Private school bus operators next week will gather in southern California as San Diego plays host to the 2023 Midwinter Meeting of the National School Transportation Association.

Held at The US GRANT Hotel from Jan. 22-24, the Midwinter Meeting – first in-person event of the year for NSTA – features a full schedule of educational sessions, networking events, and organizational meetings.

The program starts Sunday with the Golden Coast Reception, sponsored by IC Bus.

Monday’s sessions include a panel discussion about electric school buses featuring bus manufacturers and infrastructure and electric utility partners delving into the challenges and opportunities associated with this major transformation.

Another Monday panel covers illegal school bus passing solutions. Attendees cap the day with a “Salute to Our Volunteers Gala,” sponsored by Thomas Built Buses.

Tuesday, last day of the conference, will include an update from Michelle Atwell of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a panel discussion about cameras, and a luncheon sponsored by BYD Motors featuring Heather Werner, director of sustainability and mobility from the City of San Diego.

“NSTA is thrilled to be hosting the 2023 NSTA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, and we look forward to a robust event filled with informational sessions and networking opportunities,” said NSTA President Carina Noble. “This meeting represents another opportunity to foster more positive momentum following a resilient 2022 and demonstrate that our industry remains stronger together.”

The NSTA plans its yearly Capitol Hill Bus-In on April 26-27 in Washington, D.C. Also, the annual meeting is planned for The Westin-Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. That conference is expected to include a networking event July 16 at a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, with participants traveling to the ballpark aboard electric school buses.

“We look forward to gathering next week in San Diego for our Midwinter Meeting,” said Curt Macysyn, NSTA executive director. “The organization is pleased to travel to the West Coast and congregate with our industry partners in Southern California.”

He thanked the event sponsors, including BYD Motors, IC Bus, Thomas Built Buses, Betterfleet, ByteCurve, Greentech, Keystone Insurers Group, PA Post | Hilb Group, Pioneer Mobility, RC Kelly Law Associates, Safe Fleet | Seon, Transfinder, Tyler Technologies, United Safety and Survivability Corporation, and Zonar.