer can disperse this knowledge to school district mechanics on how to install the technology.

Wiseman noted that Mayser’s solution for the Maine retrofit costs around several hundreds of dollars per door, if a control unit is required, with the price being reduced further if the control unit can be omitted. For serial production on new vehicles, the price is “even more affordable for school districts” to implement.

The exact time it takes to perform an installation is still in question. “Putting the actual rubber profiles on the doors is easy and takes only a few minutes,” he said. “The difficult part of installation will be the wiring, as a wire will need to be routed from the door blades, into the compartment above the door, wired into a control unit, and then wired into the rest of the vehicle. Our current estimates are that this will take one- to- two hours per vehicle, but this is a rough estimate. Hopefully, we will gain this knowledge soon when we are testing our solutions with the manufacturers.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the April 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: Using AI to Reclaim Time & Improve Safety
Related: Is Safety Everyone’s Responsibility?
Related: The Importance of Streamlined Communication in School Bus Transportation for Safety and Efficiency
Related: (STN Podcast E297) Deep Dive into Safety: Illegal Passing & Child Restraints, Plus Green Bus Funding

The post Safety Upgrade Complexities appeared first on School Transportation News.

CONCORD, N.C. – The Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO East featured school bus manufacturers discussing products, technology, innovations and support for school districts looking to run cleaner, safer and more efficient school bus operations.

Blue Bird: EV Myth vs. Reality: What’s Actually Driving Adoption?

“We’ve taken the lead on the EV side,” declared Brad Beauchamp, EV product segment leader for Blue Bird, reviewing how the company entered the field eight years ago.

Noelle White, channel partner marketing specialist for Blue Bird, led attendees through a gamified quiz on common electric school bus myths.

Attendees correctly identified answers to questions such as what regenerative braking does (charges the battery while slowing), time required for infrastructure upgrades (six to 18 months), and how much of a total EV project cost is tied to infrastructure (25 to 40 percent).

Although cold weather reduces electric school bus range by 10 to 30 percent, Beauchamp noted that technology advances and operational techniques allow for improvements in this area.

Level 1 chargers are commonly used by most districts today, but Beauchamp recommended Level 2 chargers, which he said are best for overnight charging.

Infrastructure readiness most commonly delays electric school bus projects since the work “doesn’t stop on the first wave of buses,” Beauchamp cautioned.

Operational planning significantly shifts during the move from diesel to electric due to routes and weather, to name a few factors, Beauchamp reminded attendees.

“As you start to use [electric school buses], there is a learning curve,” he said. “On the great side for EV, a lot of things can be corrected without even leaving your yard.”

Viewing electric bus deployment as equivalent to a straightforward vehicle purchase is a common pitfall, explained Beauchamp. Instead, he said districts must consider infrastructure, utilities, load planning and route modeling early in the process. He added that data gathered from onboard telematics helps transportation directors in this crucial planning phase.

“It’s going to take a team,” he said, especially as not all aspects of electric school bus implementation happen sequentially.

In fact, the bus purchase from the OEM is “the easy part,” he quipped.

“Eighty percent of routes in the U.S. can be covered with an EV,” Beauchamp continued.

He advised putting an electric school bus on shorter routes until success is achieved, and then operations can branch out.

“Figure out what your long-term strategy will be,” he said.

When districts purchase an electric school bus with federal funds, they are required to decommission and scrap an old diesel bus rather than keep it as a spare, Beauchamp cautioned. He advised planning for scalability, not simply pilot projects.

Lastly, he reviewed EPA Clean School Bus program updates, noting that state and local funding opportunities also help keep electric school bus projects afloat. He advised performing preventative maintenance on both the bus and charger.

1 of 2

IC Bus: Leveraging Technology Solutions for Efficient Fleet Management

Matt Milewski, market segmentation director for IC Bus, reviewed how First Student announced last September that it was outfitting its fleet of 46,000 school buses with Samsara technology.

Jason Kierna, vice president of information technology for First Student, spoke to the company’s customer-focused motivation rather than just adding technology for its own sake.

“We’ve got thousands of customers and all of them want to use technology in a different way and that’s why it’s more about the process for us than it is about the technology,” he said.

He explained how the new AI-powered HALO offering combines vehicle inspections, driver coaching, AI cameras, predictive analytics, and more to improve safety for students and transparency for parents.

“Parents today are expecting more objective evidence when incidents occur,” agreed Scott Jobe, head of public sector strategists for Samsara.

He noted that AI is “maybe not the best when you deal with human interaction or conversation, but when it comes to objectivity, we think of AI as like a force multiplier.”

Kierna elaborated that hazard alerts or safety behavior remediation that HALO provides, can help school bus drivers proactively self-correct so a reactive supervisor conversation is unneeded. He added that some First Student drivers now refuse to drive a bus without the technology.

Kierna related an incident in which a bus was struck at over 60 mph and said the driver would have been injured if she had not been wearing her seatbelt, which she had just put on properly due to the AI powered camera’s alert. Jobe added that another district saw a reduction in risky behaviors by drivers, illegal passing incidents, bus crashes and maintenance costs due to the AI technology.

“What does safety mean to your organization?” Kierna rhetorically asked the audience.

Milewski emphasized IC Bus’ support for what Jobe termed a “frictionless experience” in technology integration for school district and bus contractor clients. Kierna reiterated the commitment of all three companies to overall safety for students.

Kierna underscored that empowering drivers and lobbying for safety initiatives are two of the many aspects that are directly related to the effective gathering and leveraging of data.

“Integrated technology is the future,” Jobe agreed. He shared a pothole detection feature in development, in which information gathered via onboard cameras, bus location and G-forces the bus undergoes can be sent directly to cities for repair escalation.

“We have so much data that we can turn into real actionable insights,” he said.

In answer to an attendee question on staff who may struggle with technology, Kierna said the AI assistant helps put things in plain language for users.

1 of 4

Thomas Built Bus: Let’s Talk Fuels – What Legislative Uncertainty Means for School Transportation

Mark Childers, direct sales and technology sales manager for Thomas Built Buses, reviewed current challenges and uncertainty surrounding fuel choice. “You’ve got to make some decisions,” he said.

“Where we stand today is that in 2027 all of the manufacturers are subject to EPA’s low NOx rule, so that is the new multi-pollutant criteria rule that’s going to deal with NOx and particulate matter that is coming in 2027,” explained Alissa Rector, policy advisor for Thomas Built Buses parent company Daimler Trucks North America. “Even though EPA’s greenhouse gas regulations have been rolled back in 2027, we are still subject to the existing greenhouse gas phase 2 standard at [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] NHTSA so there’s not a lot of change that you’re going to see on the greenhouse gas side compared to where we are today.”

Jim Ellis, director of pupil transportation for Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, has 600 school buses and is receiving 25 electric buses in July. When managing his bus fleet, he said he must balance getting the best bang for his buck with environmental concerns for cleaner air.

“I think that the key lesson is to just know change is going to continue to happen and just continue to take one step at a time,” declared Brittany Barrett, deputy director of operations and implementation for the World Resources Institute. She advised staying on top of fleet data, so it is easier to pivot and make decisions.

Rector discussed the differences between local pollutants like NOx, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter, as opposed to greenhouse gases like carbon and CO2 which enter the atmosphere.

Whitney Kopanko, vice president of school bus sales and marketing for Sonny Merryman, noted that the Thomas Built Buses Virginia dealer has put 300 electric school buses on the road. She spoke to dovetailing student transporter priorities of getting students to and from schools with community and regulatory pressure for cleaner air.

She and Ellis agreed that it’s crucial to provide numbers and data to stakeholders during decision-making processes.

WRI provides helpful tools and resources, Barrett informed attendees. Kopanko added that AFLEET suite from the U.S. Department of Energy can be used to compare fuel types. Fuel choice is a hyper localized decision based on what each district needs, she stated.

Though most school buses currently run clean diesel and will continue to, Rector prognosticated that the future will be mixed fuels with interesting developments in hydrogen. “Any future roadmap is going to have a lot of different options on it,” she declared.

Diesel fuel doubling in price due to the war in Iran is currently juxtaposed with conversations on propane or electric implementation, said Ellis.

While changing fuels may look tempting, Kopanko advised considering availability of alternative or drop-in fuel, infrastructure needs, driver and mechanic training, and the extra accountability involved in abiding by rules for government subsidies.

Barrett said electric buses have the range to meet 90 percent of the routing requirements for districts she works with, but infrastructure is the biggest question mark. “It’s not insurmountable but it requires a plan,” she said.

She praised Sonny Merryman’s electrification project with Dominion Energy in Virginia.

Panelists advised working closely with dealers, gathering all available fleet operation data, considering urban versus rural needs to determine what type of bus goes where, taking part in vigorous training and education, and keeping abreast of the rapidly changing regulatory landscape.

They also answered questions from attendees on electric school bus range, charging time, battery degradation and V2G.

Images via Vince Rios Creative and STN staff. 

The post Manufacturer Advice For School Bus Operations, Fleet Management appeared first on School Transportation News.

As school districts nationwide navigate a steady rise in students requiring individualized education programs (IEPs), the conversation around students with disabilities has expanded well beyond classrooms and compliance checklists. Increasingly, district leaders are recognizing that IEP success depends not only on instructional supports but on the coordinated efforts of transportation departments, special education teams and central administration working toward shared outcomes.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school districts are legally required to provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education tailored to their individual needs. That obligation includes not only academic services but also the “related services” necessary for students to access and benefit from instruction. In many cases, transportation is one of those services, making school transportation teams an integral, if sometimes overlooked, part of the IEP process.

As districts contend with staffing shortages, tighter budgets and growing service complexity, the need for intentional collaboration across departments has never been more critical. For superintendents and district leadership teams, fostering alignment between transportation and education is no longer optional. It is essential to deliver both legal responsibilities and student outcomes.

The Growing Complexity of IEPs

IEPs are federally mandated, individualized plans developed for students who qualify for special education services. Each plan outlines a student’s current academic and functional performance, measurable annual goals and the specific services required to support progress. These services may include specialized instruction, therapies, behavioral supports and transportation accommodations.

