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Quick Tips On How To Shorten Your Bus Routes

It might seem obvious, but there really is no benefit to having your buses on the road any longer than they need to be. Transportation budgets are a huge part of any business that maintains a bus fleet, and every extra minute they're on the road ultimately..

bus_routing_software, bus_routing, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, bus_shortages

Keep Your Employees Organized With Bus Routing Software

We bill our BusBoss software as bus routing software, but the truth is, it goes far beyond simply scheduling buses. As more schools move towards entirely computer-based solutions for running their operations, there's a real need for software that performs ..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Transportation Management Services: Separating Facts From Fiction

In transportation management services, sometimes popular belief might be easier to accept than fact, especially since the services are directly related to the safety of children, a top agenda for the country. In appeasing the public perception, situations ..

route_optimization, bus_route_optimization, transportation_management_services, transportation_manager, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

The Essential Qualities Of A Transportation Supervisor

As transportation systems become more complex, handling their management and oversight similarly becomes a more complex task. In the past, you may have done well enough scheduling and routing your vehicles with strings and pushpins on maps, and using simpl..

transportation_routing_software, route_optimization, vehicle_routing_software, school_bus_routing_software, transportation_coordinator, transportation_supervisor, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Keeping Kids Safe from Predators at the Bus Stop

Many states have laws that prevent registered sex offenders from living too close to schools and parks, but I am not aware of any that restricts their residence based on bus stop location. Given that suburban and rural America is splattered with bus stops,..

route_optimization, route_planning, School_Bus_Stop, Sex_Offender, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Why School Bus Monitors are So Important

School buses are truly the country’s largest public transportation systems. In recent years, incidents around the country have forced the important issue of student safety to the forefront. As parents, teachers and administrators advocate for increased sec..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_safety, School_Bus_Routing, bus_driver_monitors, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Benefits of Automated Transportation Management Services

Transportation companies around the world have been slowly awakening to the power that modern computers have to optimize and streamline their businesses. Numerous processes relating to the management of your fleet and your route planning can now be automat..

route_optimization, transportation_management_services, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Ways to Identify a Great School Bus Driver

A great group of bus drivers means that you can have one of the best fleets to manage, making it easier for you to do your job and stay on route with schedules and plans. However, being able to create that group and find those highly professional bus drive..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, school_bus_driver, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

How School Management Systems Operate

The ways to harness technology to make your school run more smoothly and more safely are expanding quickly. Just a couple decades ago, it was still standard to see school districts doing most of their record-keeping by hand: drawing bus routes with lines o..

student_management, route_optimization, school_management_system, Student_Safety, Student_Tracking_Software, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

How Dispatching Software Can Be Doing More For You

These days, it seems like being in the school system is a pretty thankless job all around, especially if you follow news reports on schools. However, you know who never gets thanked? The folks whose job it is to ensure the busses keep running on time. Even..

bus_routing_software, bus_routing, route_optimization, bus_software, transportation_management_services, Dispatch_Software, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Benefits of School Bus Passes

The school bus pass is not normally considered by most administration, especially when they have so much to worry about and take responsibility for. However, school bus passes are quite important for their highly simple way of making sure that no student i..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, routing_software, Bus_Pass, transportation_dispatcher, transportation_coordinator, school_bus_pass, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

When and How to Upgrade Your School Management System

It's hard to believe that just a few decades ago, all school record-keeping was done by hand. Today, a good database-driven school management system is absolutely a necessity. Between the proliferation of helicopter parenting and ever-increasing societal f..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing

How NOT to Use a Vehicle Monitoring System

Back in the old days, keeping track of each individual vehicle's gas consumption, mileage, and possibly repairs meant a lot of reports, careful tracking, and possible human errors in the system. And when it comes to bigger fleets of buses that are transpor..

route_optimization, route_planning, vehicle_monitoring, Vehicle_Monitoring_System, gps_vehicle_tracking, school_bus_routing_software, GPS_Tracking, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, bus_shortages

Ways To Make Your Transportation Dispatchers' Job Easier

In the hugely competitive marketplace we face today, it is critical for savvy Transportation Directors, Superintendents, and Business Managers to better manage every single business process from your transportation equipment to your drivers to your transpo..

route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, transportation_dispatcher, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, re-routing, bus_shortages

