EDITOR’S TAKE The People Behind Fleet Uptime Written by Ryan Gray |
ryan@stnonline.com A
s another school year begins nationwide, transportation departments are again mea- sured by a basic expectation: Every route needs a safe, reliable school bus ready to
roll. This means fewer last-minute swaps, fewer missed instructional minutes and fewer calls from concerned parents. It also depends on what happens in the garage long before a driver turns the key. I saw that connection between preparation and
performance firsthand last month at STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada. The National School Bus Inspection Training Program brought together transportation professionals determined to go beyond checking boxes. It challenges participants to dig deeper into the vehicles entrusted with carrying students. Forty-eight participants began July 10 with classroom
instruction. The program developed by Marshall Ca- sey, a former South Carolina Department of Education maintenance director and creator of the America’s Best School Bus Inspector and Technician Skills and Training Competition, goes beyond minimum state and federal Department of Transportation inspection requirements. The next day, 44 participants traveled to Washoe County School District’s newly constructed George Getto Central Transportation Yard in Sparks for the hands-on portion. The $33 million facility is an impressive backdrop for
any discussion about fleet readiness. Named for Wash- oe County School District’s first transportation director, the 36,396-square-foot building includes an eight-bay school bus shop, a separate three-bay white fleet shop, a bus wash, parts and tire storage, offices, training space and a driver break room. Yet a modern building and new equipment only reach their potential when skilled people know how to use them. The best inspection techniques and enhanced training are vital to this end. On July 11, the STN EXPO West participants moved
through guided inspections with the instructors before 13 elected to compete that afternoon. They inspected school buses on their own and completed a written test, with their combined scores determining their finish. Larry Noble, a mechanic with Shasta Union High School District in California and a first-time STN EXPO attend- ee, took first place. Instructor Harley Pinson, director of fleet maintenance
for Paulding County School District in Georgia and a 2016 America’s Best participant, told me the training brings previously unknown information to light and gives tech- nicians a path to finding the correct answers to everyday shop questions. He was especially impressed by the par-
10 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2026
ticipants’ engagement, overall knowledge and test scores, which ranked among the highest he has seen. That is the value of pairing training with competition.
The contest creates pressure and recognition, but winning is not the only point. A missed defect becomes a learning opportunity. A test question leads technicians back to the inspection manual. A conversation beside a lifted bus can provide a better process to take home and share. A great example of building upon that opportunity was
the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation sending several technicians to Reno. Winners from the state’s 2025 competition attended and competed, with Benjamin Ortiz of Sunnyside School District finishing in second place. Maurine Simons, herself a former school bus mechanic and a 2016 America’s Best participant as well as a WAPT board member, said the association plans to send this year’s winners to STN EXPO West 2027. That is an investment in employees and a pipeline for professional growth. We understandably devote considerable attention to the school bus driver shortage. But the technician shortage is just as serious, and in some operations it may be worse. Recruiting drivers and purchasing new school buses don’t matter if too few qualified people are available to inspect, diagnose and repair an increas- ingly complex fleet. Professional development, modern working conditions and meaningful recognition tell technicians their employer values their expertise. The same principle applies across student transportation.
At the TSD Conference, Nov. 4-10 in Frisco, Texas, the spe- cial needs roadeo gives teams a hands-on opportunity to sharpen skills for safely transporting students with disabili- ties and special needs. At STN EXPO East, April 1-6, 2027, in Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina, the inspection training and competition will provide another opportunity to learn from instructors and peers nationwide. State associations, school districts and contractors
should make room in their budgets for these experienc- es. Do not view professional development as time away from the job. It is an investment in doing the job better and in keeping talented people in the profession. The best-equipped garage with the newest software,
lift or diagnostic tool cannot guarantee uptime by itself. Uptime begins with professionals who know what to look for, where to find the right answer and when to act before a defect becomes a failure. As another school year begins, investing in those people is one of the smartest fleet-management decisions an operation can make. ●
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