Miami-Dade School Buses Hit the Road for First Day of 2025-26 School Year

First Day of School Operations

• 🚌 Miami-Dade County Public Schools began the 2025-26 school year with buses deployed across the county.
• 📍 Live coverage showed buses filing out of depots in Southwest Miami-Dade and Opa-locka, with the first bus departing around 5:30 AM.
• 🚚 Approximately 1,000 routes are being covered daily to transport 50,000 students.

Electric Bus Fleet Expansion

• ⚡ This year, 85 school buses are all-electric, a significant increase from 35 last year.
• 🌍 This expansion is part of a district initiative aiming for 100% clean energy by 2030.
• 💨 The increased electric fleet has already resulted in a reduction of about 150,000 diesel miles.

School Safety and Technology

• ⚠️ The controversial school bus safety program with cameras remains suspended, with no update on an independent audit requested by the school board.
• 🚫 Last year, the program aimed to catch drivers ignoring stop signs when students were boarding or disembarking.
• 💨 Speed cameras in school zones are now active to deter speeding, following past incidents of students being hit by vehicles.
• 👃 Specific sensor technology has been installed in restrooms to detect and alert administrators about students vaping.

Teacher and Parent Engagement

• 🍎 Teachers like Miss Campos at Pon Middle School are ready for the first day, emphasizing creative classes and student engagement.
• 🤝 Principals, such as Angela Gonzalez, stress the importance of a parent-teacher partnership and encourage parental involvement through PTSA and volunteering.

Superintendent's Visit and Community Involvement

• 🏫 The superintendent, Jose, is expected to visit schools, including Miami Beach High School, to greet students and deliver a welcome message.
• 📸 Local 10 is encouraging students and families to share their first day of school smiles by submitting photos on local10.com.