How Transportation Costs Can Impact School Budgets

School transportation costs eat a huge chunk of any schools budget. The cost of transporting kids to school needs to be reduced.

route_optimization, school_transportation_costs, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, re-routing, bus_shortages

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, split_custody_routing, School_Bus_Routing, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, re-routing

GPS Vehicle Tracking: Strengthening Trust While Reducing Costs

When concerned parents are waiting for the school bus, every passing second is a potential moment for panic.

route_optimization, route_planning, bus_route_optimization, gps_vehicle_tracking, school_bus_routing_software, fleet_optimization, GPS_Tracking, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Field Trip Planning Made Easier: Why Tracking Software is Essential

Most experts agree that taking students on field trips is a positive educational experience. A recent study cited by the National Education Foundation found that, regardless of a student’s socioeconomic status, gender, or ethnicity, students who take field..

gps_vehicle_tracking, school_bus_routing_software, routing_software, GPS_Tracking, school_bus_tracking_software, student_ridership, field_trip_budget, fiels_trip_planning, field_trip_route_planning_software, turn_by_turn_driving_instructions, turn_by_turn_navigation, school_field_trips, tablet_navigation

How To Make Bus Routing Software Work For You

The greatest thing about bus management and routing these days is the ability to complete everything through technology and software. You don't have to worry about the mountains of paperwork that goes into tracking students, distances to different bus rout..

Transportation_Management_Software, route_optimization, school_transportation_costs, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

How to Use GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems for Efficient Fleet Management

The benefits of GPS vehicle tracking systems such as Zonar and Synovia go beyond simply ensuring the safety of your precious passengers. These are powerful tools which can revolutionize your fleet management, helping you optimize your system in ways that s..

route_optimization, Vehicle_Monitoring_System, student_tracking_system, gps_vehicle_tracking, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Cutting Costs With Bus Routing Software

It’s no secret that school districts across the country are having a difficult time balancing their budgets. Whenever a school district faces financial challenges, the transportation department is a likely target for cuts. Eliminating bus stops and changin..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, Save_Route_Costs, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_ridership, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, Save_Route_Costs, gps_vehicle_tracking, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Pupil Transportation: Costs Versus Savings of Going Green With Propane

It’s no secret that school districts across North America are looking into alternative fuels for their pupil transportation, not only to minimize negative impact on the environment, but also to save money. While a majority of school buses are still powered..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, propane_fueled_buses, going_green, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Fine Tune Your Transportation Services Using Vehicle Routing Software

In today's economy, every penny counts. With dwindling budgets, public schools are forced to cut corners wherever possible. This may include changing school schedules, to accommodate two tiers per bus, or finding ways to make a route more cost effective. O..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

School Districts Take Steps to Reduce Their Transportation Costs

With rising gas prices and decreasing school budgets, minimizing school bus transportation costs has never been more beneficial to a school than now. Because of the great variability in how much you might get from one year to the next for transportation co..

bus_routing_software, route_optimization, school_bus_routing_software, School_Bus_Routing, school_bus_driver_shortages, inefficient_routes, outdated_routes, inaccurate_routes, route_efficiency, state_reporting, re-routing, bus_shortages

Is Your Current Bus Route Planning Inefficient?

Each day, more than half of America’s K-12 students take the bus to school. In fact, the school bus industry is the largest form of mass transit in the U.S. School buses keep cars off the road and the environment cleaner. Making sure that school buses run ..

bus_routing, transportation_routing_software, route_planning, routing_software

Having An Electric School Bus Fleet Is Easier Than Many People Think

If your district is thinking about adding electric vehicles (EVs) to your school bus fleet, don't let outdated fears hold you back! Electric buses have come a long way in the last decade, from being impractical to being entirely capable of serving a school..

fleet_maintenance, electric_school_buses

Congressional Representative Pushes for School Bus Only CDL

It's no secret that the school bus driver shortage is only getting worse. Year after year, school districts are having more difficulty finding drivers, and it's becoming an increasing burden on district transportation managers. The ongoing COVID-19 outbrea..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, school_bus

Reimagining the School Bus Ridership Experience

According to multiple studies, less than half of students who are eligible to ride the school bus are actually doing so. Low school bus ridership can actually be a problem for districts that are looking to maintain their state funding or keep a full fleet ..

