Dr. Kamela Patton, Collier County Public Schools, Florida


STN: Please describe your current bus driver shortage,


and how your transportation department is addressing it. Patton: Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) takes the


mentality of we’re always recruiting for positions within our transportation department. This year, we have also prioritized ways to retain the high-quality people we already employ. Our CCPS director of transportation, John Lambcke, has been working on “social capital” with an emphasis on appreciation and driver recognition. He is visible and accessible to employees by being on bus ramps everyday meeting with drivers. We needed to op- erate creatively in order to sustain a high level of service. For example, to cover all routes on days like Fri-


days and Mondays, when call outs are more common, employees with CDLs from various areas within trans- portation have been assigned to drive. We’ve also been using a state-approved private transportation compa- ny to serve some of our students that are in a unique situation. Additionally, we have made a targeted effort to reduce the number of routes needed for student transportation. What we are seeing in Collier mirrors the nationwide challenges relating to labor shortages.


STN: Why is it important to have a good working rela-


tionship with the transportation department? Patton: Transportation plays a vital role in getting our


number one priority, students, safely to a school campus and home at the end of the day. Maintaining open lines of communication with our transportation department is vital because it helps build morale, increases effi- ciency, and allows for time to problem-solve and plan. I make it a point to speak to all our bus drivers at the beginning of every school year. There is power when ev- eryone is gathered in the same auditorium and focused on the collective effort of safety, student support, and ultimately customer service to our families. I worked closely with our transportation department


to implement a way for students and parents to track “Where’s the Bus” using an app on their phones. We in- volved our communications team in the rollout to make sure families understood the benefits of downloading and using the new technology. This is really a safety enhance- ment because it reduces the amount of time students wait at a bus stop, and it is more convenient for parents because it eliminates the unknown of when the bus will arrive. Since our students and parents are our customers, this is another way we serve our families, and it is possible by working closely with our transportation team.


STN: Are there any projects that transportation is cur-


rently working on implementing? Any interest in electric school buses? Patton: Currently, CCPS is looking into modifying brush wash stations and rinse stations to help keep the fleet looking even better. Yes, electric buses are on the table, and it’s a topic we


continue to explore. For example, we have attended conferences, listened to presentations on the topic of electric buses, and the leaders in our transportation de- partment continue to conduct their own research.


Collier County Public Schools serves just under 20,000 students with a fleet of 360 buses that cover more than 30,000 miles every day and 6.2 million miles every year.


Dr. Noris Price, Baldwin County School District, Georgia


STN: Please describe the current bus driver shortage


in your district. What are your solutions to the labor shortage? Price: The current bus driver shortage is real. In fact,


before the pandemic, the bus driver shortage was in full force in our school district. The pandemic just exacer-


bated the shortage of drivers. However, we have been able to cut the driver shortage for the district in half due to strong recruiting and an increase in pay. Drivers and monitors need and deserve our full support. Contin- uous training, staff development, and competitive compensation


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