Time Well Spent

March 10, 2025

I’m sure you have started to consider attending a school transportation conference or two this year. Many state, regional and national conferences offer school transportation professionals an opportunity to get together to share ideas, network and reconnect with industry partners and friends. I highly recommend you attend conferences for professional development opportunities, too. The information that you can absorb from industry experts and panelists, and share with others, will help you achieve better outcomes for your students and school transportation operations.

“The chance to gain inspiration and motivation from other successful professionals is a big factor in why I attend conferences,” said Jacob Iverson, senior vice president at Landmark Student Transportation. The educational sessions and expertise of the presenters at conferences can help improve your skills and knowledge on school transportation subject matters. What better investment is there to make than in yourself and your team? Conferences often feature keynote speakers, workshops and panel discussions led by experts in various fields of expertise. By attending, individuals can learn about the latest trends and best practices to gain valuable insights that can help them grow both personally and professionally.

In 2025, award winning keynote speakers like Scott Welle and Jon Petz will share their personal stories and experiences, which can be sources of inspiration for STN EXPO attendees. This can help individuals develop a growth mindset and increase their confidence in pursuing their goals. Attending conferences and leadership training programs can offer numerous benefits to individuals and organizations.

Conferences like STN EXPO—with the focused content events Bus Technology Summit, Green Bus Summit and Transportation Director Summit—provide an opportunity to gain knowledge, learn new skills and network with like-minded individuals. Participating in trade shows and networking events can also expose individuals to new technology and enable them to meet new potential business partners.

“I experienced a lot of value connecting with leaders at the STN EXPO [West] in Reno last year, especially at the Transportation Director Summit,” said Teresa Fleming, COO at the School District of Philadelphia and 2023 STN Transportation Director of the Year. “The conversations and connections I made during the sessions, networking events and trade show were invaluable. I plan to attend STN EXPO again this year and send our transportation team, too.”

The ability to network with fellow attendees and crowdsource potential solutions to today’s most pressing challenges is what you should expect to get out of attending a conference. Engaging with trade show exhibitors to connect the dots between operational strategy and the role technology can play is key. Also, you can have fun doing it while catching up with old friends and making new ones.

Conferences provide an opportunity to network with other professionals in our industry. This can be especially valuable for those who are looking to expand their professional circle and make new connections.

Networking can lead to new opportunities, problem-solving ideas, collaboration and partnerships that can benefit both the attendee and the organization or school district they represent.

Last year, we asked STN EXPO attendees, “Why do you attend our conferences?” The top two responses were networking and professional development/educational classes. Networking events and trade shows are also important for people that are looking to expand their professional network and stay updated on the latest trends and technology.

The opportunity to meet with peers, suppliers, school bus dealers and OEMs has a big value for conference attendees. The trade show can also act as a place to conduct market research to find the best products and partners for your school district or organization needs to address key challenges in student behavior, fuel of choice, safety, security, staffing recruitment, driver training and special needs.

I want to personally invite you to register for STN EXPO East in Charlotte, North Carolina, suburb of Concord, March 20-25, or STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, July 11-16. Learn more at stnexpo.com.

Attending conferences and leadership training programs can offer numerous benefits to individuals and organizations. The opportunity is there to gain new
knowledge and skills, network with other professionals, and attain inspiration and motivation from successful speakers. If you are an individual looking to grow professionally, attending conferences and trade shows can be a valuable investment in your future success and time well spent.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the March 2025 issue of School Transportation News.