electric_school_buses, school_bus_ridership, school_bus_riders

Massachusetts Uses National Guard as School Bus Drivers

It seems like states are finally starting to get serious about helping school districts overcome the ongoing school bus driver shortage. Coming right after New York's announcement of programs aimed at recruiting more drivers, Massachusetts has taken things..

school_bus_driver_shortage, school_bus_drivers, Massachusetts_school_bus_drivers

School Bus Driver Training: De-Escalating Parent Disputes

Tensions in America are high right now, and it's spilling over into our schools. These days, it seems like the news is full of stories about conflicts between parents and school staff, including bus drivers. There had always been occasional reports of conf..

school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_training, training_school_bus_drivers

New York Launches School Bus Driver Outreach

In previous articles, we mentioned that it seemed like state intervention may be called for when dealing with the school bus driver shortage - and apparently, New York agrees. New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a series of state-level action..

School_Buses, school_bus_driver_shortage, recruit_school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_outreach

School Bus Driver Strikes And Protests Becoming More Common

The ongoing shortage of school bus drivers may be hitting a breaking point. Schools were already struggling to keep enough drivers on-staff to fulfill their transportation obligations despite the disruption of COVID-19. Now, there's a new threat: school bu..

school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_training, school_bus_driver_retention

South Carolina School Bus Driver Shortages Lead to Long Wait

We all know that the school bus driver shortage is a problem and that it's not getting better. In some areas, it seems, things are getting much worse. Reports have come out about how driver shortages in South Carolina are causing excessive delays and a lot..

school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_retention, school_bus_driver_shortages

Railroad Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers

Few bus accidents could be more devastating than being hit by a train - and it does happen. While train-related accidents are rare, there have been several in the past decade. This could easily be fatal to everyone on the bus if it happens, which is why it..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_drivers, railroad_safety_tips

Can Electric School Buses Benefit Low Income Communities?

In the ongoing push to move towards ecologically friendly bus fleets, electric school buses are rapidly gaining traction. Modern electric buses have overcome nearly all the problems that faced them a decade ago - they're now as powerful and robust as diese..

School_Buses, electric_school_buses, electric_school_bus

Tennessee School Districts Forbidden From Requiring School Bus Masking

It's distressing how basic public health measures fighting COVID-19 have become heavily politicized, but the trend continues. Following in the footsteps of states like Texas and Florida, Tennessee's governor Bill Lee recently signed an executive order (PDF..

school_bus_safety_plans, school_bus_masking, student_masking

Electric School Buses: Maintaining Your Fleet

As school districts look to upgrade their aging diesel bus fleets to more modern, ecologically friendly options, electric school buses are becoming an increasingly popular option. Old problems with limited power and battery life are quickly being overcome...

electric_school_buses, Hybrid_Buses, electric_school_bus, hybrid_school_buses

Benefits of Wi-Fi and 5G for School Buses

One eternal problem with school bus rides, particularly in larger districts, is how much time they can take out of a student's day. When many students are riding for an hour or more every day, that can seriously cut into their time for studying or other ac..

School_Bus_WiFI, 5G_for_school_buses, Wi-Fi_for_school_buses

Can Changing Bell Times Help the School Bus Driver Shortage?

The sad reality is that the bus driver shortage isn't going away - it's only getting worse. The COVID-19 outbreak spurred a lot of people to leave bus driving for other careers or retire if that was an option. One recent study showed that 80% of districts ..

school_bus_driver_shortage, school_bus_driver_retention, school_bus_driver_shortages

School Bus Wi-Fi: Round 2 of FCC Funding

There's good news for districts that are looking for ways to fund a school bus Wi-Fi upgrade program. Due to overwhelming popularity, the FCC has announced a second round of funding grants to help pay for onboard Internet services! Earlier this year, the F..

School_Bus_Technology, School_Bus_WiFI, school_bus_funding

Back to School 2021 - Preparing for Uncertainty

Few semesters have ever been under such a cloud of uncertainty as back to school 2021 will be. In many places, this is the first time that regular school will happen in over a year, and a lot of people are still worried about it happening smoothly. A lot o..

