MENU
SEARCHThe association for public and private student transportation services will honor outstanding members for their service, continuing education, training and safety, special-needs, and heroism.
All individuals will be honored in person at the association's conference in Michigan soon.
Photo: School Bus Fleet
Today, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT)announced the winners of the 2025 NAPT Annual Awards Program, recognizing exceptional achievements in student transportation.
The 2025 honorees exemplify safety, leadership, innovation, and dedication in ensuring that more than 26 million children travel to and from school securely each day.
Distinguished Service Award: Stephanie Walker, CDPT, CSPT, CSNT, CPTS, Director of Transportation for Habersham County Schools (Georgia)
Distinguished Service Award: Denny Coughlin, Owner at School Bus Training Company
Continuing Education Award: Michelle Summers, CSPT, Assistant Director of Transportation at Friendswood ISD (Texas). The Continuing Education Award is sponsored by Thomas Built Buses.
School Bus Driver Training & Safety Award: Sherri Zulick,Training Coordinator at Maine School Administrative District 06. The School Bus Driver Training & Safety Award is sponsored by IC Bus.
Special Needs Transportation Award: Katherine Michael, CSPT, CPTS, Special Needs Route Supervisor at Fayette County Schools (Georgia). The Special Needs Transportation Award is sponsored by Q'Straint.
Heroism Award: Spartanburg District 6 staff, bus driver Crystal Foster and bus monitor Joclyn Johnson for their heroic actions in saving children from a house fire. The Heroism Award is sponsored by Blue Bird.
In addition, NAPT announced that Alexandra Robinson will be the sole inductee into the NAPT Hall of Fame for 2025. "Her visionary leadership, decades of service, and unwavering commitment to safe, equitable student transportation have transformed our industry and inspired professionals nationwide," the association wrote on social media.
All award winners will be honored at NAPT's ACTS conference, Oct. 31-Nov. 4 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 3:45 p.m.
New funding and national research highlight student transportation challenges as Zum looks to scale its real-time mobility platform nationwide.
Read More →
The certification validates expertise in complex vehicle technology installations, making it the first fleet video solutions provider to achieve the milestone.
Read More →
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most practical tools in today’s transportation office. Here’s how it is improving parent communication, board reporting, training development, and overall efficiency — without replacing professional judgment.
Read More →
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.
Read More →
North Clackamas Schools' Kathy Calkins shares how positivity, relationships, and hands-on leadership transforms teams in this episode of The Route.
Read More →
Transportation leaders say when their districts implemented Transfinder's AI enhanced logistics technology, it paid for itself in financial savings, time savings and operational headache reductions (OHR). In this white paper transportation experts share specific ways they have experienced how Transfinder P.A.Y.S. (Pay As You Save) off. Each, in their own way, said transportation technology is not simply a software purchase — it’s a strategic investment in operational efficiency, cost containment and staff satisfaction.
Read More →
Lyndon Lie joins the team to oversee engineering innovation and growth amid the Micro Bird expansion.
Read More →
The new RideIQ feature automates invoice grouping by funding source, reducing manual work and improving transparency for school transportation teams.
Read More →
From bus driver to SBF’s Administrator of the Year, Oregon’s Kathy Calkins shares how positivity, relationships, and hands-on leadership transforms teams. The Route is sponsored by IC Bus.
Read More →
Transportation directly impacts attendance, equity, and performance. When systems are reliable, students show up ready to learn and succeed.
Read More →
