Jerry Dixon,
Managing Director, Pupil Transportation Safety Institute (PTSI)
School BUSRide recently spoke with Jerry Dixon, the new managing director of the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute (PTSI), to introduce him to the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) community and discuss the organization’s next chapter. As PTSI works alongside NAPT to launch a new Learning Management System (LMS) and integrate the association’s Professional Development Series (PDS) courses, Dixon is helping guide an effort to make training, certification, and continuing education more accessible than ever before. In this interview, he shares his vision for PTSI, discusses the value of the organization’s partnership with NAPT, and explains how these initiatives will strengthen professional development for student transportation professionals across North America.
What inspired you to take on the opportunity to lead PTSI, and what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure?
Honestly, it was the mission. I kept seeing how much student safety depends on well-trained professionals. Leading PTSI felt like a chance to put my experience to work directly. My goal for this role is simple: strengthen our training and make sure every professional who comes through PTSI leaves better prepared.
As you look ahead, what is your vision for PTSI, and how do you see the organization evolving to better serve student transportation professionals?
I want PTSI to be a true partner throughout people’s careers, not just a certification checkbox. That means keeping our content current, making it more accessible, and continuing to grow strong partnerships like the one we have with NAPT.
You bring a unique background and experience to this position. What strengths or perspectives do you believe will have the greatest impact on advancing PTSI’s mission and expanding its reach?
I bring almost 20 years of combined experience in healthcare operations, revenue cycle leadership, and non-emergent Medicaid transportation. That has given me a real appreciation for what it takes to run a large, complex operation well—the systems, the people, and the accountability required for an organization to grow without sacrificing quality.
I also bring strong relationship-building skills — I’ve spent my career sitting across the table from stakeholders, providers, and leadership teams, translating strategy into action on the ground. I think that combination — operational discipline paired with the ability to build trust across a network — is exactly what’s needed to help PTSI grow its reach while staying true to its mission.
NAPT and PTSI share a long-standing commitment to professional development. How do you see the relationship between our organizations evolving, and what opportunities are you most excited about for members?
We already share the same goal: professionalism and safety in student transportation. I see that partnership deepening, especially as we roll out the new Learning Management System together. It’s about making sure members experience us as one seamless path forward, not two separate systems.
One of the biggest initiatives underway is the implementation of the new Learning Management System (LMS) and the integration of NAPT’s Professional Development Series (PDS) courses. While transitions like this can take time, what excites you most about what members can expect once the system is fully implemented?
Honestly, accessibility. Once it’s live, members will be able to manage their certifications and training on their own schedule, from anywhere. Transitions like this take work behind the scenes, but the payoff is a much simpler experience for our members.
As the PDS curriculum is migrated into the new LMS, NAPT Foundation leaders, Board members, instructors, and subject matter experts are reviewing and updating course content. How will this collaborative effort strengthen the educational experience for current and future transportation professionals?
Having Foundation leaders, Board members, instructors, and subject matter experts all involved means this content isn’t just moving to a new system—it’s actually getting better. Members will receive training that reflects real, current field experience.
Looking beyond the technology itself, how do you envision the new LMS transforming the way members access professional development, certifications, and lifelong learning?
I think it shifts the mindset from a one-time requirement to ongoing growth. Members can stack certifications, revisit material as things change, and build a real record of professional development over time that raises the bar for the entire profession.
If you could leave NAPT members with one message about the future of PTSI and what they can expect in the months ahead, what would it be?
We’re investing in you. Everything that’s coming—the new LMS, updated content, and a deeper partnership with NAPT—is about making your professional development more accessible and more valuable. Stick with us through the transition. It’s going to be worth it.