ONLINE SPECIAL


SR


REPORTS


Upcoming Industry Discussions on Clean Energy School Buses The STN EXPO West Ride and Drive in Reno, Nevada. The ACT EXPO Conference held April 28-May 1 brings together alternative fuel manufacturers, infrastructure providers and fleet operators. Joe


Annotti, vice president of incentives for ACT Expo producer TRC Companies and its Clean Transportation Solutions division, wrote a blog on the current state of clean energy school buses, amid the new presidential administration, OEMs entering and expanding the market, and how funding incentives may be impacted. Read more at stnonline.com/go/ls.


Former School Bus Monitor Sentenced in Rider’s Death Video shows Fajr Williams secured in her wheelchair while bus monitor Amanda Davila is wearing earbuds and not paying attention. A judge sentenced Amanda Davila to three-years in prison for child endangerment that resulted in the


July 2023 death of 6-year-old Fajr Williams.


Williams was nonverbal with Emanuel syndrome and choked in an incorrectly secured four-point harness. Davila sat a row in front of the girl while wearing earbuds and using social media on her cellphone. Davila could have faced 10-20 years in prison had she also been convicted of aggravated and reckless manslaughter. Read more at stnonline.com/go/ly.


WATCH: Hero Bus Driver and Monitor Save Children from South Carolina House Fire Spartanburg County School District Six school bus monitor Joclyn Johnson, left, and school bus driver Crystal Foster. Quick-thinking by school bus driver Crystal Foster and monitor Joclyn


Johnson saved three children from a house


fire. Watch the full video for a firsthand account of how the duo came upone the fire while on route, stopped and embarked on their search and rescue efforts at stnonline.com/go/lt.


School Bus Seatbelts Making Headlines Again Amid the latest iteration of the federal School Bus Safety Act that calls for “common sense” safety features including the required installation of three-point seatbelts in all school buses (also data recorders, fire suppression systems and firewalls, automatic braking systems, and stability controls), the National Association for Pupil Transportation said it is now aligned with the National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendations that all large school buses have the occupant restraint systems, but with caveats. Read more at stnonline.com/go/lx.


Tennessee Bill Looks to Lower Minimum Age of School Bus Drivers


School buses parked at the Greeneville City Schools transportation facility in Tennessee. The state with the highest minimum age requirement for a school bus driver endorsement is looking to lower it. A Tennessee bill is proposing moving the minimum age from 25 to 21, which aligns with most other states’ requirements. Industry experts and transportation directors in the state weighed in with their thoughts on the reasoning behind the proposed change. Read the article at stnonline.com/go/lv.


Extending Electric School Bus Purchasing Deadline? Electric buses at Bethlehem Central School District in New York. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the mandate for school districts to only purchase electric school buses starting in 2027 may be delayed due to the challenges acquiring and deploying the vehicles by the deadline. All-electric fleets would be required by 2035. Read more at stnonline.com/go/lw.


Web Poll: Have you experienced an increase in illegal school bus passing incidents this school year? Yes 77% No 23% (Out of 118 online survey responses in February)


14 School Transportation News • APRIL 2025


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