A Message from the Executive Director

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe summer, and a Happy 4th of July! This past June was an incredibly busy and rewarding month for our association. Seeing so many of you come together to share knowledge, showcase skills, and prioritize student safety is a testament to the dedication of Indiana's school transportation professionals. Thank you to everyone who made our summer events a resounding success!

— Dr. Terry Tippin, Executive Director

2026 Annual Conference & Trade Show

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Fort Wayne from June 23rd to the 25th! The conference was a fantastic opportunity to connect with peers and explore the latest industry innovations with our vendor partners. (Note: Continuing Education Credits for conference attendees are currently being processed and updated.)

2026 STAI Conference Award Winners

We were honored to recognize several outstanding individuals at this year's conference for their dedication to student safety and transportation excellence. Please join me in congratulating our award recipients:

Richard Pea Award: Zach McKinney (Hamilton Southeastern)
Outstanding Service in Pupil Transportation: * Jamie Cookenour (MSD Wayne Twp)
- David Tinkle (Triton Central Schools)
- Mathew Hostetter (Wa-Nee Schools)
STAI Above & Beyond Award: Ashley Nichols (Mt. Vernon, Posey County)

STAI Safety Roadeo & Technician Competitions

Congratulations to all the drivers and technicians who participated in our competitions this year!

Safety Roadeo (Held June 20th at Brownsburg East Middle School) Drivers expertly navigated the course, demonstrating the highest standards of school bus safety. A massive congratulations to this year's champions:

Individual Winners:
- 1st Place: Stephen Ogden (Brownsburg Comm School Corp)
- 2nd Place: Nicole Zigler (First Student)
- 3rd Place: Nick Whitlow (Avon Comm School Corp)
Team Winners:
- 1st Place: Brownsburg (Sean McDonald, Stephen Ogden, Erica Ogden)
- 2nd Place: First Student (Nicole Zigler, Rachelle Winters, Brenda Legg)
- 3rd Place: Avon (Nick Whitlow, Amber Garcia, Tabitha Dyer)

Technician Competition (Held June 18th) Our technicians showcased their incredible diagnostic and mechanical skills. A massive congratulations to this year's champions:

1st Place: Blake Phebus - Tippecanoe
2nd Place: Mark Hopper - MSD Lawrence Twp.
3rd Place: Robert Jones - MSD Lawrence Twp.

Great job to everyone involved, and a special thank you to all of our volunteers and organizers!

Association News & Updates

Happy Retirement, Laura Baker! Please join us in wishing Laura Baker a very happy retirement! We are incredibly grateful for her service and dedication to STAI. With Laura's retirement, we currently have a vacancy for the Region 2 representative position. If you or someone you know is interested in serving, please reach out.

2026-2027 Board Meeting Schedule The dates for the upcoming year's board meetings have been set! Moving forward into the new school year, meetings will be held on the 2nd Thursday of every month, kicking off in September.

Region 8 Meeting Schedule The upcoming meeting schedule for Region 8 has been finalized and is now officially posted on the STAI Calendar.

Quick Links & Reminders

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Thank you for your continued support of STAI and for the vital role you play in safely transporting Indiana’s students each day. We look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events!