Longtime school transportation director switches gears
Michael Dallessandro, who has worked in pupil transportation for more than 25 years, takes on a new role as a human resources manager for Rural/Metro Medical, a private ambulance and fire protection services provider. He will continue to offer his school bus expertise as a consultant.

Michael Dallessandro, who has worked in pupil transportation for more than 25 years, has taken on a new role as a human resources manager for Rural/Metro Medical.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — After working in pupil transportation for more than 25 years, Michael Dallessandro has taken a job “on the outside,” as he puts it.
The school bus veteran recently accepted an offer to serve as human resources manager at the Buffalo location of Rural/Metro Medical, which is a private ambulance and fire protection services provider.
“My background in school transportation large vehicle fleets and unionized labor teams, combined with my 32 years’ experience in emergency services as a volunteer firefighter, former paramedic and emergency services consultant, was a natural fit,” Dallessandro told SBF.
Dallessandro will continue to offer his school bus expertise as a consultant, trainer and speaker. Earlier this month, he gave a presentation at the Oklahoma Association for Pupil Transportation’s annual conference.
Dallessandro, who has written many articles and serves on the editorial advisory board for SBF, began his career in school transportation in 1988 at Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District in Buffalo. Most recently, he served as supervisor of transportation at Livonia (N.Y.) Central School District.
More Management

5 Questions: How CharterUP Brought a Marketplace to Student Transportation
What does it take to bring a transportation marketplace into K-12? Hear firsthand what CharterUP has learned about the unique needs of schools and bus operators.
Read More →
EverDriven Expands TripCentral Transportation Management Platform to All Partner Districts
The platform provides school districts with real-time trip tracking, student transportation scheduling tools, and pickup and drop-off management capabilities.
Read More →
6 School Transportation Trends to Watch: 2026 District Survey Results
School bus buying is up, fuel choices are shifting, and driver shortages persist. This and more in the latest K-12 public school survey, plus the largest fleets in the U.S.
Read More →
The 100 Largest School Bus Fleets in America: 2026 Rankings
Which public K-12 school districts are the largest in the nation in terms of bus fleet size? Here are the new standings of the top 100 district fleets.
Read More →
EverDriven Launches Route Consolidation Calculator to Estimate Diesel Savings
As diesel prices hit record highs, the largest alternative transportation provider says a 10% route consolidation could save a 120-route district more than $78,000 a year in fuel alone.
Read More →
Zum Secures Continued Financing Support for School Bus Expansion
Generate Private Credit has financed approximately $75 million in school bus deployments across three states, supporting more than 500 buses as Zum expands across the county.
Read More →
Beyond Discipline: A Different Approach to Student Behavior on the Bus
After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements. Here’s how it worked. The Route is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →A Dean of Transportation's Different Approach to Student Behavior on the School Bus
After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements on the bus. Here’s how it worked.
Read More →
Inside NAPT ACTS 2026: Highlights from Louisville
From federal updates and student behavior strategies to new school bus technology and industry awards, see highlights from NAPT ACTS 2026 in Louisville.
Read More →
Meet the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Winner: Annette Brown
We caught up with Wa-Nee Community Schools' Annette Brown on site at SBFX, where she was named the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Award winner. Hear about her reaction, what she loves most about being a school bus driver, and more!
Read More →
