October 2024 School Bus Headlines & Hot Topics
School Bus Fleet
Your trusted source for school bus fleet news, safety insights, and industry trends since 1956.
As of writing this newsletter, SBF staff is working fervently on our 2025 School Bus Fleet Fact Book. This December edition provides an overview of the industry for the year, with listings of associations, OEMs, detailing school district and bus sales stats, and keeping you informed.
But we’re also gearing up for a big 2025. With a new editorial team and new CEO, we’re brimming with ideas and enthusiasm how we can best serve the pupil transportation industry. But we can’t do it without you. So, today, I ask for you to speak up! Tell us what you like and what you don’t about School Bus Fleet. Be honest; we want to know the good and the bad. What issues are you monitoring the most? What does SBF do well and where do we fall short? Tell us your hot takes in our survey that will help shape the future of our magazine and website!
Trending Articles
School bus drivers in Michigan have the unique opportunity to become certified defensive drivers, thanks to a hands-on training that teaches strategic bus maneuvering and how to handle unexpected surprises on the road. Plus, a call for the program to be copied in other areas of the country to best equip drivers and keep passengers safe.
Unlock the secrets to recruiting and retaining Gen Z and Millennial school bus drivers! Go straight to the source with insights from drivers and transportation directors on culture, flexibility, modern marketing, and beyond.
In a Buffalo, N.Y. school district, state DOL grant funds are being used in an innovative program that has not only filled driver staffing needs, but has also resulted in an improved culture and climate. Here’s how.
Explore the growing trend of zero-emission electric school buses, highlighting the infrastructure, community engagement, and funding strategies essential for successful transition any school bus fleet can learn from.
Join Illinois' state transportation director Mike Stier as he discusses his first months as NASDPTS president. In this Q&A, he talks key initiatives, trends in student transportation, and challenges for the future of pupil transportation.
Sunny Scottsdale set the scene for the 2024 School Bus Fleet ConneX, where 100+ operators and suppliers shared tips and tricks with each other, learned from expert speakers, and made valuable connections.
Get more K-12 transportation content in our October 2024 edition of SBF at https://schoolbusfleet.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=832876
Blogs
A few decades after stepping onto the big yellow bus for the first time, I’m back to cover the school transportation industry as executive editor. Let me share a bit about my background and what you can expect from School Bus Fleet as we keep rolling together.
Intense Focus on Curbing Illegal School Bus Passings Urgently Needed in Next Congress [NSTA Advocacy in Action]
领英推荐
With a lack of legislative action overshadowed by election turmoil, the NSTA advocates for intensified focus on the rising safety concern of stop-arm infractions, bolstered by recent survey data showing a troubling uptick in violations.
Videos
How does Thomas Built Buses maintain its high standards for safety, design tech on buses to reduce accidents and empower drivers? Learn these answers straight from the source! In Wes Platt's last episode of The Route, he talks with Kendra Eads, TBB's vice president of engineering and technology. Each episode of The Route is sponsored by Thomas Built Buses, a leader in pupil transportation.
Top News
Last month, we paid respects to an industry leader who we’ve lost. George Edward Donn, who went by Ed, passed away on Oct. 10. He had a career that spanned over four decades., serving as director of the department at Whitfield County in Georgia for a decade, then Washington County, Maryland, and finally as assistant director for Prince George’s County. But aside from his school-side contributions, Ed was a well-known name in the associations. He served as president of the Georgia state association, board member of the suppliers council for NASDPTS, and was most notably recognized at NAPT, where he served two terms as president, received their Distinguished Service Award, is credited with starting the NAPT Foundation, served on the board of directors,?and?is a member of the Hall of Fame. Oh, and he was School Bus Fleet’s own?Educator of the Year in 1989, not to mention co-chair of the School Bus Specifications Section at the 11th and 12th NCSTs. Eventually, he moved into the private sector, helping co-found 247Security. Many industry leaders fondly remember Ed and the bright light that he was in the world.
Read his obit here.
Supplier Solution Upgrades
Rolling into some happier industry news, a few school transportation suppliers have announced updates to their respective technologies.
First is School Bus Logistics, who added a new feature to its routing communication solution called RouteHub. Previously this tool was used by districts to manage routing info and communicate between the district and their logistics specialist. Now, they’ve added student behavior reporting. Drivers can now log behavioral issues as they happen, meaning school staff can receive instant reports to address concerns before they escalate. Reports can be made for bullying, littering, fighting, smoking, vandalism, obscene language, and more.
Over at EverDriven, the alternative transportation provider debuted a brand-new camera solution. Along with its upgraded VIP app, the new camera features the largest amount of cloud storage capacity, keeping high-resolution recordings for 30 days. It captures footage from inside and outside the bus for a full view of each trip. This means increased safety and visibility, which means increased transparency for all those involved.
OEM Updates
GreenPower, an electric bus manufacturer, has been busy lately. Last month, they announced 50 orders alone in West Virginia. Four of its variations of the Beast are headed to seven different school districts across the state. Just before that, they fulfilled orders for more buses in three states, including West Virginia, Arizona, and California. The OEM recently reported a total of 126 live orders representing more than $45 million.
Blue Bird also announced preliminary full-year sales numbers for 2024. Their unit sales are up 6%, with 9,000 buses sold, and a record net sales revenue of $1.35 billion dollars — this is up 19% from the prior year. They also mentioned sales of 704 electric buses, which is a 29% increase over 2023.
Other News to Know
See You Next Time
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Thanks for reading!