Less than a year out from the rescheduled 17th National Congress on School Transportation, there has been a leadership shakeup.

Patrick McManamon, the education unit supervisor for the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles and a former president of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation (NASDPTS), stepped down as chairman of the NCST steering committee.

“The NCST Steering Committee has acknowledged the resignation of Pat McManamon as NCST chair for ‘professional and personal reasons,” announced NASDPTS, which manages NCST, in an email to members Monday morning. “The NCST Steering Committee thanks Pat for his tireless efforts and wishes him well.”

NASDPTS also said Michael LaRocco, the director of the office of school transportation and also an association past-president, assumes the role as NCST chair. He was already a member of the steering committee.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the postponement of the NCST proceedings that had been planned for May 2020. Rather than reschedule for the following years, NCST decided to wait until the next scheduled dates, which are May 3-7, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa, to hold deliberations.

Meanwhile, proposals for changes to the National School Transportation Specifications were due to respective writing committees on July 1. Writing committee draft proposals are due to writing committee coordinators by Oct. 1. The draft proposals then must be turned into the Editing and Technical Assistance committees by Nov. 1 and published online by Dec. 1.

Feb. 1, 2005, is the deadline for public comments, recommendations and new proposals.

The newest writing committee is on non-traditional vehicles, otherwise known as alternative transportation using sedans, SUVs and vans.

Related: Updated: NCST Takes on Issue of Non-School Bus Transportation
Related: NCST Committee Members Forge Full Steam Ahead Despite COVID-19 Delay
Related: NCST Postponed Again Due to COVID-19 Travel, Public Health Restrictions

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