When Your Transportation Program Needs More Support: How St. Landry Parish Strengthened Reliable and Efficient Operations While Keeping Full District Control

St. Landry Parish School Board set out to make its transportation program more reliable, more efficient, and better able to support the students who depend on it every day. With rising maintenance costs, an aging fleet, and increasing operational demands, Superintendent Milton Batiste knew the district needed additional support while still keeping full control of its transportation operations.
In this hour-long conversation, Superintendent Batiste and Edmund Dixon, Director of First Services Development at First Student, will share how the district strengthened its fleet and improved daily service through a thoughtful partnership built around district leadership. They will discuss why St. Landry Parish chose First Services to modernize parts of its fleet through leasing, stabilize costs with Maintenance as a Service, and improve route efficiency with professional routing support. They will also explore how these changes helped the district create more predictable budgeting, reduce strain on staff, and deliver a safer, more dependable experience for students and families.
Participants will hear honest insight into the decision-making process, what outcomes mattered most to the district, and how St. Landry Parish preserved full operational control while gaining the support needed to build a more reliable and efficient transportation program. This session is designed for superintendents, CFOs, Treasurers, etc. who want to strengthen their transportation systems in ways that protect students, support staff, and align with their vision for the district.
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February 3, 2026 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)