Here’s a look at the speakers, roundtables and other activities at the debut School Bus eXchange event.
PHOTOS: Highlights from School Bus eXchange
The SBX agenda included a series of roundtables, in which attendees discussed challenges and solutions in four areas: operational efficiency, fleet metrics, school bus driver shortage, and technology and software.
School bus operators were given scheduled times to meet with suppliers. Here, Wanda Paul, chief operating officer of Dallas Independent School District, talks with Zonar’s Craig Kahoun (left), vice president of public markets, and Toby McGraw, senior director of sales.
James Blue, general manager of School Bus Fleet, addresses attendees. SBX was launched by NAPT and School Bus Fleet.
Peter Mannella, an NAPT board member and executive director of the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, sums up the roundtable discussion on driver shortage.
Keynote speaker Mark Aesch set the tone at School Bus eXchange (SBX) by encouraging attendees to identify the outputs of success for their operations. The event was held April 6-8 near Dallas.
National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) Executive Director Mike Martin served as the SBX emcee, keeping attendees focused on the event’s central theme of data-driven decision making. He also adopted some Texas flair, at one point taking the stage with a striking resemblance — by his own admission — to Woody from Toy Story.
Steve Simmons, an NAPT board member and the director of transportation at Columbus (Ohio) City Schools, gives input during a session on success stories with data-driven decision making.
Bob Young (right), director of transportation at Boulder (Colo.) Valley School District, talks with other SBX attendees during the roundtable on operational efficiency.
Brian Weisinger, who recently retired as director of transportation at Spring (Texas) Independent School District, facilitated the roundtable on fleet metrics.
David Koskelowski (right), program manager for traffic safety and pupil transportation at the Wyoming Department of Education, meets with Branden Smeltzer, general manager of UltraLED.
Kim Crabtree (holding microphone), director of transportation at Greater Albany (Ore.) Public Schools, gives input during a session on success stories with data-driven decision making.
Steven Kalmes, owner of JSK Consulting and an NAPT board member, sums up the roundtable discussion on operational efficiency.
Ty Bobit, president and CEO of School Bus Fleet publisher Bobit Business Media, addresses attendees.
SBX was held at the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront hotel, which is situated on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall, Texas.