Investing in the People Who Move Oklahoma Forward
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Cooler mornings, shorter days, Halloween around the corner, and somehow the end of the year is already coming into view. October is one of those months when familiar routines meet a season full of change. It’s a good time to stay focused on safety, look ahead to what’s next, and recognize the people whose work makes a difference every day.
In this month’s Highlights, we’re sharing a timely Halloween safety reminder, resources for keeping school bus drivers focused as the school year settles in, and ideas for strengthening your driver pipeline for 2027. We’re also taking a moment to recognize the people behind stronger communities.
When you’re ready for a break from work, this month’s interesting story introduces a tiny organism that can survive temperatures in excess of 158°F. Apparently, some things really can take the heat, while I’m absolutely ready for autumn.
For a safe and successful October,
Patrick

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Halloween Safety: Be Seen. Be Safe.Halloween means more children near roadways, often after dark. Drivers should slow down, eliminate distractions, and watch carefully for trick-or-treaters, especially around intersections and parked vehicles. Families can help by choosing visible costumes, using reflective materials or lights, and reminding children to use sidewalks and look both ways before crossing. School Training Solutions wishes everyone a safe and happy Halloween!
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Keeping Focus Strong on Every RouteBy October, familiar routes can feel routine, but changing daylight, weather, and student behavior can introduce new challenges. Smart Horizons offers 15.5 hours of online School Bus Driver In-Service Training across 11 essential topics, helping drivers reinforce safe driving, student management, route awareness, and other critical skills. |
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Join the Relaunched OKAPT CARE NetworkOKAPT is rebuilding the directory to ensure participant information is current and accurate. Participation is voluntary and helps build a stronger, better-connected transportation community across Oklahoma. Building on Oklahoma’s long tradition of transportation departments helping one another, the CARE Network provides a centralized directory of organizations willing to share assistance, resources, expertise, and support during unforeseen challenges. |
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Build a Stronger Driver Pipeline for 2027Planning for 2027? Make ELDT theory a clear next step in your driver onboarding process. As an FMCSA-approved Training Provider, Smart Horizons provides flexible online ELDT theory training, tracks completion, and reports completed training to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. |
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School Bus Safety: Help Stop Illegal PassingMotorists who illegally pass stopped school buses place students at serious risk while they are boarding or leaving the bus. As students return to school, increased traffic makes it especially important for drivers to remain alert and recognize school bus warning signals. Because stopping requirements vary by state and roadway, every motorist should understand the laws where they drive. Help raise awareness and protect students by sharing our free state-by-state guide to school bus stopping laws. |
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Interesting: Tenacious hot springs amoeba sets heat-tolerance recordIn a Lassen Volcanic National Park hot spring, scientists have discovered a microbe that can survive in extreme temperatures. The discovery identifies one of the toughest organisms found on Earth. |
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The People Behind Stronger CommunitiesEvery day, communities rely on early childhood educators, transportation professionals, and public safety personnel to help people learn, travel, and stay safe. Smart Horizons provides practical online training and professional development to support the people communities count on. |
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Back-to-school season is here, bringing renewed attention to student safety, transportation operations, and the challenges that come with getting students where they need to go. This month, we’re sharing resources and ideas to help transportation professionals start the new school year informed and prepared.
In this edition of STS Highlights, learn how you can help combat illegal school bus passing, explore the growing “bike bus” movement, and find out how the relaunched OKAPT CARE Network is strengthening connections across Oklahoma. We’re also highlighting Passenger Endorsement ELDT theory training, custom courseware development, and the NexPort Campus learning management platform.
And because not everything has to be about transportation or training, we found something completely different: squid that can fly in formation. Yes, really.
Stay safe, stay informed, and have a great school year!
Patrick

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We Don’t Just Deliver Training—We Build It With YouAt Smart Horizons, we are your dedicated courseware development partner. Our experienced instructional designers and media professionals work hand-in-hand with subject matter experts to create custom, high-impact training solutions that fit your goals, timeline, and budget. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Let’s collaborate to develop training that truly reflects your organization’s needs. |
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Join the Relaunched OKAPT CARE NetworkOKAPT is rebuilding the directory to ensure participant information is current and accurate. Participation is voluntary and helps build a stronger, better-connected transportation community across Oklahoma. Building on Oklahoma’s long tradition of transportation departments helping one another, the CARE Network provides a centralized directory of organizations willing to share assistance, resources, expertise, and support during unforeseen challenges. |
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Online ELDT Theory Training—PassengerIf you plan to operate a commercial vehicle that transports passengers, you are required to complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) as mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). We’re here to help you meet those requirements with flexible, online Passenger Endorsement ELDT theory training that fits your schedule and gets you road ready. |
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School Bus Safety: Help Stop Illegal PassingMotorists who illegally pass stopped school buses place students at serious risk while they are boarding or leaving the bus. As students return to school, increased traffic makes it especially important for drivers to remain alert and recognize school bus warning signals. Because stopping requirements vary by state and roadway, every motorist should understand the laws where they drive. Help raise awareness and protect students by sharing our free state-by-state guide to school bus stopping laws. |
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Interesting: The Neon Flying Squid that can Fly in Formation Above the OceanOn a research vessel 15 years ago, a group of Japanese scientists documented something that had only previously been described by startled sailors to disbelieving listeners. They saw a formation of squid flying through the air. Read the entire article published in the Guardian. |
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Take Control of Your Online Training with NexPort CampusDelivering online training shouldn’t mean adapting your organization to someone else’s system. NexPort Campus provides a flexible web-based learning management platform designed to help organizations deliver, manage, and track online learning. With integrated student tracking, scalable SaaS delivery, connections with external systems, and customizable branding, organizations can create a learning environment that reflects their identity while giving administrators the tools they need to manage training efficiently. NexPort Campus also operates from a high-availability, secure data center with 99.99% uptime. |
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Have You Heard About Bike Buses?A bike bus is a group of children who ride bicycles to school together along a planned route, usually accompanied by parents or other adult volunteers. Much like a traditional school bus, the group follows a set route and schedule, with students joining at designated “stops” along the way. The concept is designed to make biking to school safer and more accessible by increasing visibility and providing adult supervision. Bike buses can also reduce vehicle traffic around schools, encourage physical activity, and create a sense of community among participating families. They have become increasingly popular in communities looking for alternative and active transportation options for students. These articles detail program bike-bus roll-outs. |
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