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General Thoughts

A Superintendent’s Thoughts about Pupil Transportation Services Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation “Meeting the Challenges of Transportation” 44 th Annual Conference Jekyll Island Convention Center June 19, 2008. General Thoughts. No Child Left Behind – literally!.

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General Thoughts

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  1. A Superintendent’s Thoughts aboutPupil Transportation ServicesGeorgia Association for Pupil Transportation“Meeting the Challenges of Transportation”44th Annual ConferenceJekyll Island Convention CenterJune 19, 2008

  2. General Thoughts No Child Left Behind – literally! High-quality, safe, and cost effective transportation services Understanding that pupil transportation services is a highly complex operation and a very visible service

  3. Why is it so complex? • Routing and scheduling • Statutes and regulations • Driver recruitment/training/retention • Vehicle maintenance, repair, replacement • School bell schedules • Geography/road networks • Student density • School facilities • Magnet schools/special programs • Special needs students • Extracurricular activities and field trips • Fuel procurement/costs

  4. Primary Components of Operation • Safety • Personnel • Fleet Maintenance • Accountability

  5. Safety • School buses represent the safest form of transportation on the road • Design of construction • Operating condition of buses • Planning of school bus routes • Location of loading zones • Highly-trained drivers

  6. Safety Over the past few years, motorists have become more aggressive on the road. Strongly Agree 57% Agree 27% Disagree 4% Strongly Disagree 12%

  7. Personnel Just as teachers are the most critical component for student academic success, bus drivers are the most critical component of effective pupil transportation services. Bus drivers must manage their “classrooms” with their backs to 70+ students while driving down the road in a safe manner.

  8. Personnel Why did you become a bus driver?

  9. Personnel What would make your job more satisfying?

  10. Personnel School site administrators are actively interested in the behavior of their students on school buses. Strongly Agree 12% Agree 30% Disagree 41% Strongly Disagree 17%

  11. Personnel Building administrators should be required to ride a school bus at least once a semester to understand some of the concerns of the bus drivers. Strongly Agree 72% Agree 21% Disagree 4% Strongly Disagree 3%

  12. Personnel What is your greatest challenge, either inside of the bus or outside the bus?

  13. Personnel Violence has increased on school buses in recent years. Strongly Agree 42% Agree 40% Disagree 12% Strongly Disagree 6%

  14. Personnel School bus drivers are adequately equipped to handle behavior problems on the bus. Strongly Agree 4% Agree 20% Disagree 44% Strongly Disagree 32%

  15. Personnel Bus drivers should have the authority to suspend students from the bus. Strongly Agree 39% Agree 25% Disagree 17% Strongly Disagree 18%

  16. Personnel Which area of driver training could use more emphasis at your operation Passenger management 53% Behind the wheel 19% Emergency procedures 16% Dealing with special needs 11%

  17. Personnel The school transportation operation must present an image of professionalism at all times. Often the school bus driver is the only contact a parent may have with the school district for several weeks or months. Drivers must present a good public image of pupil transportation services at all times. Practice Five-Star Service

  18. Fleet Maintenance • Scheduled maintenance • Number of mechanical breakdowns • Parts purchase per bus • Keeping buses clean

  19. Accountability Must be data-driven Student load counts Seating capacity Run times On-time arrivals Percentage of eligible students being transported Miles traveled Fuel consumed Fleet inventory Number of accidents/traffic violations Parent calls Employee attendance/absenteeism/overtime pay

  20. Accountability Transportation funding in Georgia is woefully underfunded.

  21. Accountability Fuel Prices No idling policies Most efficient routes Field trips/extracurricular activities Transporting only eligible students Beginning/ending points for routes/drivers Transportation fees Amending school calendars

  22. Special Needs Students Legal obligations: IDEA and Section 504 Must provide transportation for students to benefit from their IEPs Accommodating wheelchair students Providing aides or special assistance Customizing bus routes Providing alternative transportation when necessary Transport with nondisabled peers whenever possible

  23. Special Needs Students Section 504 students Cannot discriminate because of disabilities Must provide reasonable accommodations

  24. Special Needs Students Policy Pitfalls Lack of communication or support Suspending students from buses Overly restricting or segregating student transportation Making blanket, overly rigid rules Forgetting the small details

  25. Special Needs Students Insuring Compliance Provide adequate/appropriate training Engage the Transportation Department Create backup and emergency plans Open lines of communication

  26. Continuous Improvement Efforts Develop a Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Establish performance standards Training staff Develop a plan for the opening of school How can you improve your service? Policies Technology Operations Funding Staffing

  27. Final Thoughts Recruiting, training, retaining quality employees Being accountable and data-driven Understanding that Pupil Transportation Services contribute to student success Communicating effectively Presenting a positive image at all times We all are in this together!

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