Special Needs Transportation

Explore best practices for safely and effectively transporting students with disabilities and special transportation needs. We cover accessibility, wheelchair securement, equipment, training, student behavior, regulations, and specialized transportation services.

Kelli Goterba, the 2026 Special-Needs Driver of the Year, stands with her arms crossed in front of a Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities school bus.

News

Kelli Goterba Named 2026 Special-Needs School Bus Driver of the Year

Through building trust with students and strengthening her transportation team, Goterba exemplifies the impact special-needs drivers can make.

Digital Cover Features

The Most Common Wheelchair Securement Mistakes on School Buses (and How to Fix Them)

A wheelchair user operates a school bus wheelchair lift equipped with BraunAbility’s LiftSentinel barrier system as another person stands nearby with a handheld control.

News

BraunAbility Introduces New Safety Barrier for Wheelchair Lifts

A close up image of a hand holding a phone with HopSkipDrive's platform and CareDriver information on the screen.

News

HopSkipDrive Launches New Safety, Driver Consistency Features for 2026-27 School Year

News•by Staff•November 3, 2014

Batteries stolen from special-needs buses

Suspects stole 32 batteries from 16 Victor Elementary School District special-needs buses in Victorville, California. The theft cost the district approximately $3,500 and each battery is valued at about $110.

News•by Staff•November 3, 2014

Updated report on sharing medical info with school transporters

Peggy Burns updates her “Sharing Student Health and Medical Information with School Transporters” report for NASDPTS.

News•by Staff•October 31, 2014

District awards Medicaid claiming contract to Accelify

The company’s contract with Alexandria (Va.) City Public Schools includes a system that matches transportation services to billable direct health services to produce valid transportation Medicaid claims.

News•by Staff•October 31, 2014

Special-needs student hospitalized after falling from moving bus

New York student A.J. Pediford, 12, opened the emergency door on a school bus, then fell or jumped to the ground and suffered a serious head injury.

News•by Staff•October 5, 2014

Case of bus aide accused of slapping boy with autism to go to trial

A judge denied a request for a description of injuries sustained by the alleged victim of James Lambert, a former Pasco County (Fla.) School District bus aide charged with two counts of felony child abuse for slapping a boy with autism. The judge told Lambert’s attorney the question of whether the slaps amount to felony child abuse should be decided by the jury.

News•by Staff•October 3, 2014

California special-needs conference fills quickly

The state Office of School of Transportation recently announced that it will offer a two-day Transporting Children with Special Needs training conference in January. The day after the announcement, the 40-attendee maximum had been reached. However, two more editions of the event are planned for 2015.

News•by Thomas McMahon•September 26, 2014

Linda Bluth retires, but keeps busy in transportation

Special-needs transportation expert Dr. Linda Bluth has officially retired from her position at the Maryland State Department of Education, but a full schedule of speaking engagements, consulting work and other activities is keeping her plugged into the pupil transportation community.

News•by Staff•September 8, 2014

Durham sales team raises over $11K for Special Olympics

In addition to raising $11,194 through duck sales, the team donates $5,000, which will help support year-round athletic training and competition for almost 21,500 Special Olympics athletes.

News•by Staff•September 8, 2014

Bus driver takes special-needs student to wrong school

A Hillsborough County (Fla.) Public Schools driver did not conduct a sweep of the bus after transporting students to their elementary school, and didn’t see the 9-year-old child sleeping on one of the rear seats when the bus stopped at the school. The driver continued on to pick up more students and transport them to their school, and, 40 minutes later, noticed the child and took her back to her school. The district is conducting an investigation.

News•by Staff•August 26, 2014

District changes safety policies for special-needs students after driver arrest

Canyons School District in Sandy, Utah, will no longer allow bus drivers to buckle and unbuckle seat belts and restraints after a former bus driver was charged with allegedly molesting two special-needs students. The district will also randomly select buses and review security video daily, as opposed to only when concerns are raised.

Prev Next