(Lunch served)

Location: Frisco ISD – Transportation Stadium

Team registration and a written test required. All participating driver and attendant teams must download and complete the Roadeo Competition Knowledge Test before arriving at the event. Bring a copy of the completed test to turn in on site. Are you passionate about special needs transportation, growing as a professional, and networking with others who do what you do from across the nation? Then form a team and plan to participate in this event! The Roadeo Competition, presented by School Transportation News in partnership with wit. (Women in Transportation.), consists of driver-attendant teams. There is no pre-requisite to participate. All are welcome, whether or not you have participated in another driver-attendant competition in your state or district. The goal of this competition is to help you increase your knowledge of transporting students with special needs. 

Location: Frisco 1

Speakers: Dr. Susan King, Tamara Sheetz & Laura Green-Halley

Description: Discover how collaboration between transportation and special education can transform student outcomes. This engaging session highlights research-based strategies that improve the bus experience for students with disabilities while empowering and retaining drivers. Learn from real-world examples showing measurable results, including a 27% reduction in negative behaviors, and explore practical tools you can apply immediately in your district. Join experts as they share proven approaches to ensure every student arrives at school safe, supported, and ready to learn.

Location: Frisco 2

Speaker: Kemberly Edwards

Description: This workshop is designed to address the growing mental concerns and how these present in school transportation. Participants will gain knowledge and basic interventions to help staff and students stay safe and emotionally regulated during transportation.

Location: Ranger/Sea Biscuit/Traveller

Speaker: Miriam Manary

Description: Research and real-world experience have prompted the evolution of basic safety tenets important to follow when transporting passengers who use wheelchairs. Join us for a discussion of these best practices as well as a review of the rationale behind them. Use of wheelchair tiedowns, occupant restraint systems, adapted equipment securements and postural supports systems will all be addressed in this informative and interactive session.

Location: Frisco 1

Speakers:

• Blue Bird Client representative: Diana Mikleski
• Zonar Client representative: Todd Silverthorn

Description:

Part 1: Case Study on Propane Buses on Special Needs Routes, presented by Township High School District 211 (Illinois) & sponsored by Blue Bird
Director of Transportation Diana Mikelski oversees one of Illinois’ largest school-owned bus fleets, with 163 District 211 buses and 45 vans transporting nearly 9,000 students more than 7,700 miles each school day. Mrs. Mikelski was promoted to her director position in 2017, after serving as assistant to the director of transportation since 2015. Mrs. Mikelski has 32 years of experience in student transportation. She also is certified through the State of Illinois as a driver trainer instructor since 2010.

Part 2: Case Study on Data-Driven Technology, presented by Kettering City Schools & sponsored by Zonar
Zonar Client representative: Todd Silverthorn
Learn how Kettering City Schools improved efficiency, safety, and accountability by integrating GPS tracking, routing, and payroll. Transportation Supervisor Todd Silverthorn shares how the district streamlined operations, reduced fuel costs by $65K, and enhanced communication and special needs transport—all through data-driven decisions and hands-on staff engagement.

Location: Frisco 1

Speaker: Betsey Helfrich

Description: Join school law attorney Betsey Helfrich to examine the ins and outs of maintaining, using, and accessing bus video footage. From handling part requests to review video, the requirements of FERPA, to current case law, this fast-paced presentation will answer your biggest questions and examine best practices for your school and transportation department.

Location: Frisco 2

Moderator: Ryan Gray

Panelists: Keba L. Baldwin, Quanika Q. Dukes-Spruill, & Julie Hrebicek

Description: This session brings together transportation leaders from diverse geographic regions to discuss critical challenges in serving students with disabilities. Participants will explore key issues including driver shortages, training requirements, technology implementation, funding constraints, and behavioral management strategies across different school districts. The session aims to provide a collaborative platform for sharing experiences, innovative solutions and best practices in transporting students with special needs, particularly in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Transportation directors from Maryland, New Jersey and Texas will offer unique perspectives on addressing operational challenges, leveraging technology, and supporting drivers in meeting the complex needs of students with disabilities. Attendees will gain insights into current transportation trends, strategic approaches to workforce development, and practical strategies for improving student transportation services.

Location: Ranger/Sea Biscuit/Traveller

Speaker: Terri Drca

Description: Have you ever faced challenges with students struggling on the bus? Are you interested in strategies to minimize inappropriate or dangerous behaviors by supporting student self-regulation? In this session, we will explore: How various disabilities can impact student behavior; why students may engage in inappropriate behaviors while on the bus, and; what effective strategies you can implement to promote positive behavior. Join us to enhance your understanding and equip yourself with practical tools to support students in this environment.

Location: Frisco 1

Speaker: Jill Metcalfe

Description: This session explores creative ways to teach bus safety to students with diverse disabilities and developmental levels. Participants will consider how underlying needs—such as communication, sensory processing, and mobility—affect safety instruction and hear about a variety of strategies to support learning. The emphasis will be on adaptable ideas and approaches that can be tailored to local contexts and individual student needs.

Location Frisco 2

Speaker: Denise Donaldson

Description: How well do you know the basics of occupant protection? During the project to update the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures, ten passenger safety topics stood out as both very important and widely misunderstood. Join a writing chair for the NSTSP in a review of these topics, including various aspects of properly restraining preschoolers and students with disabilities. Some of these best practice approaches may surprise you!