According to IDEA, a multidisciplinary team of educators, service providers, administrators and families must review and develop IEPs. While transportation is not explicitly named in every IEP, it frequently emerges as a related service when a student’s disability affects their ability to travel safely or consistently to and from school.

As districts report increases in the number of students with IEPs, transportation departments are being asked to meet a wider range of needs. These may include specialized routing, adjusted schedules, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, medical equipment accommodations, trained bus aides or door-to-door service. Each of these requirements carries operational, financial and staffing implications that extend far beyond the routing desk.

“From a transportation standpoint, IEP success really means that a student is able to get to and from school safely and consistently, even if they’re attending a program outside of their home school,” said Lisa Sawyer, coordinator of transportation for Tracy Unified School District in California. “It looks like having clear plans in place for behavioral or medical needs that translate well into the bus environment, so the student feels supported and everyone on the bus stays safe.”

Without clear communication and shared planning between departments, districts risk service gaps that can disrupt student access to education and expose compliance challenges. For transportation leaders, understanding the educational intent behind IEP requirements is just as important as understanding the logistical execution.

Transportation as a Related Service

IDEA defines related services as those required to assist a child with a disability in benefiting from special education. Transportation falls squarely within that definition when it is necessary for the student to attend school or participate fully in educational programming.

From a practical standpoint, this means transportation teams must translate IEP language into daily operational decisions. A single line in an IEP can affect vehicle assignments, staffing ratios, route design, training requirements and budget allocations. Even seemingly small accommodations can have ripple effects across a district’s transportation system.

Sawyer said close coordination becomes especially important when a student’s IEP needs change midyear. “When something changes midyear, we work quickly with education and special needs services to figure out the safest path forward,” she said. “If there’s a serious safety concern, transportation may pause temporarily until an IEP meeting can happen.”

More often, Sawyer said, transportation teams implement interim supports. “We might add additional assistance on the bus so the student can continue riding while the IEP team works on a longer-term solution,” she said. “Transportation is part of those conversations to make sure what’s being planned works in the bus setting and is consistent with what’s happening in the classroom.”

That collaboration can lead to practical, immediate improvements. Sawyer recalled a student who repeatedly wore a lap/shoulder seatbelt incorrectly during transport. “During the IEP meeting, transportation was included, and as we talked it through, we learned the student was uncomfortable because the belt was rubbing against their neck,” she said. “Once we adjusted the belt properly and added a padded cover, the issue stopped completely, which was added to the IEP.”

The example illustrates how transportation insight can surface solutions that might not be apparent in a classroom-only discussion. “It was a simple fix,” Sawyer said, “but it really showed how bringing everyone to the table can quickly improve safety and comfort for the student.”

Breaking Down Departmental Silos

Historically, transportation departments have often operated separately from instructional and special education teams. While this separation may have made sense when services were less complex, it poses challenges in today’s educational environment, where student needs and compliance requirements intersect daily with operations.

Effective IEP implementation requires transportation leaders to understand not only what services are required but why they are required. Likewise, special education teams benefit from understanding the logistical realities of routing, staffing, vehicle capacity and workforce limitations.

“Successful alignment between transportation and special education teams happens when both groups view themselves as partners in delivering a student’s educational program—not as separate departments with separate responsibilities,” said Heather Perry, superintendent of the Gorham School Department in Maine

Perry, who was among the four finalists for The Superintendent’s Association 2026 National Superintendent of the Year award, emphasized that bus drivers and transportation staff are often among the adults who interact with students daily. “Bus drivers are seen as important members of the student support team,” she said, “equipped with the information and training they need to safely and confidently support students with diverse needs.”

Related: Superintendent Snapshot: Communication, Collaboration Key for Maine School District Success
Related: Superintendent of the Year Snapshot: Support, Understanding of Transportation

Industry experts note that transportation involvement in the IEP process remains inconsistent across districts, even as transportation responsibilities grow more complex. Alexandra Robinson, an industry consultant and tenured faculty member for the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference, said transportation representatives should be present at IEP meetings whenever student needs directly affect safety or service delivery.

“Whenever there is a marked improvement or deterioration in behavior, a change of placement, or a change of or new equipment, transportation should be included,” Robinson said.

When transportation staff are unable to attend IEP meetings, Robinson emphasized the importance of proactive communication and structured tools. “Besides having a good and regular working relationship and ongoing communication with the special education team, the transportation team should provide IEP teams with a transportation assessment checklist,” she said, pointing to examples included in last year’s National Congress on School Transportation guidance. “That gives IEP teams a framework to consider transportation needs even when transportation personnel are not present.”

Robinson also addressed situations in which transportation requests are denied or not implemented, particularly when safety concerns arise. “Safety trumps all,” she said. “It behooves the transportation department to see something and say something for any unsafe practice, issue or concern. If transportation knows something is not safe for students on buses and it happens anyway, liability is at stake. Pushback for safety, not convenience, is always appropriate.”

For districts looking to strengthen transportation visibility within IEP planning, Robinson said early and intentional engagement is key. She recommended beginning-of-year meetings that include transportation and special education staff, inviting special education teams to transportation facilities for tours and joint meetings, and developing shared communications for families.

“Transportation should not wait to be invited into the special education office,” Robinson said. “Joint ‘dear parent’ letters on district websites, visible presence at board meetings and PTA events, and shared training sessions for staff and parents help build understanding. Close communication with behavior specialists, physical therapists and occupational therapists around behavior, equipment, securement and positioning is also critical.”

The Superintendent’s Role in Alignment

From a leadership perspective, alignment does not happen by accident. Perry said superintendents play a key role in creating the conditions that allow departments to work together effectively. “Our role is to break down silos and create conditions in which all staff, regardless of department, work toward shared goals for our students,” she said.

That work includes setting clear expectations that collaboration is part of the job, building structures for regular cross-department communication and modeling respect for the expertise each team brings. “When leadership consistently reinforces that every department contributes to the student experience, collaboration becomes a natural part of the culture rather than an added task,” Perry said.

In Gorham, those structures include regular meetings with program directors and building leaders as well as a districtwide mission, vision and strategic plan that connects all components of a student’s educational experience. “We have a strong team, a strong culture and a belief that it takes a village to accomplish our goals for children,” she said.

As IEP needs have grown more complex, Perry said the district has strengthened communication between special education and transportation teams. “This includes more frequent communication between case managers and transportation leadership, clear sharing of student safety, medical and behavioral support plans, additional training for drivers and more intentional route planning that anticipates individual student needs,” she said.

Transportation considerations are reviewed earlier in the IEP process, so supports can be built into planning from the start.

Compliance, Consistency and Family Trust

IDEA includes procedural safeguards designed to protect students and families, including the right to receive services as outlined in an IEP. Transportation issues are a common source of concern when services are delayed, inconsistent or misunderstood.

Clear coordination between departments helps districts avoid these pitfalls by ensuring transportation accommodations are documented accurately, communicated clearly and implemented consistently. When families see that services are reliable and aligned with IEP commitments, trust in the district grows.

To that point, districts are also examining how documentation and communication tools can support consistency as IEP needs evolve. Alisa Roman, director of nutrition and transportation for Lewiston Public Schools in Maine, said IEPs depend on clear, districtwide coordination.

“IEP success in Lewiston Public Schools looks like the district is working together in all aspects to deliver student success,” Roman said. “Without clear communication between the IEP team and the transportation department, crucial information can be lost, which may lead to frustrations among families, school teams and transportation staff.”

Roman noted that the frequency of IEP reviews and meetings can add complexity, particularly when changes occur incrementally. “Small changes without clear notification to families, transportation and schools often result in finger-pointing and students being caught in the middle,” she explained.

Related: IEP Meetings: TSD Conference Panel Discusses the Who, When & What
Related: Florida School Bus Aide Accused of Child Abuse in Ongoing Beating
Related: TSD Panel Shares How Technology Improves Special Needs Transportation Operations

To address those challenges, Lewiston Public Schools is refining how information related to transportation services is documented and shared. “One strategy we are implementing is incorporating a form to be used for related services, which can be updated when changes occur,” Roman said.

“The form, while important, is not used to replace the daily interactions that still need to be reported,” she added.

By strengthening documentation around related services, Roman said the district aims to reduce inefficiencies while improving clarity for all stakeholders. “By implementing a strong related service practice, our goal is to reduce phone calls and emails and have a document that shares the disability as it relates to transportation,” she said.

Consistency also benefits frontline staff. Drivers and aides who receive clear guidance and appropriate training related to IEP requirements are better equipped to support students safely and respectfully. In a time of persistent driver shortages, clarity and support can also contribute to retention.

From a transportation standpoint, Gorham’s Perry said success ultimately comes down to access. “Success is achieved when the student meets the learning goals in their IEP,” she said. “In transportation, this often means ensuring students have access to the programming they need, when they need it.”

Cross-District Collaboration and Shared Learning

As districts nationwide confront similar challenges, cross-district collaboration and shared learning have become increasingly valuable. Leadership networks and superintendent recognition programs provide opportunities to share strategies and highlight districts that have successfully integrated transportation into their special education frameworks.

While local contexts differ, common themes emerge: Early communication, leadership support and a commitment to collaboration. Districts that invest in these areas are better positioned to respond to evolving student needs while maintaining compliance and operational stability.

Looking Ahead

Traditionally, IEP success has been measured primarily through academic progress and compliance benchmarks. While these metrics remain essential, transportation leaders increasingly view success through an operational and human lens.

From their perspective, success means students arrive at school safely, consistently and ready to learn. It means routes are designed with student needs in mind, staff are trained and supported and families experience reliability rather than uncertainty.

As IEP enrollment continues to rise, districts face both challenges and opportunities. The complexity of special education services will require deeper collaboration, stronger leadership alignment and a shared commitment to student access.

Aligning transportation and education teams is not simply a logistical exercise; it is a strategic investment in equity, compliance and student success—one that plays out every school day, long before the first bell rings.

The post Aligning Transportation and Education Teams for IEP Success appeared first on School Transportation News.

