15 Highlights from National School Transportation Associations

It was a busy year for the national school transportation associations, with annual conferences back in full swing during the summer and fall of 2023.

Check out these highlights of School Bus Fleet coverage from the year, from the return of the National School Transportation Association's Bus-In and National Association for Pupil Transportation's annual conference and tradeshow to the NASDPTS annual illegal school bus passing survey.

National School Transportation Association (NSTA)

• Dealing with Bumps in the Road in Private School Bus Contracting: Industry experts share challenges they’re facing, as well as opportunities for growth in private contracting.
• NSTA Applauds Reintroduction of CERTS Tax Exemption Act: The act aims to provide tax relief for transportation services affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, aiding businesses that are struggling during recovery.
• Former Association President John Benish Jr. Joins NSTA Hall of Fame: The National School Transportation Association Annual Meeting awards banquet in Pittsburgh also saw Carina Noble pass the leadership baton to Dan Kobussen.
• Photos: NSTA 2023 Annual Meeting in Full Swing in Pictures: The first full day of the Pittsburgh conference included a presentation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, electric vehicle discussions, and a keynote speech from football great Curt Warner.
• NSTA Bus-In Marks Successful Return to Capitol Hill: It was the first regular in-person Bus-In for the association since before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT)

• Trip Sheet: Making Connections in Columbus: One could easily catch the themes NAPT wanted to capture for its members, from professional growth and leadership to battling driver shortages to adapting to new school transportation technologies.
• School Transportation Leaders Remember Buster Bynum: Bynum, a fixture of the pupil transportation industry who was pivotal in the early years of NAPT, passed away on Nov. 16.
• Photos: NAPT 2023 Tradeshow in Pictures: For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic sparked lockdowns and conference cancellations, the NAPT at the end of October 2023 returned with a gathering in Columbus, Ohio, that included a tradeshow. The show brought together bus manufacturers and equipment vendors from across the United States.
• NAPT Honors Hall of Fame Inductees, Other Award Recipients: Nine people received awards during the 2023 annual conference in Columbus, Ohio.
• 5 Questions: NAPT’s Dr. Molly McGee-Hewitt on What Lies Ahead: In this interview with School Bus Fleet, McGee-Hewitt shared what challenges the NAPT hoped to address in 2023, as well as which pupil-transportation-related issues were on her radar, and what she believed pupil transportation could look like five years from now.

National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS)

• Another Year, Another Increase in Illegal School Bus Passing: The latest projections from NASDPTS indicate as many as 43.8 million violations in 2022-2023.
• Photos: NASDPTS 2023 Conference in Pictures: From Nov. 4-7, NASDPTS gathered in Pentagon City for networking and informative sessions about the school bus industry, association updates, and federal agency activities. The next annual meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16-19, 2024.
• NASDPTS 2023: Fatalities Decrease Year Over Year in Latest Loading/Unloading Survey: Three students died during the most recent survey period, two by other vehicles illegally passing a stopped school bus and one by the bus itself.
• NASDPTS 2023: School Transportation Industry Facing Change While Rebounding: NASDPTS annual conference attendees heard about what's happening in the school bus manufacturing industry from representatives of Blue Bird, IC Bus, and Thomas Built Buses.
• NASDPTS 2023: State Transportation Leaders Urge Measured Approach on Electrification: The cleaner school bus technology has its appeal, helped by federal funding opportunities. But transportation directors recommend caution in the conversion.