CINCINNATI, Aug. 5, 2024 — First Student, the trusted school transportation provider to millions of families, is preparing for its largest school year yet. The company is making strides in student safety, expanding its fleet of clean electric school buses and carrying out the most student transportation trips in North America. This school year, First Student anticipates:
- Completing 1 billion student transportation trips
- Transporting 5.5 million students every school day
- Driving 525 million miles
- Serving more than 19,000 schools
- Operating student transportation services in 43 states
- Employing nearly 50,000 drivers
“The start of school is one of the most exciting times of the year for our team because we get to help students begin their school year on the right foot,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “We are prepared to deliver exceptional service with our largest, safest and most electric school year yet. First Student is proud of our proven, industry-leading solutions in electrification, alternative transportation and fleet management that serve the school districts and families who rely on us for their students. We are driving the future with safety, innovation and unmatched operational excellence, and our goal is ensuring every student receives the best possible ride to and from school.”
First Student is the biggest operator of electric school buses in North America and is working towards its commitment to transitioning 30,000 diesel buses to electric by 2035. The company has been awarded over $400 million in rebates from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program and other programs, enabling it to accelerate its drive to provide healthier and safer rides for students through electrification. This school year, First Student anticipates:
- Deploying 110 new electric school buses in 10 school districts
- Passing 6 million miles driven on electric school buses
- Completing 167,400 trips on 465 electric buses
- Reducing carbon emissions by 12,550 tons
FirstServes, the company’s ground-breaking student behavior improvement and special needs student support program, recently announced that the program is significantly reducing disruptive incidents on school buses by as much as 27% year-over-year. Developed in partnership with leading authorities on child behavior and special education, FirstServes provides structured planning and support to deliver targeted training for driving staff and on-vehicle monitors. First Student has expanded FirstServes as a standalone option to school districts, regardless of whether transportation is contracted or managed in-house.
“By implementing FirstServes across our school districts and offering it to any district in North America, we can significantly reduce behavioral incidents and make bus rides safer than ever,” said First Student Head of Student Services Will McDermott. “We are excited for the 2024-2025 school year because this transformative program will serve more students than ever. We are proud to meet each individual school district’s needs in bridging the gap between the classroom and the school bus, making rides safer and better for everyone on board our buses.”
FirstAlt, First Student’s innovative alternative transportation service, also expects to expand its presence in the upcoming school year. FirstAlt, which allows school districts to operate more efficiently, and ensures the safe and reliable transport of students with unique transportation needs and students experiencing homelessness, will build on these remarkable milestones from last school year:
- 142% increase in school districts serviced
- 1,035% surge in the number of students transported
- 2,068% increase in trips serviced
“FirstAlt is serving more students with special transportation needs than ever before, easing the burden for more parents and school districts while providing reliable, trustworthy transportation,” said First Student Vice President of FirstAlt Gregg Prettyman. “FirstAlt has developed custom technology specifically designed to address the unique challenges of alternative transportation and meets kids where they are, both geographically and with their needs. Districts that utilize FirstAlt are delivering well-trained, professional and caring support to the students who depend on them the most.”
First Student is the most preferred school transportation provider in North America. It is also the only school bus company to offer a full-service K-12 transportation solution that encompasses all student needs and vehicle types. First Student has been delivering these proven, innovative and sustainable transportation options to school districts for more than a century.
About First Student
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 45,000 buses. For more information, visit .
Media Contact
Jen Biddinger
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SOURCE First Student