School_Buses, school_reopenings, back_to_school

Hiccups in Supply Chains Affect Student Bus Transportation

School Transportation News recently posted an in-depth article talking about new challenges facing the student bus transportation industry. The various economic upheavals of 2020, spearheaded by the COVID-19 outbreak, have disrupted supply chains around th..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, supply_chains

California Hits the Road With 2 Propane School Buses

Despite all the economic hurdles of the last year, districts are still finding ways to upgrade their school busses to better, cleaner options. School Bus Fleet recently reported on a California district, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District in Napa Cou..

School_Buses, propane_fueled_buses, Greener_school_buses

COVID Student Safety Starts With School Buses

Is your district still doing everything possible to keep your school buses safe from COVID-19? Even though vaccination rates are rising, and infections are dropping, it's still a threat. Worse, new mutations like the Delta variant are creating new threats,..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, COVID_student_safety

Electric School Buses Linked to Environmental Justice

We recently came across a fascinating article on School Bus Fleet, interviewing Johana Vicente. Vicente is the national director of a socio-environmental activist group called Chispa, dedicated to looking at the impact of fossil fuels on people of color. T..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, electrical_school_buses

New York City Schools Move Away From Remote Learning

For the past year or more, during the COVID-19 outbreak, most schools have been relying on remote learning to supplement or replace in-class learning. However, as vaccination rates rise around the country, and overall infection and death rates fall, school..

COVID-19_relief, remote_education, remote_schooling, remote_learning

Boosting School Bus Safety With Defensive Driver Training

Well-trained bus drivers are the foundation of school bus safety. It doesn't matter what kinds of buses you drive or the routes you create if you don't have drivers who are always putting passenger safety first in their thinking. That's why it's vital to o..

school_bus_safety, School_bus_driver_trainig, training_school_bus_drivers

Locating Funding for Electric School Buses

Every year, more pressure is put on school districts to move away from older gasoline/diesel school buses, and to deploy electric vehicles (EVs) instead. EVs have become entirely viable for bus fleets while bringing numerous advantages. EVs require less ma..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, electric_school_buses, school_bus_funding

Virginia Bus Driver Wins Big Money

School Transportation News recently reported on a nice bit of local news: a 23-year veteran Virginia school bus driver who won $10,000 for her excellent service. Beyond simply being a great driver, she was constantly looking for ways to help her students a..

school_bus_driver, school_bus_drivers, Virginia_school_bus_driver

School Bus Contractors: CERTS Coronavirus Relief Grants Detailed

Near the end of 2020, Congress and President Trump passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which contained provisions for $2 billion in economic relief for transportation companies negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. These provisions ..

student_bus_transportation, School_bus_industry, school_bus_contractors, COVID-19_relief

School Bus Safety: Optimizing Driver Views

When a bus stops and children are loading or unloading, you'd want to think the driver is in full control of the situation - but they aren't. Buses, by their nature, have massive blind spots which impact the driver's visibility. This is a school bus safety..

school_bus_safety, keeping_students_safe, Student_School_Bus_Safety, school_bus_safety_plans

Disinfecting School Buses: Are There Long Term Effects?

When the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak hit, properly disinfecting school buses became a top priority for school districts. At a minimum, districts stepped up the use of disinfecting chemicals and products like hand sanitizer. Many even upgraded their buses, insta..

school_bus_safety, School_bus_industry, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning, Disinfecting_school_buses

Considering the Future of the Yellow School Bus

What's going to happen to the traditional yellow school bus in the years ahead? Given how much the COVID-19 outbreak has shaken up industries and economies around the world, a lot of people are wondering what it means for the future of school bus transport..

Student_Transportation, student_bus_transportation, school_bus_transportation, school_bus_drivers, Yellow_School_Bus

Addressing Driver Shortage: Reducing School Bus Routes

It's harder than ever for school districts to find enough drivers for their school bus routes. The driver shortage was a problem even before the COVID-19 outbreak, and now it's only gotten worse. An estimated 80% of schools are having trouble finding enoug..

school_bus_driver_shortage, school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_shortages, reducing_school_bus_routes

School Bus Safety: Air Quality

It's been well-known for generations that pollution within cities is a problem, but it's only in recent years that we've started to realize just how bad the problem is. Pollution doesn't just poison the air and environment, but it can directly harm people ..

Increase Your School Bus Drivers' Morale With Public Recognition!