School transportation departments navigate constrained budgets, staffing challenges and rapidly evolving technology that rely on procurement tools: Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Bids (RFB) and pilot programs.

Using those tools properly yields optimal results. RFIs help districts—particularly large ones—understand market capabilities before committing to specifications.

RFPs allow districts to evaluate solutions based on expertise, implementation plans and long-term value utilizing a scale or scoring system for multiple companies offering similar products or services. Factors include sustainability, customer support and training. RFBs are critical for standardized purchases, ensuring transparency, fairness and fiscal accountability through objective competition. Bid specs yielding the most results consider the operational needs and what problem needs resolution.

Industry consultant Alexandra Robinson noted an RFI is a fact-finding process to ask questions, research the product and conduct demonstrations. These findings result in writing the RFP or RFB. The proof is in the real-world pilot test of the solution.

A School Transportation News reader survey last year indicated 32 percent of transportation directors and supervisors engage in pilot programs. Thirty-five percent said they submit an RFI prior to submitting an RFP. Software provider Transfinder noted it participated in 217 percent more RFPs in 2025 than in 2024.

Ashley Jones, assistant director of special projects for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) transportation department in North Carolina, noted challenges faced in preparing for an RFP process include the hurdle of balancing the wish list of operations and maintenance with budget restraints.

“We also struggle with ensuring what we buy today won’t be obsolete in two to three years,” she added. CMS released an RFP in December for transportation telematics service and hardware, to improve upon GPS tracking, driver behavior metrics and on-time arrival rates. The district formed an RFP team including transportation operations, IT team members and finance. “This prevents us from buying a software solution we can’t support or maintain,” Jones said.

CMS utilizes a weighted scoring rubric that considers pricing, experience, specific vendor offerings, and references. It holds a pre-bid meeting internally but not publicly for potential companies placing a bid, Jones noted.

“This is included in the bid and part of our scope of work,” she added. “Vendors can ask additional questions during the process if needed.”

The decision to bid is based on several review meetings involving the CMS internal transportation team to determine basic needs and potential operational gaps.

“Before drafting the scope of work, the team collaborated to categorize requirements into fundamental needs versus additional capabilities,” said Jones. “Key drivers identified for this included the benefit of an accurate telematics platform including the essential need for accurate reports for bus arrivals, the desire to improve transparency between parents and school transportation, and the requirement for advanced diagnostic tools to streamline workflow for the maintenance team.”

When developing specifications, it is crucial to ensure a district is requesting technology that is current and open to competition, Jones noted.

“Specifications must be developed from market research, pilot program opportunities and the internal transportation team,” she added.

A standardized amount of bonding and insurance is required of all vendors. Onsite maintenance is handled through an internal team for oversite. The bid winner produces a maintenance and return merchandise authorization plan.

Jones noted each vendor has different parameters regarding their product warranties. This information is included in the grading rubric and considered during bid awards. To ensure system effectiveness, the RFP includes a mandatory continuation plan.

“We require the selected vendor to assign a dedicated, full-time employee to oversee the entire initial rollout,” Jones said. “The dedicated support must continue for an additional six months to facilitate continuous training for staff and immediately address software or hardware issues that may occur in the rollout period.”

Daniel Kang, Los Angeles Unified School District transportation director, noted a source selection committee was established in the district’s most recent RFP for upgraded GPS, tablets and camera systems.

The committee of subject matter experts from dispatch, technology, fleet, and the deputy director interviewed those who already utilize the top three scoring systems.

“Having direct conversations with fellow school districts allowed for honest feedback,” noted Kang. Key questions addressed the system’s highlights, outstanding concerns, whether the district would purchase the product again, and lessons learned.

When Austin (Texas) ISD put out an RFP in 2017 for stop-arm camera technology, it included a request for a six-month pilot program “to see how they would perform—the technology, reporting system, our interaction with our police department,” said Kris Hafezizadeh, Austin ISD executive director of transportation and vehicle services.

Austin ISD used the previous solution until last April, at which point district officials released another RFP to review other existing technologies, vendors and opportunities, using similar specs from the first RFP.

Hafezizadeh assembled a panel including transportation, law enforcement and legal representation to observe a presentation by top vendors, awarding the contract after school board approval to BusPatrol effective last May 1.

Hafezizadeh noted the district’s procurement office handles much of the RFP details: Writing the correct specs, considering the technology involved, and others involved in the process.

The district’s panel viewed proposals using Bonfire procurement technology, a cloud-based platform offering online solicitation, submission contract evaluation and management, and vendor performance. Hafezizadeh said RFP priorities were customer service, quality and responsiveness followed by financial and technical aspects.

“If you’re dealing with a district [of] our size, we are not awarding something to a company that may not know anything about [the issue] and are still trying to get the experience,” he said.

The contract stipulates Austin ISD gets 65 percent of each $300 citation, and BusPatrol gets 35 percent. “With the stop-arm cameras, we want the highest revenue shared with us, and the best technology and process as possible,” Hafezizadeh said.

Equipment, installation implementation and maintenance is no cost to the district, said Hafezizadeh, adding funds from the citations are used to pay police officers for time they invest in approving or disqualifying violations as well as the appeal judge the district hires to hear monthly appeals.

Hafezizadeh noted support requires attending community and PTA meetings and discussions with local and state legislators. The Austin ISD web page outlines the stop-arm law and consequences when motorists are cited.

In creating specs, Hafezizadeh said he wants a turnkey operation, including maintenance. Also, key are the implementation timeline and training bus drivers on the technology.

The RFP also addresses district and vendor responsibilities regarding financial matters, bonding and insurance. The process includes what kind of insurance the company needs to have to be qualified to send its proposal. When a video camera is not working properly, BusPatrol is tasked with sending a maintenance team to check on its status and make repairs. Hafezizadeh serves as project manager. A district police chief serves as a direct contact for violations, hearings or legal issues.

In its contract, BusPatrol indicated what it will take care of in the case of a collision, such as if a camera is hit and damaged.

“They replace it,” Hefezizadeh said. “The equipment belongs to them.”

As part of a continuation plan, he meets with BusPatrol bi-weekly to review previous months’ reports and discuss topics such as providing more community educational opportunities.

Ohio Pilot Programs Target Improved Reliability, Efficiency

As student transportation professionals across the country grapple a host of challenges, two pilot programs in Ohio seek insights into how to improve access, reliability and cost-effectiveness in pupil transportation.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) said the pilot programs aim to inform future strategies and guide the development of comprehensive solutions to address ongoing absenteeism, high transportation costs, outdated student rosters, noncompliance with individualized education programs (IEP), and reliability and efficiency.

Established under the 135th General Assembly’s House bills 33 and 250, the programs are designed to explore alternative transportation methods and address inefficiencies in the current system. ODE established the pilots for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) and the Montgomery County Educational Service Center (MCESC). They launched the pilots for the 2024-2025 school year. In a program summary, ODEW said both organizations are tasked with identifying students facing transportation difficulties, arranging approved vehicles for eligible students, and ensuring compliance with transportation requirements for students with disabilities as outlined in their IEPs.

ODEW funds the programs by deducting the statewide average cost per student—$1,214.29 for fiscal year 2025—from participating districts’ state transportation payments. Additionally, the educational service centers received federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant funds to support transportation expenditures.

The MCESC pilot program, branded as Ride Smart Ohio, focuses on using alternative vehicles with a capacity of nine passengers or fewer, according to ODEW.

The program not only provides transportation for students but also creates flexible income opportunities for teachers, staff and community members. Ride Smart Ohio utilizes advanced software from Trust-Ed to ensure a secure and user-friendly system, empowering school staff to play an active role in transportation efforts.

In fiscal year 2025, MCESC received over $493,000 in funding for the pilot program. For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the program will receive $250,000 annually to continue its operations.

As of November, Ride Smart Ohio entered service contracts with six districts, including West Carrollton, Mad River, Valley View, Northmont, Oakwood Schools, and Dayton Public Schools. Seven active drivers currently provide daily transportation for 13 students, including seven who attend Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services.

The program has prioritized safety and compliance, completing 100 percent of vehicle inspections and driver physicals before the school year began. Updated driver training modules have been implemented to align with state rules. Looking ahead, Ride Smart Ohio plans to recruit and onboard new drivers, enhance data reporting, schedule refresher training, and review fleet management before winter maintenance.

The ESCCO pilot program, which concluded last June, focused on providing transportation for Columbus City Schools. During its operation, 23 drivers transported 60 to 65 students to three community schools. The program received over $5 million in funding for fiscal year 2025.

ODEW highlighted key findings in September. It found that participating students saw improved attendance, averaging 13 more days in school compared to the previous year. Non-school bus transportation using smaller vehicles proved effective and reliable, but the cost of third-party contractors was significantly higher—more than five times the amount received through state transportation funding.

Additionally, outdated and inaccurate student roster information from schools created delays and extra work. Despite these challenges, families and community school participants expressed high satisfaction with the program state funding model.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: Building a Successful RFP
Related: Student Transportation Veteran Provides Tips for School Bus Technology RFPs
Related: Leading the Modernization of Student Transportation
Related: (Recorded Webinar) Evaluating School Bus Technology RFPs and Suppliers

The post More Than a Letter Game appeared first on School Transportation News.

Student transportation leaders and society at-large are being asked to rethink how they measure risk at the school bus stop, as a 50-state action plan emerging from a National School Bus Safety Summit late last year calls for a sharper focus on injuries and near-miss collisions caused by illegally passing motorists.

The summit, convened on Dec. 10 by BusPatrol along with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Safe Kids Worldwide, brought together school transportation officials, federal regulators, safety advocates and law enforcement represenatives to examine how often motorists violate school bus stop arms — and what that behavior is really doing to children beyond the worst-case fatalities that make headlines.

BusPatrol operates what is widely regarded as the largest school bus stop-arm camera enforcement network in the U.S. A company official stressed that despite access to a unique trove of video and citation data, independent safety authorities and government agencies must lead on defining the problem and setting policy.

“It’s important that it’s not just the vendors raising the flag,” Justin Meyers, BusPatrol’s president and chief strategy officer, told School Transportation News. “Independent safety authorities and governments need to make these assessments and do this research. We’ll participate to the extent we’re legally allowed, but this can’t be seen as just a company trying to make money.”

