School Transportation News Magazine | September 2009


SSS-39


challenges of continued budget reduc- tions in the upcoming school year and the effects they will have on drivers and support staff. Some districts in California, like El Do-


rado Union High School District located half-way between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, are still unsure of how the out- come of the state’s budget battle will af- fect them [see related story, page 28]. Director of Transportation Dennis Van- derpool is alarmed over how he will con- tinue to provide bus routes that will meet the school board’s budget requirements and the needs of students under the cur- rent economic climate. Route reduction was the most popular


option to cut costs at 65 percent, while cutting or reducing driver hours came in second at 38 percent. Routing software was utilized by almost one-third of the school districts that contributed to the survey, while the “green” option of chang- ing to alternative fuels came in last at al- most 8 percent.


Preparation = Time + Resources Of all the tasks that must be completed


before drivers begin their maiden voyage of the school year, creating the routes they must follow and scheduling the picking up and dropping off of students was the most time-consuming for approximately 68 percent of the respondents. Surpris- ingly, actual bus stop selection factored in for only 2.8 percent of the transportation directors surveyed. For more than one di- rector, dealing with unhappy parents is a constant part of the preparatory process. “It doesn’t matter how efficient you


feel that your stops are, parents always complain,” said Mary Shank of Avondale School District outside of Detroit. “You then have to re-check, measure and meet with committees, parents and administra- tion to resolve the issues. After the issue is resolved, you then have to notify the schools, parents, students, update routes and make sure that everyone is aware of the changes.” Some are worried the complaints may


increase as the budget decreases. “Due to the fact [that] we are cutting


and consolidating runs, parent complaints will most likely rise this year as parents are used to shorter runs,” said Michael Cotso- nas of Jericho Union Free School District on Long Island, N.Y.


Training Variations Just like the students they transport,


drivers need a refresher at the begin- ning of the school year to get their yel- low blood pumping. Some are required to complete a certain number of hours throughout the year, while others’ re- quirements have to do with the type of training they must take. While most train their own drivers, others bring in the experts. In Kansas, STN EXPO alumni Dick Fischer of Trans-Consult has trained drivers annually for the last two decades. Della Swain of Indiana’s Warsaw Commu- nity Schools covers all the bases by giv- ing her drivers training in behavior man- agement, pre-trip/post-trip inspections,


Today’s Seat Tomorrow’s Standard.


C.E. White’s student safety seats meet and exceed all Federal FMVSS requirements including the Quasi Static Test required for all 3pt lap/shoulder belt school bus seats.


The New 39” Student Safety Seat


A moveable center buckle adjusts to fi t up to three passengers, regardless of their heights. It’s single frame construction allows the seat to be the same thickness as a standard seat yet, fi t 3 students, resulting in zero loss of occupancy.


PO Box 308, New Washington, OH 44854 | 419.492.2157 | www.cewhite.com 36 CEW_0909_TodayTomorrow_HH.indd 1 Circle 102 on STN Product Info Card 8/13/09 11:58 AM Safest Seat on the Road


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