The company will introduce new technology to improve safety, efficiency and communications for the district’s students and families
CINCINNATI – First Student, the proven and trusted leader in school transportation, is proud to partner with the Greater Amsterdam School District (GASD) in New York to provide unmatched care and the safest ride to school to thousands of students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. The company has been awarded a new three-year contract to deliver transportation services and solutions tailored to the unique needs of the district.
First Student will begin by deploying a brand new fleet of 48 buses for GASD. All will be equipped with its award-winning technology platform, HALO™, which will transform the bus-riding experience for the district and their families.
“As we transport thousands of students in the Greater Amsterdam School District, our mission will be to provide them with an exceptional experience, so when they arrive to school, they are ready to achieve their full potential,” said First Student Area General Manager Kyle Manfre. “Our innovative technology will offer peace of mind to parents, giving them visibility into exactly where their child’s bus is located. Bus drivers will have new tools to better manage the journey to and from school, delivering on our value of creating a welcome and trusted place on the bus where students feel comfortable and secure.”
First Student’s industry-leading HALO technology improves safety, efficiency and communication for districts, families and school bus drivers. It includes:
- Bus Tracking: Through the FirstView app and dashboard, families and district staff can track vehicles in real time, allowing data-driven decisions to improve the transportation experience.
- Driver Navigation System: HALO’s bus driver apps guide drivers through every turn, showing them the most efficient route to take, ensuring students arrive to school and home on time.
- Student Behavioral Monitoring: Communications tool for drivers to track conduct on the bus to allow efficient tracking and resolution of issues for the school district.
- Advanced Security and Monitoring: Driver tablets, fleet video systems, and a child check-mate system that helps prevent a student from being left unattended on a bus.
- Driver Scoring and Monitoring: HALO tracks and scores bus driver performance, offering positive recognition and promoting continuous improvement.
- Instant Feedback Channel: Parents and community members can share compliments, complaints and suggestions through web-based communications tool.
First Student is offering employment to current drivers who meet the company’s and GASD’s hiring standards, providing them with increased wages, significant sign-on bonuses and guaranteed hours. In addition, they will receive enhanced training, including First Student’s premier FirstServes™ program. It empowers bus drivers with clinically proven tools and communications guidelines to help ensure students with disabilities arrive to school feeling safe and physically ready to learn.
“We are excited about bringing these advancements to our transportation services,” said Greater Amsterdam School District Superintendent Richard Ruberti. “With First Student’s commitment to safety, technology and driver support, we believe these improvements will greatly benefit our students, families and school community.”
First Student has more than 100 years of experience partnering with school districts to deliver proven student transportation solutions. The company has 65 locations throughout New York that serve over 100 school districts.
About First Student
As North America’s leading school transportation solutions provider, First Student strives to provide unmatched care and the safest ride to school to 5.5 million students daily. With a team of highly trained drivers, the company will complete 1 billion student trips during the 2024-25 school year. First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, scheduling, maintenance, and charter services. Its fleet includes about 45,000 buses.
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