From Fatalities to the Full Spectrum of Harm

The National Action Plan for School Bus Safety authored by GHSA and released Tuesday at an event in Washington, D.C., includes 69 recommendations that seek to move the discussion beyond counting deaths to understanding the broader spectrum of harm and what school district, community, legislative and public safety stakeholders can do about it.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) was among the organizations in attendance at Tuesday’s action plan unveiling. Executive Director and CEO Molly McGee-Hewitt spoke alongside GHSA Executive Director Jonathon Adkins and other dignitaries. NAPT told members in an email Wednesday it is “proud and pleased” to be a part of the national discussion on curbing illegal passing.

Of particular interest to student transporters, NAPT noted the recommendations include urging governors to include school bus safety into their Triennial Highway Safety plans, encouraging school districts to implement school bus stop-arm enforcement programs and training school bus drivers to identify unsafe motorist behaviors.

The action plan recommendations include more serious treatment of illegal passing offenses by judges, increased speed limit enforcement in school zones, implementation of walking school buses, and improving post-crash care.

For years, national conversations have centered on the relatively small number of children killed at the bus stop each year. Historically, more than 1,200 children have died in loading and unloading zones, Meyers noted. According to the annual National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey, which originated in 1970, most of those fatalities were reported in the first decades of the study based on police reports of school bus incidents. But in the decades since, the annual numbers have fallen to a handful a year, though school buses can be just as responsible for fatalities as illegally passing motorists are, if not more so.

Still, Meyers said that focusing on fatalities alone obscures the scale of risk. He pointed to the estimate by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) that 39 million illegal passes of school buses could occur annually. The national action plan noted that figure equates to each school bus in the U.S. being illegally passed once every three days.

“Forty million times a year someone illegally passes a school bus and creates a very dangerous environment for those kids,” Meyers said. “Most of the time, a child isn’t struck. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t harm.”

Blog: A Unique Gathering and a Cry for Help

Summit participants in December explored a largely unquantified middle ground between fatal crashes and clean stops: Non-fatal injuries that may never be captured in formal crash databases, and near-miss events that inflict lasting psychological trauma on students who narrowly avoid being hit — or witness shocking roadway incidents from inside the bus.
BusPatrol has videos from school bus clients that show a student slip in the roadway as a vehicle brakes inches from their face, or an illegally passing tanker truck runs off the road, flips and rolls over, showering the scene in debris.

“Those kids will forever associate getting on and off the bus with the moment they thought they might be killed,” Meyers said, adding that adults attending the summit recounted traumatic incidents from their own childhoods that still affect them decades later.

The action plan urges policymakers and industry leaders to recognize that these experiences are safety outcomes in their own right, even if they do not result in a recorded fatality or “serious injury” in traditional datasets.

Defining and Documenting Near Misses

If injuries are hard to count, near misses are even harder. Yet they are central to understanding risk and trauma.

Current national estimates of illegal passing rely heavily on NASDPTS’ annual one-day survey. Approximately 1,000 school bus drivers in three dozen states manually tallied illegal passes in a single day last spring, and NASDPTS extrapolated results for a figure that indicates how many illegal passes could be happening nationwide across a 180-day school year. That approach has proven useful for counting violations, but not for categorizing the severity of risk.

Meyers suggested adding a category for near-misses, a working definition of which could include any incident where a child or caregiver approaching or leaving the bus has their path impeded by a vehicle that should have stopped, including situations where the person must stop short, hurry or run, or physically jump or move out of the way.

He acknowledged that some stakeholders might prefer a narrower definition that focuses solely on more dramatic, evasive actions.

“The real trauma tends to come from the more extreme events,” he said. “A 7-year-old pausing safely at the end of their driveway while a car rolls by at 20 miles an hour is one thing. A child who slips and falls as a car skids to a stop inches from them is another.”

Options already being used or explored include leveraging onboard cameras and integrated analytics to automatically flag incidents, where a vehicle passes during loading or unloading with a child in the roadway or at the curb, and encouraging school districts to develop internal reporting processes for near-miss incidents, whether or not police or medical responders are involved.

Still, any expansion of data collection will have to navigate the same privacy and policy constraints that currently limit broader data sharing.

Related: STN EXPO East to Feature Illegal Passing Trends, Safety Recommendations
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: (STN Podcast E290) Ideas, People & Solutions: Three-Pronged Approach to ‘Danger Zone’ Safety
Related: Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology

Measuring Injuries: Who Owns Illegal Passing Data and Who Can Use It?

One of the central questions raised by the summit and the action plan is how to meaningfully track injuries linked to illegal passing at school bus stops.

Meyers said BusPatrol video cameras are installed on more than 40,000 buses nationwide, a number he added is growing by the month. The company estimates that about 10 percent of the national school bus fleet now operates with some form of stop-arm enforcement camera, including those provided by other vendors.

According to Meyers, 36 states currently have some form of law authorizing automated stop-arm enforcement, with more considering legislation. And several states are actively discussing enabling or expanding stop-arm enforcement authority.

Individual school districts and local agencies see their own violation and incident data. But BusPatrol and other vendors are in a unique position to perceive trends across jurisdictions. That does not mean they can simply publish a national injury and near-miss dataset.

“Each state and each community has their own rules and regulations around the data,” Meyers explained. “Some of it can be shared. In other places, it can’t. In New York, for example, there are significant limits on what can be shared and how.”

Privacy laws, public records rules, contract language and concerns around personally identifiable information all restrict the sharing and aggregation of footage and related records. The result, according to Meyers, is a patchwork.

The action plan effectively calls on federal and state authorities—including GHSA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to lead efforts that would: Clarify how stop-arm cameras and incident data may be used for research and safety analysis, not only enforcement; encourage or authorize states to allow carefully structured data-sharing between vendors, school districts and central repositories; and develop consistent definitions and reporting protocols for bus stop injuries and related outcomes.

Meyers said BusPatrol would welcome participating in such efforts but emphasized that vendors alone should not define the narrative. Instead, the focus should be on solving the problem.

“All we’re really asking is for people to take an extra 15 seconds and stop for the bus,” he said. “They’re big, they’re yellow, they have flashing lights and stop signs. They’re meant to be seen. If we all respect that, we can eliminate a tremendous amount of trauma, injury and death.”

The post Action Plan Puts National Spotlight on Hidden Toll of Illegal Passing appeared first on School Transportation News.

Each year, School Transportation News gathers photos and videos from school districts and transportation companies across the U.S. that document how they celebrated Love the Bus Month. This year, we asked student transportation leaders about the impact of recognizing the importance of yellow school buses and showing appreciation to the individuals who transport students safely every day.

We uncovered a variety of Love the Bus celebrations ranging from highlighting student transportation staff on social media, catered events for transportation department, goodie bags for school bus drivers and special events with a Valentine’s Day flair.

Prosper Independent School District (Texas)

Teri Mapengo, director of transportation at Prosper Independent School District near Dallas, Texas, shared how multiple fun events showed the transportation department staff how much they are valued.

“We focus on meaningful and creative ways to celebrate our team and reinforce that they are truly seen and appreciated,” Mapengo explained. “This year, we hosted Puppy Wellness Days to bring moments of joy and stress relief, served pancakes and sausage after morning routes, partnered with Raising Cane’s ‘Love Bus’ to surprise staff with swag and gave bus beanies to every employee.”

The pictures were worth a thousand words, showing the happiness the furry visitors brought to the staff. Transfinder recognized Mapengo last summer at the STN EXPO West conference leading one of the industry’s Top Transportation Teams, so she has a long-standing history of creating meaningful connections with her team. She continued that the district’s Love the Bus celebrations continued with a superintendent ride-along that allowed for personal recognition and relationship building with the school bus drivers.

“Love the Bus Month matters because transportation is built on people, relationships and trust. Our teams show up before sunrise, in every kind of weather, carrying the responsibility of safely transporting what matters most—our students. Much of their work happens quietly behind the scenes, and this month gives us the opportunity to pause and recognize the heart behind the wheel,” she added. “Recognition reminds our drivers, monitors, mechanics, and support staff that their work has a lasting impact on students, families, and the entire school community,” said Mapengo. “While February gives us a dedicated time to celebrate, appreciation must be part of our culture year-round. When people feel valued, they feel connected to the mission—and that connection strengthens morale, safety, service, and retention.”

Mapengo summed up her advice to other directors. “Recognition doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be genuine. Celebrate your people publicly, involve your community and find ways to reflect your team’s unique culture” she recommended. ”Most importantly, make appreciation a habit, not just a moment. When transportation teams feel valued, it strengthens morale, builds pride and positively impacts the students and communities we serve.”

1 of 19

Buncombe County School District (North Carolina)

Jeremy Stowe, director of transportation at Buncombe County Schools in North Carolina, spoke last year at STN EXPO East in Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina about how his transportation department stepped up to assist emergency services after Hurricane Helene. Stowe’s maintenance team was recognized as a 2025 Garage Star because of these efforts. This year, the students showed their appreciation by washing district school buses as a “tangible way to say thank you,” shared Stowe.

Stowe shared why Love the Bus Month matters. “Student transportation is often the first and last interaction a child has with our school system each day. Our drivers set the tone. They provide safety, stability and often encouragement before a student even walks into a classroom,” he commented. “Recognizing these drivers reinforces that their work is not just operational, it is relational and critical to our daily operations.”

He continued,“Year-long recognition is just as important. Drivers operate in all weather conditions, manage student behavior on a moving vehicle, and carry tremendous responsibility. When we intentionally celebrate them, we strengthen morale, keep drivers, and a positive tone to the culture of our entire district.”

Buncombe also highlights their transportation department’s work on social media regularly, especially noted Stowe, during weather events that require extra safety efforts from the staff. He also shared that members of the local Board of Education did ride-alongs on the school buses, “as another visible manner of recognizing all our drivers do for our district.”

