Zonar Systems and the National School Transportation Association announced that applications are being accepted from school bus contractors for the eighth annual Don Carnahan Memorial Grant that provides the companies with up to $50,000 in smart fleet hardware technology.
School bus contractors must be a current member of NSTA to be eligible.
The grant in Carnahan’s name covers the cost of Zonar’s Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR), high-definition GPS vehicle tracking, Z Pass student tracking, V3 real-time engine and subsystem diagnostic reporting, the Ground Traffic Control web-based software, and Coach, the company’s new in-cab video coaching of drivers.
“We know that NSTA members understand the value of having leading edge solutions to advance student safety and reduce business costs for the schools they serve,” said H. Kevin Mest, senior VP of business development for Zonar. “Our first priority at Zonar has always been the safety of passengers—especially students, which is why I was eager to serve as vice chair of the NSTA Safety & Security Committee this year.”
Related: Zonar and NAPT Showcase Commitment to Pupil Safety with the 2018 Don Carnahan Grant
Zonar added that Mest, as vice chair of the committee, will help oversee the planning and execution of NSTA’s School Bus Driver International Safety Competition, held on July 22 in Philadelphia.
Carnahan was Zonar’s VP of business development when he passed away suddenly on Oct. 3, 2014, while also serving his second term as president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation. Carnahan was also a past-president of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services during his tenure with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington state.
Additionally, Carnahan worked for the former Laidlaw Education Services in 1996 following his retirement from the state.