Location: Ranger/Sea Biscuit/ Traveller

Speaker: Josy Campbell

Description: This session is designed for trainers responsible for preparing school transportation staff who serve students with disabilities. The class will focus on two critical areas: (1) the unique safety and accessibility needs of special needs transportation, and (2) strategies for teaching and engaging adult learners. Participants will explore IDEA requirements, student-specific considerations (medical, behavioral, and accessibility), and how to deliver impactful training that adult professionals will retain and apply. The session will combine legal foundations, best practices, and interactive teaching techniques tailored to the transportation environment.

(Lunch served)

Location: Frisco ISD – Transportation Stadium

Team registration and a written test required.

Presented by WIT. (Women in Transportation.)

All participating driver and attendant teams must download and complete the Roadeo Competition Knowledge Test before arriving to the event. Bring a copy of the completed test to turn in on-site. 

Are you passionate about special needs transportation, growing as a professional, and networking with others who do what you do from across the nation? Then forma team and plan to participate in this event!

The Roadeo Competition, presented by School Transportation News in partnership with wit. (Women in Transportation), consists of driver-attendant teams, and there is no pre-requisite to participate. All are welcome, whether or not you have participated in another driver-attendant competition in your state or district. The goal of this competition is to help you increase your knowledge of special needs transportation. 

Instructors: Denny Coughlin, Launi Harden, Aaron Harris & Diandra Neugent

Location: Frisco ISD Transportation West

Description: Obtain a better understanding of evacuation best practices and know-how to properly and quickly get students of all ages off the bus before they even board. This all-day training will take place at Prosper ISD. Transportation will be provided. It will combine classroom instruction with hands-on practice on real buses. Learn the importance of knowing student information and their individual capabilities, training students and staff, the role of dispatchers, creating seating charts, and developing an evacuation. The hands-on training includes a blanket drag, belt cutting, wheelchairs, and timed evacuation in a bus filled with theater smoke to simulate a fire.

Maximum of 32 participants | Separate registration and fees required

Keynote Speaker: Shelley Rutledge

Location: Frisco 1

Description: Research indicates that people with disabilities are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than their non-disabled peers. Through regular training derived from research, best practices and state and federal statutes, student transporters can keep children safe from being attacked and exploited on school buses and in other vehicles. Join school psychologist and sexual incident response expert Shelley Rutledge to learn how to improve transportation outcomes through fostering an awareness of sexual development and common sexual behaviors that occur on buses and other vehicles.

Lunch reserved for Main Conference Attendees

Speaker: Zach Moren with Cody Cox, Jim Nestico, Josh Schiffler, & Amy Tiedens

Location: Frisco 2

Speakers: Ryan Gray with Cody Cox, Arby Creach, and Teresa Fleming

Location: Frisco 1

Description: Hear from three transportation leaders about how and why they implemented bus monitors/aides across their operations to more effectively provide services to students with disabilities. How have their decisions improved safety and impacted departmental bottom lines?

Speakers: Jessica Keither with Michael Hogains, Steven Mentzer, and Peggy Stone

Location: Frisco 2

Description: Electric school buses are rife with possibilities as well as challenges. For students with special needs, the air quality benefits are obvious. These buses also produce a quieter ride, which can benefit students who have various physical and emotional conditions as well as the bus driver and monitor(s). But range anxiety is especially worrisome for special needs routes that can take longer than other routes as well as require additional equipment that can drain the batteries faster.

Speakers: Terri Drca

Location: Ranger/Sea Biscuit/Traveller

Description: Have you ever wondered what to do when a student struggles on the bus? Have you ever wanted to know how to avoid or minimize inappropriate or dangerous behavior by helping students regulate? In this session, you will learn HOW different disabilities affect students, WHY they might engage in inappropriate behavior on the bus, and WHAT to do about it.

Speakers: Ryan Gray with Alemnesh Allen, Kala Henkensiefken, & Peggy Stone

Location: Frisco 1

Description: Student transporters in Maryland, Minnesota and West Virginia discuss the challenges they face with lengthy student ride time and how they use a variety of tools at their disposal to improve outcomes for the children, their parents and transportation staff. Technology and old-fashioned rolling up of the sleeves play equal roles. Be prepared to share how your operation is dealing with long ride times.

Speakers: Laura Beth Blankenship & Ryan Dillingham

Location: Frisco 2

Description: Transportation stakeholders at Knox County Schools in Knoxville, Tennessee share how teamwork and near-constant communication has led to overcoming a number of perplexing situations when attempting to transport the district’s students with disabilities.

Speakers: Miriam Manary

Location: Ranger/Sea Bisuit/Traveller

Description: Learn the “whys” behind proper use of wheelchair tie-downs and occupant protection systems. This session will give participants insights into the importance of best practice in wheelchair transportation safety and will show crash videos that document the consequences of misuse. The content offers new ways to explain the importance of “doing it right” to colleagues, students and families.

Description: This special networking event takes place on the trade show floor and enables exhibitors to highlight products and services. Exhibitors can connect with attendees in a more relaxed atmosphere, complete with food and drink stations spread out on the trade show floor.