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Wes Platt

Former Executive Editor

Wes Platt joined Bobit in 2021 as executive editor of School Bus Fleet Magazine and maintained the helm through 2024.

He writes and edits content about student transportation, school bus manufacturers and equipment, legislative issues, maintenance, fleet contracting, and school transportation technology - from classic yellow diesel buses to the latest EPA-funded electric, propane, and CNG vehicles.

Wes has moderated online webinars related to student transportation, hosts a video podcast called The Route on the SBF YouTube channel that covers bus-related news and issues, and enjoys attending events with the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), National School Transportation Association (NSTA), and National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS).

Previously, Wes worked as a journalist for The St. Petersburg Times (now Tampa Bay Times) - he has no shortage of "Florida Man" stories. Be sure to ask about the armadillo hit man sometime. He also worked for North Carolina's Durham Herald-Sun, covering diverse beats ranging from crime and courts to K-12 education, including school transportation issues. He’s a Florida native transplanted to North Carolina, and a graduate of the University of South Florida (B.A. mass communications).

School Bus Fleet Blogby Wes PlattJanuary 15, 2022

Keep Rolling with the Hits That Keep Coming

Component shortages and delivery challenges resulted in a bus manufacturing backlog for Blue Bird as the industry started its post-COVID shutdown rebound.

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Newsby Wes PlattJanuary 14, 2022

Federal Appeals Court Finds for Navistar, IC Bus in Texas Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a lower court's ruling that the bus manufacturer wasn't liable for the death of a 13-year-old student who fell from a school bus onto the highway during a field trip.

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Newsby Wes PlattJanuary 11, 2022

California Budget Proposal Could Fund 5,000 Electric School Buses

Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal, which requires state legislature approval, includes $1.5 billion for electric school buses - especially in school districts with high concentrations of low-income students and youth in foster care.

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Videosby Wes PlattJanuary 10, 2022

Under the Hood, Off the Table

Wes Platt explains the Chicago bus funding quandary, the electrified empire state, and a temporary waiver for some CDL test elements in this episode of The Route.

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Newsby Wes PlattJanuary 5, 2022

Pupil Transportation Associations Welcome CDL Waiver

It comes as good news for industry leaders who have wanted a commercial driver's license that better reflects a school bus driver's responsibilities.

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Newsby Wes PlattJanuary 4, 2022

Chicago Public Schools Paid $28.5M to Bus Companies, Workers Laid Off Anyway

The inspector general for Chicago (Ill.) Public Schools issued a report detailing the district’s failure to put conditions on funds paid to contractors early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Articlesby Wes PlattDecember 31, 2021

3 Routes to Vehicle Health Via Telematics

Telematics solutions allow for predictive maintenance and provide opportunities for data analysis so that fleet managers can spot trends, inform purchasing decisions, or decide when the time’s right to purchase a new school bus.

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Articlesby Wes PlattDecember 27, 2021

5 Questions: Gerald "Stretch" Blackard on Life with a Sub-Zero Electric Bus

In the tiny Alaskan town of Tok, Blackard and his wife Sara run a transportation company that includes a Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus that runs even when temperatures fall to -71 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Newsby Wes PlattDecember 16, 2021

Blue Bird Leaders Reflect on Difficult 2021

Demand started soft, but erupted as schools reopened - only to see production hampered by semiconductor shortages and supply chain issues. However, new legislation and possible market expansion give Blue Bird reasons for optimism in 2022.

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School Bus Fleet Blogby Wes PlattDecember 15, 2021

School Bus Sales Still Await Healthy Rebound

Data collected for the latest SBF Fact Book points to an overall decline in school bus sales. Will the COVID-19 pandemic, driver shortage, and supply chain issues relent enough to allow the industry to bounce back in the year ahead?

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