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NCST Announces 18th Congress Event Dates, New Committees

The National Congress on School Transportation moves to St. Louis in May 2029, convening delegates and industry representatives to discuss new best practice recommendations. Now, the new committee chairs have been named.

Promo graphic for the 18th National Congress on School Transportation, featuring a conference audience background and text reading “May 4–6, 2029, St. Louis, Missouri,” alongside the NCST logo.

The congress moves to a new four-year cadence after the team reviewed comments from its 17th national survey.

Credit:

School Bus Fleet

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  • The National Congress on School Transportation is scheduled to be held in St. Louis in May 2029.
  • Delegates and industry representatives will gather to discuss updated guidance for school transportation.
  • New committees have been announced in preparation for the 18th Congress event.

*Summarized by AI

Yesterday, the National Congress on School Transportation (NCST) announced that its Steering Committee for the 18th Congress has convened, and a new date has been set.

18th NCST Event & Committee Information

The next National Congress on School Transportation will be held May 4-6, 2029, in St. Louis, Missouri. The decision to move it up by a year (to meet after year four of the new NSTSP) will mark the first time the event's cadence has changed in decades .

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According to the announcement, it was determined to meet in 2029 after considering the survey results provided during the 2025 NCST and discussion. "We ask that you hold the date for now as information will be forthcoming much closer to the event," they said.

Steering committee members for the 18th congress include:

New Writing Committees

In preparation for the 18th NCST, writing committees will soon form. The work of the Congress is broken into the following writing committees:

  • The Vehicle Specifications Committee includes School Bus Specifications, Specially Equipped School Buses, School Bus Inspections, Emerging Technologies, and Alternative Fuels. 
  • The Operational Procedure Committee includes General Operations, Transportation for Students with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs, Infants, Toddlers, and Pre-Schooler Operations, School Transportation Security and Emergency Preparedness, Activity Bus Operations, and Alternative Transportation. 
  • The Special Committees include Terms and Definitions, Resolutions, and Appendices.
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On July 29, the NCST steering committee announced its new chair and vice chairs for each committee.

Committee

Leads

General Operations

Anthony Shields, Chair

Rosalyn Vann-Jackson, Vice Chair

School Bus Specifications 

Chris Jose, Chair

David Chatfield, Vice Chair

Specially Equipped School Buses

Kenny Mulder, Chair

Katrina Morris, Vice Chair

School Bus Inspections

Ken Johnson, Chair

William Lunt, Vice Chair

Activity Bus Operations

Dawnette Wright, Chair

Tawnya Becker, Vice Chair

Alternative Transportation 

Joshua Hinerman, Chair

Melissa Garton, Vice Chair

School Transportation Security & Emergency Preparedness

John Mueller, Chair

Joana Carol Sims, Vice Chair

Students with Disabilities & Special Health Care Needs

Megan Elsberry, Chair

Rebecca Sykes, Vice Chair

Infants, Toddlers  & Pre-School Children

Teena Mitchell, Chair

Robert Bellah, Vice Chair

Emerging Technologies 

Chris Ellison, Chair

Marisa Weisinger, Vice Chair

For the 2025 congress, one new committee had formed, Alternative Fuels, but is not returning for the 2029 congress.

Applications will open soon for writing committee members.

Any questions can be directed Mike Bullman, NCST chairman, at ncstcongress@gmail.com.

The NCST supporting organizations include the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), and the National Safety Council (NSC).

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Editor's Note: This post was originally published on March 3, 2026, and updated on July 29, 2026, to include the writing committee chair and vice chairs announcement.

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