Recently, we had the chance to sit down with ASTP’s Chief Operating Officer, Phil Eades. Since joining ASTP, Phil has drawn on more than 30 years in transportation and logistics to strengthen operations, build high-performing teams, improve processes, and create greater consistency across the organization. 

In this Q&A, we asked Phil to share his perspective on what operational excellence looks like at ASTP, from safety and technology to route reliability, leadership development, and preserving the local strengths of the companies that join our network. 

Q: When a school district asks why they should trust us with their kids, what’s the answer from an operational perspective? What do we actually do differently? 

One thing that all companies and people in this business share is the desire to operate with safety top of mind. What makes us somewhat unique is that we have driver hiring and training standards that exceed the minimum state requirements. We also have our new drivers sign a “child check pledge” that reinforces our position of putting safety first and furthers our zero-tolerance stance when it comes to leaving children unattended. We also continually challenge ourselves to maintain a hyper-local and community-centered focus with our customers and districts.  

Q: Before a single bus shows up on day one of a new contract, what pre-preparation happens that families never see but is so important to the success of the route? 

A tremendous amount of prep work goes into starting up a new contract. The most important piece that impacts our ability to properly execute routes is what we call a “dry run.”  We make sure our drivers (especially new ones) drive the routes with the same equipment they will use with students and perform turn by turn and stops exactly as planned, several times before the first day of school. This ensures that any concerns with stop locations, visibility, safety, etc., can all be addressed beforehand in partnership with our school districts.  

Q: We are a company that grows by bringing independent operators into our network. How do we protect what made those operators great while moving the company forward?  

When we engage in the M+A process with an independent operator, we approach every potential transaction with a great respect for their company history, their employees, customer relationships, and their relevance in the communities where they operate. We pride ourselves on being collaborative and transparent during the sale process, and we also go to great lengths to ensure a warm employee and customer hand-off between these legacy operators and our new operating company. 

Q: Can you explain what operational excellence means in our industry?  

Operational excellence in student transportation is an ongoing journey that requires companies to continuously adapt, innovate, and optimize in order to stay competitive in delivering exceptional services to their customers.  It’s not easy to do, but it is something we strive for every day, in every decision we make.  

Q: What role does technology play in running an operation in today’s market? 

Technology has become one of the main drivers of change in today’s student transportation market. School districts, transportation providers, and parents increasingly rely on digital tools to improve safety, efficiency, communication, and cost management. 

Q: Since you’ve been at ASTP, what’s a problem that used to keep you up at night in operations that you have since solved, and how did you get your team on board with it? 

Route coverage–plain and simple. In short, making sure that we don’t leave any children at bus stops because we are short on drivers. We have made recruiting and hiring locally one of our core competencies, adding recruiters and onboarding specialists as we have grown. 

Q: How do you build a culture where safety and compliance don’t feel like rules passed down but are actually a part of the fabric of the company? 

Building a culture where safety and compliance become part of the company’s identity requires that employees see safety as a shared value that supports their work, rather than as a set of rules or initiatives that come from the top down. Some of the elements necessary to make this happen include leaders modeling the desired behavior, utilizing positive recognition to support safe practices in the workplace, engaging, empowering, and informing employees (i.e., communicating “the why”), and using data to drive improvement. 

Q: How do you develop and support the operations leaders running the day-to-day in each market?  

We understand that success in any good service business is dependent on having strong front-line leaders. We invest in annual leadership training for our managers, as well as providing them with focused management objectives, tied to location and regional performance. This is a challenging business, and when we identify top talent, we make sure that we are implementing individual development plans to support professional growth. 

Q: In your opinion, what makes a good ops leader? 

A strong operations leader in student transportation combines industry-related experience with a deep focus on safety, people, and service. Unlike many operations roles, success isn’t measured only by efficiency; it also depends on reliably transporting students while maintaining trust with families, schools, drivers, and the community. 

Q: Do you have a story you can share that is an example of the culture we are building at our locations?   

One of our Krise team members worked for the bus company that had a previous contract in one of our districts. At first, she was determined that Krise could never live up to the standards of her former employer and went to great lengths to oppose the switch. Krise won the contract, and she came on as a bus driver and eventually was promoted to Assistant Student Transportation Operations Manager.

When we asked her recently about her views on Krise, she stated, “Krise cares about all the things that matter to the community and is a great company to work for at the end of the day. I have had more opportunities here that I never would have seen working for my last company.” Krise earned her trust by daily demonstrating the operational excellence, commitment to the community, and culture of support that its teams have worked hard to build over the years.  

These kinds of stories are common across ASTP’s partner organizations, and I’m proud to continue the legacy of operational excellence and dependable service that has earned them such strong reputations in their communities. 

Contact Us  

American Student Transportation Partners  is a national network of trusted transportation operators ensuring access to education through safe, reliable 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.  

Contact  ASTP  today to learn how we can support your school district’s transportation needs.