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 […]
The right partner can help set school districts up for long-term success with electrification. That starts with charging. The introduction of electric school buses (ESBs) into a school district’s fleet can seem like a daunting prospect. After all, fleet electrification represents a fundamentally new approach to vehicle procurement and management. Fortunately, when it comes to […]
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 […]
It was February 9, 2004. A gunman opened fire in my daughter’s high school. No fatalities. A special ed teacher was shot and injured and an assistant principal tackled the shooter to end the incident. I remember driving to the school with my ‘flip phone’ in hand hoping to hear from my daughter on […]
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 […]
School BUSRide spoke with Jason Yan, director of sales operations for BYD America Corp., about BYD’s perspective on the North American school bus industry. He discussed significant changes, electric vehicle adoption, and how BYD is poised to meet the industry’s newest challenges and opportunities. During the last five years, what have been the most significant […]
School BUSRide spoke with Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). Domenech has served in his position since 2008, and has more than 36 years of experience in public education. Domenech spoke about the AASA’s top 2022 priorities, the connections between administrators and the transportation department, and the all-new […]
ARMOR™ Software Suite – a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution by REI® – aims to help school districts reduce the time transportation directors spend on bus fleet operations and surveillance. Among its capabilities, ARMOR provides vehicle tracking, contact tracing, automated vehicle health checks, automated video downloads, and driver performance reports. “ARMOR makes transportation directors’ lives easier,” said […]
The future of smart school bus routing means better efficiencies, powered by Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO). Transfinder has developed routing, scheduling, and fleet maintenance solutions since 1988, and the introduction of AIO is a game-changer for intelligent routing solutions, according to Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella. Transfinder recently included AIO in the latest iteration […]