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PHOTOS: SBFX's 2023 Return in Scottsdale

Management•Photos 19

School Bus Fleet ConneX returned in 2023, bringing dozens of school bus operators and suppliers to sunny Scottsdale, Arizona.

During the event, attendees heard from experts in panel discussions and presentations about school bus safety, electric school buses, V2G technology, diversity, equity and inclusion, and more.

The event brought many opportunities for pupil transportation professionals to network and brainstorm solutions to issues school bus operators face.

Additionally winners of recent School Bus Fleet contests were recognized.

Attendees also heard Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.) share of his team's response to a terrorist attack on his ship, the U.S.S. Cole, in 2000, and the sense of leadership the response to the attack brought forth.

SBFX will return to Scottsdale on September 23-25, 2024.

A panel of school bus experts including (from left) Tennessee Department of Education Assistant Director of Student Transportation Alex Spann, School Bus Fleet Executive Editor Wes Platt, and Stafford County, Va., Public Schools Executive Director of Pupil Transportation Karim Johnson discussed safety on the school bus. Seat belts are a particularly hot topic in the industry.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Day two kicked off with a presentation by BYD Regional Sales Manager James Holtz on V2G technology and the potential for school buses to serve as alternative sources of power.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

School bus operators had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with suppliers to learn more about how the suppliers could help them solve issues in their districts.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

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Attendees enjoyed dinner, networking, and live music as day two of SBFX wound down.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

School bus operators and suppliers were set up in a sort of speed dating arrangement for 10-minute meetings.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.) shared about leadership and accountability when it matters, reflecting on his time aboard the USS Cole and his team's response to a deadly terrorist attack.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

School Bus Fleet Executive Editor Wes Platt was joined by Janet Ulrich of Aurora, Col. Public Schools and Jim Taylor of Thomas Built Buses in a session on electric school buses. Janet shared how the deployment of electric buses at her school district is going.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

There was no shortage of networking opportunities for school bus operators and suppliers. 

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

After arriving in Scottsdale and checking in for SBFX 2023, attendees had a chance to enjoy drinks and catch up with fellow pupil transportation professionals.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

As SBFX 2023 attendees checked in for the event, they had an opportunity to get a close-up of a Blue Bird school bus powered by a ROUSH CleanTech propane engine.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

The return of SBFX brought dozens of school bus operators and suppliers together.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

The School Bus Fleet team (from left): Publisher George Brennan, Associate Editor Christy Grimes, Executive Editor Wes Platt, and Director of Strategic Accounts Pam Latty enjoyed putting on the 2023 School Bus Fleet ConneX alongside the events team.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Kim Martin of Tyler Technologies shared about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion both for school transportation employees and for the students they transport.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Suppliers hosted focus group presentations to share about their offerings so attendees could get a wider view of what they had to offer.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Winners of recent School Bus Fleet contests — including the Administrator of the Year, Trailblazers, and the 2023 photo contest — were recognized at SBFX.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Day three gave school bus operators another opportunity to meet with suppliers before wrapping up the 2023 SBFX.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

As School Bus Fleet Publisher George Brennan kicked off SBFX, he asked attendees to remain standing if they had been in the industry for a certain amount of time. Many attendees have been in this industry 30+ years.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

As the opening night of SBFX wound down, attendees gathered for cigar cordials and cocktails.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media

Mike Adams of IC Bus shared about emerging technology in school buses, including the growing adoption of electric school buses.

Photo: Lauren Brooks, Monclay Media