You're invited to our meetings

Did you know that all members of the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) have a regular opportunity to participate in each of the Board of Directors’ quarterly meetings?

For the past several years, each board meeting agenda has included an open forum for NAPT members to speak about an agenda item, bring a new item forward or simply offer comments, opinions or other thoughts for the board to consider.

To offer everyone an equal opportunity to participate, the session is scheduled at the start of each meeting and the board assigns time slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Comments are limited to no more than five minutes per person depending upon the length of the agenda.

A list of upcoming board meetings and locations can be found at www.napt.org (click on the “NAPT News” link on the right hand side of the home page).

One of the items that will be discussed at our winter board meeting this February is our current strategic plan. NAPT has a variety of specific objectives that guide our work and help us make decisions about resource allocation.

For example, as part of our effort to expand NAPT’s role in coordinating industry activities, we have been working regularly with the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) and the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) to identify common industry issues and map out a process for collaboration where the interests of the three groups intersect.

We are also implementing our “State Links” strategy with nearly 10 different state pupil transportation associations, helping them operate even more efficiently and effectively.

Finally, we are also working to complete and distribute our training and professional development model — the NAPT Professional Development Series — which is a comprehensive training curriculum in transportation management that has been designed to educate both members and non-members on key competencies in pupil transportation.

Each of these and all of the other initiatives outlined in our strategic plan requires regular oversight and continual review, so we re-evaluate our specific goals and objectives at every board meeting. I encourage you to attend one of our meetings and offer your thoughts and comments about our work.

If you have questions or would like more information, feel free to contact one of the following NAPT representatives:

• President Lenny Bernstein (lbernstein@nrcsd.org)

• President-Elect William Tousley (bill.tousley@farmington.k12.mi.us)

• Board Secretary Alexandra Robinson (arobinson@sandi.net)

• Executive Director Mike Martin (martin@napt.org)

  — LENNY BERNSTEIN

   

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  Revamped NAPT DISPATCH to be unveiled soon

  For the past several years (nearly five, in fact) the NAPT DISPATCH has been the organization’s way to send its members a wide variety of industry news.

  In the time since we created the DISPATCH, others in the industry have developed much more comprehensive ways for us to access the same information.

  We have come to depend on SCHOOL BUS FLEET and others to bring us the latest news about the industry on a daily or weekly basis.

  While NAPT will always bring its members comprehensive, accurate information about any breaking stories that affect what we do, I want to limit the “white noise” that we all receive via e-mail every day. I want to create something that will have value, something that you will want to read, yet something that is unique and not your ordinary industry news. We are therefore going to adjust the sails a bit.

  The new NAPT DISPATCH will feature opinion/editorial pieces about what’s on the horizon for NAPT and the industry; spotlight features on unique, interesting things that people are doing administratively on a daily basis; NAPT committee reports; personal reflections from our board and staff; and most importantly, member feedback.

  We are in the process of hiring a new staff person — a marketing and communications specialist — who will be responsible for producing the DISPATCH. In a short while, you should look for the DISPATCH every other week. You should also continue to look for NAPT News & Views in every issue of SCHOOL BUS FLEET.

  — LENNY BERNSTEIN