The National Association for Pupil Transportation and the NAPT Foundation have embarked on a nationwide search for an Executive Director who will succeed Michael (Mike) Martin, who led the organizations for some 27 years, and stepped down to pursue other professional activities especially in collaboration with NAPT. (see May 23 2022 Dispatch). This search for […]
On July 19, 2022, OCR and OSERS jointly released new guidance focused on disciplining students with disabilities. You can find the guidance, factsheet, question and answers document and more here. A few key takeaways from the guidance are as follows—we encourage you to share this with your special education team and lawyers as well. The guidance states: A school’s […]
Zonar, the leader in smart fleet technology, today announced record sales growth of its pupil transportation solutions for the first half of 2022, at STN EXPO Reno. Through a combination of hardware and software offerings, Zonar’s smart fleet mobility solutions provide school districts with real-time, actionable data to increase school bus safety, efficiency, and accountability. […]
Dubuque Community Schools provides transportation for one of the largest districts in Iowa. Of the 6,000 students riding 86 buses, about one third of the district’s routes accommodate special needs students, giving Dubuque Community Schools one of the highest concentrations of special needs services in the state. With so many moving parts, day in and […]
School BUSRide spoke with Alex M. Spann, CDPT – transportation consultant for the State of Tennessee, Department of Education, and the National Association of Pupil Transportation® (NAPT®) Board member representing Region 2 – about the upcoming NAPT Road Show in Nashville. Spann details the impact of attending the upcoming Road Show for networking and […]
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has awarded a transportation contract valued at over $400 million to Zūm, the leader in modern student transportation. The decision, approved by the LAUSD board of directors, signals the district’s commitment to replacing an archaic, legacy transportation system with a cleaner, safer and more equitable solution for the students and families of Los […]
In the move toward vehicle electrification, the pupil transportation industry has been one of the first to see widespread adoption. Electrification is the way of the future, and school buses will be front and center in that journey. But moving a school bus fleet to all-electric is more than just purchasing a bus. There are […]
School BUSRide spoke with David Cooper, industry engagement manager for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), about the role of DHS/TSA in pupil transportation, the many programs which are specialized for pupil transportation, and how school bus professionals can be proactive in security matters. Tell us a little […]
Harsh winter conditions are in the rear-view mirror, and the spring semester is in full swing for most of the country’s districts and schools. Vehicle maintenance cycles are adjusting to the new, seasonal “normal.” Now that the weather is great for spring sports, field trips, and other activities, school buses are in higher demand than […]
The COVID-19 shutdowns that lead to at-home learning, also brought on evolutions in the nature of cybercrimes against school districts. A cyberattack can force the shutdown of critical technology systems that are necessary for the safety of students, teachers, and administrators. Most importantly, it can result in the locking down of critical systems – such […]