The use of AI is revolutionizing many industries and student transportation is among them. While AI can seem like a daunting new technology to implement, industry experts at STN EXPO West will explain exactly how it can be used to improve operations.
Following the STN EXPO West Trade Show on Tuesday, July 14 attendees will spend the afternoon learning how AI can assist them in tackling transportation’s biggest challenges, increasing productivity and be more effective as transportation leaders.
The “Beyond ChatGPT: The AI Revolution in Student Transportation” session will kick off the afternoon with an overview of the evolution of AI and how student transporters are currently using it in their operations.
This session will be moderated by STN Editor in Chief Ryan Gray and feature panelists Rosalyn Vann-Jackson, Richard Jimenez, Timothy Purvis and GP Singh. Vann-Jackson is the executive director of enrollment and student services at Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma as well as the NAPT secretary and Region 4 director. Jimenez serves as the director of transportation at Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in Southern California, and Purvis is the principal consultant at Pupil Transportation Information and a retired director of transportation. Singh is the founder of Bytecurve and a strategic advisor to Transit Technologies after selling his company last year.
What the AI Revolution Means
The panel will discuss what AI currently is and is not, the safeguards that transportation departments and school districts need in place before its use, the training of staff to correctly utilize AI, and more. Much of the conversation to date has been marketing and product related. Yet some student transportation leaders and their staff are utilizing AI more than what vendors are providing for solutions such as routing, cameras and telematics. The panel will discuss the importance of close communication and collaboration with district or organization IT departments in implementing AI as well as developing policies for how and how not to use it.
Following the opening session, attendees will choose between a variety of breakout sessions based on their interest and operational needs, all led by the speakers from the opening session. Each of these discussions will allow for a more exploratory conversation into the individual facets of transportation.
- Using AI Decision-Making in Dispatch
- Using AI Decision-Making for Personnel Productivity
- Using AI Decision-Making in Budgeting
- Using AI Decision-Making in Fleet Management
- Using AI Decision-Making in Risk Mitigation
- AI Decision-Making to Build Master Bell Schedules
Attendees will be able to gain practical takeaways and starter prompts so they can begin to determine how AI can help them in their everyday operations.
Meanwhile, the “Defensive Driving” session on Monday, July 13 will also feature a discussion around the use of AI in safety training, featuring Jackson and Sandy Dillman, CEO of SLD Consultation and a former California and Texas transportation director.
STN EXPO West will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The conference will feature hands-on training classes, educational sessions, a dynamic keynote presentation, and networking opportunities. Register now at stnexpo.com/west.
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