Crockett said. “This includes cleaning shared workspaces and buses. We shared plenty of sickness before COVID-19 and we still will after. It would be nice to rein that in.” As for the future design of bus facilities, Hahn said planners should heed
COVID-19 lessons learned regarding space and technology. He said the in- troduction of interactive technology such as phone apps for time clocks and monitors that display driver assignments as well as safety information are welcomed. But he added that an increased commitment to technology will require an increased investment in the personnel that will use it.
“Support staff doesn’t always
have the resources to go buy smart phones or pay for high-speed inter- net at home,” Hahn said. “It’s great if you want to integrate that technol- ogy but you’re going to have to help people get there, whether it’s issuing devices, stipends or basic computer and technology training. That’s just a great investment in people.” Hahn also said the deep cleaning
processes used to disinfect school buses will likely be retained, and there will be a renewed emphasis on student tracking technology to mon- itor attendance on buses. He added that the versatility of the school bus has also been realized. “COVID-19 will forever change the
awareness of how important the role of the school bus is in the commu- nity,” Hahn explained. “Look at how they have been used to deliver meals and technology such as computers and Chromebooks. They can be used for more than transporting students.” While he agreed that new conven-
tions such as remote learning have increased the instructional poten- tial of the education process, Hahn suggested that in-person learning requires ongoing emphasis. “No matter how tech savvy we become, there is no replacing human inter- action for students and staff,” Hahn said. “It is a critical part of our lives. We’re not meant to be alone and people have really learned that.” Hahn shared one of his most
important takeaways from COVID-19 is the opportunity for transporta- tion leaders to transform chaos into growth. “I think whenever you come up against turbulence you can either be fearful or look at it as a great opportunity,” he concluded. “It can be a great opportunity to solve some longstanding problems and to ask for support for things that you struggled to get in the past. In the end as a leader you want to project strength, courage and empathy to help your people because you set the tone.” ●
32 School Transportation News • FEBRUARY 2021
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