Industry expert, NAPT Hall of Famer, TSD Tenured Faculty Member, and consultant Linda Bluth, Ed.D joins us for the first time on the podcast to share insights on students with special needs. She addresses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), departmental collaboration, aides, alternative transportation, substitute drivers, training and more.

New Zonar CEO Charles Kriete discusses the technology provider’s combination with GPS Trackit, as well as efficiencies and innovations planned for the future.

Read more about special needs and leadership.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Thomas Built Buses.

Conversation with Zonar.

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E239) Dynamic Issues: Lessons From 60-Year Industry Veteran + Zonar CEO Interview appeared first on School Transportation News.

Keynote trainers and conversations at the TSD Conference and Trade Show last week focused on seeing students with special needs as people first and consistently supporting them in their distinctive requirements.

“I always ask: ‘Is this in the best interest of the kid?’” Dana Rosen, TSD keynote speaker and assistant director of transportation services for student safety and support for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Texas, shares how she uses her special education background to support both transportation staff and students with special needs on the school bus ride.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School-Radio.

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E236) TSD 2024 Recap: Supporting Students with Special Needs as Unique People appeared first on School Transportation News.

John Daniels, vice president of marketing at Transfinder, talked with Tony Corpin at the 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference about how Transfinder’s technology offerings can help streamline operations for student transporters, specifically when transporting students with special needs.

Related: TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology
Related: WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap
Related: WATCH: First Student at TSD 2024

The post WATCH: Transfinder at TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tony Corpin sat down with Laura Greene-Halley, First Student’s senior director of student services, to discuss the company’s “First Serves” program that is designed to partner with transportation to create an successful learning environment for students with special needs and disabilities.

Related: WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap
Related: (STN Podcast E235) Onsite at TSD 2024: Solving Pain Points for Students with Special Needs
Related: TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology

The post WATCH: First Student at TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin sat down with a few special guests at this week’s Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show.

Gregg Prettyman, vice president of FirstAlt by contractor First Student, shares the program’s successes in serving students with special needs or disabilities and dispels myths about the alternative transportation industry.

Mike Ippolito, general manager of School Radio by Diga-Talk, shares how product developments like a new Wi-Fi-enabled radio can increase school bus connectivity and student safety.

Transfinder’s Vice President of Marketing John Daniels and client Annette “Kecia” Ling, transportation director of operations and planning for Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia, discuss leveraging technology to provide uniquely customized transportation service for students with special needs.

Hear soundbites from some of our attendees as they share what they found useful amid the learning, training and networking at the TSD Conference and Trade Show.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E235) Onsite at TSD 2024: Solving Pain Points for Students with Special Needs appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — On Sunday evening, attendees and vendors gathered amid food and drink stations for a fun and interactive networking event with a football tailgate theme on the trade show floor. The next day, they returned for more discussions and demos with the innovative products, solutions and services on display.

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Photos by Vince Rios Creative. 

The post Gallery: 2 Days of TSD 2024 Trade Show appeared first on School Transportation News.

The 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in Frisco, Texas featured a full schedule of educational sessions, empowering keynotes, hands-on training, a product demonstration and onsite Ride and Drive event and more! Check out these daily recap videos from the conference.

Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference with Keys to Unlocking Autism
Related: Special Education Attorney Navigates Legal Bumps in the Road for Student Transporters
Related: Texas Team Takes Home Roadeo Crown at TSD Conference

The post WATCH: TSD 2024 Recap appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas – A TSD Conference audience joined a panel of four experienced female transportation managers in discussng aspects of routing technology usage that can benefit students, parents and transportation staff.

The Sunday panel was comprised of clients of presenter Transfinder and was moderated by Arnold Byrd, the company’s sales enablement specialist.

Lisa Sawyer, transportation coordinator for Tracy Unified School District in central California, has over 90  school buses and 100 staff members. When she started, the department had about 30 buses and routing was done with Excel spreadsheets. While her current solutions of Transfinder and Zonar aren’t the cheapest, she said they provide the best value and usefulness.

