FIRST TAKE Time to Take Up Arms Te next great U.S. war will rage over jobs. Which-


ever country emerges victorious from this epic conflict will dictate the global economic future, so writes Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup, the polling folks. His new book, “Te Coming Jobs War,” explores the


new battlefield that American companies and em- ployees are navigating in this new economy. As Clifton puts it, “Te global war for jobs will determine the next leader of the free world. If the United States allows China to outgrow it, everything changes. Tis is America’s next war for everything.” As battle lines are drawn, what role will this in-


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By Ryan Gray ryan@stnonline.com


dustry play? Certainly, student transportation needs a lot of help in creating jobs, as


expansion and productivity have been hijacked these past several years — just look at school bus production. While there are some signs of an overall economic comeback, things look bleak, especially for student transporters. Home construction remains slow and property tax revenues are flat. Cur- rent state budget pressures have been exacerbated by even fewer financial resources for school districts. Tey face growing demands from parents who want them to provide more services and even help raise their children as well as transport them. Special needs and homeless transportation costs are sky- rocketing and, in some areas, new bus purchases are the stuff of pipe dreams. Meanwhile, a fundamental problem being faced by superintendents is


how to respond. Many are tempted to cut transportation to save teachers and keep books in the classroom. Building on a thesis developed in our April editions the past five years, it is incumbent upon transportation to make the best case possible for how it can and is positively affecting classroom education. Te challenge is to maintain — if not increase — transportation as a viable related service that improves overall student education and the district’s bottom line. Children can’t learn if they aren’t in school to begin with, and the school


bus has been a vital tool to achieve this for many decades. But in this slash- and-burn economy, it no longer can be assumed that the answer is to simply get more kids in school buses, even though it is safest ride to and from school. But it is unrealistic to grow transportation services without employing inge- nuity and problem-solving skills to demonstrate efficiencies. Appealing to the business sense of school administrators through the innovative use of metrics is one way transportation departments can survive and keep alive the jobs of an estimated 625,000 employees nationwide. From the smallest school district to the largest manufacturer and private


bus companies to consultants, the industry must make an unassailable case for retaining student transporation as a vital auxiliary service to educating children, not just merely keeping them safe on the school ride. Tis month’s edition highlights several approaches student transporters can


take to influence and cater to the needs of school administrators even as they provide customer service to the taxpayers and, most importantly, the children. As Clifton points out, the safety and livelihood of us all depend on it. ■


Associate Editor: Sylvia Arroyo Technical Editor: Robert Pudlewski Senior Designer: Kimber Horne Graphic Designer: Maria Molina Copy Editor: Michelle Fisher


Contributing Editors:


Linda Bluth, Peggy Burns, Michelle Fisher, John Whelan, Dick Fischer, Denny Coughlin, Ned Einstein, Glen Moyer, Art Gissendaner, Anson Stewart, Shanna Thompson Zareski


Vice President: Colette Paul


General Manager: Branden Smeltzer Editorial Director: Ryan Gray


Director of Marketing: Chris Berry Ad Sales: Tony Corpin


Circulation: Andrea Hernandez Event Manager: Janna Smeltzer


Chairman of the Board: Bill Paul, STN Media Group Editorial Advisory Board:


Denny Coughlin, Consultant; Judith Dupille, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; Dick Fischer, Trans-Consult; Ron Love, Delaware DOE; Randy McLerran, National Bus Sales; Pete Meslin, Newport-Mesa Unified; Nancy Netherland, Migrant-Seasonal Head Start; Robert Pudlewski, Consultant; Alexandra Robinson, NAPT; Launi Schmutz, Washington County Schools


How to Write or E-mail STN


School Transportation News welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and are subject to editing for grammar, style and space. Submissions must be legible, include a signature, job title/employer name, valid mailing and/or e-mail address, and telephone number. Unsigned letters or letters signed only with a pseudonym or initials will not be used. Email letters to: sylvia@stnonline.com or ryan@stnonline.com or send via U.S. Post to: S T ansporansportaws


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School Transportation News Magazine is published by: STN


The views and opinions in SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION NEWS are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.


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8 School Transportation News Magazine April 2012


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