Join us in an open-ended conversation about children and school buses – and the people who bring them together.
Momentum is growing to return to full operation. For pupil transporters, that means addressing potentially greater driver shortage, factoring in the added responsibilities of sanitizing the buses — possibly as a permanent practice — and returning to managing more staff members in person.
Child ridesharing company HopSkipDrive’s recent survey of pupil transporters and education professionals shows that COVID-19 is worsening driver shortage. Other pain points include school bus utilization and funding constraints.
The transportation coordinator for Baldwin County (Ala.) Public Schools details his team's school bus sanitization plans for reopening. Strong leadership is key, he notes.
Driver shortage has been exacerbated during the pandemic. Health concerns, the difficulty in renewing expired licenses, and the challenge of attracting new drivers are significant factors.
Despite the challenges we still face brought about by COVID-19, school bus fleet electrification just keeps ramping up. Meanwhile, there is new leadership at one of the top national pupil transportation associations.
National School Transportation Association President John Benish Jr. says that while the pupil transportation industry invites innovation, factors such as cost and infrastructure support need to be considered in working to meet the Biden Administration's ambitious Clean Energy Plan.
The future of the COVID-19 pandemic is uncertain, but safety technology innovations to help with staggered schedules — such as bus and ridership tracking and apps, as well as tablets — are here to stay.
The U.S. has seen a 960% increase in propane-powered school bus fleets since 2012. Companies are responding with upgraded engines and fueling infrastructure and renewable propane.
Whether through advocacy or technology, in easy or tough times, success comes down to the incredibly dedicated people of this industry to bring us beyond hope and help all schoolchildren safely access an education every day.
John Benish Jr., the National School Transportation Association's president, hopes the COVID-19 vaccine will provide a level of comfort for parents and school employees — including bus drivers — that would allow more schools to reopen for in-person learning.
Although COVID-19 was unforeseen, we have seen bus sales drop even further — although more gradually — during the Great Recession and recovery, and they bounced back.
The National School Transportation Association has petitioned for school bus drivers to be made a high priority for phased allocation of COVID-19 vaccines. The association's president stresses that without a healthy and plentiful workforce of drivers, more children may be forced into less safe ways to get to school.
Regardless of your location, it is important to perform periodic seasonal maintenance. When doing so, consider the operation of specific systems rather than individual components.
A Pennsylvania-based driver supervisor points out how, although the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a harsh blow to school bus companies and the industry in general, contract negotiations have been a growing challenge for years, as has a lack of support and respect for drivers.
The Center for Transportation and the Environment discusses the positive impact that the alt-fuel vehicles can have in reducing air pollution and its work with school districts nationwide to increase electric school bus use.
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