“For me, the hardest part was getting the district to realize they HAD a transportation department,” she said, eliciting a roomful of cheers. Prioritizing student safety and collaborating with special education departments helps ensure students with special needs are provided the transportation service they need and are legally required to have.

LoWanda Bowman-Brown, transportation director for City Schools of Decatur in Georgia for the past 11 years, said that paper route sheets had proved inadequate while a technology company they recruited had struggled with modifying technology to fit the smaller district’s needs.

She advised districts to pick what software best fits their unique needs and have the IT team involved the whole way.

“We’re going to need technology but we’re also going to need people.”

LoWanda Bowman-Brown, Transportation Director, City Schools of Decatur (Ga.)

Annette “Kecia” Ling, transportation director at Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia, oversees 460 school buses serving over 20,000 students. She said she looked for a solution that her staff and parents would be comfortable with and praised Transfinder’s ability to reduce the time spent on routing.

She noted that going away from paper route sheets which could get wet or damaged along the way made it easier for drivers and, by extension, transportation administration. Technology also helps drivers complete tiered routes, she noted, or quickly take over a substitute route in a pinch. For students with special needs, which the district calls “extraordinary students,” it makes their pertinent information readily available for the driver and attendant.

Sandy Dillman, director of transportation for Tomball Independent School District in Texas, leads 200 drivers and attendants who transport 13,000 students daily. She sad that when she started, the internet didn’t really exist and written paper routes caused confusion. She reviewed the districts of various sizes that she’d worked with over her decades in the industry and underscored that preemptive parent communication is essential to remove burdens from transportation’s daily load.

With school bus technology, “everything is at your fingertips and ready to go where it needs to go,” she said.

Crowdsourcing Advice

A Kansas school bus driver trainer in the audience noted that integration is important so a parent can sign their student up as a bus rider and transportation can easily add them onto a route.

In answer to an attendee question about information sharing to drivers and aides, Ling shared that such information is controlled on the Transfinder side so drivers can only see what they need to know on their tablets.

Sawyer added that notes can be added on student triggers or behaviors that drivers and aides should be aware of. Byrd with Transfinder noted that symbols can be used as such notations instead of labels.

Sometimes technology is required to meet district administrative goals, as was the case for Bowman-Brown in Decatur. Ling advised coming up with a technology implementation process that worked for everyone who needed to be in contact with it.

“Teamwork is the secret sauce that allows common leaders the ability to accomplish unrealistic expectations and achieve uncommon goals in uncommon circumstances.”

– Annette “Kecia” Ling, Transportation Director, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (Ga.)

Dillman praised the peace of mind that comes for both transportation staff and parents in knowing where each student is at any given time. Rather than getting a panicked “we lost a kid” call, staff can be notified of a student who didn’t scan off the bus and easily look up that student’s daily scan details.

Attendee Steven Fernandez, who is director of transportation for Modesto City Schools in California and has 40 years of experience in student transportation, reviewed his progression from handwritten paper route sheets to Excel spreadsheets, and finally to Transfinder’s electronic records and routing. He shared that previously new students were inconsistently added to whatever driver’s route was convenient, but now they are added to the best-fitting and most efficient route.

Another attendee shared that with just two routers she is able to leverage technology to handle all routing needs, readily assign a student to a bus, or easily locate a missing student. “It’s priceless to have that technology,” she stated.

“It’s a game changer,” agreed Bowman-Brown.

The panelists noted that electronic record-keeping, data sorting and report creating helps speed the state reporting process up, reduces human errors, and provides peace of mind. Ling added that they greatly assist emergency responders as well.

Ling also shared how she uses smart routing to add extraordinary students to general education routes, with an attendant if necessary, to better assist their developmental and social goals, as well as achieve better operational efficiency.

Transfinder provides this “very valuable data at the click of a button,” she stated.

When implementing new technology, Bowman-Brown advised giving school bus drivers and aides both training and time to adjust. Allow staff to give feedback and make decisions too, Ling added. Dillman recommended participating in professional development and seeking advice from other districts. Sawyer noted that the patience pays off in the end with efficiencies for all.

