The Route presented by School Bus Fleet

Why are school buses yellow? When did students first start riding buses to school? How did the school bus become one of the most recognizable symbols in America?

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Brad Beauchamp from school bus manufacturer Blue Bird explores the surprising history of the American school bus, from horse drawn wagons to today's connected, technology-driven vehicles, and how it differs from the Ame...

From trucking to school busing, Craig Beaver is retiring after 43 years in transportation, but not before sharing some hard-earned lessons from one of Oregon’s largest school districts.

In this episode of The Route, the soon-to-be-former Beaverton School District transportation director sits down with School Bus Fleet to reflect on the evolution of student transportation, his experience with alternative fuels and EVs, the rise...

Let’s sit down with a true trailblazer! In this episode of The Route, BusRight co-founder and CEO Keith Corso shares how the BusRight platform is transforming student transportation with smarter routing, real-time GPS tracking, and seamless communication between drivers, parents, and transportation teams.

But this isn’t just about technology. Corso shares the personal story that inspired BusRight, how a single bus route ...

Kathy Calkins didn’t plan on becoming a transportation director, but her journey from school bus driver to Administrator of the Year is a powerful example of what can happen when someone leads with heart.

In this episode of The Route, Amanda Huggett sits down with our 2026 district transportation award winner from North Clackamas Schools in Oregon. Calkins shares how positive behavior strategies, strong relationships, and a h...

EverDriven is expanding beyond alternative transportation and into school bus routing. In this interview, Greg Jackson shares how the company’s new Consolidated Routing Services division is designed to support transportation teams facing driver shortages, tighter budgets, and increasingly complex student needs.

What you’ll learn in this interview:

• What prompted EverDriven’s move from alternative transportation t...

If you’re a transportation director tired of bidding everything year after year or wondering whether your district is leaving opportunities on the table, we’ve got just the conversation for you.

In this episode of The Route, Amanda Huggett sits down with Andy Campbell and Steph Eckes from Sourcewell to talk about all things cooperative purchasing. We cover how group purchasing power can help school transportation departm...

Just in time for Minnesota’s School Bus Driver Appreciation Day during Love the Bus month, meet one local driver with half a century of experience driving students.

School Bus Fleet editor Amanda Huggett sits down in Princeton, Minnesota, with Connie Duff, a school bus driver who began her career in 1972 and hasn’t looked back since.

From stick-shift buses and no training to today’s rigorous safety standards, Duff s...

School bus safety doesn’t stop at the wheelchair lift or the steps. In this episode of The Route, Amanda Huggett sits down with Brianna Paauwe, product application specialist at AMF Bruns of America and a wheelchair user bringing lived experience to an industry that impacts students every day.

Paauwe breaks down what “good” wheelchair securement looks like from a rider’s point of view, why refresher training ...

This special episode of The Route marks two major milestones: Episode 100 of the show and 70 years of School Bus Fleet serving the student transportation industry.

To celebrate, host Amanda Huggett is joined by three former School Bus Fleet editors — Wes Platt, Nicole Schlosser, and Tom McMahon — for a look back at the moments, people, and issues that shaped the industry, and the publication, over the decades.

From altern...

2025 was a big year for IC Bus, with record production, next-gen tech upgrades, and big moves in electrification. In this new episode of The Route, IC Bus' VP of Sales Ryan Kauffman breaks down what really happened this year… and what’s about to hit the industry in 2026.

Whether you spec buses, manage a fleet, or just want to stay ahead of the curve, this is your insider look at the trends shaping the future of K-12 tra...

Illegal school bus passing remains one of the most persistent and dangerous threats to student safety — but technology is helping to turn the tide. In this interview, School Bus Fleet sits down with Mike Hagan, president of Safe Fleet, to explore how innovative solutions are transforming the way we protect students on and around the bus.

From predictive stop arms and driver alert systems to AI-powered dashcams and partnerships...

School bus drivers aren’t just behind the wheel — they’re often the first line of defense when it comes to keeping students safe. In this episode of The Route, we talk with Jim Levine, CEO of S.T.A.R.T., about how training and preparedness can make all the difference in an active threat or emergency situation.

From scenario-based training to new safety standards, you’ll learn how districts can support drivers...

What happens when a traditional school bus isn’t the best fit for a student’s needs? In this episode of The Route, SBF editor Amanda Huggett sits down with EverDriven CEO Mitch Bowling to discuss the growing role of alternative student transportation.

From serving students with disabilities and housing challenges to tackling driver shortages and out-of-district trips, Bowling explains how smaller vehicles and tech-enable...

The school bus may be the safest form of ground transportation, but that doesn’t mean it’s invincible. When the worst does happen, we’re able to learn from what went wrong and take new actions to prevent similar tragedies down the road.

In this episode of The Route, we sit down with NTSB accident investigator Meg Sweeney to unpack how real crash investigations are driving change. We cover how factors like where we...

Human trafficking may not be the most comfortable subject to talk about, but it’s an important topic to understand. And it can and does happen to students who ride the school bus. Meaning bus drivers who know their riders well may be one of the best people to spot changes and warning signs thatsomeone vulnerable might be in danger.

In this episode of The Route, SBF Executive Editor Amanda chats with two industry individuals hi...

There’s one event every five years that sets the tone for school transportation across the country — the National Congress on School Transportation (NCST). From school bus specifications to special-needs matters, activity buses, and alternative transportation, decisions made here matter.

In this episode of The Route, SBF Executive Editor Amanda Huggett brings you firsthand insights from four industry leaders who attended...

Let’s talk trends in school bus contracting! In this episode of The Route, we reveal a few key takeaways from our recent Contractor Survey. Then, get to know SBF’s 2025 Contractor of the Year, Michael Brown, founder of Michael’s Transportation Service. Learn his fated but unconventional start in the industry, the values of transitioning to an employee-owned business, changes he’s witnessed, experience with e...

Get to know some of the faces behind student transportation in this special episode of The Route. Today, executive editor Amanda Huggett tells the stories of our 12 Trailblazer Award winners. Then, we interview the 2025 Administrator of the Year, Kimberly Jones of Chicago Public Schools. Jones shares about her leadership journey and a typical day in the life, the Chicago Public School transportation model, fleet, and team, how she ...

Get caught up on the latest news in student transportation in the March 2025 edition of The Route. Today, executive editor Amanda Huggett shares top headlines and hot topics in pupil transportation. Then, we’re joined by the executive director of the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), Curt Macysyn, to talk about recent events and thoughts on what’s going on in Washington, D.C. Together, we dig into NSTA&...