We made it to a new year, once again! I’ll be honest: I’m pretty happy to kick 2025 to the curb. And my hopes are high for 2026.

This is a big year for us here, and we’re celebrating multiple milestones in 2026:

• 70 years of publishing School Bus Fleet magazine.

• 100 episodes of The Route, our exclusive video and podcast series.

• 65 years with our parent company, Bobit Business Media.

• 250 years as a country (July 4 marks the semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence).

Cue the confetti!

As the first media brand covering the school bus industry, there is a lot we have documented over the years. To prepare for this issue, we dug deep into our archives to reflect on the moments that shaped us.

Through the decades, the industry experienced vast changes. Manual to automatic. Gasoline to diesel. Paper and chalkboard to computer systems.

What strikes me about not just our industry, but the world at large, is the rate of change. I may not have lived through the Industrial Revolution to compare, but sheesh, it feels like things are moving faster than we can keep up. 

And yet, some things never change. We’re still debating seat belts and talking about student behavior.

Through it all are the people who tie us all together. Both the unsung, everyday heroes like those who drive the buses, maintain them, and make sure that everything runs smoothly to the movers and shakers, thought leaders, innovators, and disruptors. We’re so grateful for everyone who has played and will play a role in this vital profession. 

I am endlessly inspired by each of you. I am also keenly aware that I still need to earn my stripes and have a long way to go before I can say that I’m bleeding yellow. 

I am not a bus driver and have not worked as a transportation administrator. I have only just begun to see your innovation and dedication in action around the country at various local, state, and national conferences, through industry associations, and by inviting myself inside your doors to see you shine.

This is why I think it’s so important to honor the legacy of those who came first and paved the path. So please, let me share a bit about them — and what makes me so honored to continue this work.

School Bus Fleet By the Years

• 1956: The first issue of School Bus Trends magazine is published and produced by Hitchcock Publishing (that first cover features Miss America, Sharon Kay Ritchie, perched on a 1956 Wayne Superamic school bus). 

• 1961: The magazine’s name is changed to School Bus Transportation.

• 1965: Bobit Publishing and Edward J. Bobit becomes owner of the magazine, rebranding it to School Bus Fleet.

• 1968: The inaugural Contractor of the Year is named, honoring J.W. “Skip” Tinnen.

• 1974: The inaugural Administrator of the Year Award is named, honoring William E. Saunders of Normandy (Mo.) School District.

• 1981: Frank Di Giacomo starts at School Bus Fleet as eastern sales manager. In 1991, he becomes publisher until retiring in 2021. 

• 2015: SBF hosts its first School Bus eXchange event with NAPT in Texas. SBX later evolved into School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX).

• 2023: SBFX returns post-COVID in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

• 2024: Colin Sutherland, Geotab co-founder, purchases Bobit Business Media and School Bus Fleet.

Remembering SBF’s Legacy Leaders

Bobit Business Media (School Bus Fleet’s parent company)’s namesake, Edward J. Bobit launched SBF’s sister publication Automotive Fleet in 1961. Soon after, he acquired the very magazine you are reading today. 

His influence in the school bus market probably runs deeper than most even realize. In 1977, Ed’s financial contributions to NAPT enabled the association to hold its third-ever conference. He then served as executive director, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1999. “There would be no NAPT without Ed Bobit. Period,” Mike Martin, former NAPT executive director, told Frank Di Giacomo back in 2014.

Frank himself was a long-time, beloved industry figure. Many of you probably still remember him. While I only worked with Frank for a few months, his name is one I still hear often. And as we drive ahead into our 71^st year, I feel deep sadness that he’s no longer around to consult with and reminisce.

Some of Frank’s industry accolades include:

• National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Meritorious Service Award, 2009

• National Pupil Transportation Association (NAPT) Distinguished Service Award, 2014 

• Inducted into NAPT Hall of Fame, 2016

• Member of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) Supplier Council 

• American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Hall of Fame, 2025

What was true when Frank wrote his 50th-anniversary column remains true today, and I want to personally reiterate his sentiments: “We are always in your corner, now and over the next 50 years.” (Well, 70 years now.)

As School Bus Fleet remains in this industry, we must also evolve. You’ll probably notice that this month’s issue looks a little different. Yes, it was time for us to freshen things up. A modernized font and brighter color palette welcome us into our 70^th year. We hope you like it!

Thank you for allowing us — and me — into your world. It’s been an incredible year, and I cannot wait to see what 2026 has in store. 

Once again, I invite you to reach out. I’d love to talk shop, learn from you, swing by if I can, and find out how SBF can better serve you. My door is always open, so please, pop in anytime! Find me at amanda.huggett@bobit.com.