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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).

Newsby Wes PlattMarch 12, 2024

Three Children, Bus Driver Among Dead in Illinois Crash

The NTSB has dispatched a team to investigate the fiery crash, which claimed the lives of all aboard the 2020 Ford cutaway passenger vehicle, as well as the driver of a semi-truck.

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Articlesby Wes PlattMarch 8, 2024

SBF Trailblazer 2024: Amanda Shirey of Centreville Public Schools

Shirey, 38, serves as transportation director for the Michigan school district.

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Newsby Wes PlattMarch 2, 2024

Tennessee Bus Drivers Roll in Remembrance of Aleita Gladson

More than 100 school buses participated in a memorial procession honoring a Hawkins County Schools bus driver who died after a pickup truck crossed into her lane and struck her oncoming bus.

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Newsby Wes PlattFebruary 28, 2024

SBF Poll: Middle Schoolers Pose Most School Bus Behavior Challenges

The flash poll's respondents also offered some advice for managing difficult behavior on the school bus.

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School Bus Fleet Blogby Wes PlattFebruary 26, 2024

Trip Sheet: Meeting a Hero in My Own Back Yard

I remain impressed by the matter-of-fact heroism that’s often demonstrated by school bus drivers like Deona Washington who are caught in these situations where the best of us might lose our cool and panic. But, then again, bus drivers are a unique breed.

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Articlesby Wes PlattFebruary 16, 2024

New York Electric School Bus Mandate Blowing Fuses?

Empire State politicians and school district leaders are among those pushing back against the plan to phase out fossil-fuel school buses in the next decade.

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Articlesby Wes PlattFebruary 15, 2024

Special-Needs Ridership on the Rise [2024 Survey Results]

More students are identified as needing special attention and transportation opportunities, but fleets are running short on drivers and aides.

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School Bus Fleet Blogby Wes PlattFebruary 13, 2024

Trip Sheet: 3 Takeaways from the EPA Clean School Bus Grant Program

Most applicants sought grant funding to acquire electric school buses, with propane coming in a distant second. No one indicated plans to purchase compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in this round. That’s not terribly surprising, I suppose, given how few school districts listed the inclusion of CNG buses in their fleets for our 2023 top district fleets survey.

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Newsby Wes PlattFebruary 7, 2024

Could FMCSA Proposal Make CDL Process More Flexible?

Among other things, the proposed rulemaking would allow a permit holder who passes the skills test to operate on public roads without a qualified CDL driver in a passenger seat. The FMCSA is accepting comments until April.

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Articlesby Wes PlattFebruary 5, 2024

MANAGING THE MILES: Telematics and School Bus Fuel Efficiency

These solutions can help school districts master data that drive cost savings in their fuel tanks.

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