School BUSRide March 2025 | Page 11

DISPATCH when America needs to prioritize domestic manufacturing and sustainability , Endera is leading by example – creating jobs , driving economic growth and providing cost-effective solutions all while advancing American ingenuity .” Endera offers fully customizable ICE and EV shuttles and school buses to achieve best-in-class reliability , safety , and quality , along with a proprietary powertrain that achieves the longest range and fastest charge time available . Endera has coupled this with an in-house fleet management software that features real time insights tailored to the transit sector , which includes a rider app and streamlined service response in one integrated platform . To date , the company has delivered the largest deployment of electric shuttles at a US airport and has been selected as a low-bid vendor for the CalAct contract , the largest state EV bus contract in US history . “ We see both commercial and climate value in Endera ’ s vertically integrated approach because it enables them to respond to customer needs with speed and precision ,” said Tenzin Seldon , founder & managing partner of Pulse Fund . “ By offering a holistic solution , they ’ re not just filling in gaps in the commercial EV market but solving challenges at every level . We ’ re excited to support their next phase of growth and contribute to the broader push for nationwide electrification .” Endera , founded in California in 2019 , made the strategic decision to manufacture in Ohio at its 250,000 square foot production facility , a former Philips plant , tapping into a skilled workforce and helping to revitalize the Rust Belt by creating sustainable , clean-energy jobs . The company has increased its production output 20-fold since acquiring the former Winnebago Metro Titan group in 2021 . and stability , all of which are essential to their development . It ’ s our mission at EverDriven to serve this population and protect them from the long-term effects of chronic absenteeism .” To ensure equitable access to education , school districts need a reliable partner like EverDriven . With flexible trip configurations and carpools , as well as best-in-class technology and the highest safety standards in the industry , EverDriven drives educational outcomes for McKinney-Vento students and school districts .

Vulnerable students thrive with EverDriven ’ s targeted support :

• 80 percent of students ride with the same driver every day , an industry-leading standard

• Flexible pick-up and drop-off locations

• Access to support , social services , meals , and education at school

• The EverDriven VIP app , which offers parents , guardians , and school staff transparency and real-time tracking “ Changes in a student ’ s housing should not affect their ability to get to school , and at EverDriven , we go the extra mile to make sure they can ,” said Bowling . “ We understand the critical role that consistent education plays in shaping a child ’ s future . Our services are designed to combat chronic absenteeism and provide stability in otherwise uncertain circumstances .” When school districts partner with EverDriven , they drive educational outcomes — including improved attendance rates and student test scores — at scale while saving on administrative costs .

EverDriven reports a 167.4 percent increase in the number of McKinney- Vento students served since 2020

EverDriven has reported a 167.4 percent increase in the number of McKinney-Vento students driven since 2020 . The McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defines homeless children and youth as students who lack a fixed , regular , and adequate nighttime residence . This legislation requires school districts to offer transportation to students who are experiencing homelessness or live in unstable housing , even if they ’ re temporarily located outside the district . The increase in McKinney-Vento students served by EverDriven aligns with findings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development , which reports that homelessness continues to soar . The department ’ s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress reveals that the U . S . faces the highest level of homelessness ever recorded . Specifically , the percentage of families with children experiencing homelessness rose by nearly 39 % in just one year , marking the greatest increase on record . This growing percentage of students eligible for McKinney-Vento support often struggle with school attendance given the instability of their day-to-day lives . According to a March 2024 report on The Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness , lack of transportation is one of the key causes of chronic absenteeism . “ Homelessness among students is a national problem , and transportation remains one of the most crucial barriers to education for these students ,” said Mitch Bowling , CEO at EverDriven . “ Reliable transportation ensures that students experiencing homelessness can attend school to access shelter , meals , community , education ,

Glades County School District welcomes new , modernized electric

school buses

Glades County School District ( GCSD ) has introduced 13 industryleading electric school buses to its fleet for the 2024-2025 school year . The new electric school buses will replace more than half of the district ’ s outdated diesel buses — some of which have been in operation for more than 25 years . The district will now benefit from the cleaner , quieter rides and cost savings that electric school buses provide . In addition , all new electric buses offer much-needed air conditioning . Until now , only three buses in the district ’ s fleet provided air conditioning , leaving most students to endure daily rides in the intense Florida heat unabated . Blue Bird Corporation supplied the 13 Type C Vision electricpowered school buses to GCSD . The company ’ s electric school buses generate no emissions and can carry approximately 77 students up to 120 miles on a single charge .

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