There was a recent feature on STN about Tim Cribley, a Michigan school bus driver who was declared a “Bus Guardian Hero.” Cribley got a well-deserved moment in the sun. It was a chance for the school to highlight the great work he’d done for the district. ..

school_bus_driver, school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_shortages

School Bus Transportation in 2021

These are chaotic times for school districts and school bus transportation managers. Between the ongoing driver shortage and all the disruption caused by COVID-19, it's easy to feel like things are getting a bit out of control. Well, take heart, because yo..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, school_bus_transportation

Operational Optimization: Planning Ahead

When school districts want to - or need to - reduce the costs of their transportation system, one of the best options is to optimize their bus routes. It's rare for a district to have perfect route optimization, and just about any updates they can make wil..

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, Yellow_School_Bus

Indiana Works to Improve School Bus Stop Safety

We recently came across a short article from School Transportation News discussing Indiana's plans to expand usage, penalties, and enforcement of stop-arm cameras on their school buses. There's no doubt that illegal passing is one of the biggest threats to..

school_bus_safety, student_bus_transportation, Indiana_school_buses

Montana House Bills for School Bus Safety

How do we protect students from cars passing illegally, while they're entering or exiting the bus? This is probably one of the biggest questions in the field of school bus safety, and one that continues to be studied intently. For many states, the popular ..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_legislation, Montana_school_buses

School Bus Transportation: COVID-19 Relief Funding

If your school district is in need of school bus transportation upgrades to help you deal with COVID-19 or to otherwise upgrade your school, there's good news. Congress has passed several bills recently aimed at providing COVID-19 funding to schools, and t..

school_bus_policies, school_bus_transportation, school_bus_funding, school_bus

Pros and Cons of Full Day Kindergarten

For decades, the traditional wisdom said that young children should be 'eased into' full-time schooling. This meant having preschool and kindergarten programs that were only part-time. However, recently, there's been a growing call for a shift to full-day ..

full-day_kindergarten, kindergarten, half-day_kindergarten

Benefits of Educational Equity

Is simple equality enough to provide a good education, or should educational institutions be aiming for equity instead? The concept of educational equity has been in circulation for decades and has been steadily gaining traction in schools and the larger t..

school_districts, educational_equity, benefits_of_educational_equity

Benefits of Investing in a Student Technology Program

Students need to learn with technology! Schools have been discovering this since the first big push to put computers into classrooms, in the 1980s, and student technology programs continue to expand and grow to this day. Unfortunately, even if educators un..

investing_in_students, student_technology_program, student_technology

Fiscally Responsible

Creating A Fiscally Responsible School District Is Everyone's Business

Few school districts have ever struggled with having "too much" money, and budgets are tight most of the time. However, things are particularly bad now. With the coronavirus outbreak continuing to create challenges, schools are having to spend a lot of mon..

school_district_funds, school_district_spending, school_district_finances, school_finances

Prepare Students for the Future

Five Ways to Prepare Students for the Future

It's fairly well-known that the 'modern' school system as we know it in America came into being in the first half of the 20th Century - and there have been surprisingly few updates to its structure and content since. Specific subjects are periodically upda..

preparing_students, preparing_students_for_the_future, modernizing_school_curriculum

Charter School Reform

Benefits of Charter School Reform

Are charter schools a good way to create better outcomes for children in school? For a long time, many have said so. Privately owned charter schools, funded from the same coffers as public schools, were supposed to offer competition and alternatives for pa..

charter_school_reform, charter_school, charter_school_funding

Kentucky to Permit School Bus Stop Arm Camera

More than 20 states in the United States allow school districts to install stop-arm cameras on their buses - and Kentucky may be the next to join them. House Bill 189 recently passed the state House, and it seems likely to go on to become law in the near f..

stop-arm_camera, school_bus_safety_plans, Kentucky_school_buses

Maryland Bill Considers School Bus Capacity

One major school bus safety issue that perhaps doesn't receive enough attention is the problem of overcrowding. When districts are low on buses or drivers, they may end up running their buses with more students onboard than is safe for the vehicle. This is..

student_bus_ridership, student_bus_transportation, keeping_students_safe, school_bus_capacity, Maryland_school_buses

Texas School Buses May Continue Requiring Masks

Texas recently made headlines for stepping down its COVID-19 mask requirements. Businesses around the lone star state are no longer mandated to enforce mask-wearing on their premises - but they are still allowed to voluntarily require masks, if they choose..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, Student_Transportation, Texas_school_buses

Electric School Buses: Myths Versus Facts

Electric school buses may be one of the most misunderstood types of alt-fuel buses. In many ways, they're the safest and cleanest of all the ways you could power a bus, but there is a lot of misinformation out there. Some of the myths used to be true, and ..

