Chris Hane has 25 years of experience in alternative transportation and is the Founder and President of ASTP partner Assisted Student Transportation Services operating in Kansas and Missouri. We sat down with Chris to get his perspective on this ever-changing industry segment, and how Assisted is constantly adapting to meet the needs of the students they serve.
Q: How have your experiences given you a unique perspective on the alternative transportation industry?
A: The past 25 years of my career has been dedicated to building and running a safe, reliable and professional special needs transportation company. Prior to that I actually taught 4th grade for several years and have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education. Alternative student transportation is really focused on meeting the individual needs of each student we transport. It is so satisfying to be able to work with school districts because that is where my career started as a classroom teacher.
Q: In your opinion, what are some common misperceptions school districts have when it comes to outsourcing to an alternative provider?
A: Over the past 20+ years, more and more school districts are outsourcing all or some of their transportation needs to other providers. When it comes to their special needs, McKinney Vento, or alternative program students, however, many districts are simply unaware that there are full-service provider options out there. Many school districts are used to using taxis, brokers, or technology companies, similar to an Uber or Lyft, for alternative transportation.
Our company operates like a traditional school bus company, except we use full-size vans, minivans, and wheelchair accessible vans instead of traditional yellow buses. We own and operate our own vehicles, employ our own drivers and aides, and our vehicles all look the same and have the Assisted logo and phone number on the vehicle. Our drivers are also in uniform and we have safety cameras installed in each vehicle.
Q: What are the three biggest challenges facing alternative student transportation right now?
A: The number one challenge I hear often from many other industry leaders is hiring and retaining enough drivers and aides to keep up with the demand for alternative services. Assisted has very strict hiring and training procedures in place, which we see as essential for safe reliable operations. Those higher standards tend to reduce the number of potential candidates, but it is worth the extra time and resources to develop top tier candidates.
The second biggest challenge is keeping up with the advances in technology. Assisted is constantly evaluating our routing, scheduling, and dispatch software, as well as the safety cameras we have installed in each vehicle. Technology changes so quickly and we must be prepared to adapt, while also being smart about which new technology will bring the most benefit for the cost. But it’s becoming increasingly apparent that if transportation companies do not adapt and adjust to the demands of the markets they serve, they will be left behind.
Lastly, the lack of standardized regulation from state to state is a challenge. As you can imagine, yellow buses have well-established strict regulatory standards that are by-and-large consistent across the US. With alternative transportation being a relatively new industry segment, many states are behind in passing regulatory legislation for operators to adhere to. States are beginning to recognize that alternative options are filling a need, but are all over the place when it comes to setting operating standards, with some using rideshare regulations, and others leaning towards school transportation regulations. At Assisted, we strive to meet the same high standards required by yellow buses, with the only exception being we don’t require our drivers to carry a CDL, as our vehicles are smaller.
Q: Do you see any opportunities for innovation and growth in the industry?
A: As is typically the case, one of the industry’s biggest challenges is also a huge opportunity. There are so many amazing tech companies developing software specifically for the transportation industry. From GPS tracking and text notifications when a student has been picked-up or delivered, to AI-assisted routing and fleet maintenance scheduling tools, to energy-efficient vehicles and so much more, technology has the potential to have a significant impact on transportation companies like ours.
Yes, it can be difficult to keep up with, but it’s also exciting to imagine how the latest technology will help improve every aspect of our business, and ultimately the lives of the students and families we serve. We understand that continuously assessing and improving our technology is vital to maintaining our success and delivering exceptional service to our students, parents, and school districts.
Q: From your perspective, what makes Assisted different from other alternative transportation service companies?
A: Assisted Student Transportation is so different from the typical alternative providers. We employ our own drivers and aides, we own and operate our own vehicles, and we establish our offices inside the boundaries of the school districts we serve. This allows us to be a local transportation provider and provide immediate support through our drivers, aides, dispatchers, supervisors, and support staff.
We are constantly finding new ways to help school districts understand the difference between our company and the traditional taxis, brokers, or technology companies that also operate in this space. We highlight the ‘Assisted Difference’ and help them understand that we are very similar to a school bus company, but we use smaller vehicles to transport smaller groups of students.
Q: In your current role as President of Assisted, what have you identified as priority areas of focus for 2025/26?
A: This year, we are focused on implementing new routing and dispatching software that will allow us to continue to grow. We will also implement new and improved ‘smart cameras’ in our vehicles that will help our drivers improve safety and service.
We opened an office in St. Louis in 2024, and we expect continued growth in new markets throughout the Midwest and beyond, while maintaining our focus on improving the services we provide for our current school district partners. We believe the best is yet to come.
Q: Any final predictions for the next 12 months?
A: At Assisted, the future of Alternative Transportation is a constant topic of conversation around the conference room table. Here are some of our expectations for the industry in the coming months/years:
- We believe school districts will increasingly utilize alternative transportation providers to address the bus driver shortage and meet their transportation needs.
- We believe more states will implement standards for alternative transportation providers and begin to more strictly regulate the TNCs.
- We believe more school districts will switch from TNCs to full-service alternative transportation providers like Assisted Student Transportation.
- We believe more drivers will choose to move over from the gig economy to the security of a full-service company like Assisted Student Transportation.
- We believe school districts will expect alternative transportation providers to implement many of the same student tracking and other technology utilized by yellow bus companies.
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Ready to learn more about how ASTP is driving the future of student transportation? Reach out to us.
American Student Transportation Partners (ASTP) is a national network of reliable student transportation providers, ensuring better access to education through safe, dependable student transportation programs. Exceptional bus operators choose ASTP because of our innovative approach to partnership, as well as the resources we provide to help “future-proof” their operations.
To learn more about partnering with ASTP, contact Nick Tierno, Director of Corporate Development, at [email protected].