PUBLISHER’S CORNER
Signs Point in the Right Direction Written by Tony Corpin |
tony@stnonline.com T
he health of the school bus industry was strong and stable in 2025. I predict more of the same in 2026. There is renewed EPA funding optimism, as more funds are set to be
dispersed, yet the exact dollar figure remains unknown. The remaining $2 billion in the Clean School Bus program could soon be released to support propane and electric school bus acquisition. States like New York and California continue to push
for more stringent regulations while other states follow the federal mandate of more relaxed emission standards. Keep in mind, a proposed rule to amend the 2027 Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Phase 3 regulations for heavy-duty vehicles looms. Regardless of government regulations, engine OEMs
have already done the work to get heavy-duty low NOx and CO2 emissions baked into future powertrain solutions. This will likely drive engine prices higher in 2026 and beyond. As we ended 2025, inflation appeared to have leveled
off but still remained too high as are interest rates, despite the Fed’s latest cut. There are hopes of more rate cuts in the future. I see the increased costs being reflected on labor, manufacturing and raw materials from industry suppliers. Tariff discussions will continue to take center stage as costs on components and goods can change quickly. Those sudden increases are already being passed on to the end user. School busing should be deemed an essential service,
like during COVID, and receive a tariff waiver. It will take a lot of loud and convincing voices to influence policy makers in Washington, D.C. No easy task but worth it. A benchmark for industry health is new OEM school bus manufacturing data. As reported starting on page 13, the numbers reported are up about 7 percent to 40,345 school buses produced. Clean diesel school bus volumes spiked as the top
buying choice for fleets with an overall increase of 3,699 units to 26,677 units. Alternative fuel school bus purchasing was modest relative to the previous year. The green bus market share leader remained electric school buses with 2,906 units manufactured, which was slightly down from the previous year. School bus OEMs have continued to expand school bus electrification offerings across all model types. Propane-powered school bus volume was down slightly at 1,617 units, and CNG school buses saw a 91-
114
unit decrease compared to last year with a scant 6 units produced.
Gasoline school buses were down 515 units to 10,326
units over the previous year’s data. I see the potential for more gasoline adoption in 2026 as school bus OEMs offer the Cummins B6.7 Octane engine. Type A school bus chassis demand and predictability
is good. Chassis allocations for school transportation OEMs have remained steady from GM and Ford in 2025. According to industry insiders, that trend should remain similar for 2026, but tariffs are causing some hesitation in the marketplace. I am seeing a significant increase in van conversions and van dealers offering multi-passenger vehicle (MPV) options to end users. More companies are exhibiting at STN EXPO and TSD Conference than ever before. I expect that market to continue to expand in 2026. Growing budget pressures seem to have accelerated
the adoption of alternative student transportation services. This has given school districts another option on a supplemental basis to support growing demand of servicing students with disabilities, special needs or who are experiencing homelessness. According to a recent STN readership study, over 667 subscribers identified products that they were interested in purchasing over the coming year. The top 2026 buying trends are new Type C and D school buses, new diesel buses/engines/components, wheels/tires, brakes, lighting and LEDs, and cellular radio communications systems. (See the full list on page 16.) Be sure to utilize this ultimate resource guide for
contacts and data, to discover new products and the companies that sell them. I also invite you to participate in the professional development training and networking opportunities we have to offer at the STN EXPO and the TSD Conference. Learn more at
stnexpo.com. As I look to 2026 and beyond, I see school transportation being future-ready mobility for every student. The yellow school bus of tomorrow is already on the road. The question is no longer whether the industry will transform, but which school districts, suppliers and communities will lead the way. ●
School Transportation News Magazine | Buyer’s Guide 2026
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