In a recent Beyond the Review episode, Student Transportation of America shares how UKG and Ascend support STA’s workforce operations, integrations, and analytics at scale.
Student Transportation of America (STA) recently joined Raven Intelligence’s Beyond the Review series to discuss its ongoing UKG journey and the impact of its partnership with Ascend.
In the interview, Mike Marra, SVP of Systems and Analytics at STA, shared with Bonnie Tinder, CEO & Founder of Raven Intelligence, how the organization has built a connected, scalable HR ecosystem supporting more than 22,000 employees across North America.
Since implementing UKG in 2020, STA has consolidated core HR, payroll, benefits, recruiting, and onboarding into a single system. This unified approach has reduced manual processes, improved data accuracy, and created a single source of truth for employee information.
A key focus has been integration. UKG now connects with STA’s broader technology landscape, allowing employee data to automatically flow across operational systems and eliminating the need for duplicate data entry.
The conversation also highlighted how STA has evolved beyond foundational HR capabilities to leverage workforce data for analytics and reporting. With access to more reliable data, the team can better track turnover, optimize recruiting, and support ongoing operational improvements.
Ascend’s role extends well beyond the initial go-live implementation. As discussed in the interview, the partnership has supported STA through new module rollouts, complex integrations, compliance requirements, and long-term strategic planning.
“They make sure you are successful and using the system to its full potential,” said Marra. “Anytime we are planning what comes next, Ascend is our first call.”
Looking ahead, STA plans to expand its use of UKG with additional modules, deeper integrations, and more advanced analytics, continuing to build on a strong digital foundation.
The full interview is available as part of Raven Intelligence’s Beyond the Review series, offering a deeper look at STA’s approach to digital transformation and the role of strong partnerships in driving long-term success with UKG.
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About Student Transportation of America
Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in school transportation and fleet services, was founded in 1997 on the bedrock of family, community, and a safety-first mindset. Operating more than 22,000 vehicles, STA provides customers with the highest level of safe and reliable student transportation, management, logistics, and technology solutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is focused on fostering a safety-driven culture that empowers its employees to feel proud of their work, delivering safe, reliable, and on-time service. Additionally, STA’s commitment to positively impacting the health of our passengers and the planet is evident through its conscious decision to undertake each initiative to decrease its carbon footprint to help move the company and industry toward a greener future. For more information, please visit www.rideSTA.com.
