The Next Generation IC Bus® CE Series In Phoenix, Arizona, summer pavement shimmers and growth seems to spread mile by mile into the desert, school buses must do more than simply run routes. They must maneuver through tightening neighborhood streets, accelerate confidently onto high-speed freeways, cool themselves under relentless heat, and remain solid after […]
Heather Free, a seasoned pupil transportation professional with a diverse background spanning contractor operations, public school districts, and state government, was recently elected as the Regional Director for Region 3 on the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) Board of Directors in a January 2026 special election. Free, who serves as a program administrator with […]
A new chapter of NAPT, told by those who live the work. By Angela Kelly, CMP, Director of Marketing and Events, NAPT On behalf of NAPT leadership and professional staff, I am incredibly proud to introduce the inaugural cohort of NAPT Influencers, a new initiative that reinforces the association’s communication efforts and vision […]
At Indian River Central School District, student transportation is defined by a simple but uncompromising goal: no fatalities and no missing children. For Transportation Supervisor Cecil Sisson, that mission guides every decision his department makes, especially when it comes to technology. Serving more than 3,500 students daily in New York’s North Country, the district’s transportation […]
BusPatrol: Technology, Leadership & the Future of School Bus Safety BusPatrol has become a recognized name in school bus safety. How do you describe your role in the student transportation ecosystem today? BusPatrol is a mission-driven public safety company. We’re focused on one thing and one thing only: making the ride to and from school […]
By Molly McGee-Hewitt, PhD, CAE NAPT Executive Director & CEO So often in leadership and hiring, we focus on experience, training, and licenses. School district HR offices verify employment and credentials and ensure that all requirements are checked off. They do an excellent job of confirming that applicants meet the established criteria. What we […]
By Peter Mannella Significant federal policy developments are underway that could impact driver testing requirements and clean school bus funding. What should a motor carrier do to assess a CMV driver’s English language proficiency (ELP) during the driver qualification process? Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has announced recently that DOT and the FMCSA were […]
Jonathan Adkins Governors Highway Safety Association Every day, student transportation professionals carry one of the most important responsibilities in education, safely moving millions of students to and from school. While the school bus itself is incredibly safe, we all know some of the biggest risks happen outside the bus, at the stop, on neighborhood roads, […]
Please introduce yourself and tell us about your career in pupil transportation. I got into this industry in the 1980s. At the time, I owned a recycling business as a young entrepreneur. My business was located across the highway from a bus depot. As I understand now how difficult it is to find drivers, the […]
By Mash Angolkar Safety has always been the foundation of the school bus industry. Today, however, safety is no longer defined by a single feature or regulation. It is the result of deliberate engineering decisions, including how systems communicate, how drivers interact with technology, and how vehicles are designed from the ground up to support […]