The reigning National Special Needs Team Safety Competition champions, Lisa Gadway, transportation director for South Portland, and Gregg McGoff, bus driver for RSU 49, were on hand to encourage drivers who were competing in the State school bus championships and discussed the intricacies of special needs transportation. The Maine State Police safety and law review update on the latest vehicle regulations, safe driving practices, vehicle inspections, driving laws, and the importance of driver attention was on the agenda along with a few competitions. She reminded all about the importance of training as “students’ lives are in transportation professionals’ hands.” That combined with classes on communication and human resources from the National Association for Pupil Transportation, bus planning and routing technology from Transfinder Corporation, and the State school bus purchase program from Maine DOE is what brought transportation directors together to learn the latest on transportation administration from a variety of leading experts. Pupil transportation law expert Peggy Burns delivered case study classes discussing the latest legal issues and resolutions and how to steer clear of liability.

Driver participating in the skills course with tennis balls Connolly’s leadership philosophy that we are all in this together was profound. Superintendent of MSAD 60 Steven Connolly delivered a moving and motivating program entitled You Make A Difference, conveying how everyone in transportation, especially the driver, is important to each child on the bus. Throughout the conference transportation directors, bus drivers, bus mechanics, transportation software specialist, and business managers echoed “this was the best conference ever.” Each year school transportation teams come together to learn from national experts, State agencies and each other. Over 400 school transportation staff throughout Maine attended the 44th Annual School Transportation Safety Conference at Sugarloaf this summer.

Precious cargo transportation