September 2024 School Bus Headlines & Hot Topics
School Bus Fleet
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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.
Discover expert advice on electrifying school bus fleets, from fleet assessments to charging infrastructure, route planning, and training staff for a greener future.
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Check out how stop-arm safety programs and cameras protect children, deter illegal passing, and enhance school bus safety with these best practices and recommendations
Get more in our September 2024 edition of SBF at https://schoolbusfleet.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=829985
Video Special
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.
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Top News
In late September, the EPA announced its latest round of funding for the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program. It’s the third round of federal funds for fleets thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This year, $965 million is allocated to accommodate even more buses. The agency increased the max number of buses per application from 25 to 50. Each applicant can request up to $325,000 per bus to convert their fleet to zero-emission, propane or natural gas, as well as fund charging infrastructure. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Eastern on January 9. Details: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10229021/2024-clean-school-bus-rebate-applications-now-open??
Both Thomas Built Buses and Blue Bird have a change in their C-level executives. Over at Blue Bird, president Britton Smith has resigned for "personal reasons." Current CEO and former president Phil Horlock will step back into the role. This news comes just months after Smith was announced in a plan to succeed Horlock as CEO by the end of September. Details: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10227972/britton-smith-resigns-as-president-of-blue-bird
Over at Thomas Built, a fresh face has joined the ranks. The OEM welcomes T.J. Reed as president and CEO of the school bus manufacturer, as well as of Freightliner Chassis. He succeeds Thomas Bangston, who moved into the same role at Daimler Truck. Details: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10227930/t-j-reed-joins-thomas-built-buses-as-president-and-ceo
First Student has just rolled out two brand-new services and solutions for schools. The first is called First Charge, an above-ground EV charging solution. It’s essentially a trenchless infrastructure system that schools can use to save themselves the time, cost and hassle of installing their own equipment to charge electric buses. The company claims it will save 50% of the typical construction costs and is scalable. The second solution is called First Services, and is essentially expert consulting on everything from electrification to routing, maintenance, training and more. Rather than a full-service model, districts can now turn to First Services for specific support as needed. More here: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10229266/first-student-launches-two-new-services
Two West Coast companies recently teamed up to analyze 10 years of data from the NHTSA, and what they found was two-fold. School bus crash-related deaths are declining, but there are still about 108 people killed each year. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 976 fatal crashes that resulted in over 1,000 deaths and 130,000 injuries. 71% of fatalities were from occupants of other vehicles, and the most dangerous time on the road was between 3 and 4 p.m. Hopefully as safety technology continues to advance, that number keeps going down. You can find the full report on our website at https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10227739/report-over-100-people-killed-in-school-bus-crashes-annually
As an extra tidbit today, were happy to also announce that School Bus Fleet’s parent company, Bobit, has a new CEO and owner. Colin Sutherland has stepped in to lead our media company forward, and his experience in fleets at Geotab means that he understands the business. Colin's announcement: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10228855/bobit-under-new-ownership-colin-sutherland-takes-the-helm
You’ve also got a couple more new faces at School Bus Fleet. If you missed the announcement last month, hi, I’m your new editor, it’s me. Wes Platt has passed the torch, and I (Amanda Huggett) am so excited to be stepping into this role. I’ve worked with Wes and written for School Bus Fleet in the past, so I’m not a total stranger to this world, and I can’t wait to learn more about it. We’ve also welcomed a new associate editor, Karl, who some of you may be hearing from as we team up to report on this fascinating industry. More about me: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10228277/school-bus-fleet-announces-new-executive-editor
Here's some feel-good news for you: Bus driver Mike Hoekstra received a touching surprise when he was treated to a hot air balloon ride. His colleagues arranged their school buses into an encouraging message that he could see from the sky. Story here: https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/10229108/feel-good-news-mich-district-honors-terminally-ill-bus-driver
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