daycare. “A group of us met a couple of times. Tey found a prod- uct out of the UK, started with that, then found the RP product that was better than what we were using,” Donn added. “Tere are still a few of those units out there.” Donn’s experience and connections attracted Scott and Oram and led the three men to partner in the summer of 2001. Scott, the sales- man, and Oram, the engineer, found Donn to be the industry expert they needed to get their Bus Vision brand off the ground and into the school bus mobile surveillance market. Te company needed a national leader that had what Scott called a “tremendous reputation” to serve as one of the faces of the new company. “(Donn) brought to the business great negotiating and mentor- ing skills that had a huge impact on our early development,” Scott added. “He brought us instant credibility with industry leaders across the country. His knowledge around school district opera- tions and vehicle acquisition was invaluable to us.” Within four years, Bus Vision introduced the industry’s first digital video solution. Meanwhile, Verint Solutions had acquired the company’s supplier, RP, and informed the three men that it intended to not only continue selling the technology to Bus Vision but that it would also become a direct competitor. “Tat’s what killed Bus Vision,” Donn recalled. After a brief stint working with good friend Carnahan and Zonar Systems, which he represented at the 2005 NCST, Donn,
Scott and Oram reunited. Kwon Nguyen, owner of Toronto Micro Electronics, approached them with an idea for a new venture, as he wanted to transition into the mobile surveillance market. Te project soon became 247 Security, Inc. Te company’s first exhibi- tion of video surveillance products took place at the 2005 NAPT Summit in Austin, Texas. “He was not one to quit and we logged a lot of miles together, building the 247 brand,” Scott said of Donn’s work ethic. “Like all new businesses, we faced many hurdles and Ed’s guidance had significant impact, resulting in a pretty rapid ascent to becoming a leading brand. His constant good humor made the journey a lot of fun for me and the others we worked with to build the business.” As for home life, the Donns recently celebrated their 57th
wedding anniversary, and Ed admitted that Sandy plans to keep him plenty busy in this retirement, though he still hopes to make a few of those trade shows. He said he also plans to retire from the NAPT Foundation board at the end of the year. His departure leaves a hole the industry will be hard-pressed to fill. “Ed is a one of a kind individual in the field of pupil transporta- tion, with a strong legacy for mentoring many of today’s successful transportation professionals,” concluded Bluth. “He is a man of extraordinary talents that have provided the pupil transportation industry with a network of dedicated professionals.”
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Zonar’s EVIR system saves you time, money and worry. Using one of our handheld devices, drivers simply scan the EVIR tags that are placed in and around the bus, including the back of the bus to make sure end-of-shift checks are done.
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is just one of the many ways we make sure that your fl eet — and its precious cargo — never get left behind.
877.843.3847 •
zonarsystems.com See Us At Booth #410
Client: Zonar Systems – Child Safety Ad #2 - No child left behind Created by: Publication: Dimensions:
GSS Communiqations, 323.939.1181
www.stnonline.com 23
Student Transportation News, STN, 11/17 issue 1/3rd Page 4.5625”x4.875” Non-bleed
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