The 18th National Congress on School Transportation (NCST) is scheduled for May 4-6, 2029, in St. Louis, Missouri, four years following industry deliberations last spring.
The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) shared in an email Monday that results from a survey of the 2025 NCST held in Des Moines, Iowa, indicated interest in changing the Congress location as well as shortening the time between events to four years. The first NCST was first held in 1939 and then twice in the 1940s, three times in the 1950s and once each in the 1960s and 1970s before going to every five years between meetings starting in 1980. NCST was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
NASDPTS also announced the steering committee members for the 18th NCST.
Mike Bullman, the state director of South Carolina and NASDPS regional director south, serves as steering committee chair, and Lt. Brian Rue, director of the office of pupil transportation safety at the Minnesota State Patrol is vice chair. NASDPTS president-elect Tyler Bryan, Delaware’s state director, is the on-site chair and technology coordinator.
Other committee members include: Mike LaRocco, Indiana state director and a NASDPTs past-president; Keith Henry, a National Association of Pupil Transportation –past-president and current executive director of the Missouri Association for Pupil Transportation; NAPT President Keith Kaup, director of transportation for Pearland Independent School District in Texas; National School Transportation Association past-president Dan Kobussen and Curt Macysyn, executive director, join the committee along with Lydell Banks, safety manager, and Laura Greene-Halley, senior director of student services for First Student and representatives of the National Safety Council.
NCST Writing Committee Members Sought
In preparation for the next NCST, NASDPTS wrote that writing committees will need to be formed on the following committees: The Vehicle Specifications Committee, which includes School Bus Specifications, Specially Equipped School Buses, School Bus Inspections, Emerging Technologies and Alternative Fuels; the Operational Procedure Committee, which includes General Operations, Transportation for Students with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs, Infants, Toddlers, and Pre-Schooler Operations, School Transportation Security and Emergency Preparedness, Activity Bus Operations, and Alternative Transportation; and the Special Committees, which include Terms and Definitions, Resolutions and Appendices.
Related: NASDPTS Weber Provides EXPO Attendees with Updates from NCST
Related: 2025 National School Transportation Specs, Procedures Manual Released
Related: National Congress Finishes Early After 10-Year Hiatus
Related: NHTSA Rulemaking at Heart of NCST Resolutions Focused on Safety
NASDPTS noted that per the NCST Manual of Operations, the steering committee shall select the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the writing committees via an application process.
“To the extent possible, the individual(s) selected to serve as chair(s) of writing committees shall be neutral in the discussion of proposed revisions or additions to the NCST publication,” NASDPTS wrote. “Their goal as writing committee chair is to reach a consensus vote among committee members on each issue and/or proposal. As part of this process, the Chair shall ensure undue influence on the committee’s work by industry partners and therefore, Chairs and Vice Chairs may not be consultants.”
Apply online to be a writing committee chair or vice chair by April 30.