Stowe said his advice to other school districts looking to thank and recognize their student transportation departments is to make recognition personal and visible., “Everyone wants to be told ‘Thank You’, you are important to what we do. Say it and show it. Invite everyone to participate (Principals, Teachers, Students, PTO’s, and Board Members). Post stories publicly. Deliver handwritten notes. Small gestures matter when they are sincere and consistent. Transportation professionals don’t do the work for recognition and they deserve all the recognition they can get.”

1 of 11

Laramie County School District #1 (Wyoming)

Kathleen Larsen, a transportation supervisor at Laramie County School District #1 in Wyoming, shared a unique perspective on the importance of her transportation department as she is a parent of two students who ride her district’s school buses.

Jenn Simpson, another transportation supervisor at Laramie, reached out to School Transportation News with a submission that was shared by a school bus driver who works under Larsen. Simpson shared that Laramie County recognizes Love the Bus by engaging with the transportation department to ask why they “Love the Bus.” School bus driver Fabiola “Faby” Andujo was the first to respond.

She came to Laramie after obtaining her CDL through Climb Wyoming, a program that works with single mothers to provide job training, including certifications and assisting with job placement. Simpson said she is currently on medical leave and wanted to share her reasons why she loves her job.

Andujo showed her passion for her vital role. “I love my bus and I miss it because every student is a treasure to their family. We carry the most valuable cargo. Each student is a story whose ending we don’t know yet. Maybe they’ll become a new bus driver, a lawyer, a teacher, a police officer, a soldier, an engineer, an architect, a doctor, a nurse, a singer, an actor, a judge, a governor, a mayor, or even the next president in a few years,” she shared. “That’s why we drive carefully and make sure they arrive at their destination safely. Every smile in the morning, a good morning, a thank you is the best payment I can receive. I love my bus because it’s safe, and new stories are created every day. I want to tell you that I miss each and every one of you, and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to belong to this department.

“I am truly blessed. I’m doing my best in my recovery so I can return and continue taking the students to school and, in the afternoons, to their bus stops. I also miss taking field trips because I’ve gotten to see new places,” she continued “Thanks also to the mechanics who keep the buses running. I miss everyone, but especially my students and my teaching assistant. That’s why I love my bus because it’s safe, it’s big and it can take me to many places. Lots of love, Faby, I miss my bus 101.”

Larsen said that watching her children walk out the front door to ride the school bus each morning reinforces the impact of student transportation in children’s lives.

“To me, the school bus is the ultimate act of trust…That trust matters deeply to me, and it’s something I think about constantly. I try to lead this department with a parent’s heart, guided by the belief that every child on every route deserves the same care, patience, and warmth I want for my own girls,” explained Larsen.

“That’s exactly why celebrating Love the Bus Month matters,” she continued. “When we take time to recognize our drivers, TAs, mechanics, shop staff, dispatchers, coordinators, or trainers, we’re not just checking a box. We’re acknowledging the heart, effort and care they bring to this work. It’s a reminder that they aren’t just operating a vehicle — they are shaping experiences and building trust with kids every day. More than a thank you, this recognition helps our entire community better understand what this job truly involves. It reminds our staff that they aren’t working in isolation at the bus garage but are a vital part of the school family. When we celebrate the bus, we celebrate the peace of mind we give to parents and the safe, welcoming environment we create for students. Most of all, we honor the people who show up day after day — snow or shine — to make sure our kids get where they need to go and have the opportunity to learn and succeed.”

1 of 3

Watauga County Schools (North Carolina)

Another school district in a more rural area of North Carolina made sure to recognize the dedication of their transportation team, as shared by Janet Tanner, the district’s transportation director.

“In Watauga County, our school bus drivers are more than employees — they are family. As a small rural mountain county in Western North Carolina, relationships matter deeply to us. Love the Bus month allows our school system and community to express gratitude for the individuals who safely transport our students each day,” she said.

Watauga County Schools’ Love the Bus celebrations included tokens of appreciation from the district and kind words from the community.

“Each year, we present our drivers with a token of appreciation. This year, every driver received a fleece jacket embroidered with our Watauga Bus emblem — a visible symbol of pride and unity. Our entire transportation department participated in personally delivering the jackets, which helps build relationships between drivers and staff. In addition, our Communications Director Bailey Little collected and shared heartfelt notes from parents and students across our social media platforms. These messages highlighted the kindness, dependability and care our drivers show daily.”

Just as the other directors noted, Tanner shared that Love the Bus celebrations don’t and should not be relegated to merely the month of February.

“Our commitment to appreciation extends well beyond the one month,” said Tanner. “Prior to the start of school, we host a back-to-school meeting, where drivers receive critical safety training, policy updates and procedural guidance. With the generous support from our vendors, we also provide lunch and door prizes, creating a welcoming and celebratory atmosphere. This event ensures drivers feel both prepared and valued,” she said

She continued, “Throughout the school year, have your department staff make visits to drivers before or after their routes, bring them small treats or simply tell them how much they are appreciated. These personal touches reinforce a culture of recognition and respect.”

She also noted that the district regularly posts “Driver Spotlights” on social media to connect the drivers behind the wheel with the local community saying that these outreaches “foster pride among drivers and strengthen the connection between families and the transportation team.

“In Watauga County, appreciation is not a single event—it is a culture,” she added. “We are committed to honoring them not just during Love the Bus month, but throughout the entire year.”

1 of 9

Related: Gallery: Recap Love the Bus Month 2026
Related: WATCH: West Virginia Highlights School Bus Inspection for Love the Bus Month
Related: Update: Love the Bus Month Underway, NAPT Seeks Recognition Year-Round

The post Transportation Leaders Share How to ‘Love the Bus,’ Why It Matters appeared first on School Transportation News.

At 6:42 a.m., a parent refreshes an app on their phone for the third time in two minutes,
watching a small bus icon inch—or not—across a digital map. In school districts across the
country, that moment has become part of the daily routine.

When they work, they build trust. When they don’t, the breakdown is immediate, public and loud. School bus tracking apps, once marketed as a simple way to reduce anxiety and improve communication, continue as a high-visibility link between transportation departments and families.

Growing Pains
While many schools across the country are quite satisfied, some have had problems.
Osceola School District in Florida launched an app at the start of the school year. By January, the district was forced to notify families that the app was not functioning properly. The school district is still trying to work out its glitches.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, which operates roughly 1,000 bus routes daily in Maryland outside of the nation’s capital, adopted a mobile app to give parents real-time tracking and schedule alerts. Persistent reliability issues and mounting parent complaints
prompted the district to abandon the platform and migrate to a new app instead.

Tech Hiccups Aside, Bus Tracking Apps Experience Growing Use and User Satisfaction

Despite technical hiccups, data-integration challenges and the pressure of public scrutiny, school bus tracking apps have become common implementations in pupil transportation.

The Houston County School District in Perry, Georgia has used CalAmp technology for its school bus fleet since 2019 to much satisfaction. The district has 265 school buses that transport approximately 16,000 students twice a day on 180 bus routes. Houston County
initially partnered with CalAmp to utilize the core technology of GPS fleet tracking, comparative analysis, time and attendance, navigation, and engine diagnostics. After its initial installation, the school district added the Here Comes the Bus parent app.

“The fleet tracking system is a world above our previous product and gives us the ability to know instantly the location of a bus, its speed, its status on the route, as well as a history of the buses’ activity,” explained Tom Walmer, Houston County’s director of transportation.

“The tracking system as well as the dispatch monitor module allows staff to have real-time data available to ensure buses are on their routes which stops have been completed, which stops may have been missed, and enhances our ability to address emergency situations as they arise. The navigation capability makes the job of a bus driver much easier and safer. No more need for inexperienced drivers or substitute drivers to fumble with route sheets or printed directions because it is all on the tablet, giving them directions and stop location notifications. Comparative analysis and engine diagnostics are essential tools for supervisors and staff to monitor performance and eliminate issues that we may not have known about otherwise.”

Houston County Schools is not the only district in Georgia to have had success with CalAmp. Trey Stow, the director of transportation operations for Fulton County Schools serving the Atlanta metropolitan area, said over 89,000 users within the school district also use CalAmp Here Comes the Bus app. Stow says the app “works well and is heavily relied upon.”

The experiences of Houston County and Fulton Country are catching on for many other school districts as usage of bus tracking apps continues to grow.

“We are up to 1.7 million active users,” Adam Ortlieb, senior product marketing manager at CalAmp, said. “Parents expect this capability for improved student safety and more efficient use of their time. School districts are aligned on those priorities. Plus, both transportation staff and parents benefit heavily from efficiency gains.”

Integration is Key
Lam Nguyen-Bull is the chief experience officer at Edulog and leads the company’s advisory services team. Edulog claims it is the original school bus routing software company and has been providing routing and planning software solutions to districts across North America since 1977. Nguyen-Bull said a key attribute to success is integration with other software and applications such as routing and GPS systems as well as scanning systems that register students boarding the bus.

“The reality is that many parents currently track their kids via their cell phones,” she said. “The key is that a useful student ridership application has to be completely integrated with the routing system to provide information that is specific to the student’s trips to and from school. The app needs to let parents know when the bus is planned to arrive at the stop and then give the parents a heads up when the bus is nearby. Then, as the student boards the bus, the ridership piece kicks in. The student scans on with an RFID card, maybe a bar code, or the driver “boards” the student on a mobile data terminal (tablet) application. Parents are notified in the app that the student has boarded the bus. Similarly, the parents are notified when the student exits the bus. This might happen a couple of times each morning if the student transfers buses during their trip to school.”

Once implemented and adopted, it’s important for schools to monitor the utility of new apps and features, as well as their effectiveness.

Houston County School District pays attention to the data metrics readily available as subscribers to the CalAmp applications.

“We currently have approximately 15,536 stakeholders utilizing the HCTB app notifications,” said Walmer. “That number is an indication of the success of the roll out. When my staff takes parent calls about bus stop locations and times, it is our practice to ask if the parent utilizes the app. The majority of the time, the answer is yes and includes positive comments. If they do not use the app, it is our practice to bring it to their attention and encourage them to download the app. A testament to the popularity of the app is away from work while in the community. Whether at church, the grocery store or such, when a person finds out that we work at the school district transportation department, people give unsolicited feedback about how much they love the app.”