Related: What Do You Really Need from Technology?
Related: Using School Bus Routing to Improve Workplace Culture, Retain Drivers
Related: Transportation Technology Super Users Share Benefits of Working with IT Departments
Related: 2024 Garage Stars Announced: Embracing New Technology
Related: Top Transportation Teams Share Advice at STN EXPO Reno

One attendee suggested adding new technology in phases so as to not overwhelm driver. Others said that staff members who are tech-savvy can assist those who aren’t, as well as keep morale up and avoid resentment over the new procedures.

Attendee Lisa Connors, director of transportation for Peabody Public Schools in Massachusetts and a student transporter with almost 30 years of experience, shared her excitement for routing technology to save her a lot of man-hours, late nights and stress. “Right now, we’re just using my brain,” she said.

Byrd noted that both technology and staff knowledge must be utilized for a successful operation. “Technology can’t replace a Lisa,” he remarked.

“We’re going to need technology but we’re also going to need people,” concluded Bowman-Brown.

Byrd noted that technology can be a means to a lasting legacy of positive change in a district. The panelists closed with their technology wishes for the future, which mostly centered on safety for students with special needs.

The post TSD Panelists Empower Student Transportation with Technology appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas – The Hands-on School Bus Evacuations for Students with Special Needs & Preschoolers class took place on both Friday and Saturday at Frisco ISD. Instructors included industry veterans and consultants Denny Coughlin and Launi Harden; Aaron Harris, national sales manager for seating manufacturer BESI; and Diandra Neugent, transportation manager for the Community Council of Idaho.

Classroom instruction and quiz time was followed by hands-on practice with fire extinguishers. Fake smoke was used to fill a bus on which were placed hidden dolls representing student riders. Participants braved the smoke to “rescue” the students, with some becoming emotional.

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Photos by Kristine Hannon. 

The post Gallery: Smoke & Safety at TSD Evacuation Class appeared first on School Transportation News.

The day opened with special education attorney Betsey Helfrich’s keynote on “Avoiding the Bumps and Legal Hazards” in the transportation of special education students, followed by a general session on preventing sexual abuse during transportation led by Christy Schiller, vice president of consulting at Praesidium, Inc.

More sessions were held on technology usage, driver training, risk management, and transporting medically fragile students. The day closed with a tailgate-themed reception and dinner held on the trade show floor, providing attendees and vendors with a casual and interactive networking event.

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The post Gallery: Legal Advice & More on Day 3 of TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — Craig Beaver of Beaverton School District near Portland, Oregon, was awarded the STN Transportation Director of the Year award. Behavior specialist Patrick Mulick presented a morning keynote exploring strategies for helping students with autism bring out the best in themselves every day.

Offsite, the roadeo and training competition and the Hands-on School Bus Evacuations for Students with Special Needs & Preschoolers class took place at Frisco ISD locations.

Sessions continued on topics including positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), parent communication, school bus Wi-Fi, student transition plans, wheelchair crash test research, the impact of driver and budget shortages, understanding the federally recognized 13 disabilities, and more.

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The post Gallery: Roadeo, Leadership Award, Autism Advice on TSD Day 3 appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — Plano Independent School District located just miles from the TSD Conference this weekend claimed the top two spots in the annual roadeo and training competition as Texas continued its dominance of the event.

The team of Andwain Coleman and Mohmed Omera tied coworkers Mohsen Al Asad and Nabila Audi with scores of 889 out of a possible 1,020 points. Alexandra Robinson, the lead coordinator for the roadeo organizer Women in Transportation. (wit.) group and a TSD Conference Tenured Faculty member, said during a banquet Saturday night hosted by lead sponsor Q’Straint/Sure-Lok that the roadeo judges broke the tie by comparing times for finishing the event.

Coleman and Omera clinched the victory as their time was six minutes faster than that of Al Asad and Audi. Robinson said it was the first time in the roadeo’s 30-year history that such a tiebreaker was needed. It was the fourth consecutive win for a Texas team over the dating back to 2019. The competition was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team of Elizabeth Berninger and Jennifer Gue representing the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation took home third place with a score of 885 points. Ten teams competed at host Frisco ISD in 9 events or stations and also took a written test.

