METRO, School Bus Fleet Mark Successful 2025 PTTX & SBFX Events
The Public Transit & Technology Exchange (PTTX) and School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) convened in Scottsdale, Arizona, this year from Sept. 22-24, 2025, as separate but co-located events.
In all, both events drew over 100 industry pros from both pupil and public transportation together for shared networking and Arizona experiences on top of focused industry conversations.
Photo: Tavits Photography
5 min to read
The Public Transit & Technology Exchange (PTTX) and School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) held their events concurrently in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2025.
PTTX and SBFX ran from September 22-24 and were organized as co-located but separate events.
The 2025 gatherings highlighted advancements in public transit and school bus fleets.
*Summarized by AI
The Public Transit & Technology Exchange (PTTX) and School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) convened in Scottsdale, Arizona, this year from Sept. 22-24, 2025, as separate but co-located events, offering attendees the benefits of focused programming alongside expanded opportunities for cross-industry learning, networking, and taking part in one-on-one speed dating-style meetings between buyers and sellers.
Sponsored by METRO and its sister publication, School Bus Fleet, the event was held in the beautiful Scottsdale Resort and Spa. Each conference maintained its own agenda tailored to public transit or school transportation professionals. The shared venue created a unique environment that allowed many suppliers to meet with end-users across multiple bus transportation industries.
Lippold, recognized for his leadership during the 2000 terrorist attack on the Navy destroyer, shared lessons from his personal experience and his “Pillars of Leadership” framework.
His address on crisis management, organizational integrity, and leading through uncertainty resonated deeply with audiences across both sectors, offering timely insights for leaders navigating today’s evolving mobility landscape.
“You have to remember, invest in leadership,” he advised attendees. “First and foremost is the investment you choose to make in yourself. You will be that natural leader because you develop that arc to be able to do it. These are the key tenants that I found truly paid dividends during those defining moments.”
Key takeaways of Commander Lippold’s talk included establishing leadership, providing a clear vision of what’s expected both day-to-day and in the event of a crisis, and having the flexibility to adapt plans during execution by building trust throughout your entire organization.
Ad Loading...
After the keynote, both conference’s attendees gathered downstairs in the courtyard for Cigars & Cordials over relaxing jazz music to wind down, meet Commander Lippold, and mingle with each other.
Both events offered networking opportunities, educational sessions, and one-on-one meetings that brought buyers and sellers together.
Photo: Tavits Photography
PTTX Focuses on Innovation, Success, and More
In addition to group and one-on-one meetings between buyers and sellers, PTTX also featured several learning sessions, including three hosted by Ehren Bingaman, managing principal of TransPro Consulting.
Bingaman’s interactive sessions discussed reshaping the narrative of success away from metrics like ridership and on-time performance by focusing instead on community value and customer satisfaction.
Special guests participating in Bingaman’s talks included Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) President/CEO Monica Téllez-Fowler, who discussed her journey in the public transit industry and how COTA is achieving success by anticipating and addressing expected population growth in the region.
In separate sessions, Bingaman was also joined by Jameson Auten, CEO of Eugene, Oregon’s Lane Transit District, and Heather Dalmolin, GM/CEO at Flagstaff, Arizona’s Mountain Line.
Ad Loading...
Additional sessions included The Bus Coalition’s Jayson White, who talked about his group, as well as the state of current and future federal funding opportunities for transit agencies around the nation, and a lively discussion on heavy-duty transit bus manufacturing with Dan Trujillo, VP, sales, at ENC, and Mark Hollenbeck, business development manager for Complete Coach Works.
During the event, METRO also recognized its 2025 Innovative Solutions Award winners, who were honored in categories including paratransit, mobility, technology, and more. Many suppliers and their end-users were present to formally accept their awards.
METRO also announced the launch of its new award to honor long-time METRO and SBF Publisher Frank Di Giacomo.
Dubbed the Frank Di Giacomo Leadership Award, the award will recognize an individual whose vision, dedication, and leadership have made a lasting impact on the public transit industry. Honorees will embody the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and service that Di Giacomo championed throughout his career, elevating the role of buses as essential connectors in communities across North America.
Look for more information soon.
Ad Loading...
SBFX Celebrates Industry Excellence, Efficiency & Connections
Over on SBFX’s side, when attendees weren’t in supplier host meetings or one-on-ones, they gathered to celebrate each other, discuss hot trends and topics, and learn and grow together.
Molly McGee Hewitt, executive director and CEO of NAPT, encouraged attendees to value their own expertise and resilience. “You are all more than enough,” she said, reminding that transportation teams need to toot their own horn.
Transportation Director Chris McLeod of Henry County Schools took the stage to share how cultivating accountability can improve team retention and performance. In his district, setting clear expectations and frequent check-ins improved on-time performance by 10% and reclaimed valuable staff hours.
Panels and peer discussions brought additional perspectives. Members of SBF’s editorial advisory board joined Trailblazer Latisha McIntyre Johnson to talk candidly about driver shortages, workplace culture, and student behavior. One Ohio director in the audience explained how cutting driver training time from 12 months to six weeks — and something as simple as buying drivers warm jackets — boosted morale. As Alex Spann noted, “Small acts like that show drivers are being heard, which is the most important part.”
SBFX 2025 also served as the stage for School Bus Fleet’s annual awards. We honored winners across several categories, including Contractor of the Year Michael Brown, Administrator of the Year Kimberly Jones, Trailblazers, and Photo of the Year. The most poignant moment came when Jackie Wilkerson Brown of Dean Transportation was named the first-ever School Bus Driver Hero Award recipient. With humor and tears, she expressed her gratitude and love for the industry as colleagues and sponsor AngelTrax stood proudly by her side.
Ad Loading...
SBFX honored the inaugural School Bus Driver Hero award recipient, sponsored by AngelTrax, naming Jackie Wilkerson Brown of Dean Transportation, the 2025 winner.
Photo: Tavits Photography
See You Again Soon
Whether attendees represented students being transported to or from school, or the general public navigating their city, both groups had a great time sharing this special experience together.
From all of us at METRO, School Bus Fleet, and Bobit Business Media, we would like to thank all our attendees and sponsors for making this event possible. We’re truly grateful for your commitment to professional development and openness to connecting with your peers and solutions providers.
Stay tuned for details about future events!
Quick Answers
The PTTX (Public Transit & Technology Exchange) and SBFX (School Bus Fleet ConneX) are events focused on public transit technology and school bus fleet management, respectively.
The events were held in Scottsdale, Arizona, from September 22-24, 2025.
Yes, the PTTX and SBFX were separate events but were co-located, meaning they occurred at the same location.
Attendees can expect networking opportunities, industry insights, and the latest in public transit and school bus fleet technology.
These events are crucial for sharing advancements, discussing industry challenges, and fostering collaboration among professionals in public transit and school bus fleet management.
The visit is part of the SF Fed's ongoing engagement with major employers and industries across Southern California and, more broadly, the western U.S. to better understand regional economic conditions and business outlooks.
Advances in data and analytics are giving transit agencies new opportunities to refine maintenance practices, improve efficiency and make more informed decisions about asset performance.
Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.
In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.
The new network reflects extensive input from riders and the community through Reimagine DART on what matters most in public transit — and those priorities are reflected in the changes ahead.
While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.
Coalition leaders outline priorities for preserving bus funding, maintaining competitive grants, and ensuring flexibility for transit agencies nationwide.
