School districts across the country are in the middle of a transformation. With 98% focused on modernizing their transportation programs, leaders are rethinking how to safely and reliably move students—especially those with disabilities, in foster care, or experiencing housing instability.
The stakes are high. For vulnerable student populations, transportation is about equity and safety. Districts need to ensure every child arrives at school calm, ready to learn, and able to focus on their education.
Why Writing an RFP Feels So Complex
Writing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Alternative Student Transportation is no small task. It requires balancing compliance with evolving regulations, ensuring student safety, and managing budgets—all while finding providers who understand the unique needs of your district.
That’s where our new white paper, How to Write an RFP for Alternative Student Transportation, comes in. It shows how to rethink RFPs through a modern, student-centered lens.
A Preview of What You’ll Learn
Here’s a glimpse of what’s inside the guide:
- Shifting regulations: From California’s SB 88 and other new state-level oversight, the compliance landscape for small-capacity vehicles is changing rapidly. Districts need to ensure vendors can demonstrate 100% compliance.
- Growing demand: Nearly half of districts report an increase in McKinney-Vento student populations, and 62% report growth in students with special needs. Your RFP should anticipate these rising numbers.
- Safety above all else: Many district leaders and transportation directors name safety as their top transportation concern—more than scheduling or logistics. That means RFPs should require more than the bare minimum, such as third-party inspections, in-ride monitoring, and consistent driver assignments.
- Technology as the new baseline: Nearly 70% of districts plan to make technology a critical part of their transportation strategy within the next five years. GPS tracking, AI-assisted routing, and parent-facing apps are no longer just “nice to haves”—they’re essential.
Setting the Right Expectations
One of the biggest takeaways from the white paper is this: a strong RFP is about attracting the right partners. Providers should be able to prove their reliability with measurable results—on-time percentages, completion rates, and safety records—not just low prices.
Think of the guide as your playbook for setting those expectations clearly. From outlining your district’s needs, to structuring pricing comparisons, to defining evaluation criteria, it’s designed to help you safeguard both your students and your district.
Download the Full Guide
This blog is only a preview. The full white paper dives deeper into timelines, evaluation rubrics, safety standards, and communication protocols that help ensure your RFP sets the stage for success.
Download the complete resource here
AJ Kamara is a sales leader who has built and led teams across SMB, commercial, and enterprise environments, and who believes that strong culture and strong results are two sides of the same coin. As Regional Sales Director at EverDriven, he leads a team of Account Executives partnering with school districts to ensure every student has safe, reliable access to education. AJ’s career spans individual contributor, management, and director roles across some of the most dynamic companies in the technology and talent space. He has led sales teams focused on HR technology, work management software, and legal talent solutions, developing deep expertise in SMB, mid-market, and commercial selling motions along the way. He is also a recognized voice in the broader leadership and sales community, having been featured in industry publications, spoken at public events, and hosted conversations on entrepreneurship, resilience, and inclusive leadership. What distinguishes AJ as a leader is his approach to the people side of the job. He stays close to the work, partnering on complex deals, shaping methodology, and turning ambiguity into repeatable execution, while investing deeply in the individuals on his team. His goal isn’t just performance today; it’s momentum for what comes next. Outside of work, AJ is grounded by his family, whose influence shapes how he leads and how he shows up for the people around him.
