Attendees at next month’s Transporting Students with Special Needs and Disabilities (TSD) Conference can participate in a first-ever ride and drive event in Frisco, Texas, that features diesel, electric and propane school buses as well as child safety technology.
Formerly an event held only at the STN EXPO conferences, this year’s TSD Ride and Drive event will allow conference attendees to experience not only riding on the latest school bus models but seeing wheelchair lifts and other technology in action.
As of this report, attendees can sign up to ride the Type A “Achiever” electric school bus manufactured by BYD/RIDE, the new diesel IC Bus Type C CE Series with a wheelchair lift, the Micro Bird Type A G5 electric school bus, and the Blue Bird Type C Vision Propane with a wheelchair lift. IEE Smart Sensing Solutions will also demonstrate its child detection and safety technology that is available in vans.
“The ride and drive adds another dimension to the TSD Conference, allowing our attendees to experience a variety of different technologies and services,” said Tony Corpin, president of STN Media and publisher of School Transportation News.
Meanwhile, related educational sessions at TSD will discuss the benefits and challenges of using clean energy buses and how they can be utilized for making the ride to and from school more comfortable and safer for students with special needs as well as for transportation staff. These sessions are the “Lunch & Learn with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)” session on Nov. 17 and the “Electric School Bus Implications on Special Needs Service” breakout session on Nov. 18.
A networking reception will complement the Ride and Drive event.
Register at tsdconference.com and save with the Early Bird Discount, available through October 13.
