Student Transportation of America Achieves Safer Driving Through Recognition with Netradyne

Company Overview

Student Transportation of America (STA) is one of North America’s leading student transportation providers. With a fleet of 22,000 vehicles and 23,500 employees, STA operates across 24 states, serving 325 school districts, and safely transports over 1.25 million students daily.

Founded in 1997, STA has earned industry recognition including Forbes’ America’s Best Employers 2024 and 2025 and the TIME magazine’s “Best Private Employers” list for 2026. The company combines local expertise with enterprise-scale resources while prioritizing employee support, operational safety, and community investment.

Challenge

STA lacked real-time visibility into driver behavior. Safety managers relied on ride-alongs and citizen complaints to understand what happened on the road, creating an incomplete picture of driver performance.

This challenge became especially apparent during coaching conversations. Without objective data and shared understanding of the scenario, trainers and drivers often disagreed about what had occurred, making it difficult to establish facts, address risky behaviors, and drive meaningful improvement. As Paula Young, Training and Dispatch Manager, explains, before implementing Netradyne, managers often had to rely on being physically present for ride-alongs or citizen complaints to provide concrete driver feedback.

Beyond the visibility gap, STA wanted to move from a reactive approach to safety toward one that proactively supported good driver performance. The organization needed a solution that could reinforce its deep commitment to a culture of safety. The partnership with Netradyne provided objective insights, supported more effective coaching, and encouraged ongoing engagement with safe driving practices.

Solution

STA selected Netradyne because it offered more than incident monitoring and detection. Netradyne's Driver•i system analyzes both safe and unsafe driving behaviors across 100% of drive time, while GreenZone® scores performance by recognizing safe driving alongside opportunities for improvement.

Following the deployment of Netradyne's Fleet Safety Solution, trainers gained immediate access to objective video data. What once required scheduling ride-alongs or secondhand reports could now be reviewed in real time, allowing coaching conversations to be collaborative, fair, and consistent.

Instead of debating the report, managers and drivers reviewed the footage together. As Young explains, when drivers watch the footage together, "they understand and accept feedback." The team discussed the behavior together and focused on any necessary corrective action.

The technology also transformed STA's coaching approach. Rather than concentrating solely on individual behaviors, managers could identify positive trends and recognize strong performance. According to Brian Zielski, Terminal Manager, "Now I'm able to pick out data, look at trends on risk and safety."

That balanced approach changed how drivers engaged with safety. Drivers began monitoring their GreenZone® Scores, asking questions about their performance, and actively looking for ways to improve.

"Just seeing my GreenZone® Score for the first time made me feel great. They do recognize drivers that follow the rules and make sure safety always comes first."  
- Kaleatha Powell, Driver

By creating visibility, accountability, and recognition within the same system, STA transformed coaching into a more collaborative, data-driven process. Managers could now reference objective data in real time, a shift that saved time and created consistency.  

Drivers were no longer passive recipients of feedback; they became active participants in improving their own performance. As driver Kaleatha Powell describes it: "I don't have eyes in the back of my head, but I do have a camera that does." This perspective captures the shift: technology designed to support and extend driver capability, not to surveil.

Results

The impact was evident early in the deployment. By combining continuous visibility, consistent coaching, and positive reinforcement, STA achieved measurable improvements in both safety performance and driver engagement.

With a clear view into driving behaviors, the organization was able to identify and address risky behaviors earlier while reinforcing the safe habits it wanted to sustain across the fleet.

“We’ve recognized and seen improvements in our driver retention within our driver force. Drivers like to be recognized for their high scores.”  
- Matt Braun, Vice President of Operational Excellence

Key Results:

• 58.33% reduction in severe stop sign violations from January to June 2026
• 16% reduction in severe alerts since June 2025
• 928 average GreenZone® Score across the deployed fleet

Next Steps

Encouraged by these results, STA is expanding camera deployment across its fleet while standardizing coaching workflows and recognition programs across locations. The goal is to make recognition-based coaching a consistent operating model throughout the organization.

For transportation leaders evaluating similar initiatives, STA’s experience highlights the importance of balancing accountability with positive reinforcement. As Zielski explains, “I didn’t want to take that action immediately. I wanted to positively reinforce.” That philosophy has helped create stronger engagement, more productive coaching conversations, and improved safety outcomes.