On Feb. 12 during the National Conference on Education in Phoenix, I walked the trade show floor to get an idea of what transportation or related companies might be on hand.
No less than a dozen organizations were in attendance, showing that some pretty big players in the student transportation industry see superintendents as very powerful, potential allies.
It’s not surprising that First Student and Durham School Services, the nation’s two largest school bus contractors, had exhibit space. The professional organization to which they belong, the National School Transportation Association, also had a booth. Even the third-largest school bus contractor, Student Transportation, Inc., and the sixth-largest contractor, Cook-Illinois Corporation, were represented, even if in an unofficial manner.
Take a look at some others at the Phoenix Convention Center last week: Edulog; Espar Heater Systems; Tyler Technologies/Versatrans; and Zonar Systems are some big players in the industry. Then there was School Training Solutions, formerly known s Safe Transit until earlier this year.
These companies saw enough benefit of being in front of some 15,000 members of the American Association of School Administrators that they sent representatives (and paid for exhibit space) in Phoenix. Superintendents, like any group, can be a fickle bunch in that support services like transportation can be out of sight and out of mind until the economy and resulting budget cuts make them a priority.
Sure, there are plenty of superintendents out there who “just don’t get it” when it comes to ensuring students have a safe, efficient ride to and from school each day. That’s life. But thousands of others understand the importance, including several with whom I spoke.
“Many of my parents have two or three jobs, so they need the school bus to pick up their children. I am afraid I would not have the attendance I have if I did not provide transportation,” said Dr. Joyce Levey, superintendent of Tuscaloosa, Ala., City Schools, which transports 6,000 of its total 10,311 student population. “I’m also bringing them school to have a breakfast.”
