School BUSRide spoke with Dr. Kayne Smith, director of transportation at Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (ISD) in Houston, Texas, and president for the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation. Smith discussed the top issues facing pupil transportation in Texas, adjusting to post-COVID operations, the impact of virtual learning, and the benefits of information sharing. What are […]
By Peter Mannella Several years ago, at an annual conference I was planning in New York, I invited a guest speaker who specialized in child and family social trends and conditions. My intention was for her to share information with the pupil transportation professionals in the room about the children who get our attention […]
The Texas district recently moved its busHive Field Trip Software from a standalone app to the cloud The transportation department at Texas’ Deer Park Independent School District (ISD) transports more than 3,000 students per day with a fleet of 110 buses. In addition to daily routing, the district coordinates transportation and drivers for field trips, […]
By Michael Flood New Funding Eligibility For transportation directors, finding adequate funding to support school bus Wi-Fi solutions has historically posed a significant challenge. Federal programs established to fund Wi-Fi connectivity solutions for students – such as the FCC E-Rate program, for example – often do not make allowances for in-vehicle connectivity, leaving transportation directors […]
Using a compressible liquid adaptive suspension system, students, aides, and drivers experience smooth rides and improved handling By Richard G. Tackett After LiquidSpring’s entry into the school bus industry, the company’s “smart” suspension technology might be a game-changer – much as it has been for transit buses, RVs, and emergency vehicles. With the proprietary Compressible […]
During an annual dealer meeting in late May, school bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation announced the milestone of 500 electric-powered school buses delivered or on order. As the only school bus manufacturer that produces and sells all three school-bus body configurations in EV, Blue Bird expects its electric bus sales to accelerate through the rest […]
Student Transportation of America (STA) announced today that Ronald Halley, Vice President of Fleet and Facilities, will lead the company’s new Electric Vehicle Pilot Program. Halley will oversee all aspects of the program — including rollout, partnerships and data collection — as STA begins introducing electric buses this summer to select markets on the East […]
The Dayton Public School District will provide yellow bus transportation for all eligible students in grades PreK-12 beginning next school year. This is possible after the Board of Education voted to approve a contract with First Student, a school bus transportation company that will take over all charter and parochial school routes next year. The […]
Consumers Energy is putting the electric vehicle transformation into high gear with a major new program to help businesses statewide transition to carbon-free EVs. Consumers Energy’s new PowerMIFleet program will focus on Michigan businesses, offering expertise and $3 million in rebates for charging locations throughout the state. “Michigan was the birthplace of the American auto […]
BYD (“Build Your Dreams”) is introducing a battery-electric Type D school bus with unparalleled safety features and performance, wrapped in a sleek design that will have students wanting to step onboard. With length options of 35, 38, and 40 feet, BYD’s Type D battery-electric school bus is perfect for transporting students to classes, field trips, as well […]