Transportant Drives Towards Nationwide School Bus Tech Dominance
From the driver’s seat, Martin Staples, CEO of Lenexa-based Transportant, is steering the company toward rapid growth. Their real-time, tech-driven approach is designed to bring greater safety, communication, and efficiency to school buses. The startup is working to expand its reach beyond its Midwest home region.
To fuel this expansion, Transportant is investing heavily, said Staples. “Our goal is to invest in more sales reps and marketing to take our Kansas City success nationwide,” he said. “We already have customers in New Jersey, New York, Washington, and California, but we want better coverage across the U.S.”
To support its growth, the company launched a $1 million funding round, with more than 70 percent already secured from existing investors. Staples emphasized the strategic advantage of starting from the middle of the country in establishing Transportant’s tech upgrade for school buses. Traditional bus safety has relied on outdated systems. Previous advancements primarily utilized hard-drive-based camera systems, which required manual access to footage, Staples explained.
Transportant’s solution includes real-time streaming, GPS tracking, and other tools designed to improve student safety and operational efficiency.
In Kansas alone, the company holds over 35 percent market share. “The product fills a gap the market didn’t have,” Staples said.
“With ours, you get live streaming plus a full suite of tools, GPS, turn-by-turn directions, and ridership tracking, so students don’t get off at the wrong stop,” he added. “The community welcomed that.”
Staples also stressed the value of real-time information: “If something happens, schools need to react immediately. Our system makes that possible.” Transportant’s platform includes a red-alert button for bus drivers, allowing schools to access live video and audio during incidents. A parent app provides real-time updates on their child’s location.
Positive Impact and Customer Feedback
Transportant has already equipped approximately 2,800 school buses and serves more than 300,000 students across the U.S. The company’s technology is having a positive impact on schools. According to customer feedback:
- The parent app has led to up to an 80-percent reduction in parent calls to the school about students riding the bus.
- Schools have reported a 50- to 75-percent reduction in student incidents on the bus.
- Schools also reported a 75- to 100-percent reduction in students getting off at the wrong stop.
The company established a Customer Advisory Board two years ago to ensure its product meets the needs of school districts, Staples said.
Strategic Partnership and Future Expansion
A partnership with RWC Group, initially announced in April 2024, is boosting Transportant’s efforts to expand beyond its Midwest base; bringing its technology to school districts located in Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.
“We have several opportunities taking off,” Staples said. “Litchfield was our first Arizona customer, and because of RWC, we’re expanding into five other states.”
“School districts want to know their investment will last. It’s all about building trust.”
Transportant Solutions
In its commitment to helping districts of all sizes, Transportant recently launched a new consulting service called Transportant Solutions. The service offers small districts, with limited staff, a fractional transportation consultant to manage their system.
“Many small schools, with under 30 buses, have very limited staff,” Staples said. “One person was the superintendent’s assistant and also managed transportation, she had no time. Now, we provide a fractional expert to monitor their system and handle the work.”
“For many districts, transportation is just one of many responsibilities,” Staples said. “We take that burden off their shoulders.”
