SMITHFIELD, Utah — When the district where his daughter attends elementary school stopped providing bus service to her school, Ty Haguewood formed his own bus company, Smithfield Bus LLC.
Haguewood and fellow parent Bruce Jones bought a school bus at a school district auction for about $6,000. Eighty-two students ride the bus to Sunrise Elementary School in Smithfield, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The students’ parents pay a $206 yearly fee per child for them to ride the bus to and from school.
Smithfield Bus covers insurance, maintenance, diesel fuel and a part-time driver, who also is a parent.
Haguewood serves as the substitute driver. He worked as a bus driver for Provo (Utah) City School District when he was a student at Brigham Young University and has maintained his CDL since.
This year, a boundary reconfiguration made Sunrise Elementary School one of two “walking” elementaries with no bus service in the Cache County School District, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. All families live within 1.5 miles of the school, so no students qualify for state-funded bus service.
Parents form school bus company
When the Utah district where his daughter attends elementary school stopped providing bus service to her school, Ty Haguewood formed Smithfield Bus LLC with another parent. Eighty-two students ride the bus; the students’ parents pay a $206 yearly fee per child for them to ride it to and from school.
More Safety
Operation STEER Brings Emergency Response Training to North Texas
Prosper ISD hosted the third annual training for transportation professionals across 67 districts to learn how to respond to emergencies, such as rollovers and evacuations, and proper use of safety equipment.
Read More →
Florida District Relaunches BusPatrol School Bus Camera Program With New Safeguards
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.
Read More →
School Bus Laws To Watch: Seat Belt Bills, Funding Fights & EV Changes
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.
Read More →
9-Year-Old Boy Killed by School Bus at Busy Brooklyn Intersection
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.
Read More →
Does Reliable School Transportation Boost Attendance? EverDriven’s Data Says Yes
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.
Read More →
What Data Shows About Student Transportation in 2026
Driver shortages, safety expectations, and staffing limits define student transportation in 2026. New survey data shows how fleet leaders are responding.
Read More →
NTSB Calls for Alcohol Impairment Systems, Seat Belts After W.V. Crash Investigation
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.
Read More →
2026 State of Student Transportation Report
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 →
2 Students Die in Tennessee School Bus Crash with Dump Truck
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.
Read More →
School Bus Laws To Watch: Driver Shortages, EV Debates & Safety Upgrades
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.
Read More →