EDITOR’S TAKE


Driving Change in 2026 Written by Ryan Gray | ryan@stnonline.com I


t’s a new calendar year but school transportation leaders face the same challenges. As Albert Einstein famously said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”


This month’s articles highlight key areas where leaders can make impactful changes to improve safety, efficien- cy and equity for all students, especially those riders with disabilities. While all important, Linda Bluth’s column on address- ing sexual assault on school transportation vehicles especially strikes a chord. The topic must be the most horrifying for student transporters to discuss, aside from a fatality. We know from research that students with disabilities are at a significantly higher risk of being targeted for sexual assault than their non-disabled peers. Bluth shares that one constant over her storied career has been the number of sexual assault cases she has been asked to serve as an expert witness on. She underscores the urgent need for proactive mea-


sures to protect students by calling for an industry task force to address this sensitive yet essential topic, to con- front it head-on and ensure the safety and well-being of students. Ask yourself, what policies does your transportation


department and school district have in place regarding sexual assaults occurring on or around school buses or other school transportation vehicles. Bluth writes it is vital to create clear, school board-approved policies that define and address sexual assault as well as bullying and harassment on school transportation vehicles. Train- ing all transportation personnel and students on these policies is vital. Supervision must also be enhanced. A growing trend


is more attendants on routes to assist school bus driv- ers with behavior management. High-back seats, Bluth says, create a barrier to seeing what students are doing. I hear that concern often from readers, an unintended consequence of NHTSA’s 2009 update to FMVSS 222 that increased the minimum seatback height to 24 inches.


Providing adequate adult supervision on all vehicles used for school transportation is paramount to the safety of all students. Technology is supplementing these efforts with


state-of-the art video camera systems. Increasingly, AI-enhanced software is showing the promise of even predicting or identifying the risk of potential assaults, but these solutions are in their infancy. Never mind the expense. First and foremost, student transporters must have policies for regularly reviewing footage. Most camera systems come with alerts to notify supervisors of incidents. But there remains no consistent solution better than, if you “see something, say something.” Train your school bus drivers, monitors and other staff to trust their intuitions. If something feels “off” during a route, it probably is. Foster a culture where trans- portation personnel and students feel safe reporting inappropriate behavior without fear of retaliation. There is plenty to think about when reading this


month’s issue, which also looks at the importance of modern routing software, AI-powered tools and da- ta-driven solutions to address driver shortages and training, route optimization, and Medicaid reimburse- ment challenges. Alternative vehicles also continue to gain ground in transporting students to and from school. With them comes the need to train their drivers on prop- er child safety restraint and wheelchair securement. At the half-way point of the school year, consider how


your operations are poised to tackle all these issues. As school transportation leaders, the responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of students is paramount. By ad- dressing critical safety issues, embracing technology, and fostering collaboration, we can drive meaningful change in the industry. Let’s turn these insights into action, ensuring that every


student’s journey is safe, efficient and supportive of their educational success. ●


The National Institute of Health says individuals with disabilities of all ages are twice as likely to be the victims of sexual assault. Read the study at stnonline.com/go/of.


12 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2026


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