Coleman finished second in last year’s competition and said he partnered with Omera earlier this year after his previous partner was promoted to a different position. It was Coleman’s third consecutive year competing in the event. This was Omera’s second national competition.

When asked about their confidence following the competition, Coleman said, “Ain’t nobody perfect, I know we had some mess ups there, but I know overall we did pretty good.”

Coleman and Omera both have been driving for Plano ISD for the past six school years, with Coleman previously driving a truck for 20 years.

Looking ahead, Coleman and Omera confirmed they plan to compete at the roadeo competition and training next year, as they already won their Texas district competition. The next step is competing in regionals in March.

When discussing the challenges of their Plano ISD school bus routes, Coleman and Omera cited student behavior and other motorists on the road as the biggest daily challenges they face.

Related: Texas Teams Dominate Roadeo Competition Held at TSD Conference
Related: Texas Team Wins Return of TSD Roadeo from COVID-19 Hiatus
Related: TSD: Texas Team Takes Home First Place in National TSD Roadeo

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FRISCO, Texas — Consultant Jo Mascorro began day two of the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs Conference and Trade Show with her four-hour keynote on de-escalation with dignity.

Specialized hands-on training that day included: the NHTSA Child Passenger Safety on School Bus Training, the Wheelchair Securement Boot Camp Training & Certification hosted by AMF-Bruns of America, and the Wheelchair Securement Training plus Special Needs Roadeo presented by Q-Straint. Classes on driver and aide training as well as the foundations of special needs transportation were led by industry veterans Launi Harden and Alexandra Robinson, respectively.

The day closed with a Safety & Technology Product Demonstration and Special Needs Ride & Drive where attendees got up close and personal with buses and technology that could help in their operations.

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Images by Vince Rios Creative and Claudia Newton. 

The post Gallery: Specialized Training, Ride & Drive at TSD 2024 appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — Attendees heard about the health, monetary and operational benefits of propane autogas school buses in a Friday session during the Transporting Students with Special Needs and Disabilities Conference.

“What did you do differently, and how did you do it?” This was the question asked of Diana Mikelski, director of transportation for District 211 in Illinois, after she transported students with special needs to school in a propane-powered school bus rather than a diesel one. During the Friday session, sponsored by Blue Bird and the Propane Education & Research Council, she shared that educators were impressed with how calm, quiet and ready to learn the students were when they arrived at school.

She shared that her drivers also benefit from the cleaner air when loading and unloading students. Furthermore, both drivers and aides can hear and speak to students onboard without shouting. When the special needs propane bus was replaced with a diesel one during repairs, a parent noted that his child much preferred the quieter propane.

Steven Whaley, a Blue Bird alternative fuels manager, noted that noise and temperature considerations may be part of some students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Mikelski confirmed that both aspects could be much better managed on a propane bus.

In addition to students on special needs routes, those on general education routes also profit from the quiet, clean propane buses, Mikelski added. “I’m glad they can all enjoy these benefits,” she said.

“It’s also helping staff as well,” she said. Now her drivers prefer driving the propane buses, with some noticing fewer health symptoms. The rumbling noises and fuel smells are missing with propane buses as well, leading to community approval.

Mikelski said she had good buy-in with her mechanics due to all the work involved with diesel buses. “It’s a learning curve but once they knew it, they loved it,” she declared. The district doesn’t go through parts as fast and her budget has improved, she shared.

“We are constantly saving with propane,” she said.

Implementing Propane

Whaley reviewed Blue Bird’s current offerings of diesel, gasoline, propane and electric school buses as well as how they measure up to the continuously tightening California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards.

For those districts that may struggle with electrification, he proposed propane solutions as that fuel is safe, clean, easily accessible and good in cold weather. He shared stats from Anthony Jackson, transportation director for Bibb County School District in Georgia, showing that propane is about the same as diesel in cost per mile.

Tom Hopkins, business development manager for Blue Bird energy partner ROUSH CleanTech, explained that despite the current abundance of EV funding, districts should consider whether they can acquire, run, and train staff to operate those buses if said funding should wane.

