NEW BERLIN, Wis. – Durham School Services (DSS), a leader in student transportation, and the School District of New Berlin, are well on their way to a three-decade partnership with their latest five-year extension. The new extension will run through 2029 and includes both regular and special education routes. Durham School Services has served the New Berlin community since the early 2000’s. Throughout those years, DSS has remained dedicated to its role as a critical community partner by providing complimentary transportation services for various community events such as Fourth of July and Vete ..read more

School Transportation News is highlighting U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools winners in celebration of Earth Day. Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) in California won the award last year and continues to focus on a mixed transportation fleet. MVUSD was recognized with the Green Ribbon Schools award last year for adopting an environmental education policy. The award referred to the transportation department’s focus on transiting its fleet of diesel buses to electric and responsible fuels, including 42 electric, 28 CNG and 31 propane buses at the time. “For me personal ..read more

IRVINE, Calif. — CalAmp (Nasdaq: CAMP), a connected intelligence company helping people and organizations improve operational performance with a data-driven solutions ecosystem, proudly announces the launch of Dispatch Monitor. This innovative application seamlessly integrates with the CalAmp K-12 suite of application solutions, fortifying CalAmp’s commitment to improving school bus fleet management. Dispatch Monitor provides school districts with a comprehensive and real-time view of route coverage, ensuring efficient operations and optimized driver performance. By offering a consolidated sna ..read more

The March edition of School Transportation News discussed the Request for Information (RFI) and use of pilot programs. But now that you’ve done your research, you’re ready to bid (at least you think you’re ready). Your department has viewed some product demonstrations. You’ve attended a few conferences. You’ve actually held the product in your hand (not just the squeezy bus from the trade-show floor). And finally, you’ve spoken to colleagues and suppliers, and you even copied some of the specifications from their recent bid. All of these “wants” are in writing and the bid is on the street. Cue ..read more

LENEXA, Kan.,PHOENIX, Ariz. – Transportant, the leading school bus technology provider, and RWC Group, a commercial truck and bus dealership that serves five states, today announced a new collaboration to provide smart buses, equipped with the latest safety technology, to schools. “A great learning environment begins and ends with a safe, efficient ride to and from school,” said Martin Staples, CEO of Transportant. “We look forward to integrating the latest tools and technology into buses from RWC Group so that schools can better serve the students they are responsible for every day.” Transpor ..read more

MACON, Ga. – Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has extended its exclusive clean school bus collaboration with Ford Component Sales and ROUSH CleanTech to 2030. The agreement strengthens Blue Bird’s industry leadership in low- and zero-emission student transportation. Blue Bird is now the only school bus manufacturer in the United States to offer propane- and gasoline-powered school buses that will meet more stringent emission standards taking effect in 2027. Ford continues to supply its 7.3L V8 engine exclusively to school bus builder B ..read more

Recruiting and retaining good employees is an ongoing challenge for any industry, and it is especially vital to student transportation operations. While there is no one solution to thi challenge, strategies exist that could lead to a thriving professional environment, which results in happier, more fulfilled employees as well as benefits to district leadership. One of these strategies is professional development training. Bernando Brown, the director of student transportation at DeKalb County Schools in Georgia, became a school bus driver after retiring from the U.S. Army. While he received pe ..read more

A screen grab of dash cam video released by Hays Consolidated Independent School District in Texas, showing the second before a fatal school bus crash and roll over that occurred on March 22, 2024. Cover design Kimber Horne This month’s issue features articles on how technology can further student safety and optimize transportation operations. Learn more about how student transporters can address incident management with targeted training and onboard video technology as well as the growing trend of Wi-Fi on school buses and driver assistance systems. Also, check out the STN EXPO Indy Preview a ..read more

For the past decade, school districts have been making changes to their fleets in an effort to provide a cleaner, safer transportation option. Investing in a change like that has required schools to make major decisions about budgets, ease-of-transition and total cost of ownership. The path to zero emissions is wide, but can often come with costs that most districts simply cannot afford. As emissions standards tighten and community expectations increase, school districts around the country have found that adopting propane school buses has been a helpful and affordable step in the right directi ..read more

When the transportation team at the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) prepared for the start of school in late August 2023, they faced similar challenges as have made headlines across the country: the persistence of driver shortages. But even as shortages impacted the delivery of some yellow bus routes, DPSCD had a card in its back pocket: a robust small vehicle transportation program for students with complex needs, including nearly 500 unhoused students living in temporary places around the city and beyond. At Via, we’re proud to work with DPSCD to help deliver this critical ..read more