Colorado State Director Honored for Security Training Efforts
Susan Miller is recognized by Child Safety Network for her work with that organization and the Transportation Security Administration to bring security training to all the state’s districts.
Susan Miller, Colorado's head of pupil transportation (center), receives an award for her school bus security training efforts from Ward Leber, the founder of Child Safety Network. Also shown is Andrea Di Spirito, a TSA trainer. Photo courtesy Child Safety Network
2 min to read
Susan Miller, Colorado's head of pupil transportation (center), receives an award for her school bus security training efforts from Ward Leber, the founder of Child Safety Network. Also shown is Andrea Di Spirito, a TSA trainer. Photo courtesy Child Safety Network
BOULDER, Colo. — The state’s head of pupil transportation was recognized recently for her efforts to bolster security training at all of its school districts.
Child Safety Network (CSN) awarded Susan Miller, the transportation supervisor at the Colorado Department of Education (DOE), with its highest state honor for excellence in school bus safety and security.
Susan Miller, who represents Colorado as state director in the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), collaborated with CSN, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Colorado DOE to begin training school districts in ways to make school buses more difficult to target.
Related: PHOTOS - NASDPTS in D.C.
On Oct. 23, leaders from across the state spent the day at the Boulder Valley School District transportation department to learn how to train other industry professionals to identify suspicious activities and resolve threats quickly and safely.
“CSN requested that the TSA send trainers from Washington, D.C., to sites in Boulder and Colorado Springs,” said Ward Leber, CSN’s founder. “CSN invited [the state’s] 171 school districts to volunteer to learn and become a force multiplier, by becoming trainers themselves. Susan Miller organized the events and deserves this award for her critical role in protecting students, and for her many years of service dedicated to Colorado’s pupil transportation system.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award,” Miller said. “Working at the Colorado Department of Education and with all the amazing people in the school transportation community in Colorado is truly my honor and privilege. I believe this training is extremely important for the safety of the approximately 365,000 students we transport daily, as well as for all of the dedicated school transportation staff that work so diligently to provide safe transportation for our students.”
CSN’s mission is to develop, execute, and administer programs that result in safer school buses and students.
“Upon the creation of the First Observer Program (Plus), I learned very early that pupil transportation professionals are some of the hardest working and most dedicated individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Bill Arrington, CSN’s senior advisor on school bus security and former TSA manager for surface transportation nationwide. “I applaud Susan Miller of the Colorado DOE, and Ward Leber of CSN, for continuing to partner with the TSA to train our pupil transportation professionals to be better prepared to protect children. I would also like to thank David Cooper and Andrea DiSpirito of TSA for continuing my legacy, and their dedication to keeping our children safe and secure.”
After being suspended over due process concerns, Miami-Dade schools and law enforcement are restarting the AI-powered stop-arm camera program with new oversight.
From national bills on seat belts and driver oversight to driver awareness campaigns referencing “Finn’s Rule” and ongoing transportation funding debates in Alaska, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
A Williamsburg community is mourning after a child was fatally struck by a private yeshiva bus, prompting calls for urgent safety improvements at the high-traffic crossing.
The new data shows 99.99% incident-free trips and strong on-time performance, reinforcing how dependable transportation, especially for vulnerable student populations, can help districts combat chronic absenteeism.
Driver shortages, safety expectations, and staffing limits define student transportation in 2026. New survey data shows how fleet leaders are responding.
The federal agency's report asks NHTSA to require all new school buses to be equipped with vehicle-integrated alcohol detection systems and passenger lap-shoulder belts.
Student transportation teams are being asked to do more with less, facing driver shortages, rising costs, and increasing safety expectations. This report uncovers how fleets are adapting, where technology is making the biggest impact, and why student ridership tracking is emerging as a top priority. Download the report to explore the key trends shaping 2026 and what they mean for your operation.
A Carroll County accident claimed the lives of two students and injured over a dozen others on a March 27 field trip for eighth graders at Clarksville-Montgomery County. A preliminary report adds new information to the story.
From driver shortage solutions in Tennessee and rural connectivity debates in Utah to new safety laws in Wisconsin and ongoing electric bus mandate discussions in New York and Connecticut, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Waymo’s self-driving vehicles are under fire again after repeated school bus passing violations, raising questions about safety, remote operators, and regulation.
