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•May 31, 2012

Bus driver honored for service to special-needs students

Ford Thompson of First Student receives the 2012 Charlie Parnell Memorial Award from Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools. The award recognizes a school professional who goes above and beyond to touch the lives of these students.

News•by Staff•May 23, 2012

IMMI offers discount for replacing old restraints

Through the SafeGuard Summer Exchange Program, a school district cuts the manufacturing labels and the webbing they’re sewn to from a retired vest or other child restraint and ships them to IMMI. For each valid product exchanged, the district receives a $15 coupon that can be applied to the purchase of one new STAR restraint from an authorized STAR distributor.

News•by Staff•May 16, 2012

Collins' first NEXBUS rolls off assembly line

The redesigned line of Type A school buses is immediately available in all chassis configurations, including propane-powered and hybrid-electric versions. Company officials report that a CNG version will be available later this summer.

News•by Staff•May 7, 2012

Transportation agency on track to leave court supervision

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education's transportation department acquires new buses and achieves compliance in 34 performance areas, putting it on track to exit federal court oversight this year. The department's supervising court master had previously reported that the office transported its special-needs riders in buses that were not properly maintained or inspected.

News•by Staff•May 7, 2012

STI subsidiary wins new Handi-Transit contract

Leuschen Transportation is awarded a six-year contract with the city of Greater Sudbury to provide transportation to passengers with physical disabilities as part of the Handi-Transit program. Officials say Leuschen Transportation has been the supplier of these services since Handi-Transit began in 1985.

News•by Staff•May 1, 2012

NAPT to provide guidance on travel training

The association partners with Easter Seals Project ACTION to co-sponsor web seminars, workshops and online courses, as well as to offer other practical information that officials say will help pupil transporters expand accessible transportation for people of all ages with disabilities.

News•April 9, 2012

District buses special-ed kids, expects $400K in savings

Clovis (Calif.) Unified School District brings the service in house after it had been contracted and sees ridership growth in addition to financial benefits. Director of Transportation Charlie Ott discusses this with SBF, as well as the steps that were taken to make the transition this school year.

News•by Staff•April 4, 2012

More officials complete NAPT special-needs training

Colleen Cavanaugh of Pupil Transportation Consulting Inc., Barbara Rendon with Humble Independent School District and Theresa Anderson with Anderson Consulting LLC complete the Special Needs Transportation Training Program. The program has a curriculum that consists of six special-needs courses, and it is supplemented by two courses of elective instruction from the NAPT Professional Development Series Program.

News•by Staff•April 3, 2012

Wanted: sharp shots of school transportation

It’s time for SCHOOL BUS FLEET’s Eighth Annual Photo Contest! Three winners will receive a $100 cash prize.

News•by Staff•April 2, 2012

Collins unveils new Type A bus design

Added visibility and enhanced construction are among the features of Collins Bus Corp.'s NEXBUS. President Kent Tyler says that the company gathered input from "customers large and small, from mechanics to drivers, and from numerous experts in the industry."

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