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School Transportation News Published by STN Media Group


STN EXPO Indianapolis in June featured sessions on the hot topics affecting the student transportation industry, including one where panelists discussed the pressures and safety requirements surround- ing school bus stops. Read more about the conversation at stnonline.com/go/gk.


It is always humbling when asked to present, especially at a highly regarded national level conference. We advance, personally and as an industry, by sharing information. This is a sobering topic as we’re often times trying to overcome individually controllable factors that result in innocent students’ deaths, but we’re simply too distracted as a society to care. Thanks to Ryan Gray for moderating and Katrina Falk and Dick Fisher for joining me. LinkedIn/Nick Martini


Letter to the Editor The viral incident involving former Ohio school bus driver Jackie Miller drew national attention to the daily student behaviors drivers across the country can face. Editor in Chief Ryan Gray analyzed the situation in his May magazine Editor’s Take. Read more at stnonline.com/go/may23.


I finished reading the STN May 2023 issue, and the “Editor’s Take” hit home. You are correct. Movies [and] TV shows do reduce school bus drivers to caricatures. Also, I am sure there was a lack of fol- low-up by the school administrator in the case of Ms. Miller. Of the many issues we deal with in school transportation, especially when we talk about cultural changes, I have worked hard on changing the cultural perception of our school administration regarding how they may have looked at our staff. I have presented to our board of education to share with them exactly who our transportation colleagues are. Based on my current department’s data, here’s some information that speaks to his very topic. Our staff is very eclectic. They have varied backgrounds. All are high school graduates. Four- teen have some college [education]. Sixteen have an AA degree, 20 have a bachelor’s degree, three have a master’s, and one has a Ph.D. Transportation leadership needs to continue reducing and eliminat- ing negative perceptions our colleagues in the administrative and educational community have about our folks and do everything hu- manly possible to change it. Our folks deserve nothing less than that. Alfred A. Karam, Director of Transportation Shenendehowa Central Schools in New York


Lawmakers are pushing the potential benefits of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, and several bills federally and at the state level are calling attention to the capabilities. Read more at stnonline.com/go/gi.


V2G buses help back up our grid, require less maintenance, and ensure cleaner air for our kids.’ In @STNMagazine read why law- makers are pushing for federal- and state-level bills that promote V2G-capable. Twitter/@ESBInitiative


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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Mike Bullman, South Carolina Department of Education Denny Coughlin, Consultant Michael Dorn, Safe Havens International Ned Einstein, Transportation Alternatives Launi Harden, Consultant Pete Meslin, Consultant Alexandra Robinson, Consultant Michael Shields, Consultant


HOW TO CONTACT STN: School Transportation News welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and are subject to editing for grammar, style and space. Submissions must be legible, include a signature, job title/employer name, valid mailing and/or email address, and telephone number. Unsigned letters or letters signed only with a pseudonym or initials will not be used. Email letters to: ryan@stnmedia.com or send via U.S. mail to:


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The views and opinions in School Transportation News are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.


For permission to reuse materials in this publication, contact STN Editor Ryan Gray, at ryan@stnonline.com, or by phone at 310-792-2226 or by fax at 310-792-2231. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Printed in the U.S.A.


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10 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2023


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