By Matthew Milewski For transportation directors, a top priority has always been keeping school buses operating safely and efficiently. Today, advances in connected vehicle technology, predictive analytics, and service planning offer new ways to improve uptime, use maintenance resources more effectively, and help control operating costs. Historically, fleet maintenance has been largely reactive. A […]
School BUSRide spoke with Ron Chaffin, Transportation Supervisor for Putnam County Schools (TN). He spoke about being an early adopter of electric vehicles, his dual role as a county commissioner and transportation supervisor, and his thoughts on what NAPT does best for its membership. How did you get started in pupil transportation, and what […]
By Halsey King halsey@halseyking.com When a bus burns, the aftermath is more than charred metal and smoke-stained windows. It’s a puzzle—one that someone must piece together with precision, patience, and a trained eye. That’s where a fire investigation begins. Why Call in an Investigator? People hire fire investigators for reasons that go far beyond […]
After years of piloting, the Q’STRAINT ONE is changing what wheelchair securement looks like on a school bus. This is a closer look at the product that is redefining the standard. On a Hamilton Southeastern Schools bus in Fishers, Indiana, 20-year-old Madison enters into her securement position. Her driver, Tonya, presses a single button […]
Part of NAPT’s Driven Together Campaign Every school day begins with a simple act of trust. Parents watch as their children walk toward a bus stop, board a yellow school bus, and disappear from view on their way to school. In that moment, families place tremendous confidence in the transportation professionals responsible for safely […]
The NAPT Foundation has announced the appointment of two respected student transportation leaders to its Board of Directors: Alex Robinson, M.Ed., CDPT, of Chula Vista, California, and Frank Marasco, CDPT, of British Columbia, Canada. Both Robinson and Marasco bring decades of leadership experience, industry expertise, and a longstanding commitment to advancing student transportation through professional […]
In May 2026, AASA, The School Superintendents Association collaborated with the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) and the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) to administer a timely survey of school districts across the country to gauge how changing diesel costs are impacting their budgets. Further coverage of the survey results can be […]
As part of NAPT’s “Driven Together” initiative and the monthly theme “Greener Miles, Cleaner Future,” School BUSRide spoke with Sue Gander, director of U.S. transportation at the World Resources Institute (WRI), about the current state of the electric school bus industry and the momentum behind WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative. Gander discussed the continued […]
By Molly McGee Hewitt, PhD, CAE Every year around this time, I find myself asking the same question: how did we get here so quickly? One minute we are preparing for the first day of school, and the next we are already planning summer programs, staffing adjustments, budgets, training, and the start of another […]
For millions of families across North America, the yellow school bus represents structure, consistency, safety, and peace of mind. It is the bridge between home and school, work and family life, and opportunity and access. While much attention is often given to the students who ride the bus each day, parents also feel the […]