Sessions during the 21st National Conference on Transporting Students with Disabilities and Preschoolers will address such issues as medications on the school bus, transporters and the IEP, and dealing with difficult people.

As I did after the previous edition of the Children's Choice contest, I put together a collection of amusing and moving comments from the kids' essays. They provide a clear picture of how much school bus drivers mean to their passengers — and how dedicated the drivers are to the kids' well-being.

Willie Tarleton, director of transportation services for the Midland (Texas) Independent School District, has made 29 years of contributions to yellow transportation and has completed a decade of distinguished service as NAPT's Region IV director.

How can an ad, which is designed to catch people’s attention, not distract from the safety equipment on a school bus?

Improved service access and convenient size are among key features of the latest air-conditioning systems for school buses.

An industry veteran discusses the negative repercussions of high levels of stress and offers tips on how to stay on track to good physical and mental health. Doing so will help one stay focused on “the prize” — the next generation of students.

Kings Canyon USD was the first district in the nation to receive an eTrans all-electric school bus from Trans Tech Bus. The district hopes to acquire five more within the next year.

Use local resources within your special-education department to train drivers and attendants in managing student behavior during the bus ride.

Trade associations are a great place to build a name for yourself; NAPT is no exception. Getting and remaining involved in industry and professional activities through NAPT will bring you to another level in your career.

That Chinese officials are looking to the American school bus system for guidance is a vital step, particularly in light of a recent tragedy in China’s rural Gansu province.

Officials at vehicle lift manufacturing companies say that the portability of mobile column units makes it easy to service buses, and each company’s lifts include numerous safety features, such as weight gauges and overload protection.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy's 2011 school privatization survey found that 12.2 percent of districts in Michigan use privatized bus service, which is nearly triple the 2006 rate of 4.4 percent.

The Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program provides students with incentives to meet and exceed behavioral expectations. Officials who work for a Maryland middle school say they have seen a change among students since implementing the program, and that it is a useful tool for the bus environment.

SBF's 2011 Administrator of the Year reinforces the vital role his school bus drivers play in students’ development. The veteran director oversees a large operation and dedicates himself to industry causes.

In the second edition of this series, we highlight school bus drivers who saved lives with their quick thinking and vital skills. When danger arose, their training — and their instincts — came through.

Here’s a look at the latest in pupil transportation products that were on view at the NAPT trade show in Cincinnati. New offerings included bonded polyurethane bus seat foam, a stop-arm violation camera system and a low-profile condenser.

Speakers during the NAPT Summit discuss such issues as bullying, wheelchair use, training and alternative fuels. Attendees also see several new school buses.

At the annual conference of state pupil transportation directors, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland touts the safety and environmental benefits of the “humble yellow school bus,” as he calls it. NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman credits state directors and others in the industry for their work to prevent school bus-train crashes.

At the front of the Pupil Transportation Statistics section in our 2012 Fact Book, there is this slogan: "It's what's behind the numbers that counts." What a great reminder of the importance of school bus transportation.

Executive Editor Thomas McMahon shares his thoughts on what may cause some parents to avoid having their children ride school buses, but points to the industry's success and the need to inform those parents of the industry's unrivaled safety record.