CONCORD, N.C. — A powerful and emotional session at STN EXPO East highlighted a reality transportation leaders hope to never face: A catastrophic school bus crash, the chaos that follows, and the need to have strong relationships with first responders.
The conference discussion between Tracie Franco, director of transportation for Leander Independent School District in Texas, and STN Editor-in-Chief Ryan Gray centered on real-world lessons from a recent rollover crash and broader strategies for working effectively with first responders. Joshua Hinerman, state director for Tennessee, was scheduled to be on the panel but canceled days earlier after a fatal school bus crash.
“This industry is so predicated on safety training,” Gray said. “But there are so many other forces on the road to contend with.”
Franco recounted Leander ISD’s first day of school crash in August that included 46 students aboard a bus that rolled over twice on a rural road. “When I got there … my heart just dropped,” she said. “You had students on the side of the road … people crying … my driver had blood coming out of his head. It was just chaos.”
Actionable Takeaways for School Districts
The First Responder Coordination Session at STN EXPO East March 29 delivered several practical strategies for transportation leaders:
1. Build relationships with first responders now.
Tracie Franco, director of transportation for Leander ISD in Texas, admitted her department had limited prior coordination with local agencies when a school bus crash occurred in August. “We had really not had any training with the firemen, with EMS, with police,” she said.
Post-crash, the district strengthened partnerships, including donating a retired school bus for emergency training.
2. Train together using realistic simulations.
Hands-on exercises — including smoke-filled buses and timed evacuations — help staff build muscle memory. “You go from panic to action,” Franco explained.
3. Establish clear command structure and communication.
Confusion over who is in charge can slow response efforts. “Have a plan … who’s in charge of the scene, who’s in charge of the students,” Franco advised.
4. Prepare for student accountability challenges.
Tracking students during transport to hospitals proved difficult. “I didn’t know where the students were going,” Franco said, noting the need for better systems to identify and track students during emergencies.
5. Create a “ready bag” for emergencies.
Leander ISD now deploys a kit with essential tools, including student rosters and ID access, power banks, portable printers and communication devices.
6. Plan for reunification and parent communication.
Parents will arrive quickly on-scene, often before systems are in place. “How do they know where to meet? Where reunification happens?” Franco asked.
7. Address emotional and mental health readiness.
Preparation isn’t just operational — it’s psychological.
“Be prepared emotionally,” Franco said. “You’re going to see chaos … hurt students.”
She added that post-incident support is critical for both students and staff.
8. Reinforce seatbelt usage and safety culture.
Only three students on the bus were wearing lap/shoulder seatbelts that are mandated by state law. “They didn’t move,” Franco said of the restrained students during the rollover. The district now enforces a “no seatbelt, no roll” policy and requires parent acknowledgment.
Seven students were transported to hospitals, some via helicopter. Miraculously, there were no fatalities, Franco said, emphasizing that despite years of preparation, the reality of a major crash exposed gaps.
“No matter how much you prepare … we realized we needed to step it up,” she said. “We needed to really train on different areas.”
One of the biggest challenges at the scene was confusion over roles and communication. “You have EMS, fire, police … who’s in charge?” Franco said. “I don’t know who these students are … I don’t know where they’re going.”
Related: NTSB Calls for Seatbelt Polices, Procedures Following Texas School Bus Crash
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First responders immediately took control, conducting triage and transporting injured students, often without time to coordinate with school officials, she recalled. The experience reinforced a key lesson: Relationships and protocols must be established before an emergency.
She noted the importance of FEMA officials and first responders already being stationed nearby following the deadly Guadalupe River flooding that took place on July 4 in immediately directing resources to the school bus crash.
Franco repeatedly warned against assuming “it won’t happen here.”
“Don’t be complacent,” Gray added, referencing recent fatal crashes nationally.
Meanwhile, Franco closed out the session with a reminder about mindset in crisis situations. “We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them,” she said.
The session reinforced that while crashes may be rare, preparedness must be constant and collaborative. From coordinated training with first responders to clear communication plans and emotional readiness, transportation leaders were urged to rethink how they prepare for the unthinkable.
As Franco summarized: “Have a plan … and just train, train, train.”
Article written with assistance of AI.
