DRIVING THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1991


“Most districts are starting to look at cameras on the buildings, but not even 50 percent have them. They don’t have automated time controls on fencing or any of the latest technology.”


— Mark Walsh, Transportation Consultant He noted the escalation coincided with LAUSD pur-


chasing newer school buses, which came equipped with technology for tracking student attendance. Te devices resemble tablets, which proved attractive to thieves. Te sprawling urban district has 10 bus lots, and con-


tractors operate four of them. District bus lots feature 24- hour video surveillance and alarms. Selected bus lots have perimeter alarms installed that are activated when a bus rolls over a certain part of the lot. If doors are opened or breached, an alarm will sound. Wilkes said he is notified when this occurs, along with local police. “Regular patrols come through our lots during the day


LAUSD and local police


work closely to inspect bus lots


throughout


the sprawling urban district.


and after hours, and they increase patrols during holiday breaks,” he continued. “Tey work closely with us and go out to inspect our lots. Tey will tell us if we are vulnera- ble in a certain area.” To that end, Wilkes said law enforcement and school police are also vigilant about the threat of terrorism and work to raise awareness among drivers . “Along with the school police, the CHP collaborates with our driver-training staff to train drivers about not just what (criminals) take out of the bus but also what they might leave in there. We talk to our drivers routine- ly about securing the buses so they cannot be entered,” said Wilkes. “When they are away from their buses for a period of time, we stress the importance of looking under the vehicle and around it to make sure nothing


was tampered with, for their safety as well as the safety of their students.”


MAKING A LIST Mark Walsh, president of Transportation Advisory


Services, said earlier fears about the stolen school buses falling into the wrong hands are warranted considering the very real threat of domestic terrorism. Te Depart- ment of Homeland Security made recommendations on securing fleets a few years ago, he recalled, because aside from monetary losses, the greater security issue is some- one stealing a large bus or truck as part of a terrorist plot. “Tis is an issue that fleet owners need to be cognizant


of,” stressed Walsh, a consultant and former longtime transportation director. “Most districts are starting to look at cameras on the buildings, but not even 50 percent have them. Tey don’t have automated time controls on fencing or any of the latest technology.” Why? It’s expensive and they don’t have money for it,


he said, pointing out that even when funds do become available, fleet managers are faced with hard choices such as whether to replace a 10-year-old bus or purchase a video surveillance system for their lot. When his firm conducts studies on facility security for


school districts, Walsh said they look at everything — access points, fencing, lighting, video cameras, restraints on key accessibility and more. Tey use a checklist of security questions that he


recommends fleet managers use when they visually audit their parking lots. Tis list might include: Can someone climb over or under the fencing? How is the lighting? Are there motion sensors on the lights? Are the bus doors locked? Are bus keys readily available or stored securely? Are fuel caps locked? Are cameras on a constant loop? If so, how much storage is available? For example, one school-district client only had a 24- hour videotape, so when vandals struck on Friday night, the footage had been erased by Monday morning. In addition, Walsh suggests that fleet managers share their emergency contact information with neighbors and ask them to call immediately if they see or hear anything suspicious. “Shared fuel sites are becoming more common,” he


remarked. “It may be a fuel site that (schools) can share with local municipalities. Te police and sheriff ’s depart- ment may come on-site to fill up, drive through the lot a few times a day, and it’s great security for the district.” 


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