NAPT Gives New Life to Love the Bus Month

March 4, 2024

Olga Vazquez, transportation specialist at Orange County Public Schools in Florida said her district "celebrates its drivers, monitors, fleet and office staff Love the Bus Month with special events such as Love the Bus luncheons to show our appreciation to our employees."

A National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) spokesperson told School Transportation News that the organization now owns the rights to the annual Love the Bus national celebrations after the American School Bus Council (ASBC) was dissolved last year.

ASBC was dissolved by mutual agreement and the remaining members granted all rights to Love the Bus as well as the National School Bus Safety Poster Competition to NAPT.

Love the Bus has been an ongoing national celebration to honor school bus drivers since 2007. NAPT celebrated it this year with much enthusiasm.

Every February for the last 17 years, the month-long celebration has honored the advantages of yellow school bus travel as well as the professionals who operate the vehicles.

It began as an ASBC program in started in 2006 by members NAPT, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation, and the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), with support from school bus manufacturers Blue Bird, IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses. Last year, ASBC quietly disbanded.

Last month, NAPT held two webinars that shared innovative and informative ways to bring positive public attention to pupil transportation and creating your campaign. Both webinars can be found here.

NAPT created a new digital resource toolkit and guide that different school districts across the U.S. can use to celebrate Love the Bus Month.

Meanwhile, NSTA Executive Director Curt Macysyn told STN that NSTA now owns and hosts the informational SchoolBusFacts.com website.