Considering everything required of a school bus operation, Hopkins said that propane provided a relatively easy and cost-effective option to swap to. He noted that propane buses are about half as noisy as diesel buses, providing a “cleaner, healthier, safer ride to school.”

Related: School Districts Replace Diesel Buses with Propane, Electric
Related: School Bus Contractors Share Why They Switched to Propane
Related: Why the Solution is Propane and Electric for Bus Fleets
Related: Green Bus Summit Spotlights Clean School Bus Progress

Brian Raygor, national autogas business manager for propane provider Ferrellgas, addressed the scalability of propane autogas refueling infrastructure. There are permanent, temporary and mobile configurations.

He reviewed some options that the School District of Philadelphia had taken advantage of when it added 38 propane-powered school buses to its fleet on October 24.

“We can build the stations to meet your needs,” he declared.

Regarding contingencies, Raygor reviewed a rapid repair and mobile fueling solution that was put in place to assist Kansas City Schools when a school bus propane pump went down. Whaley advised districts to utilize the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator so they will have fuel when needed.

The post Students, Staff at Illinois District Approve of Propane School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

FRISCO, Texas — The Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference officially opened Thursday with registration followed by a Welcome Party at Topgolf the Colony, sponsored by AMF-Bruns, IC Bus and Longhorn Bus Sales.

TSD Conference continues Friday morning with a keynote and workshop titled “De-escalation with Dignity …” by behavioralist Jo Mascorro. The NHTSA eight-hour Child Passenger Safety on School Buses hands-on seminar is also held at Frisco ISD.

The Propane Education & Research Council presents the Lunch and Learn session “Do Quieter Buses Really Have an Effect on Special Needs Students?” Two-three hour seminars feature The Foundations of Special Needs Transportation and Best Practices for the Training of School Bus Monitors & Aides.

Meanwhile, wheelchair securement training is offered for special needs roadeo contestants as well as TSD Conference attendees during the AMF-Bruns Wheelchair Securement Boot Camp & Certification and Q’Straint-Sure-Lok Wheelchair Securement Training.

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The post TSD2024: Opening Night Welcome Party appeared first on School Transportation News.

As fall approaches, it’s an ideal time to think about your team’s professional growth. Three
upcoming school transportation conferences offer a great chance to enhance leadership skills, stay informed on industry trends and build valuable networks. These events are crucial for anyone looking to lead in the evolving school transportation industry.

The National Association of Pupil Transportation conference, happening at the start of this month in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, carries the theme “You Lead the Way. We’ll Help You Get There.” The 2024 conference promises a wealth of networking opportunities with industry peers and suppliers. Attendees can look forward to Professional Development Sessions (PDS), lively discussions on key industry challenges, and a host of networking events. Be sure to stop by booth #619 at the trade show to meet the School Transportation News team and make new connections.

Then, next month, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services returns to the Washington, D.C., area for its annual conference. The event is an excellent opportunity to hear from federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Transportation Security Administration about the latest regulations and program affecting student transportation.

Sandwiched between the two is the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference is set for Nov. 7-12 in Frisco, Texas. This conference offers a unique focus on special needs transportation training and technology, with highlights such as four keynote speakers and over two dozen expert-led workshops. Attendees can also look forward to the Special Needs Roadeo Competition and an exciting Technology Demonstration & Ride & Drive Experience on Friday, Nov. 8.

The TSD Conference provides attendees with a deep dive into the latest trends and best practices for special needs support with the goal of improved student success. These insights not only enhance your team’s professional skills but also create pathways for personal growth. The chance to learn from seasoned professionals in the field adds tremendous value to the experience for attendees.

“Attending the TSD Conference is an invaluable experience,” said Christie Hebert, the state director of school bus transportation at the Texas Department of Safety. “The opportunity to engage with peers and industry experts in such a specialized setting is essential for professional growth. Conferences like TSD provide a platform to not only expand your knowledge and develop new skills but also to stay ahead of industry advancements. The networking and trade show sessions allowed me to exchange innovative ideas, build connections, and gain insights that are critical for improving school transportation services, particularly for students with disabilities and special needs.”

