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INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS


Another Choice, Another Voice


COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING OFFERS SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS A VARIETY OF LESSONS, EXPERTS TO DRAW FROM


WRITTEN BY ERIC WOOLSON I


f you ask Monica Coburn about the benefits of comput- er-based training, she’ll start by noting that drivers and other personnel “just need to hear some other people speak” every now and then. Coburn, director of transportation for the Franklin


Township Community Schools Corporation in Indianapolis, said she believes computer-based training is a versatile way to offer a wide range of topics that “enhance our regular training system.”


Te 7,500-student district, which employs 78 drivers in its 87-person transportation department, has used SafeSchools training software for several years in other departments. “We’re in the beginning stages of finding out how to utilize


this software in transportation,” said Coburn, who joined the district late last year. “But, it’s always good for drivers to have different methods and ways of learning. I can stand up and talk, but I know drivers get to the point where they’re tired of hearing the same person talk. It’s essential for them to hear other direc- tors and expert speakers. If those tools are available — and they are — you want to take advantage of them.” In her previous job at Bartholomew Consolidated School


Corporation, located about 40 miles south, Coburn oversaw the creation of an evacuation training room that simulated a smoke-filled bus on its side. She said she hopes to create the same level of training at her new district to prepare drivers to instruct students to react correctly in emergencies. When it comes to computer-based training, Coburn said the approach provides the opportunity to deliver mandatory sessions and yet personalized lessons. She also sees it as a spark to generate conversation among employees about ideas that will work best in their district. “We’re asking the drivers what topics they want to have available to them. We’ll do some as a group and then talk about what they’ve learned, but if they want to take classes on their own, we’ll welcome that,” she explained. “It’s great to have those options and that flexibility. After a recent training, the drivers were ecstatic because they came up with some very good ideas on their own and were able to make decisions on how things were done for our evacuation process.” Ultimately, she said she expects the computer-based train-


ing will add a small amount of time to the training schedule but pay big dividends. She added: “It’s a great tool for report- ing which drivers had what training on a specific day, which is important if there’s ever an accident or lawsuit involved.” Henry High, supervisor of vehicle maintenance at the San Juan Unified School District in Carmichael, Calif., said comput-


26 School Transportation News November 2013


er-based training is more of a hands-on proposition for me- chanics in that they learn to use the computers and software that help them work more efficiently. He noted that computer-based training at events such as the Tomas Built Institute at the STN EXPO conference in July to teach maintenance personnel how to access bus schematics, parts lists and other vital information. Te district, which includes 70 schools in northern Sacra- mento County, uses Versatrans software from Tyler Technolo- gies. Computer training means mechanics ultimately learn how to track inventory parts and log vehicle service online. Like many counterparts, San Juan receives software pre-loaded with all the vehicle specifications when purchasing new buses. Te days of the mechanic who tunes engines by ears and


flies by the seat of his pants are “getting very, very short,” said High, who has been with the district 24 years. “Te trainer brings five laptops into the classroom so our mechanics can get the training they need. We do our classroom


"It’s always good for drivers to have different methods and ways of learning. I can stand up and talk, but I know drivers get to


the point where they’re tired of hearing the same person talk. It’s essential for them to hear other directors and expert speakers."


— Monica Coburn, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, Columbus, Ind.


work and then go into the shop,” he offered. “I went to diesel tech school 25 years ago and they said at the time that diesel technology was good for 15 or 20 years. Now, diesel technol- ogy doesn’t make it five years before it’s different. We have to keep up with that and all the diagnostics. Tat’s why we take advantage of any free classes vendors have.” 


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