Field notes

Things we’re learning from the curb, the driver’s seat, and the front office.

A short, regular log of how we build NextStop — engineering choices, policy decisions, and what twelve pilot schools have taught us so far.

Close-up of an extended school bus stop arm with red flashing lights against a sky background.

Policy & privacy · May 31, 2026

45 million illegal passes a year: the stop-arm problem nobody can ignore

Drivers illegally pass stopped school buses an estimated 45.2 million times a year. After two years of getting worse, the 2025 numbers finally show a small turn — here's what changed.

By Samuel Vulakh · 8 min read

A row of empty yellow school buses parked in a district lot at dawn.

Field notes

The school bus driver shortage in 2025: where it stands now

There are still 21,200 fewer school bus drivers than there were in 2019. Wages are up, hiring is improving — and 26% of districts are still cutting routes. Here's what the data shows.

Samuel Vulakh · May 31 · 8 min

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Engineering and policy write-ups, plus what we’re shipping next. No marketing fluff.