Engaging in trade shows and networking events exposes participants to cutting-edge technologies and potential business partnerships. A key aspect of attending these conferences is the opportunity to collaborate with fellow professionals and tackle current challenges with fresh, innovative approaches. Interactions with exhibitors provide crucial insights that help integrate new technology with your operational strategies.

Conferences aren’t just about professional advancement, they offer enjoyable, enriching experiences as well. They allow attendees to reconnect with old colleagues and establish new relationships. For those aiming to broaden their professional network, these interactions often lead to future opportunities, creative problem-solving and fruitful collaborations that benefit both the individual and the organization or school district.

I personally invite you to register for the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas. Visit tsdconference.com/agenda for more details on the keynotes, educational sessions and networking events.

Investing in conferences and leadership programs offers countless benefits for both professionals and organizations. These events provide opportunities to acquire new knowledge, network with peers and gain motivation from inspiring speakers. For anyone serious about professional development, attending conferences is a key step toward future success and growth.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the October 2024 issue of School Transportation News.

Related: TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions
Related: Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference
Related: Download App for Upcoming TSD Conference
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference

The post Why Professional Development Matters appeared first on School Transportation News.

At the 2022 Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) Special Needs Conference, I
had the opportunity to facilitate a presentation on “Navigating the IDEA: Implementing
Appropriate Transportation Services for Children with Disabilities.” This presentation included three distinguished panelists, my fellow TSD Tenured Faculty members Launi Schmutz-Harden, Alexandra Robinson and Susan Shutrump. It was during this presentation, I passionately advocated for the provision of safe transportation in all modes of school transportation for children with disabilities.

I emphasized there was an urgent need for the next meeting of the 17th National Congress on Student Transportation (NCST) in May 2025 to adopt standards for all allowable school transportation vehicles serving children. The importance of alternative school transportation standards being adopted at the next NCST should not be underestimated.

A few days prior to attending the TSD Conference, a parent called me and asked, “Now that my child is no longer assigned to a yellow school bus and is transported in a van, can you assure me that this vehicle is as safe as the yellow school bus?” My answer, with zero reluctance, was “No.”

She went on to ask who can assure her that the van that her child was being transported in was as safe as the yellow school bus. I replied, “I don’t know.” Politely, she commented she was shocked that a long-time supporter of school transportation safety had no response or contact information to address her concerns. Consequently, my journey to establish the necessity for NCST to address the matter of alternative transportation vehicles and school transportation safety begun. Meeting this goal was an unyielding commitment.

In the January 2023 School Transportation News issue, Ryan Gray’s Editor’s Take, titled “Yellow or Not, Uniform Minimum Standards Are Needed,” also addressed the need. He stated, “Linda Bluth advised the [TSD Conference] audience during a Nov. 11 general session on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and transportation as a related service that the National Congress on Student Transportation (NCST) must take up the issue and set standards that these alt transportation providers are all beholden to. After all, she noted, nowhere in the IDEA is school bus mentioned, only transportation. There is a place for these companies to supplement the work of school buses, Bluth added.”

Ryan’s article provided encouragement to contact the NCST leadership and make a strong case for the inclusion of a new committee to specifically address alternative school transportation vehicles. After multiple efforts, I was pleased to learn that the Non- Traditional Vehicle Writing Committee, now referred to as the NCST Alternative Transportation Committee, was in place under the leadership of Tyler Bryan, the education associate for school transportation at the Delaware Department of Education. I was pleased to be informed that I was one of the committee’s writing team members. The membership of this writing committee includes diverse stakeholders with multiple perspectives on alternative school transportation.

Simultaneously, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) under the leadership of Peter Mannella, public policy and communications liaison as well as chairperson of the public policy committee, wrote a paper approved by the NAPT Board on Alternative School Transportation Services. This paper contains the following statement. “NAPT believes that every entity which intends to transport children to and from school needs to meet certain standards of safety. Given the well-documented safety record that the school bus has attained, we believe that alternative transporters must rise to the same or similar standards to achieve that record for the children being transported.”

