CEO Talk with Zonar: The State of Back-to-School Readiness

July 12, 2026

RENO, Nev. – At the 2026 STN EXPO West Conference, a Zonar “CEO Talk” brought together industry leaders to confront the realities of preparing for the 2026-2027 school year.

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Led by Zonar CEO Charles Kriete, who has guided the company for over a year and a half, the session spotlighted Zonar’s enduring role as an innovator in school transportation technology and its deep partnerships with organizations like school bus contractor Student Transportation of America, whose lead electric vehicle performance analyst, Cameron Wood, was named STN’s Innovator of the Year this month, and electric bus manufacturer Ride. Zonar’s active presence at STN EXPO included fresh coffee sponsorships, the Ride and Drive experience, engaging trade show activations, and a welcoming booth offering hands-on product trials.

Kriete’s address, infused with Zonar’s “mile for mile” support and “where the rubber meets the road” philosophy, revealed sobering survey data: only 15 percent of districts feel fully ready for back-to-school, while 85 percent acknowledge moderate or significant gaps. Budget pressures are acute. Sixty percent of districts report flat budgets, 19 percent face outright cuts, and 10 percent have no dedicated technology budget at all in 2026. These constraints are exacerbated by a 57 percent surge in fuel costs, yet 36 percent of districts are not investing in new technology. The top areas for tech investment — routing software, ridership solutions, and driver coaching — are critical, with Kriete emphasizing that technology is the main way to bridge the education access gap.

Central to his talk was what Kriete termed “one picture of readiness,” advocating for integrated platforms that unify data and streamline operations, directly addressing the challenge of “data scattered all over the place.” He illustrated this with stories from the field, including a Pittsburgh district’s struggles and a California transportation director unaware of Zonar’s remote emissions testing. He urged districts to “sweat what you already own,” audit current providers for untapped features, and recognize that the Zonar Bus Suite’s flexibility supports both rural and urban environments. Attendees were invited to “try it for free” via a QR code at the STN EXPO Trade Show booth.

Driver shortage remains student transporters’ top concern, with 77 percent of districts affected, but Kriete highlighted that technology investments can more than double driver retention rates, offering “career progression” and addressing root causes rather than just symptoms.

“It does a lot to make them feel more engaged, more safe, more efficient in their job,” he said. “It increases retention levels extraordinarily, dramatically.”

He reframed the school bus industry’s mission, saying, “we’re not actually in the student transportation business, we’re in the access to education business,” underscoring the imperative to deliver “every kid to school.” Kriete closed by urging attendees to maximize partnerships, audit and leverage existing resources, and embrace innovation.

Written with assistance of AI from a session transcript.