Tony, Ryan and Taylor recap the lessons, experiences and takeaways from the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show last week. It covered evacuation training in a smoke-filled school bus, legal issues like onboard sexual assaults or objectionable clothing, tips to promote good student behavior, an in-depth session on deafness and much more.

Read more TSD Conference news.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, RIDE, School Radio.

EverDriven CEO Mitch Bowling reviews how the alternative transportation company prioritizes safety standards and promotes collaborative brainstorming to provide safe service to the ever-growing population of students with special needs.

AlphaRoute CEO John Hanlon shares real-life stories about districts that have optimized daily operations by leveraging routing technology and discusses how the upcoming AI solution "Alphie" can help.

Keba Baldwin is the director of transportation for Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland and STN's newest Transportation Director of the Year. He joins us to discuss his career history and leadership style.

Read more TSD Conference news.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, RIDE, School Radio.

Marty Savino, national account manager for School-Radio, shares how reliable bus radios support student safety and provide dependable communication services for school bus operations.

For the three-year anniversary of the founding of FirstAlt by First Student, Vice President Gregg Prettyman addresses common misconceptions about alternative transportation safety standards, as well as a Samsara partnership incorporating live video for added oversight.

Tim Logan, director of transportation for Garland Independent School District in Texas, and John Daniels, vice president of marketing for Transfinder, discuss how Transfinder technology helps the transportation department streamline operations and better serve students with special needs and their families.

Read more TSD Conference news.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, RIDE, School Radio.

Discover the new STN Transportation Director of the Year featured on our November issue cover. Other headlines include a NHTSA investigation after a driverless Waymo car illegally passed a stopped school bus and NTSB recommendations on seatbelts following a Texas school bus crash.

Frank Girardot, senior communications director for RIDE, discusses the electric school bus manufacturer's School Bus Safety Week efforts.

Jennifer Gardella, director of transportation for Rockwall Independent School District in Texas and a 2025 STN Rising Star, discusses her childcare background, improving student relationships, training staff and receiving inspiration from fellow student transporters.

Read more about operations.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, RIDE, School Radio.

After a year of being STN's Transportation Director of the Year, Craig Beaver of Beaverton School District in Oregon joins us to discuss the ins and outs of running a large mixed-fleet school bus operation, pushing the limits with technology and data, navigating current federal changes, and looking to the future of the industry.

Read more about operations.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School Bus Safety Co., RIDE.

Headlines on "The Lost Bus" movie set during recent California wildfires, a school bus Wi-Fi solution for fiscal year 2025, a $10 million Ohio safety grant for seatbelts, and a Maryland school bus driver union sending flyers home with students to gain parental support of a strike.

Gregg Fox, transportation director for Franklin Square Union Free School District in New York and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses improving workplace culture, retaining staff amid a changing economy, leveraging technology for efficiency and meeting the challenging state electrification mandate.

Read more about operations and register for the TSD Conference.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School Bus Safety Co., RIDE.

Headlines include federal restrictions on undocumented workers obtaining CDLs and an investment into education technology.

Transfinder President and CEO Antionio Civitella shares how the company's technology tools support students with special needs and discusses the value in participating in the free annual Top Transportation Teams program.

Special education attorney and returning TSD Conference keynote speaker Betsey Helfrich joins us to discuss current legal issues such as bus video and student cellphones, as well as overall support for students with special needs.

Read more about special needs and register for the TSD Conference.

Sponsors: Transfinder, School Bus Safety Co., RIDE.

Analysis on upcoming TSD Conference education, National Association for Pupil Transportation election results, the Federal Brake for Kids Act and the Federal Communications Commission revoking E-Rate eligibility of school bus Wi-Fi.

Jeff Cassell, president of the School Bus Safety Company, discusses the need for safety leadership training, removing risk and reducing accidents in student transportation.

Glenna Wright-Gallo, vice president of policy at neurotechnology software company Everway, has worked at the state government level and served as the assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. At the TSD Conference this November, she brings her perspective as a person with a disability on educating and empowering individuals with disabilities.

Read more about safety and special needs.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School Bus Safety Co. & RIDE.

More federal and legal wrangling over school bus Wi-Fi and emissions regulations, plus bus manufacturing updates. Read the new October issue of School Transportation News magazine and watch our recent webinars.

Jeremy Stowe, director of transportation for Buncombe County Schools in North Carolina, transports us into the story of when Hurricane Helene hit last September and how student transporters assisted with emergency response and recovery. The dedication of the district's maintenance team is reflected in the Garage Star award it won this year. Stowe also discusses benefits of vendor partnerships in technology and alternative transportation.

Read more about operations.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School Bus Safety Co., RIDE.

The struggle continues over E-Rate funding for school bus Wi-Fi, the NCST addresses the omission of alternative transportation in its national specs manual, and NASCAR star power boosts a school bus illegal passing PSA in Michigan.

Just announced: the Zonar Bus Suite, an all-in-one routing ecosystem. During July's STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin caught up with Zonar CEO Charles Kriete and ez enRoute Founder Amit Anand to discuss their partnership that produced this solution.

Brad Hayn, director of transportation for Hoover City Schools in Alabama and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses building relationships for a cohesive team and successful technology implementation.

Read more about operations.

Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School-Radio.