This statement is a part of the NAPT position paper on Alternative Transportation Services that is available in its entirety on the NAPT website and at stnonline.com/go/k9. As a member of this committee, I was pleased to have the opportunity to provide input. My committee involvement provided a further opportunity to advocate for inclusion of the topic Alternative Transportation Services at the upcoming NCST next May in Des Moines, Iowa.

My never-ending agenda was to continue to challenge the NCST to address the need for minimum standards for the use of alternative school transportation for all students. Most specifically, vulnerable individuals such as children with disabilities, homeless students and students residing in foster care that utilize alternative school transportation vehicles.

I am committed to advocating for the appropriate and safe use of alternative transportation services for children with disabilities when the yellow school bus cannot meet an individual child’s needs. This decision should only be determined by the individualized education program (IEP) team, including appropriate school and transportation personnel. It is crucial that school district and contract providers, school district personnel, drivers, parents and students as appropriate, are involved in these decisions. The IEP process is the appropriate mechanism for taking all the steps necessary to make an informed decision to provide safe transportation and meet the individual needs of a child with a disability.

At the annual IEP meeting, the IEP team should evaluate whether alternative transportation is necessary or whether the student can be transported on the school bus. Under the IDEA it is required that all school transportation personnel, including substitute personnel, receive training in accordance with federal and state regulations. Training of direct and indirect transportation personnel should always be consistent with recommended transportation services on an individual child’s IEP, in order to provide safe transportation.

Undisputable is the necessity to ensure safe and reliable transportation is a top priority. The school transportation literature persuasively notes that the yellow school bus is the safest form of school transportation and unarguably should always be considered the first means of school transportation. However, it is acknowledged that the yellow school bus cannot always meet each individual student’s specific needs. With that being said, there is no sustainable excuse to delay the setting of recommended uniform minimum standards at the upcoming NCST, to address safety regardless of the mode of school transportation.

In summary, from my past experience and efforts, the NCST has been resistant to include non-school transportation vehicles in the National Specifications and Procedures document. The inclusion of the NonTraditional Vehicle Writing Committee at the 17th NCST is a long awaited and welcomed change. I am hopeful, that the recommendations of the Non-Traditional Vehicles Committee will be adopted by the 17th NCST and included in the next National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures manual. In reality, there is no defensible rationale to reject the work of the NCST Alternative Transportation Committee attempting to improve the safety of all children transported to and from school, regardless of mode of school transportation.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the October 2024 issue of School Transportation News.

Linda F. Bluth, Ed.D. is a national compliance and regulatory expert on IDEA transportation law and provisions. She is a tenured faculty member of the TSD Conference, a regular contributor to School Transportation News, and a National Association Pupil Transportation Hall of Fame member.

Related: TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions
Related: NAPT Awards Highlight Individuals for Outstanding Achievements, Excellence
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference
Related: Special Education Attorney to Discuss Avoiding Legal Hazards of Student Transportation

The post Beyond the Yellow School Bus: Alternative School Transportation appeared first on School Transportation News.

The official app sponsored by Transfinder gives attendees of TSD Conference all the event information they need, as well as a place to make connections.

Download the app using this link, or visit the App Store on your iPhone or the Google Play Store on your Android device and search for “Cvent Events.” After downloading the app, search for ”TSD.” Sign in using your name and the email address used to register for the conference. A code will be sent to continue with the log in process. 

Editor’s note: Be sure to delete any previous STN conference app on Cvent prior to downloading. 

Below are videos detailing processes on the conference app:

The five icons at the bottom of the screen allow quick access to the home menu, schedules, discussions and connections, attendee profiles, and more information on the event.

Use the Schedule tab to see all the available sessions and add selected ones to create personalized schedules for the week.

From the homepage, access lists of attendees and Trade Show exhibitors. Send connection requests to other attendees or vendors who you meet and chat with to keep the conversations flowing even after the conference. Download directions on setting Appointments via the app.

Watch the Conversations tab for chats that open ahead of their corresponding sessions. This is a great way to weigh on the topics discussed and trade insights with other attendees.