Stow with Fulton County Schools said app usage indicates when there might be an issue like a school bus driver forgetting to log into a route.

“The phone calls tend to increase in measure and expose an issue,” he said. “CalAmp provides excellent customer service with their team and always resolves any issues quickly which helps us provide the best service possible.”

App Features ‘Wish List’ Continues to Grow

While bus tracking apps are progressing along a curve of early integration, there are many features that users and app producers wish to see.

“We are currently in the process of implementing an existing feature of the Cal-Amp technology and Here Comes the Bus: Student ridership scans,” said Walmer. “We piloted the ridership scans in May of 2025 and had new hardware installed on all of our buses over the summer. We did a soft roll out of the scans at the beginning of this school year and will have full implementation later this month. This is another excellent feature that enhances student safety. Transportation department and school staff have the ability to see from their computers what students are on any given bus in real time, or search for an individual student to see what bus a student is on. It also allows us to see where and when a student boarded or exited a bus. This enhances our drivers’ ability to be successful by notifying them when a student scans whether they are an eligible rider or not, and whether they are the assigned bus or not. It will also notify the driver when a student scans to exit the bus at a stop other than their assigned one.”

Transfinder is another producer of apps for pupil transportation. “Based on what Transfinder is hearing from our clients as well as from the industry at large, a common wish list of items include predictive ETA adjustments [and] not just real-time location, but responsive to outside forces such as traffic, localized emergency alerts, notifications specific to route disruptions due to weather, accidents, or school closures with recommended alternatives,” said spokesman Rick D’Errico.

He continued, “If alerts are tailored to just those impacted, the likelihood of parents not silencing their alerts is increased, and language [translation] for multilingual support.”

Edulog’s Nguyen-Bull said gaps are in daily operations. “Try as we might, we have not come up with a card that can’t be lost or misplaced,” she said. “That’s why it is so beneficial to have a Plan B, for example, an interface that allows a bus driver to mark that a student has boarded the vehicle. Districts find out that this becomes an onerous task for drivers if it gets out of hand. That is, if Plan B is invoked too much. Some districts charge families for replacement cards, but that approach has its shortcomings, too.”

Ortlieb of CalAmp added the company is releasing more advanced safety, security and efficiency features. “For example,” he explained, “giving districts the option to prevent bus location details from appearing on a map until the vehicle enters the radius specified by the district. Single sign-on for the parent app is a very well-received new enhancement. It offers simplified, secure parent access, and allows districts to systematically manage passwords and deprovision users who should no longer have access.”

Bus Tracking Apps Are Becoming Standard

As school transportation continues its steady adoption of digital technologies, bus tracking apps are no longer experimental add-ons. They are now core service expectations. The experiences of districts highlighted show both sides of that reality: Early frustrations when systems falter, and measurable gains in efficiency, safety, and parent confidence
when technology is implemented thoughtfully and supported consistently.

The most successful deployments share common traits—tight integration with routing and dispatch systems, strong vendor support, clear communication with families, and ongoing measurement of adoption and performance.

Just as important, districts are learning that technology alone is not enough. Daily operational discipline, driver training, and contingency planning remain critical to success.

As features evolve from basic location tracking to predictive ETAs, ridership verification, and targeted alerts, the value proposition will only grow. For transportation leaders,
the takeaway is clear: Bus tracking apps, when executed well, reduce uncertainty, strengthen trust, and transform how districts connect with the families they serve turning a once anxious morning ritual into a more predictable, transparent start to the school day.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the March 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: School Bus Tracking Apps Ease Pain Points for Everyone
Related: Georgia School District Implements Student Tracking App
Related: School Bus Adaptive Technology: Safer Rides, Stronger Teams, Better Access
Related: Feeling Super About Transportation Technology?

The post Where Is the Bus? appeared first on School Transportation News.

What should a school transportation department expect in the wake of a serious or fatal school bus crash? In Tennessee, a painstakingly thorough post-crash investigation process begins by reviewing the bus driver’s training and the bus maintenance records, three of the state’s highway patrol troopers said.

In the immediate aftermath of a school bus crash, school staff should expect authorities to follow specific protocol, beginning with ensuring that everyone who’s injured receives the care they need. Next, they will take steps to preserve the crash scene, properly document physical evidence, take photos, and collect witness statements.

“That includes making sure that nothing’s being taken out before it’s documented and that everything that can be done at the scene is done before anyone starts moving stuff or letting people go,” said Sgt. Jena Eubanks of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “We may put down paint where a vehicle comes to rest just so we can come out later and measure the scene if need be.”

Lt. Raymond Gaskill said the first steps when investigating a serious or fatal school bus crash include securing the bus driver’s information to determine the commercial driver’s license and training record.

“We’re going to verify that the bus has been inspected and that it was supposed to be operational,” Gaskill said. “Even if the crash is not investigated by the highway patrol, transportation directors know that our team of inspectors have to look at that bus before they put kids back on it.”

If an incident occurred while students were loading or unloading, authorities “want to make sure the eight-way lighting was on and the stop sign was out at the time of the crash so it can be documented,” Gaskill said. “Ninety percent of Tennessee buses have cameras nowadays, so we’ll make sure to get with those transportation directors and look at that video.”

Eubanks said post-crash inspections follow two paths.

“There’s what we do on the people side, and we’ll inspect the bus to see what damage, if there is any damage, occurred as a result of the crash,” she said. “The post-crash inspection is conducted by certified personnel … and it’s a very thorough investigation where we’re breaking down that vehicle mere seconds before the crash and building it back up to see, ‘Was there something wrong with the vehicle at the time that was a causing a factor in the crash?’ Those can take a week or a couple days or weeks more, depending on what we’re dealing with.”

Gaskill said the “people side” probe includes a look back at least 24 hours into the driver’s activities.

“Were they sick? Did they stay up all night? Did they get enough rest? What were they doing? You know, those types of things would all play a factor into the crashes,” he explained.

Authorities will also review on-board technology during a crash event reconstruction with the recognition that systems may not be calibrated or accurate.

“We may use the GPS, but we’d have to look at other factors. My calculations as a reconstructionist tell me their minimum speed was this. The GPS says they were going that fast. That would help your case, but we don’t just take GPS at its word,” Gaskill said.

Distraction the Most Prevalent Cause of Crashes

The most common factors in minor and serious school bus crashes involve hitting mirrors on other vehicles due to being too close to the center line and tail swing when the rear of a bus crosses the center line, according to Gaskill. But, he added, “You would be amazed at how many people rear end a school bus, and you can’t train for that.”

Eubanks said most crashes she sees are caused by “some type of distraction.”

“Whether it’s on the driver of the bus or the driver of the other vehicle because most crashes can be prevented, but I would say most of them are distractions,” Eubanks said.

Capt. Allen England said Gaskill’s and Eubanks’ observations can be covered under one umbrella: Human error.

“Whether it’s distraction or tail swing or something else, that’s human error in the operation of the vehicle. Whether it be loading or unloading children or a child getting caught in a door and dragged, it’s the people factor, human error,” he said. “Rarely do we ever see, maybe two out of 100 times, a mechanical defect that may have contributed to a crash. But that’s human error, too.”

The best crashes, though, are the ones that never happen, thanks to foresight and preparation. The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s focus on preventing crashes begins by inspecting 147 school districts’ roughly 9,800 buses.

“We inspect every school bus in the state at least once per year, some twice or more per year. We train every driver at least one time per year, maybe more. We notify transportation directors of downgrades or anything that alters that driver’s license that they need to know about or they may need to take a driver out of a school bus,” England said. “We have a very robust program, and we have committed individuals to the program to help kids safe.”

The four hours of mandated driver training address common safety issues, Gaskill said. “We look at the crashes that come in across the state throughout the year, and that’s what we train next year,” he added. “If we have a lot of tail swing incidents, we make sure to put in training about tail swing. … Student management is always a big one.”

Related: This is Bad
Related: NTSB Investigating Fatal School Bus Dragging in Maine
Related: Waymo Driverless Vehicles Continue to Illegally Pass School Buses

As long as transportation departments are performing proper bus maintenance and conducting effective training, England said, his best advice for fleet managers to prevent accidents is “first and foremost, know your driver.

“The driver is typically the largest factor in the crash. So, they need to understand the driver and what’s going on with them. If the driver is going through something horrendous in his personal life, is that going to affect his ability to safely operate that bus?” he continued. “Know your driver and engage with those drivers as frequently as you can.”

Eubanks agreed. In addition to extending England’s advice to the shop foreperson and mechanics, she encouraged fleet managers to conduct video reviews of bus drivers and follow up on complaints about erratic or unsafe driving.

“Also make sure your drivers are doing what they’re supposed to do regarding pre-trips and post-trips. Pre-trip and post-trip (inspections) are required by federal mandate and by our state regulations,” Eubanks said. “Make sure that driver is taking that time in the morning and in the afternoon to walk around their bus make sure everything’s good to go on it, and notating anything that’s wrong and ensuring that that bus is getting fixed properly.”

The post Investigation, Documentation Crucial to School Bus Crash Investigations appeared first on School Transportation News.

A motorist is late for work and, in a rush, passes a stopped school bus loading children. By doing so, this person is putting children’s lives in danger. Community and political leaders have become increasingly concerned about this issue, and state legislation is addressing the running of school bus stop arms.

An online survey of 2,000 parents and caretakers also indicates increasing concern with their children’s commutes to and from school. In fact, 43 percent said they have observed a “near miss” in a school zone, with one-third saying they saw motorists nearly hit students at school bus stops with the stop-arm extended. Eighty-two percent of those parents said they support safety cameras to monitor and penalize illegal passers. The results come from a survey conducted last year by Verra Mobility.

Educating the public on the importance of school bus safety is an essential goal for Ward Leber, the founder and chairman of the Child Safety Network (CSN), who has worked with the U.S. Senate over the past dozen years to recognize National School Bus Safety Month in September.

Leber said research indicates some motorists who pass stopped buses are just not paying attention. Other people don’t know the dangers present when children are boarding and exiting buses. Even worse, as a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration uncovered, many motorists say they don’t care about school buses.

