In the specialized sector of student transportation logistics, operational success is defined by the reliability of the systems supporting the frontline. For Student Transportation of America (STA), managing a North American workforce of over 20,000—the majority of whom are drivers—requires a digital infrastructure that functions as a dependable backbone for daily operations across hundreds of decentralized locations.
When STA transitioned to UKG in 2020, the objective was to move beyond basic utility toward a frictionless experience. In the HCM landscape, a platform’s value is only fully realized through an implementation strategy that anticipates the unique needs of a massive, mobile workforce. STA recognized that to build a truly scalable future, they needed a partner capable of challenging legacy assumptions and navigating the technical nuances of a complex integration.
In this edition of Beyond the Review, Bonnie Tinder, Founder and CEO of Raven Intelligence, speaks with Mike Marra, Senior Vice President of Systems and Analytics at STA. They explore how the partnership with Ascend served as the critical bridge between platform potential and operational reality, turning a complex UKG implementation into a robust foundation for long-term growth.
Setting STA Up for Success
STA’s UKG go-live happened in 2020, right as the pandemic hit, a timing that would challenge even the most experienced teams. Marra served as the project manager for the implementation, and while a large HCM project is never “zero stress,” STA’s experience with Ascend landed as close to that as possible under the circumstances.
A key reason: Ascend brought a level of care, accountability, and hands-on leadership that stood out compared to typical implementation experiences.
Instead of treating the project like a checklist exercise, Ascend stayed focused on what mattered most: making sure STA would be successful long after go-live.
Why Ascend Felt Different
From Marra’s perspective, Ascend’s impact came down to two things: how they show up and how well they understand both sides of the work.
Many implementation teams can deliver a functional configuration. Ascend’s approach went further. They invested time to understand how STA operates and challenged the team so the system could support real workflows, not just standard settings.
Marra also pointed to Ascend’s depth of experience across multiple perspectives, not only knowing the platform “under the hood,” but understanding what it’s like to sit in the client’s seat.
That ability to translate between functional needs, technical reality, and vendor navigation made Ascend uniquely effective during both implementation and ongoing optimization.
In short: Ascend didn’t just implement a system. They helped STA build a stronger operating model around it.
How UKG Brought Workforce Operations Together
For STA, selecting the right HR platform meant choosing a solution that could support both day-to-day operational needs and the company’s long-term technology strategy.
For a transportation organization that employs thousands of school bus drivers, dispatch staff, maintenance, and operations teams across North America, maintaining accurate workforce data and payroll compliance is essential to keeping daily routes running reliably.
UKG became the central system for managing core HR functions, including payroll, benefits, recruiting, onboarding, training, and employee record management. A key outcome of the project was establishing a single system of record for employee data.
Prior to the implementation, employee updates often had to be made manually across several platforms, creating inefficiencies and increasing the risk of inconsistencies. Today, those updates happen automatically across connected systems, ensuring information stays accurate and up to date. “We’ve been able to integrate UKG with all of our other company systems where employees exist,” Marra said. “Now if someone gets hired, transferred, or has a record change in UKG, that update automatically flows into the other systems that need that information.”
“Previously we would update our payroll system and then go through each system manually to make changes…At best that’s a waste of time, and at worst it creates inaccuracies and frustration.” – Mike Marra, Senior Vice President of Systems and Analytics
With Ascend’s support, STA was able to establish a reliable source of truth for employee data and connect it to the broader systems that support day-to-day operations.
“Today we’re able to run reports, analyze data, and use those insights to drive improvements across the company,” Marra explained.
Beyond Go-Live: A True Extension of the STA Team
Ascend continued working alongside STA through a “land and expand” approach. They stabilized the essentials first, then layered in additional value over time.
This led to Ascend evolving from an implementation partner into an embedded extension of STA’s team, not because they “checked in,” but because they stayed connected to what STA was trying to accomplish next.
Since the initial go-live, Ascend has supported STA through:
– Rolling out additional UKG modules like Recruit and LMS/training
– Ongoing work for onboarding enablement
– New integrations into operational systems
– Specialized support for unique payroll rules and changing requirements
– KPI development and analytics initiatives tied to wage management and workforce trends
– Expansion-related changes as STA entered new states and had to build new rules, structures, and configurations
STA and Ascend maintain regular planning conversations at least quarterly, ensuring the system continues to evolve with the business, whether that means polishing what’s already in place, rolling out new modules, or preparing for new integrations and reporting needs.
“We work with Ascend on at least a quarterly basis,” Marra explained. “We’re in contact much more frequently when we’re working on specific projects, but we make sure to sync regularly to talk about what’s next for our UKG utilization.” – Mike Marra, Senior Vice President of Systems and Analytics
A Long-Term Partnership with Ascend
Since 2020, Ascend has become a go-to resource across multiple departments within STA.
As Marra describes it, across payroll, HR, benefits, recruiting, and technology, the “rule” is simple: Ascend is the first call. When teams hit a question, face a decision, or start something new that touches the workforce ecosystem, Ascend is pulled in early.
Marra noted that even as Ascend has grown as a company, the firm has maintained the same level of service and responsiveness that initially made the partnership successful. For STA, that consistency has been an important factor in continuing to rely on Ascend as a trusted advisor.
What began as an implementation engagement has since evolved into an ongoing strategic collaboration, with Ascend supporting STA as the company continues to expand and optimize its HR technology environment.
How STA is Building a Foundation for Future Growth
With UKG serving as the backbone of its workforce systems and Ascend providing ongoing guidance, STA now has a flexible platform that supports both operational needs and future expansion.
The company continues to expand its use of UKG through additional modules, integrations, and analytics initiatives.
“Our strategy from the beginning was to focus on the core functionality first—HR, payroll, and benefits,” Marra said. “Since then, we’ve continued to build on that foundation.”
That approach has allowed STA to scale its HR technology environment while maintaining a centralized, reliable source of workforce data. For an organization responsible for employing thousands of school bus drivers and safely transporting students across North America every day, that foundation plays a critical role in keeping operations running smoothly.
Advice for UKG Customers: Start Specific, Then Grow
When asked what advice he’d give to organizations implementing UKG today, Marra emphasized a lesson that shaped STA’s success: get aligned early, and don’t over-scope Phase 1.
Start by gathering requirements from all key stakeholders, functional owners like payroll, HR, and benefits, plus the internal teams responsible for implementation and systems. Then get specific about what’s truly required vs. what belongs on the wish list.
STA’s strategy was to focus on what was essential first, get it stable, and then expand. That approach helped reduce complexity, deliver early wins, and set the stage for long-term growth without trying to “boil the ocean” on day one.
About Ascend
Ascend is a trusted exclusive UKG Services Partner with a proven record of sustained excellence across the full UKG suite. As a strategic ally, they empower North American and global clients to fully own their investment in UKG Pro, UKG Pro WFM, and UKG Ready.
Their commitment to client success is undeniable—validated by a 9.7 Partner Satisfaction Rating and recognition as UKG Partner of the Year in 2024. With a team of 130+ certified UKG experts averaging 10+ years of dedicated UKG experience, they deliver end-to-end implementation and optimization services that ensure a smooth, valuable UKG experience. Don’t just use UKG—own it! Partner with Ascend today.
Learn more about Ascend on their Raven profile.
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About Raven Intelligence
Raven Intelligence is a free, online community to help Enterprise Software customers independently find their perfect Consulting partner. Raven consolidates the options in a single place–across all major cloud software platforms. It helps customers who are in a software selection process search and engage the best partners. It gives Consultants a place to promote their certifications and cloud project success and find customers looking for what they do best. While we work closely with software vendors, we have no affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement from them.