Explore the app and its features to move up in the Game Center leaderboard, accessed from the “More” menu item on the right.

As always, stay tuned at stnonline.com and social media channels for extensive conference and trade show coverage, including articles, photo galleries, videos and more.

Related: TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions
Related: Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference to Help Student Transporters Better Understand Autism

The post Download App for Upcoming TSD Conference appeared first on School Transportation News.

Read remembrances of industry veteran George Edward (Ed) Donn and watch recent STN webinars on fleet electrification and school bus W-Fi.

The upcoming Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show held Nov. 8-12, 2024 in Dallas-Frisco, Texas, hosts the conversations that transportation and education departments need to align on regarding students with special needs.

Industry consultant and TSD Tenured Faculty member Launi Schmutz-Harden joins us to discuss the role of monitors and aides on special needs routes, the hands-on emergency evacuation training at TSD, and regulating the use of non-yellow bus transportation.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

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Message from Propane Education & Research Council.

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E232) What Districts Need to Know: Serving & Guiding Students With Special Needs appeared first on School Transportation News.

From new school bus monitor training best-practices to workshopping real-life transportation and management scenarios, next month’s TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas, offers transporters of students with disabilities and special needs the latest in innovative solutions and ideas.

The agenda highlights tried-and-true topics such as the Foundations of Special Need Transportation seminar on Friday, Nov. 8, which provides both new and experienced student transporters with vital information on the Individuals with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as well as the necessary operational considerations necessary of both school districts and vehicle contractors.

Best Practices for the Training of School Bus Monitors & Aides seminar, also on Nov. 8, is new this year. It defines the critical roles and responsibilities aides and monitors have during commutes in school buses and other vehicles, and it explores how to pull all the information together into a handbook for training and oversight.

Praesidium, a leading training organization that seeks to prevent abuse, makes its inaugural appearance at TSD Conference this year. A representative will present Preventing Sexual Abuse During Transportation. The general session, which immediately follow’s special education attorney Betsey Helfrich’s Avoiding the Bumps and Legal Hazards session, will address how abuse happens, current trends, and best practices for mitigating this risk with updated policies, training on boundaries and red-flag behaviors, and supervision strategies.

Related: (STN Podcast E229) October Updates: Green Funding, Cellphone Bans & Special Needs Legalities

Several sessions pinpoint the collaboration needed between school districts and contractors for either traditional school bus routes or non-traditional alternative vehicles. A general session on Monday, Nov. 11 features a discussion ahead of the National Congress on School Transportation, where state delegations will weigh standardized verbiage for guiding how student transporters weigh the different services available and provide oversight.

One of the closing general sessions on Tuesday, Nov. 12, is What’s the Worst That Could Happen? On-the-Spot Decision Making. The panel discussion will present four real-life scenarios to attendees split into groups can develop solutions in a matter of minutes with only the information they have at the time.

Meanwhile, collaboration between school districts and school bus contractors returns as a much-needed topic during breakout sessions on Sunday, Nov. 10. It will expand on information that attendees will receive during Foundations of Special Needs to start the weekend.

Another scheduled session on Sunday will look at the intricacies of transporting medically fragile students and the training that school bus drivers and aides need as well as the information sharing required with health care providers. The topic of risk management of follows, as Joanie Arnott, the risk manager for the Texas Association of School Boards, fields a panel discussion about everyday operational issues that can create headaches for student transporters.

The 2024 Transportation Director of the Year selected by School Transportation News will also be honored during a special presentation Saturday morning, Nov. 9, sponsored by Blue Bird.

A ride and drive event is joined Friday night, Nov. 8 by a technology demonstration. The TSD Trade Show opens Sunday evening and continues Monday morning following the general session panel on alternative transportation choices.

The full agenda and registration instructions are online.

Related: Roadeo Returns to Texas for Hands-On Emergency Training at TSD Conference
Related: Behavior Expert Brings Special Needs De-Escalation Tools to TSD Conference
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference to Help Student Transporters Better Understand Autism

The post TSD Conference Sessions to Push Attendees to Uncover Innovative Solutions appeared first on School Transportation News.