School Bus Fleet Magazine

Sept. 21-23, 2026 | Scottsdale, AZ

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 Thomas McMahon•August 14, 2014

School bus driver awarded for work with autistic students

Larry Eason, who has been driving for Hannibal (N.Y.) Central School District for 27 years, wins the Friends of Autism award from a county task force. One of Eason’s passengers nominated him for the award, writing that “Larry is my bus driver and he is my friend. ... He is always patient and takes great care of me.”

Photo Galleries•by Staff•August 13, 2014

Virtual Tour: Collins Bus plant

News•by Staff•August 5, 2014

9 NAPT members earn special-needs endorsement

School transportation professionals from six states and one Canadian province complete the National Association for Pupil Transportation’s Special Needs Transportation program. The endorsement program consists of a series of classroom and hands-on training sessions.

News•by Staff•August 4, 2014

First Student transports 10,000 Special Olympics participants

The school bus contractor provided shuttle service for the Special Olympics 2014 USA Games in New Jersey. Hundreds of school bus drivers transported athletes, coaches and spectators to various venues.

News•by Staff•August 4, 2014

Driver allegedly left special-needs kids alone on bus without air conditioning

Two Vernon (N.J.) Township Schools students, ages 7 and 9, are found after having been trapped inside the bus for more than 45 minutes with the windows up. The driver may face criminal charges, including endangering the welfare of a child and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

News•by Staff•August 4, 2014

6 special-needs students suffer minor injuries in bus crash

The Atlantic County (N.J.) Special Services School District elementary school students, three of whom are in wheelchairs, and two adults, are taken to the hospital after a collision between their school bus and a truck last month. The driver of the truck stopped at an intersection but proceeded through it without making sure it was clear when the truck was struck by the school bus.

News•by Staff•July 24, 2014

Collins Bus names new dealer in Canada

The Bus Centre is now the authorized dealer for Collins/Corbeil Type A buses in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

News•by Staff•July 18, 2014

Trans Tech Bus adds 2 new dealers, Altoona-tests SST model

The Type A school bus manufacturer appoints two new dealers for the Canadian market and announces that its complete product line is now available in Canada. Meanwhile, Trans Tech’s SST school bus goes through Altoona STURAA testing, with results including an average miles per gallon of 9.60.

News•by Staff•July 8, 2014

<I>SBF</i> awarded for feature on van, cab use

Executive Editor Thomas McMahon’s article “Vans, Cabs and Beyond: Gauging the Safety of School Bus Alternatives” is named Best Feature in Bobit Business Media’s annual awards program.

News•by Staff•July 7, 2014

Bus assistant resigns after being accused of slapping autistic child

Pasco County (Fla.) Schools bus assistant James Lambert was charged with two counts of child abuse after allegedly striking a 10-year-old boy for cursing. The district had planned to start the process of terminating his employment, according to a spokeswoman. Lambert had been reprimanded multiple times in the past; however, in none of those instances was he accused of hitting a child.

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