First Student Partners with Advanced Remarketing Services to Support Special Olympics North America Through Sustainable Vehicle Retirement Program

CINCINNATI, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Student, North America's largest student transportation services provider, today announced a new partnership with Advanced Remarketing Services (ARS) that will donate proceeds from end-of-life vehicle sales to charitable organizations aligned with First Student's mission of caring for students and communities.

The first beneficiary is Special Olympics, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports, inclusion, and opportunity. Within North America, more than 800,000 Special Olympics athletes train and compete in sports, participate in health programming, develop leadership skills, and engage in more inclusive school environments.

"At First Student, caring for students and keeping them safe is at the heart of everything we do, and our mission is to provide the best transportation experience, so students arrive ready to achieve their full potential," said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. "Supporting Special Olympics is a powerful example of how we live our value of Fostering Teamwork – working together with integrity, championing inclusion, and creating safe, welcoming environments where students with special needs feel supported, respected, and empowered, both in school and beyond."

A Natural Extension of First Student's Commitment to Special Needs Transportation

First Student is an industry-leading provider of special education transportation in North America and the only transportation provider with a dedicated Student Services team focused exclusively on the student experience for special needs children and their families. That team is responsible for developing and administering the company's First Serves offering, a specialized training program developed in collaboration with child psychologists and clinical experts to equip drivers and monitors with the skills, empathy, and tools needed to support students with complex needs.

Supporting Special Olympics builds on that foundation, extending First Student's impact beyond the school day and into programs that promote confidence, inclusion, and achievement for students with special needs, including intellectual disabilities.

"We are grateful that First Student has selected Special Olympics North America as a beneficiary of this program," said Greg Epperson, Regional President and Managing Director, Special Olympics North America. "Their commitment to students, including those with intellectual disabilities, is admirable and we look forward to working together to expand access, inclusion, and opportunities through sport."    

Responsible Fleet Stewardship with Purpose

The partnership with ARS also reinforces First Student's commitment to environmental responsibility. Through ARS' SHIFT Vehicle Retirement Program, retired vehicles are removed from service and recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.

"We're thrilled to partner with First Student to retire their end-of-life vehicles," said Emily Pochman, Senior Director of Partnerships at Advanced Remarketing Services. "We respect their dedication to communities and the environment, and we're excited to work together to make a significant impact. We pride ourselves on operating vehicle donation programs for some of the most respected charities, including Special Olympics North America."

This initiative underscores First Student's commitment to aligning sustainable fleet operations with meaningful community investment, creating positive impact for students, families, communities, and the environment.

 About First Student
First Student is reimagining the school transportation experience with 4.8 million student rides across North America every single day. As the largest student transportation services provider in North America, the company completes 865 million student rides annually, delivering not just students, but confidence, reliability, and peace of mind to families and school districts alike. Backed by a workforce of highly trained drivers and an industry-leading fleet of over 48,000 vehicles, including electric buses, First Student is a mission-driven partner in education.

Named one of Fast Company's 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student offers cutting-edge services including special-needs transportation, AI route optimization, fleet electrification, vehicle-maintenance services, and charter solutions. First Student's impact extends beyond logistics: every ride is designed to be a safe and supportive space where students can start and end their day with a great experience. With innovation at its core, First Student is driving the future of student transportation one ride at a time.

Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

About Advanced Remarketing Services
Advanced Remarketing Services (ARS) is a social enterprise specializing in vehicle remarketing and automotive recycling, with a primary focus on older, high-mileage, and end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). Through its family of services – Car Donation Wizard, You Call We Haul, SHiFT Vehicle Retirement Initiative, and Rough Trade – ARS provides comprehensive solutions for consumers, charitable organizations, auto lenders, fleet operators, and dealerships. By strategically removing the highest-polluting vehicles from operation, ARS reduces associated greenhouse gas emissions while delivering value to clients and communities. Committed to doing well by doing good, ARS exemplifies the social enterprise model where environmental impact and business success go hand in hand.

About Special Olympics

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global sports movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With more than 4.6 million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and over one million coaches and volunteers in more than 200 countries and territories, Special Olympics offers over 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 60,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

Contact
Brenna Rudisill
[email protected]

SOURCE First Student, Inc.