SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Great Ideas Abound on the Bus

Great ideas come in many forms. What all of these innovations have in common is that they promote the role of school buses in student achievement.

James Blue
James BlueGeneral Manager
April 21, 2017
Great Ideas Abound on the Bus

 

3 min to read


One of the many admirable traits of the school bus community is a willingness to share great ideas.

We see it frequently at industry conferences — pupil transportation leaders freely revealing their secrets to success, looking to gain nothing more than to help their colleagues provide safe and efficient school bus service for students.

A quote from NSTA President Todd Monteferrario in our “5 Questions” department points to the reason that people in this industry are eager to collaborate with and support each other: “We have all dedicated our careers to helping the young people of our communities have access to education at school. Our work is truly an investment in the future generations.”

School bus driver Freddie Yazzie has taken that same notion to heart. Yazzie came up with a creative way to invest in the future of his students on the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona. The interior of his vehicle — dubbed the “Legacy of Excellence Bus” — displays posters that showcase the academic, athletic, and professional successes of former riders, with the goal of motivating his current passengers to go further in their education.

“It’s hard for Native American kids to get off of the reservation here and succeed somewhere,” Yazzie said. “As a bus driver, I’m trying to inspire kids.”

Inspiration and looking to the future were key themes of the recent Innovation Summit that school bus manufacturer IC Bus held in Chicago. Discussions covered such forward-thinking topics as connected vehicles, ride-sharing services, and Wi-Fi on school buses.

While Wi-Fi hasn’t yet been widely implemented on school buses, there have been positive results from school districts that have begun testing it. Some have reported that the wireless internet access has led to increased homework completion rates and improved behavior on the bus.

The benefits have also extended beyond the bus ride: Some districts have parked Wi-Fi-equipped buses in disadvantaged areas to provide free internet access for families that don’t have it in their homes. That’s what Coachella Valley Unified School District in California has done.

As another example, Huntsville (Texas) Independent School District has equipped 15 school buses with Wi-Fi. The district’s school buses cover 644 square miles, and many passengers have long rides, which prompted the search for a way to help students use that time productively.

“We really wanted to be able to provide wireless access to our students, because some students are on the bus quite the length of time — some up to 90 minutes,” Huntsville Superintendent Dr. Howell Wright said in a video about the district’s “ConnectED Transportation” project (watch the video at schoolbusfleet.com/Apr17g).

Now, those Huntsville students can use their Chromebooks or tablets to access their textbooks and homework on the bus.

Great ideas come in many forms. Some are simple and low-tech, like Freddie Yazzie’s student success display. Others make use of the latest technology, like the onboard Wi-Fi solutions. But what all of these innovations have in common is that they promote the role of school buses in student achievement.

That link will continue to be vital for the future of school buses, as well as the students who ride them.   

Topics:Management
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Management

A close up of a school bus stop arm with a graphic overlay. Text reads "California Districts Adopt Routing Platform."
Managementby Staff and News ReportsJuly 15, 2026

Transfinder Expands California Footprint with Multiple School District Wins

Six California school districts selected the company's routing platform and related transportation technology as Transfinder continues expanding its presence across the state.

Read More →
Promotional thumbnail for The Route podcast featuring School Bus Fleet Editor Amanda Huggett and NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn
ManagementJuly 15, 2026

NSTA's Curt Macysyn on Student Transportation History and What's Next

Hear from NSTA's executive director as we discuss student transportation's role in American history, federal regulation, driver recruitment, illegal passing, AI, and what might be next, in this Route interview.

Read More →
Promotional thumbnail for The Route podcast featuring School Bus Fleet Editor Amanda Huggett and NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn. The episode, titled "The School Bus and America 250 and Legal Updates," discusses the school bus as an American icon and recent legislative developments affecting student transportation.
Sponsoredby Amanda HuggettJuly 14, 2026

NSTA on 250 Years of America and the Road Ahead for Student Transportation

Curt Macysyn joins The Route to discuss student transportation's role in American history, federal regulation, driver recruitment, illegal passing, AI, and the industry’s future. Sponsored by IC Bus.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A new Blue Bird school bus is lifted on a heavy-duty Rotary vehicle hoist during an outdoor maintenance equipment demonstration as attendees gather nearby.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 13, 2026

Photo Highlights: Inside the 2026 Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation Conference

Snapshots from the 2026 MAPT conference, where Michigan's school transportation professionals gathered for training, technology updates, awards, networking, and more.

Read More →
Promotional image of Zonar's Bus Suite platform displayed on a desktop monitor, tablet, and smartphone, showcasing dashboards for ridership analytics, route management, GPS tracking, and real-time student transportation operations.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJuly 10, 2026

Zonar Launches Reimagined Bus Suite Web Portal

Can one platform replace your transportation software stack? Zonar says its new Bus Suite unifies routing, dispatch, field trips, GPS, and parent communication.

Read More →
Three award winners pose with their awards.
Managementby Elora HaynesJuly 9, 2026

Indiana Association Announces 2026 Award Winners

See who earned top honors at the 2026 School Transportation Association of Indiana conference, recognizing excellence in school transportation statewide.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic announcing an acquisition in the school transportation industry, featuring the Student Transportation of America (STA) and Tremblay's Bus Company logos over a background of parked yellow school buses, with the headline "Acquisition News" and School Bus Fleet branding.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJuly 8, 2026

Student Transportation of America Acquires Massachusetts Contractor

Tremblay’s Bus Company and its 400-bus fleet joins the STA family of brands as the company grows its presence across the Northeast U.S.

Read More →
Collage of winners receiving awards during the 61st Annual Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) Conference, featuring recipients posing on stage with engraved wooden plaques and MAPT branding.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 7, 2026

Michigan Association Announces 2026 Award Winners

See who earned top honors at the 2026 Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation conference, recognizing excellence in school transportation statewide.

Read More →
Thumbnail for a School Bus Fleet video featuring MAPT Executive Director Katrina Morris standing with her arms open in front of a blurred trade show floor at the 61st Annual Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT) Conference. A yellow outline of the state of Michigan and the text "MAPT 61st Annual Conference" appear beside her, with the School Bus Fleet logo in the lower-right corner.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJuly 7, 2026

Inside MAPT 2026: Michigan’s School Transportation Community Connects at Boyne Mountain

Check out highlights from the 2026 MAPT Summer Conference, where over 300 transportation pros gathered for training, networking, awards, and trade show.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Durham School Services bus with its stop arm extended.

Summit School Services to Complete Fleetwide Samsara Technology Rollout

The company said outfitting its entire fleet with AI-powered safety and fleet management technology will strengthen student safety and operational efficiency across its local brands.

Read More →