School bus innovator Jack Parsons passes

Over his 59-year career in the industry, Parsons was credited with spearheading numerous improvements to pupil transportation and mentoring many school bus drivers, trainers, dispatchers and managers.

IC Bus unit with Cummins ISB debuts at NAPT

The first IC Bus CE Series school bus with the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine is publicly unveiled for the first time at the National Association for Pupil Transportation trade show. The manufacturer began taking orders for the ISB-equipped CE Series earlier this month.

Big changes in store for 2014 Summit

Next year’s NAPT Summit in Kansas City, Mo., will incorporate the America’s Best school bus tech/inspect event and a new competition related to special-needs transportation. Also, the schedule will be streamlined to four days — Saturday to Tuesday. Here, NAPT Executive Director Mike Martin explains the changes.

Thermo King unveils HVAC solutions at NAPT

The supplier is showcasing its StudentAIRE line, which is designed to be compact and affordable for school bus operators, manufacturers and dealers. The line, which will be featured at the Thermo King booth during the trade show on Tuesday and Wednesday, includes a high performance air-conditioning system requiring minimal space; a bulkhead evaporator for small to mid-size school bus applications; and two split air-conditioning systems.

Car renovator to restore rare vintage school bus

Rich Willard, owner of Vintage Motorcars, a restoration business, is restoring a circa 1948 Nash school bus for a Paris-based collector of Nash vehicles. The project, Willard’s first bus restoration, likely will take more than 3,000 man hours to complete and will cost in the $150,000 range.

IC Bus builds 1st CE school buses with Cummins ISB

The manufacturer is now taking orders for its CE Series school bus with the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine. The CE Series now offers a selection of three mid-range diesel engines: the MaxxForce 7, MaxxForce DT and Cummins ISB6.7.

Cummins offers new 5-liter V8 diesel

The engine manufacturer holds a press event to share details on the new ISV5.0 and to show it running in a Type C school bus and several other test vehicles. Cummins officials discuss the engine's benefits, including low total cost of ownership and quieter operation.

District cuts vehicle breakdowns by 50%, crashes by 35%

These improvements at Virginia's Prince William County Public Schools started by investing more time in maintenance and money in better equipment for its school buses, which also led to an overall reduction in costs.

2013 America's Best Competition

America's Best winners hail from Oklahoma, Colorado

Casey Middleton of Tulsa (Okla.) Public Schools places first in the school bus inspector category, while Patrick Maloney of Douglas County (Colo.) School District takes the top spot in the technician category. Read more about the event and check out our photo gallery.