“We are working on a campaign to increase awareness of school bus safety,” Leber added. The football themed “Know When It’s Safe to Pass” PSA is authorized by the Senate resolution and is expected to be released this month to coincide with the Super Bowl. Ward said CSN is working with several well-known professional athletes to create messages to promote the idea that quarterbacks must make correct decisions, especially when the big game is on the line. But illegally passing a stopped school bus is more than a bad mistake. It endangers the lives of children. Leber said he believes motorists must make the right call behind the wheel when they approach school bus stops. And that is to always stop and remain stopped until the flashing red lights and stop arm deactivate.

The CSN campaign also provides free resources that explain in plain language with visuals when it is safe and lawful to pass school buses in either direction. And it seeks to improve how school bus safety is covered on not only state-administered driving tests but internationally as well. Leber said information must be updated to reflect real-world driving situations.

“We intend to ask the U.S. State Department to require basic instruction on school-bus laws for visitors who will be driving in the U.S., and to encourage rental car companies to voluntarily provide school-bus safety information, authored by CSN, particularly to international renters and especially during back-to-school periods,” he added. “This is about removing ignorance as an excuse before it becomes a tragedy.”

The Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation is working on this issue and has supported state legislation to increase fines for people who run red lights at stopped school buses. Fines for passing a stopped bus can reach $500.

Katrina Morris, executive director of MAPT, said efforts are underway to educate drivers about the importance of stopping when they see a school bus stop arm through fun, informative PSAs.

She worked last fall with Ryan Preece, a professional NASCAR driver on team RFK Racing owned by Jack Roush, founder of ROUSH Enterprises and the ROUSH CleanTech division, to make a public service announcement on the importance of not passing stopped school buses. As a race car driver, Preece likes to go fast and not stop, the PSA says. It shows him not stopping for a tire change at a pit stop and not stopping for a drink at a roadside lemonade stand, but even he has time to stop when the reds are flashing for a school bus.

Lomas Brown, a retired offensive lineman for the NFL’s Detroit Lions, is currently working with Morris and MAPT to create a similar ad. It states, “When the reds are flashing, there is no passing.”

Morris said MAPT also plans to work with Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan to support legislation he introduced last year with Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, the Brakes for Kids Act, a campaign to increase public awareness of the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus. Peters also co-introduced the School Bus Safety Month proclamation led by CSN and Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska.

“Parents need to know their kids are safe taking the bus to and from school,” said Peters in a statement. “That’s why I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to raise awareness of the dangers of illegally passing school buses and promoting best practices for making our communities safer.”

The Ohio Association of Pupil Transportation is encouraging drivers to stop when they see a school bus with its stop arm out. An important goal is to educate the public about the importance of caring for children. OAPT developed a new safety program and has been working alongside MAPT and its Reece PSA to encourage people not to pass stopped school buses.

The association also promoted legislation to raise fines for people who are caught passing stopped school buses with stop arms out. Ohio school buses are equipped with cameras that capture images of drivers passing stopped school buses, and the photos can be used to issue tickets. The state is providing more grant money that school districts can apply for to purchase cameras.

“We have School Bus Safety Week and have encouraged public school districts to promote bus safety,” said Todd Silverthorn, executive director of OAPT. “We are using social media to get the message across that drivers should not pass stopped school buses.

As part of the new school bus safety grant initiative, a campaign has been launched to promote school bus safety. More efforts are being made to involve law enforcement. Thomas Built Buses has created a campaign that says, “If you pass, you’re an ass,” Silverthorn said.

Meanwhile, the one-day annual survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services reported 67,000 violations observed by 114,000 participating school bus drivers last year. It lead NASDPTS to estimate that millions of incidents occur nationwide each school year and put children at significant risk for injury or death.

Reach Out and Stop Someone
Another measure to reduce stop-arm running is by installing extended stop arms. Child Safety Network’s Ward Leber has worked to create a partnership with one of these providers, BusGates. An important goal of this partnership is to end the millions of illegal school bus passings each year.

BusGates and CSN have developed an LED-lit, stoparm extension that attaches to the stop arm already installed on the school bus. To date, about 5,000 have been installed on school buses in 26 states. When the bus comes to a stop, the extension swings out nearly five feet from the side of the bus, reinforcinga visual and physical barrier that a motorist cannot miss.

This extended stop arm acts like a railroad crossing gate, forcing drivers to stop in advance of the bus, before a violation or resulting collision can occur. Field tests from school districts using BusGates have been promising, with some seeing their daily illegal passing incidents drop from many to zero after the extensions were installed, explained Leber.

“No parent should have to fear for their child’s life at the bus stop. The numbers are staggering, tens of millions of violations each year, and each one is a child’s close call or worse. By partnering with Children Safety Network, BusGates is taking action to ensure every driver gets the message that when a school bus stops, we must all stop,” he added.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the February 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E290) Ideas, People & Solutions: Three-Pronged Approach to ‘Danger Zone’ Safety
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
Related: WATCH: West Virginia Releases Illegal Passing Awareness Video
Related: Michigan Association Films Illegal School Bus Passing PSA with NASCAR’s Preece

The post Getting the Word Out appeared first on School Transportation News.

Onboard school bus cameras have changed the game when it comes to school bus driver and student safety. Combined with proper procedures and training, they can be a pivotal part of an enhanced safety strategy for student transportation operations.

In North Carolina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has had cameras in place since area manager Monique Jackson joined the transportation department in 2018. Her passion for safety has been front and center throughout her career as an educator and now in student transportation.

“The number one reason for us to have those cameras is for bus safety and, of course, to capture whatever footage is necessary for reporting and documentation purposes,” said Jackson.

She noted the cameras originally used physical hard drives for video storage. Video is now cloud-based, so transportation leadership can make requests to view certain parts of the footage and be able to access it electronically in a more timely manner.

At the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference held in Frisco, Texas, keynote speaker and special education attorney Betsey Helfrich outlined common pitfalls when school districts and transportation departments don’t have clear policies and procedures for handling video footage. Lawsuits filed against the district can succeed if they prove there was insufficient training for employees and that the correct action wasn’t taken as soon as an incident is discovered.

She advised timely, documented communications with Title IX coordinators about incidents. However, there’s often a tricky balance between open record laws and FERPA, or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, when distributing footage among staff members. She cited cases where districts used FERPA to justify not releasing footage of incidents onboard the school bus to parents of students who were involved but were later overruled in court. FERPA is also no excuse for keeping specific information from school bus drivers that pertains to their passengers’ access and safety.

Helfrich urged cautioned when sharing sensitive footage of safety incidents to ensure transportation personnel are fully educated on what constitutes an
immediate or imminent health and safety emergency. These would require footage to be shared with multiple parties that are trained on how to act when an incident is discovered or reported.

“Reviewing footage after an incident is important, but it is vital to randomly and periodically review footage,” said Bret Brooks, chief operating officer for school safety and security consultant Gray Ram Tactical. “Don’t wait for something bad to happen to review the recordings. There should be a written policy detailing how often recordings will be reviewed and by whom. Recordings should be kept for 30 days with the ability to retain for longer if needed.”

Ron Deming, territory manager for REI’s school bus division, said many customers praise cameras’ abilities to provide evidence for investigations. “Footage from cameras can serve as crucial evidence in case of accidents, injuries or misconduct, making it easier to identify causes and fault,” he said. “This reduces liability risks for districts.”

STN reported on an incident in October of a parent boarding a Ferguson Florissant School District bus near St. Louis, Missouri. Onboard cameras captured a disturbing scene of the father commanding his daughter to strike her alleged bully. The faces of other students and the school bus driver were blurred, which Helfrich advised districts to do, before the footage was shared.

Mike Dorn, executive director of nonprofit global K-12 school security consultant Safe Havens International, noted school districts should state on school bus driver applications that cameras are recording all driver behavior. That can serve as a deterrent to individuals who could be trying to harm students or behave inappropriately. It can also exonerate them if wrongly accused.

He discussed a case he worked on where a student reported they had been inappropriately touched by a driver. Pulling footage from the 30 days prior to the incident showed the veteran driver assaulting the pre-K student. He noted that the driver “knew from experience that the district only pulled camera footage when an incident like a fight was reported, not a typical occurrence
on a pre-K route,” hence the need for consistent review of footage even when no incident has been reported.

Driver Training
“For drivers, there has typically been an initial hesitancy and reluctancy to use the camera systems, but once they see how video and audio can back up their side of the story during incidents, most ultimately like having the camera systems in placem,” shared Brooks. Jackson echoed this sentiment by saying drivers she oversees at CMS have found that onboard cameras provide peace of mind that safety incidents don’t turn into “he-said, she-said” situations.

“While traditionally more of a post-incident investigative tool, modern security cameras can also be a powerful prevention tool,” said Dorn. “For example, we advise our clients to consider crafting, implementing and following a policy [that] outlines how supervisory personnel will use a random selection process to pull segments of video footage from school buses at key route times, check for policy compliance and archive the footage to document their efforts.”

Dorn noted drivers are made aware their performance is being regularly monitored and that management can recognize them for adhering to safety standards.Stephen Satterly, senior analyst at Safe Havens International, said when he was a school transportation supervisor in Ohio he would conduct a “hot wash” footage review with individual school bus drivers to “identify what went well and what could be improved.”

Jackson shared that she not only uses the footage in her CMS area to identify when and why drivers need more training but also to back up her drivers when there are behavioral challenges with students that required changes be made for the safety of everyone on board.

Clint Bryer, vice president of student transportation sales for Safety Vision, demonstrated camera features that aid in driver performance review and training at the TSD Conference Trade Show. He said school districts can customize what qualifies as an infraction, such as looking away from the road, not wearing a seatbelt, or using a cellphone while driving. Different infractions can carry “heavier weight” when it comes to scoring driver performance.

“Driver behavior management solutions have significantly contributed to improving driver performance by providing actionable data from AI detection of phone use, following too closely, seatbelt compliance and front collisions,” added AngelTrax CEO Richie Howard. “The most effective solutions integrate GPS and G-Force sensors with high-resolution video, with interior and exterior views, to provide context for the driver’s decisions and/or reactions along the route.”

