Company recognized for work on the forefront
of information technology, exemplified by the development of
FirstAlt
CINCINNATI, Aug. 19,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Student, the trusted
school transportation provider to millions of families, was named
the winner of the Technology Strategy Impact Award for North America by Forrester, one of the most
influential research and advisory firms in the technology space.
The award honors IT organizations that excel in aligning their
strategies with business goals, proving adaptability and building
trust through security and resilience.
"At First Student, we pride ourselves on our ability to
integrate our long history as proven school transportation
providers with cutting-edge technology that enhances the bus-riding
experience for students and parents across North America," said First Student CEO and
President John Kenning. "We are
honored by this recognition by Forrester. We are proud to provide
industry-leading advancements, which are helping to deliver
unmatched care to students, ensuring that when they arrive to
school they are ready to achieve their full
potential."
"This award makes clear the important role we can play in
infusing technology into transportation. Our embrace of innovation,
including school bus electrification, parent communications, apps,
driver tools and training, and service offerings, has created the
only comprehensive K-12 student transportation offering in the
industry," said First Student CIO Sean McCormack. "We keep
expanding the possibilities for safe, clean and reliable
transportation. We thank Forrester for recognizing our efforts on
behalf of students and their families."
First Student's application highlighted the creation and launch
of FirstAlt. FirstAlt provides districts with a safe and reliable
transportation option for students with special needs, students
experiencing homelessness, out of district students and hard to
serve trips. FirstAlt utilizes a fleet of small capacity vehicles
from existing local transportation companies. The sedans, SUVs,
minivans and wheelchair vans are expertly operated and maintained,
giving school districts flexibility in their transportation
program, reducing costs and freeing up resources for
higher-capacity trips.
FirstAlt is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge
technology to enhance safety and efficiency. The program utilizes
custom software for alternative transportation that provides
end-to-end ride visibility, allowing for the safest ride experience
for students, their families and school districts. FirstAlt
exemplifies the innovation that First Student invests in across its
transportation offerings.
First Student has also successfully deployed more than 360
electric buses across North
America in pursuit of its goal to transition 30,000 diesel
vehicles to electric by 2035. The electric buses rolled out to date
have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 4,935 tons. Accelerating
the company's efforts is $488 million
in federal, state and utility funding that will electrify over
1,400 buses in 74 school districts.
"We are committed to driving the future of school transportation
through significant investments in digital technology," said
Neha Jatar, managing director at EQT
Group. "First Student's innovative initiatives are addressing the
needs of school districts and families. We are changing the way we
get students to school, making each ride safer with technology, and
we will never stop innovating."
First Student will share the company's success story at the
Forrester Technology & Innovation Summit North America, taking
place in Austin, Texas, and
digitally, September 9–12, 2024.
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 44,500 buses. For more
information, visit firststudentinc.com.
CONTACT
Jen
Biddinger
513.362.4600
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SOURCE First Student