First Student has been named the winner of the Technology Strategy Impact Award for North America by Forrester, a technology research and advisory firm.

The award honors IT organizations that excel in aligning their strategies with business goals, proving adaptability and building trust through security and resilience.

First Student’s application highlighted the creation and launch of FirstAlt, which was announced in Fall 2022.

What is FirstAlt?

FirstAlt provides districts with a safe and reliable transportation option for students with special needs, students experiencing homelessness, out-of-district students and hard-to-serve trips.

FirstAlt utilizes a fleet of small capacity vehicles from existing local transportation companies. The sedans, SUVs, minivans, and wheelchair vans are expertly operated and maintained, giving school districts flexibility in their transportation program, reducing costs and freeing up resources for higher-capacity trips.

The program utilizes custom software for alternative transportation that provides end-to-end ride visibility, allowing for the safest ride experience for students, their families, and school districts.

“At First Student, we pride ourselves on our ability to integrate our long history as proven school transportation providers with cutting-edge technology that enhances the bus-riding experience for students and parents across North America,” First Student CEO and President John Kenning said. “We are honored by this recognition by Forrester. We are proud to provide industry-leading advancements, which are helping to deliver unmatched care to students, ensuring that when they arrive to school they are ready to achieve their full potential.”  

First Student will share more about the launch of its FirstAlt program at the Forrester Technology & Innovation Summit North America, taking place in Austin, Texas, and digitally, Sept. 9–12, 2024.

“This award makes clear the important role we can play in infusing technology into transportation. Our embrace of innovation, including school bus electrification, parent communications, apps, driver tools and training, and service offerings, has created the only comprehensive K-12 student transportation offering in the industry,” First Student CIO Sean McCormack said. “We keep expanding the possibilities for safe, clean and reliable transportation. We thank Forrester for recognizing our efforts on behalf of students and their families.”

What Else is First Student Up To?

First Student has also successfully deployed more than 360 electric buses across North America in pursuit of its goal to transition 30,000 diesel vehicles to electric by 2035.

The electric buses rolled out to date have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 4,935 tons, according to a news release. Accelerating the company’s efforts is $488 million in federal, state and utility funding that will electrify over 1,400 buses in 74 school districts.