The U.S. is going through a transformational period in our history socially, economically and politically.

It seems every day there is some new development on the national and international radar screen that gets the chattering classes chattering about the ramifications. It’s hard to keep up with it all.

The school bus industry is caught up in all three of the transformational elements, trying to understand and deal with them responsibly.

Which is why attending the NAPT Summit & Trade Show this year is especially important. It’s the premier place for state and community school bus professionals to see the big picture, to learn about and explore the challenges and changes in our industry. And you’ll have plenty of opportunities for professional development and networking.

This year, NAPT is heading to Memphis, Tenn., with an all-star lineup of speakers and a multitude of workshop topics. Our commitment to excellence at NAPT is the driving force behind conference program content and the selection of first-rate speakers who will discuss the topics you most want to hear.

For example, the Honorable Christopher A. Hart will join us. As the current vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and former deputy administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Hart possesses an understanding of both the regulatory issues and the research topics of our nation’s transportation system. This experience uniquely qualifies him to discuss implications for your school transportation operation, specifically, and for your school district and local community.

Melinda Jacobs is a private attorney, specializing in issues related to special-needs transportation. She is a member of the Special Education School Attorneys Advisory Council and chairperson of the LRP National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Students with Disabilities. With nearly three decades of experience, she will have you rethinking every aspect of service delivery and engaging your entire team in the process, too.

Alan Brunacini, retired Phoenix fire chief, is a legendary figure who has dramatically impacted the American fire service. He is lauded not solely for his technical expertise, but also his superior mentoring abilities and exceptional customer service mantra: “That’s the only reason we exist: to provide that level of service to our customers.”

Brunacini is a graduate of the Fire Protection Technology Program at Oklahoma State University, has Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Affairs degrees from Arizona State University, has authored nine books and speaks nationally on a variety of topics.

These top-notch speakers are sure to leave you with important messages and instructive advice that can be applied effectively and immediately to your operations.

Our conference schedule also includes 15 different Professional Development Series courses, the Special Needs Transportation Training Program and our cutting-edge LED (Leading Every Day) Initiative, providing additional opportunities to expand and hone your leadership skills. You won’t want to miss the workshops, with topics including, but not limited to, school bus violence, electronic stability control and other technologies, and key performance indicators.

School transportation has increasingly become a topic of international interest, and NAPT is providing consulting services in China and the Middle East. In fact, the World Bank recently invited top NAPT management to sit down in Beijing. Join us for thought-provoking conversations about these and many other topics.

Finally, we invite you to attend the industry’s biggest and best display of new products and services: the NAPT Trade Show. This year, we expect more than 150 different companies to exhibit at the school transportation industry’s “Showcase Event.” Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 23, and again on Wednesday, Oct. 24, to see the latest and greatest!

As a pupil transportation professional, we think you’ll agree that the numerous opportunities you’ll find under one roof at the NAPT Summit are second to none. And you’ll have some fun, too — Memphis has 100 barbeque stops, and they know a little something about the blues.
All in all, the 2012 NAPT Summit — from Oct. 20 to 25 — is not to be missed. Scholarships are available again this year to defray registration costs.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to keep up with late-breaking conference updates.

For complete information, go to www.naptonline.org/summit.