The student transportation driver shortage is not news, and the 2026 data confirms it is still top of mind for fleet managers. 75% of transportation professionals rank driver availability as their top concern heading into fall, holding across every fleet size and operation type.
On July 30, Zonar and School Transportation News bring together a panel of experts for a live look at where the industry stands and how purpose-built technology supports teams running short-staffed. Walk away with data, context and practical steps your operation takes into the 2026-27 school year.
What we’ll cover:
- Why 75% of transportation professionals rank driver availability as their top concern, and what the long-term data says about where this is headed
- Why only 15% of districts say all systems are confirmed for fall, and what the preparation gap costs on day one
- How flat budgets buy less in 2026 than they did in 2025, and where the 64% of districts investing in technology are putting their money
- How fleet tech can be an ally in this fight: one unified system, end-to-end safety, proven hardware and everything included at no extra cost
- Practical steps for transportation leaders on where to focus technology investment heading into the 2026-27 school year
REGISTER BELOW:
Featured speakers:
Rick Dunn
VP of Customer Engagement
Zonar
Rick Dunn is VP of Customer Engagement at Zonar, where he works closely with fleet operators to understand the challenges shaping their day-to-day operations. He brings nearly five years of telematics experience across GPS Trackit and Zonar, paired with 18 years in B2B and consumer telecom which gives him a rare vantage point on how technology adoption plays out on the front lines of an industry. In this session, Rick draws on conversations with customers across the fleet space to unpack the driver shortage.
Valeria Rios
Product Marketing Manager
Zonar
With seven years in the industry across support and marketing, Valeria translates product capabilities into real-world value for fleet operators. She built her foundation leading customer support teams through complex technical and operational issues, gaining first-hand insight into how fleets actually use Zonar products day to day. Now she works across product, engineering and regional leadership teams to guide platform initiatives, drive adoption and keep operations aligned..