School_Buses, school_bus_fleet, electric_school_buses

Federal Legislation Seeks $1B in Funding for School Buses

If your school district is interested in upgrading to electric school buses, you may get some help in the next few years. The "Clean School Bus Act" has been re-introduced in the House Of Representatives, and would provide over $1 billion dollars in fundin..

School_Buses, school_bus_laws, school_bus_funding

Helping Special Needs Students Adapt to COVID-19 Safety Requirements

Transporting special needs students always has some additional challenges, and that's especially true during the coronavirus pandemic. School bus drivers and transportation directors need to be making concerted efforts to help special needs children mainta..

Student_Safety, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans

Making Social Distancing Work on a School Bus

If your school is maintaining in-person classes during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, your district should be doing everything possible to reduce the chances of disease transmission. This is a major challenge - especially on school buses! As a small en..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, covid-19

Reducing the Costs of School Bus Transportation

There's no doubt that maintaining and running a school bus fleet is one of the most expensive aspects of school budgeting. It's often the 2nd or 3rd largest line item in many school budgets. Buses are costly to run and maintain but are absolutely required ..

School_Buses, school_bus_transportation, School_bus_fleet_development

Encouraging Loyalty in School Bus Drivers

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, schools around the nation were struggling to find enough school bus drivers to keep all their routes running. The coronavirus only made things worse. It's become harder than ever for schools to find and keep drivers, part..

School_Buses, electric_school_buses, training_school_bus_drivers

K-12 Relief Funds: School Bus Ventilation Systems

Shortly before leaving office, President Donald Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 into law. Part of this law includes over $54 billion in funding grants to help both public and charter schools respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

School_Buses, student_bus_transportation, school_bus_ventilation_systems

Safely Disinfecting School Buses

For as long as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak lasts, it's going to be absolutely vital to keep your school buses clean and sanitized. Buses will always be a high-risk area for transmission, so they call for high levels of diligence. Parents need to feel..

Student_Transportation, electric_school_buses, Student_School_Bus_Safety, school_bus_cleaning

Bus Tracking Apps: Anticipating Parental Needs

If your district already utilizes tracking devices to plot your bus's location in real-time, it might be time to open up that service to more people in your community! Schools around the nation are beginning to offer smartphone apps to parents, allowing th..

school_bus_tracking_software, school_bus_tracking_systems, school_bus_tracking_app

School Bus Industry: Front-line Heroes

We recently saw a wonderful article from School Transportation News (STN) highlighting some of the most extraordinary things done by school bus drivers in the past year. The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak challenged service workers around the world to step ..

school_bus_transportation, school_bus_drivers, School_bus_industry

Propane Autogas Eases Back-to-School Challenges

Of all the back-to-school challenges facing school districts in 2020, the problem of successfully busing students may be one of the most pressing. By law, every district must provide transportation for any student that needs it - but schools only have so m..

School_Buses, propane_fueled_buses, propane_autogas

School Buses Deliver Meals to Virtual Learners

If your school is closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak or only operating at a reduced capacity, it may feel like you're letting your community down. Parents rely on functioning schools for everything from childcare to meal preparation, a..

School_Buses, school_bus_transportation

National School Bus Safety Week Includes Poster Contest, Public Outreach

During times of crisis, it's more important than ever to reach out to the public and assure them that their schools - and their school transportation systems - are safe. Fortunately, despite the chaos, the American School Bus Council (ASBC) was able to car..

school_bus_safety, National_school_bus_safety_week, school_bus_safety_week

Training School Bus Drivers for Worst-Case Scenarios

No one enjoys contemplating the worst things that can go wrong, but when students' lives are on the line, it's important to consider as many scenarios as possible. That's why it's so important to supplement your regular school bus driver training with spec..

training_drivers, school_bus_drivers, School_bus_driver_trainig

Leveraging School Bus Technologies To Support Parents During The Coronavirus Outbreak

It's hard to even list all the ways that the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak is affecting communities across America. Many of these problems center on schools and school districts. On one hand, the rational response to a disease outbreak is to limit in-perso..

student_bus_transportation, School_Bus_Technology, School_bus_industry

How Student Transportation Is Changing From COVID-19 According To The Experts

2020 was a year of crisis for many industries, and that certainly includes the student transportation industry. Schools across the nation were completely unprepared for the pandemic, leading to them having to make many blind leaps into policy changes or ne..

