BOSTON, Mass. – First Student Chief Information Officer Sean McCormack recently headlined the Beyond Buzzwords: Real-World Tech Transformations panel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan CIO Symposium in Cambridge, Massachusetts. McCormack leads First Student’s digital strategy, technical operations and innovations. First Student is the largest provider of student transportation in North America and is also a leading technology provider. The company has nearly 500 locations, including 17 in Massachusetts, that support more than 1,200 customers with a fleet of 45,000 buses.
The tech-focused panel at MIT explored how rapid innovation and digital transformation are unlocking new solutions for modern-day information technology challenges. McCormack shared how First Student’s commitment to developing new technologies, including FirstView, the company’s first-of-its-kind bus tracking app for parents, and FirstAlt, its special needs student transportation service, has allowed the company to improve student transportation in school districts across Massachusetts and around the country. All First Student bus routes are driven by GPS, electronic routing software and FOCUS, its operations platform. This technology provides enhanced communication and visibility into a school district’s transportation system.
“First Student’s digital underpinnings are a prime example of how rapid innovation can deliver tangible societal benefits,” McCormack said. “It was a privilege to share what we have learned about blending technology with transportation with so many distinguished information technology leaders. It is my hope that this exchanging of ideas will spur further innovation in ways that benefit our communities and that can fit seamlessly into our lives.”
The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium gathered hundreds of academic leaders, digital technology executives and industry experts from around the world. This year’s theme, The Goldilocks Paradox: Navigating Extremes in Your Digital Strategy, prompted panel participants to discuss the challenges they face in the current digital landscape. Topics included reshaping the future of business, leadership, cybersecurity, innovation, digital enterprise, artificial intelligence and more.
Additional Resources:
Learn more about the MIT CIO Symposium here. Read First Student CIO Sean McCormack’s bio here. See the detailed overview of FirstView and FirstAlt.
About First Student:
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 45,000 buses. For more information, visit firststudentinc.com.
