FIRST TAKE
Much Ado About a (Parking) Lot
WRITTEN BY RYAN GRAY
RYAN@STNMEDIA.COM
W
hen researching new and used cars, nothing beats a visit to the local dealer of choice for a test drive. Sure, there are plenty of resources available to
would-be consumers that provide more than they’d ever want to know about the various models in any number of classes, but nothing beats first-hand experience. How better to judge a vehicle’s handling, performance and comfort than climbing behind the wheel? While that description is a bit oversimplified for fleet operators, the same can apply when comparing school buses. When was the last time you actually took a school bus for a spin before deciding on a big purchase? I was reading Car and Driver the other day and read
an interesting article on “How to Test Drive a Car.” OK, the article is actually from last July’s issue, but that goes to show how behind I am in my reading. Anyway, the writer discussed the importance of doing one’s home- work and deciding specific models you are interested in. Tis includes getting acquainted with all the features, standard or optional, and what you like or don’t, or simply can learn to live with.
When it comes to actually getting behind the wheel,
the article stresses the importance of driver ergonomics, visibility and vehicle performance. Oh, if only the indus- try could offer such an experience to a large number of professionals in one location… Attendees at this month’s STN EXPO in Reno,
Nevada, have no excuses, other than not being able to prove they have their CDL, to not “kick the tires” or to take their trade show experience to an entirely new level with the inaugural Ride & Drive event. Over the course of two days, attendees will be offered the opportunity to test models from no fewer than five manufacturers, not to mention their fuel suppliers and technology partners. For a total of eight hours, this even will occur before the trade show and the following day in lieu of workshops. All the OEMs now offer some sort of alternative-fuel option, but with additional innovations in diesel and gasoline, attendees can expect opportunities to test drive these buses, too. It’s the latest way we at School Trans-
14 School Transportation News • JULY 2016
portation News are seeking to make industry education and training even more interactive and relevant. Who knew that so much learning could take place in the hotel parking lot? Tanks to the participating exhibitors this year, we hope a lot. But it’s also the attendees and speakers who by engag- ing with one another throughout the week of July 23-27 make the STN EXPO what it is: A leading industry event that builds a knowledge network. It’s by sharing stories, swapping experiences and providing tips that help school districts and bus companies identify efficien- cies or simply a better way of doing things that improve safety and reliability. Speaking of interactive, this year we bring back a new and improved STN EXPO app to literally keep attend- ees connected to all of the educational and networking opportunities available to them this month. And in the nature of our Green Bus Summit, back for a second year and under the conference umbrella as its own track, we are also relying on the app to help us all be more environmentally friendly by reducing our environmental footprint. Te smartphone and tablet app already serves multiple purposes of allowing attendees to build their own sched- ule, take notes, rate workshops and speakers, receive notifications of changes to the schedule, remind them of an event start times, network with other attendees, and more. Additionally, this year, we are using the app to provide attendees access to all conference presentation materials made available by our speakers. Attendees can choose to download handouts onsite or when they return home. It’s our hope that by bringing new experiences to at-
tendees’ fingertips, whether it be the new Ride & Drive event, our app or anything else, the STN EXPO can help ease buying decisions, education and obtaining new insights to help solve lingering issues. l
Ryan Gray, Editor-in-Chief
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