Volume 3......November 2025
National School Bus Safety Week -- Oct. 20 - 24
During National School Bus Safety Week, organizations from across the country are joining together, including School Transportation Association of Indiana, Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, the National School Transportation Association, Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing, Blue Bird Corporation and ROUSH CleanTech are joining the nationwide call to remind motorists that stopping for a school bus is not optional—it’s the law and a matter of life and death.
To raise awareness, RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece appears in a new video campaign showing that even professional drivers stop for school buses. In the video, Preece, who drives the No. 60 car, reinforces the message that safety around school buses is everyone’s responsibility—no matter your experience behind the wheel.
This message is especially critical in light of new findings released by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS). Each school day, millions of students across the U.S. depend on the yellow school bus—the safest form of student transportation—to get to and from school. Yet, new data from the NASDPTS reveals that illegal passings of stopped school buses remain a major threat to student safety.
According to NASDPTS’s thirteenth annual National Stop Arm Violation Survey, 114,239 school bus drivers in 36 states and the District of Columbia reported 67,258 vehicles illegally passing their stopped buses in just one day during the 2024–2025 school year. When projected across all U.S. school bus drivers, that’s more than 39.3 million violations per year. Although this marks a decrease from 45.2 million violations in the previous year, the issue remains alarming.
Click here to watch the Video.
The executive director of STAI is Dr. Terry Tippin. Dr. Tippin grew up on an 800 head dairy farm, then, after college he became a teacher, then a principal. During that time he earned his EdS and EdD in School Administration.. From there, he moved into the central office where he served as director of operations, assistant superintendent, and superintendent before retiring after 42 years in public education. After moving to the central office, he earned his CDL and yellow card so that he could better understand and communicate with bus drivers and understand routing. He filled in as bus driver whenever needed. In December 2023, Dr. Tippin became Executive Director of STAI.
Dr. Tippin states: "I came from what I thought was a small school. We had 1,500 students, 32 buses, and drove 1,600 miles a day. One of my initial challenges was that I felt too small to engage with the larger districts, so I hesitated to ask questions early on. That was a personal hurdle I had to overcome. Eventually, I realized that whether you have one bus or a thousand, you still need to route it and find someone to drive it. We all have the same problems."
Click here to see the NAPT Member Spotlight: Terry Tippin, STAI in the June 12 issue of School BusRide Magazine.
FREE Emergency Response Training for Indiana School Bus Drivers
- Want to give your school bus drivers more emergency response preparedness? Joe Rogers, Indiana State School Bus Drivers Association Vice President and Career Firefighter/Paramedic, has developed specialized, FREE trainings for Indiana school transportation personnel. From classroom sessions on medical emergencies and accidents to hands-on practice with fire extinguishers and School Bus Smoke-Out Evacuation Drills, this training is completely free and can be delivered right to your transportation department.
- See the training in action! Watch the "School Bus Smoke Out Training" sample video below. Find more videos on the ISSBDA Facebook Page! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GjGFRfuDF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Reach out to Joe at [email protected] or 317-604-1838 for these training opportunities.
NAPT Annual Conference and Trade Show (ACTS) Set for Oct 31 - Nov 4
NAPT's Annual Conference and Trade Show is set for October 31 - November 4 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is not too late to register and join other STAI members at a national conference. Click here to register.
NAPT ACTS highlights:
- Many positive community-building experiences through endless networking opportunities
- GENERAL SESSIONS:
- Featured Keynote Presentation: FearLESS Inside. Witness Darryl Bellamy, an inspirational keynote speaker who will challenge us to take action amidst fear, change, and uncertainty
- Stories of Resilience: How Student Transportation Professionals Restored Their Operations After Disaster Struck
- Paving the Way Forward: An In-Depth Exploration of the 2025 National Congress on Student Transportation
- BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: The ability to take the Professional Development Series (PDS) exam for the Certified Director of Pupil Transportation (CDPT), Certified Supervisor of Pupil Transportation (CSPT), and Certified Pupil Transportation Specialist (CPTS)
- NEW THIS YEAR:
- Managing Student Behavior: A Three-Part Interactive Learning Experience
- Regional Assemblies
- State Affiliate Competition
- National Award Presentations
- The Second Annual Executive Transportation Forum
- (13) Professional Development Series (PDS) courses
- (20+) Conference workshop offerings
- Important general sessions discussing federal and association updates
- A newly formatted event structure that allows attendees to explore all of Grand Rapids' offerings during the evening hours
- An accessible and easily walkable venue, connected to host hotel via sky bridge
- Our industry-specific trade show, featuring a grand opening reception amongst the business partner community (not on trade show floor), followed by a half-day trade show
- A amazing conference gift
- The opportunity to earn Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) for eligible educational sessions
Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs Conference
Special Needs Training November 6-11, 2025; Embassy Suites, Frisco (Dallas) TX
Enjoy the following TSD Conference benefits:
Hands-on Training Classes: Emergency Evacuations, Wheelchair Securement, and NHSTA Child Passenger Safety Training - 4-Keynotes from Nationally Recognized Industry Leaders
- 2-Dozen Educational Workshops with Industry Experts
- Networking with Peers at Topgolf Welcome Reception
- Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration
- Trade Show & Tailgate Reception: Represent your favorite team, network with supplier partners and enjoy tasty Texas BBQ