FIRST TAKE Unfortunately, it appears the coming school year will hold more of the same, as school district
support budgets remain stagnant. Traditionally, public school systems have lagged behind the rest of the nation’s economy by a good 12 to 18 months. But following the Great Recession, the dol- drums have been more like 36 to 48 months. Just before Memorial Day, school districts received some more bad news when the American As-
Positive Thinking is
Not Enough, But it’s a Start…
By Ryan Gray
sociation of School Administrators figured via a survey of its superintendent members that nearly 21,000 more jobs could be lost during the 2011-2012 school year from the transportation sector alone. Tose positions, which undoubtedly will include thousands of school bus drivers, are just a drop in the bucket compared to an estimated 227,000 education jobs that are thought to be on the chopping block, and some 62,000 classified jobs alone, which are comprised of not only transporta- tion but food service and maintenance. Te July edition of School Transportation News is timely, as we look forward to the 18th annual
STN EXPO Conference & Trade Show and its theme, “Putting the Pieces Together.” In this economy, the theme could have well been “Picking Up the Pieces.” But we’ll stick with the
more positive, aforementioned, original title of this year’s show, thank you very much. Tat’s because this industry rolls with more punches than a seasoned prizefighter. I’m often amazed at the extreme positivity exuded by student transporters as I regularly speak with them day in and day out while reporting on the industry. Tey somehow find a way to get through another day, and get the students to and from school safely, efficiently and, for the most part, on time. Te yellow school bus plays the hero to millions of parents, as it does to the brain trust that exists in transportation nationwide that ensures students have the best options available to them in getting to class while also reducing traffic congestion and saving money on fuel.
❝ Not only are operations big and small on the constant
hunt for tools to get their jobs done better and faster, additional land mines like rising costs of fuel, natural resources, higher school bus purchases, and even the weather are complicating matters. ❞
Here we are, in the midst of another summer, a time the student transportation community sets
aside for planning, training and recharging the proverbial jets. Within weeks of reading this column, approximately 700 STN EXPO attendees and several hundred representatives from about 115 com- panies will descend on Reno, “Te Biggest Little City in the World,” to try and make sense of all of today’s madness. Not only are operations big and small on the constant hunt for tools to get their jobs done better and faster, additional land mines like rising costs of fuel, natural resources, higher school bus purchases, and even the weather are complicating matters. So, this month, we share some insights into what’s in store education and training wise at the
STN EXPO. And we take yet another look at how the industry is positioning itself to go green with an inside look at the latest happenings at Houston Independent School District. It’s all about continuing to make a positive difference, not just for the approximately 24 million
students nationwide who ride the yellow bus but for entire communities. Tings can change for the positive district by district, school bus by school bus, employee by employee. But sometimes, especially now, one needs more than just the ability to think positively to get over,
through and past such obstacles. Sharing information with peers in the industry can go a long way to this end. Tere are some signs that things are improving, slowly, as it’s believed that school bus pro- duction is starting to show some signs of recovery. But there remains much to do. Likely it will never be smooth sailing in this industry, but tens of millions of dedicated people across the nation will ensure that progress continues. ■
12 School Transportation News Magazine July 2011
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