PUBLISHER’S CORNER
Superfast Moving Technology Written by Tony Corpin |
tony@stnonline.com A
s a kid, I was surfing the internet with a 14.4 kb/s modem, and I thought that was flying. Nowadays, that modem speed seems laugh- able, considering the rate at which data now
flows to and from our computers and mobile devices. My first cell phone in 1997 was a Motorola flip phone.
Now, my iPhone X performs amazing feats, not to men- tion connecting me to friends and family on calls and text messages, at blistering speeds. In fact, the smartphone in my pocket has more computing power than all of NASA when it placed the first men on the moon in 1969. A lot of people ask me if the school bus has changed
much in 30 years. My answer is yes, but they are still school bus yellow. Inside, however, it’s a brand new ballgame. At STN EXPO Reno in July, I saw more electric school buses and EVs on the trade show floor than ever before. The options for school bus fuel and energy choices have come so far in the last decade, and yet clean diesel still remains at the top as the leading choice, according to a recent STN readership study. But for how much longer? That might seem to be an outrageous question to many
readers, but again consider what we did not know a mere 10 years ago about where technology would take us. Gasoline and propane are increasing in popularity with buyers. Now, enter electric school buses fueled by grants, VW Mitigation Trust Fund and government subsidies. The recent STN EXPO Reno panel on “Electrifying the School Bus,” sponsored by Southern California Edison, was packed with attendees who were hungry for details on this emerging school bus energy trend. One attendee I spoke with at the opening keynote
address the previous day said he would never buy an electric school bus. But after Jim Harris’ talk on “Disrup- tive Innovation in Student Transportation,” the attendee changed his mind. Why? “I have to be on the correct side of the trend curve,” the
attendee told me. “This technology is coming, whether I like it or not, and my district needs to be ready for it.” Harris displayed slides that showed Tesla’s rapid ad- vance in market share. I was surprised to see the Model S catapult ahead of all major automotive luxury cars in 2015 and continue its increase exponentially. Har- ris shared that the Tesla Model 3 launch had 300,000 pre-orders worth $12.6 billion. It was the most successful car launch ever.
66 School Transportation News • SEPTEMBER 2019 Another notable company Harris mentioned is Apple,
which is investing $4.7 billion annually into car R&D. Yes, Apple, the computer and smart device company. It is not supposed to be making cars. The investment is 20 times more than all traditional auto manufacturers, combined. In five to seven years, Harris predicted we’ll have
autonomous cars on the road. How will school transpor- tation be impacted? Harris highlighted the disruptive force of ride share
companies like Uber and Lyft. I remember using taxis or renting cars, but now, I mainly use rideshare ser- vices. According to Forbes, millenials are buying fewer cars than older generations. Why? Because ridesharing provides a great customer service experience and it has become easier than ever to simply request a car when you need one, and not worry about fuel, insurance and maintenance costs when you don’t. Will parents choose to place their children into vehi- cles that they can track and monitor via their personal mobile devices? That it is already happening today. Sim- ply look at the number of school districts now using bus apps, and the number of rideshare companies that have entered the student transportation market. The adoption of mobile apps and student tracking is a
growing trend in school transportation. More and more, technology companies are adapting to meet parent, stu- dent and school district needs. I believe this will continue to be an essential part of the services that school transpor- tation must offer. If school bus transportation ever wants to compete longterm with other modes, technology adoption will be essential. It may seem far-fetched today, but these technolo-
gy advancements aren’t far away. Industry disruptions require a different perspective and willingness to change—and that is not easy to do. It’s an exciting time. From automated vehicles and ad- vanced driver assistance systems, to 5G wireless and the internet of things, all of these affect the school transpor- tation industry. I’m looking forward to this continued debate. I chal- lenge you to embrace change and to think differently. ●
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