Multiple video vendors and safety experts noted thatAI is becoming an increasingly used tool to detect safety incidents. Howard noted that the industry is only “scratching the surface” and the capabilities of AI will continue to grow and be used to notify transportation immediately if a safety concern is detected.

“Machine learning can be integrated into school bus cameras to predict dangerous situations, such as student bullying or a conflict about to break out,” said Deming. Brooks summed up his advice regarding the use of cameras for increased safety and driver training by highlighting the importance of that human involvement.

“Even with the advancements of AI, or any technology, we must remember that human involved is paramount. Training drivers will always be critical regardless of any technology that can assist them. Assist is the key term, not
replace,” he said. “Don’t allow cameras to replace human involvement, training, reviewing, interactions, etc. Cameras are great tools but not a cure all in of themselves.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the January 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: (STN Podcast E187) Onsite at the TSD Conference, Part 1/2: Technology, Cameras & Special Needs
Related: 8 Must-Know Tips for Bus Camera System Installations
Related: Is Safety Everyone’s Responsibility?
Related: (STN Podcast E286) End of Year Review: Safety & Technology Trends of 2025

The post Eagle Eye on Student Transportation Safety appeared first on School Transportation News.

As powerful winter storms moved across the Midwest and into the Northeast last month, snow-covered highways, icy overpasses and whiteout conditions disrupted daily travel across multiple states. For many commuters, the storm meant delayed workdays or staying home altogether.

For school bus drivers, it meant something entirely different.

Like the U.S. Postal Service, school bus drivers navigate rain, sleet, snow, ice, high winds, and reduced visibility—often on tight schedules and challenging terrain—while transporting students safely to and from school. For districts returning from the winter break and resuming operations in regions where winter weather is unpredictable or severe, these conditions are not occasional obstacles but a routine part of operations.

School Transportation News last month asked school bus driver-trainers and safety leaders in Colorado how school transportation professionals prepare for and manage these high-risk conditions. They have spent years operating and training others to operate school buses in some of the most challenging winter environments in the country.

Preparing for Unpredictable Conditions

In Weld County School District 6, driver-trainer Shadra Terrill said rapid weather shifts are a constant consideration when preparing drivers to navigate roads in and around Greeley, Colorado.

“In Colorado, there are several different weather days,” Terrill said. “You could wake up to 60–80-degree weather and by the end of the day have a tornado or blizzard. We are always teaching and training for Mother Nature.”

Preparation begins well before drivers leave the yard. Terrill said district mechanics and technicians start buses well before dawn to ensure engines and systems are operating properly.

“Our mechanics start our buses at 3 a.m. on cold days,” she said. “We give drivers an extra 10–15 minutes as needed to clean off snow from all lights and windows.”

Beyond mechanical readiness, Terrill emphasized that driver judgment plays a critical role in winter safety. She shared an experience that continues to shape her approach to training.

“I once had heavy wind and rain. The roads were flooding, so I pulled off the highway, parked the bus in a gas station parking lot with a line of trees as a windbreak on one side of the bus,” she said.

With six students onboard, Terrill focused on both physical and emotional safety.
“I had six students and had them all sit one to a seat, facing each other with their backs to the windows,” she said.

Clear communication followed immediately.

“We called dispatch, and some called their parents to let everyone know where we were and that we were safe,” Terrill said. “I stayed calm, which helped them stay calm.”

Once conditions improved, the route was completed safely. That experience reinforces the core message Terrill shares with drivers, which is “to stay calm, take a deep breath and stay focused on safety.”

Mountain Training as a Core Requirement

For districts operating in mountainous terrain, winter preparation often extends well beyond standard CDL requirements. In Weld County and across Colorado, mountainous driving is mandatory training.

“Weld County School District 6 does have a specific training class for mountains, which includes weather training,” she said. “They have a class for approximately eight hours, and each driver is taken to the mountains for a daylong trip.”

Training covers chaining procedures, auto socks, hairpin turns, grade and pitch management, and adverse weather response.

“All [brake] retarders must be turned off, if there is any moisture on the ground or falling from the sky,” Terrill said. “Drive slowly and give yourself doubled stopping and following distance.”

Drivers progress through federally mandated Entry-Level Driver Training, skills development and pre-trip mastery before testing for a CDL. Training does not end there.

“Once a trainee has completed ELDT, driving techniques, skills training, and learned their pre-trip of the bus, they would receive their CDL after testing,” she said. “We then take the trainee and teach them all series of buses, so they are comfortable with driving before any adverse weather.”

Routes are rarely modified, she added, but support is always available.

“Should anyone ask for assistance or would like someone to ride with them, we will make that happen,” Terrill said.

Her guidance remains consistent.

“The best advice I can give is take your time, be observant, slow down and give yourself space,” she said.

Lessons from Historic Winter Storms

In nearby Colorado Springs, Debbie Thomas, lead driver-trainer for Widefield School District, said her approach to winter driving has been shaped by decades of experience, including the blizzard of 1997.

“The most challenging, memorable winter weather situation was the blizzard of 1997,” Thomas said. “The school districts shut down due to the whiteout conditions that were prevalent, and the forecast for continuous high winds with blizzard conditions.”

She recalled winds exceeding 60 mph, snow accumulation over three feet and snowdrifts reaching 15 feet.

“The schools had to shut down for three days for the area to dig out,” she said.

Thomas said preparation and composure are essential when conditions deteriorate.

“I always respect the weather and prepare for the unexpected,” she said. “I remained calm and relied on my driving capabilities so that my students would have faith in me to get them home safely.”

Maintaining a steady environment for students is also part of safe operation.

“I love to have fun with my students, so talking to them and ensuring that everything was going to be all right made the hourlong drive enjoyable,” she said.

From a technical standpoint, Thomas emphasized fundamentals that apply in all severe weather.

“Using my over-the-road experience and training, I increased my following distance, used my gears, went slow and delivered my students to their homes,” she said.

Training for Severe Weather Conditions

When discussing how new drivers are prepared for winter conditions, Thomas emphasized confidence built through repetition and fundamentals.

“Trust your driving abilities. Trust your training. Trust your vehicle by ensuring that they have done a proper safety inspection. Slow down. Increase your following distance. Use engine compression first (gearing down). Use feather braking when needed,” she said, adding that situational awareness is also central to training.

“Check your surroundings and expect the unexpected. Look for those hazards — Other roadway drivers, stalled vehicles, icy intersections, etc.,” she continued.

Widefield School District distributes monthly safety flyers focused on adverse weather and operates a mountain driving program that blends classroom instruction with hands-on experience.

“For mountain driving, we do hands-on application of actual driving,” Thomas said. “Certificates are issued for drivers participating in the mountain driving program.”

Despite this month’s storm, Thomas said Colorado operations were not significantly affected.

“Colorado usually gets the bulk of its snow in the spring, and then it is a heavy, wet snow,” she said, adding that support from trainers is critical.

“Being there and supporting them when they need it most,” Thomas said. “Answering questions with clarity and from my own experiences.”

Confidence, she noted, develops over time.

“Eventually, new drivers have to drive in adverse weather conditions without a trainer on board,” she said. “This builds confidence when a trainer is there to guide and direct correct maneuvers for driving in rain, sleet, snow and ice.”

Her message to first-time winter drivers is clear.

“Have confidence in your training. Go slow, do not be in a hurry, and you can do this.”

Managing Loss of Traction in Mountainous Terrain

For Marcus Thomas, transportation safety manager for Colorado Springs School District 11 and unrelated to Debbie Thomas, winter driving risks are most pronounced on steep grades, where packed snow and black ice can quickly compromise traction. Drawing from years of experience operating school buses on mountain roads, Thomas described one situation that underscores how rapidly conditions can change.

“Many miles and years of driving up mountainous roads, hills and downhill with snow-packed roads utilizing the Onspot Automatic Tire Chains,” he said. “Driving on black ice on a downhill, the school bus lost traction and started to slide sideways.”

In that moment, Thomas said, the priority was maintaining control and resisting overcorrection.

“Stayey alert. Slow down. Stayed in control,” he said. “Drove slowly and deployed the Onspot Automatic Tire Chains in the snow-packed roads.”

Black ice, he added, leaves little margin for error and demands patience and space. He advised driving cautiously, riding it out slowly and increasing the following distance when driving in snowy conditions (increased following spacing by doubling the four- to six-second rule). He said his district follows Colorado Department of Education guidance for adverse weather and mountain driving certifications.

“All drivers are certified on a Mountain Road Drive Certification in a school bus,” Thomas said.

Operational Adjustments During Severe Weather

Thomas said winter storms may prompt operational changes, but safety remains the priority.

“Some school closings will happen if necessary to keep the public, students and employees safe,” he said.

Routes and student stops are adjusted when needed, and two-hour delays are used to allow conditions to improve.

“All drivers will get the experience of driving in adverse conditions,” he said.
Preparation also includes reinforcing equipment checks.

“Even though it is inspected every day during pre-trip inspections, double-check the following: Onspot Automatic Tire Chains, tire depth, windshield wipers and fluid and also check heaters and defrosters,” Thomas said.

Winter in-service briefings begin in October and include hands-on practice.

“We have the drivers deploy their chains and also turn in adverse-weather student stop and route directions,” he said.

Related: School Bus Safety: Do it Right the First Time
Related: ‘Check the Door Once More’ to Avoid School Bus Dragging Incidents
Related: PTSI Names Bentley New Managing Director

Safety Culture and Driver Mindset

Across all three districts, one message remained consistent: Safety takes precedence over schedules.

“One key thing we push is the first stop is the only one that matters,” Marcus Thomas said. “All the other stops you will be late for due to the safety precautions and hazardous conditions.”

Terrill echoed the same principle.“We teach drivers to stay calm, take a deep breath, and stay focused on safety,” she said.

Debbie Thomas summed it up simply. “Trust your training,” she said

The post White-Knuckle Rides: School Bus Drivers Trained to Navigate Severe Winter Weather appeared first on School Transportation News.