tiatives like our sunshine committee and annual awards banquet. When drivers feel respected, supported and connected to the district’s mission, retention improves, directly enhancing student safety. Staffing is not just a logistics issue. It’s a leadership responsibility,” he said.
Hot Trend: Enrollment Declining enrollment in K–12 schools has become
an increasing concern for many school districts due to declining birth rates and families choosing alternatives to traditional public schools. Schools are facing resulting challenges such as reduced funding, larger school consoli- dations and fewer educational programs. However, KCPS is experiencing a different reality.
“While other people around the country and even locally are talking about declining enrollment, that is not our trend. We’re actually trending upward, and I would credit some of that to our reliable transportation,” she said, add- ing that families are choosing the district for the various programs offered. She added that “parents and the community are in-
terested in outcomes and student experience, but also a part of that is the reliability of transportation, especially when you’re serving a community where many people don’t have transportation.” Collier said that student transportation is an equity
issue because of the negative impact on families that don’t have reliable access to get to school. She cautioned against the use of the word equity and instead a focus on championing student access to education. “And we look across our district at many different
services and opportunities that we provide, and we ask ourselves the question: Are we removing barriers for our children and our families, and are we providing access equally to those opportunities that we have available?” she continued. When looking at transportation, she said students not getting to school on time was happening too frequently. However, since partnering with Zum, KCPS decreased its chronic absenteeism rate from 25 percent to 5.6 per- cent during the 2024-2025 school year. She added that attendance is increasing as well as improved student outcomes. She shared that KCPS anticipates that will continue to be the case. “We’re kind of bucking the trend, but I would accredit
some of that to transportation,” she said, adding that they’ve seen an 89 percent increase in student ridership. Ohio’s Otten, who won the state’s superintendent of
the year award, said Beavercreek is in a similar boat with enrollment growing. Though, he added, it puts a strain on his school buses and mechanics. “Every year we are purchasing new buses with the
46 School Transportation News • APRIL 2026
intent of replacing those on our fleet with the older bus- ses,” he explained. Because Beavercreek is increasing its enrollment, he said
a purchase of seven new school buses, may only result in five replaced and two kept in the fleet. This, he said, puts extra work on the maintenance department. “It’s amazing how an old bus just requires so much attention to detail that can impact your transportation daily,” he said.
Hot Trend: AI & Technology KCPS’s Collier said with Zum came increased technol-
ogy. For example, a parent app has helped families know where their students are and alleviates anxiety. “I think safety is an issue for many families around the
country for a number of reasons,” she said. “We see all kind of things happening with children around safety, and that’s one area where families can feel good about knowing that they’re able to see in real time where their children are, where the bus is.” She said technology provides another layer of peace
of mind, not only for families but principals and school administrations.
Otten said he, too, has seen a need for increased
visibility of transportation, and Beavercreek is current- ly exploring different GPS software. He said the driver shortage has resulted in current staff doubling up routes or running behind, and he doesn’t want families waiting at the bus stop longer than they need to. To combat this, transportation is considering the use
of current GPS software on its buses and exploring ways for parents to access their locations. He added that tab- lets were installed on buses a few years ago, which has benefitted substitute drivers. But Beavercreek has yet to use their full capabilities. “We see AI and the use of technology being a benefit,” he said, adding that new stop-arm cameras will record drivers that illegally pass school buses. Lamar’s Buchanan said technology plays a key role in managing scale, safety and communication. “Our transportation department relies on Tyler Tech-
nologies’ platform for routing, tracking student ridership and communicating with parents, while other systems handle fleet management and safety monitoring,” he said. He noted his district also uses AI-powered tools for
operational planning, communication and supporting leadership. “Importantly, our AI approach is practical and human-centered, designed to aid decision-mak- ing, not replace it,” he added. “Our aim is to lessen the administrative workload so staff can prioritize safety and responsiveness. Technology should make systems clear- er, faster and more dependable. We regularly assess tools to ensure they meet these standards responsibly.” ●
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