Student_Transportation, school_bus_transportation, coronavirus

School Districts Try out Lighted Signs on School Buses

School bus safety is one of the foremost concerns for any school transportation program - and there is no shortage of companies trying to sell you upgrades in the name of safety. Sorting through them in terms of cost vs benefit can be difficult, particular..

school_bus_safety, School_Buses, Student_Transportation, student_bus_transportation, school_bus_transportation

Four Big Challenges School Bus Drivers Face

Being a bus driver is never easy, but the job has become particularly difficult with the COVID-19 coronavirus still threatening the country. On top of their other responsibilities, bus drivers are now expected to do much of the heavy lifting in protecting ..

school_bus_drivers, school_bus_driver_training, training_school_bus_drivers

Student Transporters Discuss Meeting Challenges

Contrary to the hopes of many, there's no sign that the COVID-19 coronavirus is going away any time soon. In fact, new infections across America are at an all-time high. This means that it's vital for school districts and student transportation directors t..

Student_Transportation, student_bus_transportation, student_transporters

School Bus Alternatives for Special Needs Students

While the specifics vary from state to state, school districts are universally required to provide transportation to and from school for every student. Most students are simply transported on standard school buses, but there are exceptions - particularly w..

special_needs_students, special_needs_student_transportation, student_bus_transportation, transporting_special_needs_students

Keeping Your School Buses Clean And Hygienic During The Coronavirus Outbreak

How has your district updated school bus cleaning policies to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak? Providing transportation to students is a must, even during a pandemic, but school buses create a significant new potential source of infection. Any student - ..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_maintenance, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning

Protecting Your School Bus Drivers As Schools Reopen

As schools look to reopen in Fall 2020 despite the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, one of the biggest challenges will be in successfully adapting their student bus transportation system. When crafting safety plans, it's vital that one group not go overlooked: y..

school_bus_drivers, school_bus_safety_tips, school_bus_safety_plans, covid-19

Products That Fight Germs on Your School Buses

In the year of the coronavirus - and with most researchers suggesting it will continue to be a threat in 2021 - school bus safety measures now largely revolve around finding ways to prevent spread of the disease. Most schools are doing this with traditiona..

school_bus_management, school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_tips, covid-19, school_bus_cleaning

Barrier Installation Approved for School Buses

How do you maintain school bus safety, when there's a pandemic going on? Districts around the country are wrestling with how to limit the spread of COVID-19 within their buses, something which is no easy task. One proposal was to install plexiglass barrier..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_tips, school_bus_safety_plans

Safeguarding Students Getting on and off the School Bus

School buses are among the safest forms of transportation ever created, but there are still times during a bus's route that the students may be in danger - and no situation is more dangerous than when students are getting on or off the bus. One of the most..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_safety_plans, school_bus_tips

Drastic Changes for Back-to-School 2020

For better or worse, back-to-school 2020 is here around the country, despite the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Every district has their own solutions for how to continue providing education despite the coronavirus, but one thing is indisputable: drastic chang..

Student_School_Bus_Safety, School_Bus_News, school_bus_safety_plans, covid-19

Virginia School District Adds Safety Tech to School Buses

If you want a model for how technology can be used to improve school bus safety, you could easily look to Chesapeake Public School District in Chesapeake, VA. As highlighted in a recent School Bus Fleet article, the district has made a nearly unprecedented..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_transportation, school_bus_safety_plans

Does Your School Bus Safety Plan Overlook Critical Dangers?

When was the last time you ran a tornado drill for a school bus? It's a simple question, but in our experience, a lot of districts get uncomfortable when you ask it. Now, if you can answer "recently!" then that's great - but too many districts tend to focu..

school_bus_safety, school_bus_drivers, school_bus_safety_plans

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