Security demonstrations, driver shortage discussions, and a Boston Marathon bombing survivor were among the standouts at the school bus industry events in Kansas City. Check out our shots from the conference halls and the city beyond.
PHOTOS: Highlights From the Kansas City Conferences
The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) held their 2016 gatherings in Kansas City, Missouri, in early November.
Jackson County (Mo.) Sheriff’s Department police enact a scenario with a disgruntled father forcing his way onto a school bus with a knife. Police showed how they would surround the bus and what they would say to negotiate with the assailant.
The security exercise was truly interactive, with attendees playing the role of students. Here, police evacuate them from the bus after a hypothetical incident in which there was a threat of a bomb on the bus.
Kris Hafezizadeh of Austin (Texas) Independent School District talks about the technology that his district uses to notify parents about the status of their child’s school bus.
A modern streetcar heads down Main Street in Kansas City.
This warning for cyclists is really “over the top.”
NAPT President Keith Henry (left) inducts School Bus Fleet’s Frank Di Giacomo into the NAPT Hall of Fame.
Attendees give a standing ovation for Di Giacomo, who was recognized for his contributions to the pupil transportation community over more than three decades.
Martin unveils the new NAPT logo during an association business meeting.
IC Bus exec Trish Reed notes how she “took one for the team” and got her digital caricature drawn. Attendees could do the same at the IC Bus booth, where the artist had a high-tech setup.
State directors from across the U.S., as well as suppliers and state association representatives, heard presentations on school bus safety, regulations, and other topics at the NASDPTS conference.
Thomas Barth of the National Transportation Safety Board briefs NASDPTS attendees about the agency’s recent school bus crash investigations.
Kimberly Bish, seen here with her daughter Danielle’s seizure assistance dog, Bobo, discusses her training efforts with Ohio school bus drivers.
Ohio state director Robert Harmon says that pupil transporters typically have many questions and concerns when it comes to service animals on the bus.
NAPT attendees ascend to the trade show to peruse the latest school buses and related equipment.
Attendees check out the electric eLion school bus at the Lion booth.
Trans Tech showed off this old school vehicle, a 1951 Chevy Suburban.
A visitor to the Bus Air Manufacturing booth takes a school bus for a spin in a racing video game.
The NAPT Summit opened with a full-day security training event that the association conducted with the Transportation Security Administration. Here, the Kansas City Police Department showed how a drone would be used in a hostage or active shooter situation on a school bus.
Here, Kansas City police demonstrate how they would use a single purpose bomb dog to sniff for explosives in the event of a bomb threat.
NAPT Executive Director Mike Martin moderates roundtable discussions on school bus driver shortage.
Ingrid Reitano (left) of New Jersey was named School Bus Fleet's 2016 Administrator of the Year. She is seen here with her daughter, Tracy Lynch.
Jeff Bauman tells of how he lost both legs in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing but was able to give investigators a description of the suspect he had seen.
Summit attendee David McCrae, also an amputee, shows Bauman his prosthetic leg after Bauman's presentation.
NASDPTS President Diana Hollander gives a presentation at the state directors conference.
Wrong conference.