Full service student transportation
Home-to-school bus transportation for all student types.
CONTACT USBenefits of outsourcing your student transportation
The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) reports that contracting student transportation saves districts an average of up to 30 percent, allowing them to return time, energy, and resources to the classroom.
When you contract your school transportation services and partner with First Student, you get:
- Higher safety standards and enhanced efficiencies
- Transportation for students with disabilities
- HALO™, our leading proprietary technology platform
- Additional earning opportunities for bus drivers
- Advanced reporting tools with more visibility
- Highly trained maintenance professionals
- Professional development and paid bus driver training
- Upgraded fleet without the capital investment
- Inclusive transportation for your youngest passengers
- A committed partnership
Learn more about us
Bus driver recruitment
The first step in providing best-in-class student transportation: hiring the best. We seek drivers who share our commitment to caring for our students and local communities. It’s why we frequently recruit veterans, retirees, spouses of active military personnel, and stay-at-home parents.
Through our comprehensive driver training program, we equip school bus drivers with the tools to address issues such as:
- Safety and security
- Injury prevention
- Behavior management
- Specialized equipment procedures
Special needs training for bus transportation
Our special needs training program, First Serves™, was developed with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the top children’s hospital in the U.S.
This research-based, student-centric training equips your team to address issues including:
- Student behavior management
- Specialty equipment
- Evacuations in the event of an emergency
- Any laws and liabilities
Fleet maintenance services
Advanced technology, industry-best training, and our relationships with equipment manufacturers allow us to maintain a program built for school bus safety, continuous improvement, and solutions that ensure reliable transportation.
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Routine maintenance
School bus vehicle inspections and repair schedules address issues before they happen.
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Advanced technology
Predictive analytics, live technician support, and parts management systems work together.
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Highly skilled workers
ASE Certified technicians and incentive programs encourage professional development.
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Cost savings
Purchasing power, efficiencies, and procedures drastically reduce bus maintenance costs.
Improving service and reducing costs
VIEW CASE STUDY
Routing
For over 30 years, our dedicated routing team has worked with our school district partners to transition system-developed route schemes into efficient on-the-road operations. The team supports districts throughout North America, leveraging their vast experience and using tools like Edulog, Versatrans, Transfinder, and BusPlanner alongside our proprietary HALO technology platform.
From elementary school to high school, our team specializes in:
- Turnkey routing services
- Route optimization and analysis
- System maintenance and technical updates
- Scenario modeling and consulting
Early childhood services
Getting to and from school or daycare can create anxiety for younger children and their parents. First Student delivers inclusive, safe, and reliable transportation for your youngest passengers, focusing on:
- Driver training
- Safety concerns
- Proper bus behavior
- Each child’s individual needs