WHAT (AND WHO) IS NEW:


THE NASDPTS SUPPLIER COUNCIL


WRITTEN BY MARY JO MAJOR W


ho, or what, is the Supplier Council? Organized in 1994 based on an idea from Bill Paul, founder and editor emeritus of School Transportation News magazine,


the Supplier Council assists the state directors association (NASDPTS) and is a vital part of the pupil transportation industry. You can count on the Supplier Council and its subsidiary, the School Bus Manufacturers Technical Council (SBMTC), to be on the forefront of important decisions that ensure effective, safe, economical and environmentally friendly transportation for our “precious cargo.” As Bill Paul stated in his September col- umn in STN, “As Long as Tey Keep Making Children,” the Supplier Council and NASDPTS formed an excellent example of public and private cooperation. Bob Riley, NASDPTS executive director,


reiterated that nothing involving school bus transportation at the federal level occurs without consultation with NASDPTS. Over the past several years, state agency budget cuts have decreased the ability of state directors to meet and discuss the important topics and changes affecting school bus transportation. Many state directors have not been able to attend the NAS- DPTS Annual Conferences where discussions on school-transportation hot topics take place. Because of Supplier Council support through annual dues, however, NASDPTS has been able to offer state director scholarships for this im- portant discussion and educational opportunity. Te Supplier Council Membership Committee chair, Charley Kennington of Innovative Trans- portation Solutions, notes that from the 2011 NASDPTS Conference to this year’s conference, several state directors have taken advantage of the scholarships: 2011 (seven), 2012 (nine) and already for 2013 (eight). What does this mean? Participation in the


NASDPTS Annual Conferences ensures that state directors and their other members (State and National Association Council members, Supplier Council members and associate members) can meet to discuss the hot topics and trends directly affecting school bus trans- portation. Te Supplier Council Membership Committee is tasked with the job of retaining the current 67 members of the Supplier Council and recruiting new members.


20 THE SHOW REPORTER • OCT 18-24, 2013 Tis year has seen a multitude of changes: new


state directors, new Supplier Council members and mergers of school bus industry companies. Change has challenged the NASDPTS 2013 Conference Chair, Leon Langley, state director from Maryland, to ensure NASDPTS members and attendees learn about relevant changes and discuss the topics critical to all aspects of school bus transportation. Vance Nofziger of Tomas Built Buses, who is


the Supplier Council Steering Committee chair, identified his list of hot topics and trends below. Many of those topics will be part of the 2013 NASDPTS Conference. • Technology to protect children both inside and outside the bus: GPS, improved safety systems, safety systems to enhance rider comfort and various child protection initiatives aimed towards stopping bullying or terrorist acts. • Alternative fuels: CNG and propane autogas. Schools are looking at alternative fuels that will burn cleaner and lower their fuel costs. • Total cost of


ownership for the cost of maintaining the school bus over its life cycle: Schools and contractors are extending the life cycles on their buses by exploring innovations, including technology that will permit them to run buses longer and find the most cost-effective way of maintaining the product. Te keys to implementing these trends and


changes are in the hands of people from the grass- roots to the state and federal levels. Tis egalitarian group comprises NASDPTS: school bus drivers who make up the staff of the school transportation directors, State and National Associations Council, state directors, the Supplier Council and SBMTC, and the American School Bus Council (ASBC). What starts at the local level passes through the scrutiny of the state and federal levels. Te heart of safe school transportation are the children.


Te lineup of presentations and presenters


for the 2013 NASDPTS Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., emphasizes safety, security, eco- nomical, and environmentally friendly school transportation. Some of the topics include the safe transport of special needs students, new technology, alternative fuels, safe buses, healthy bus drivers (i.e., physical certification), review of accident reports including causes, and vendor presentations on new products or services. Reports from the upcoming National Congress on School Transportation (NCST) and the alphabet soup of national organizations (ASBC, NTSB, NHTSA and FMCSA) help state di- rectors ensure their specifications and standards are current and also address new trends and hot topics. Te Focus on the Supplier Council gives members an opportunity to give an “elevator


pitch” for their contributions to the industry. What does the future hold for the Supplier Council? To echo Bill Paul, the school bus indus- try will build the buses, vendors will equip them, contractors and school districts will buy them, bus drivers will drive them and our “precious cargo” will get to and from school and school activities by the safest possible transportation. l


Major is the member serivces director for NASDPTS. Email her at memberservices@nasdpts.org.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24