search.noResults

search.searching

saml.title
dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
THOUGHT LEADER


How to Recession-Proof Your Transportation Department


Written By Cristian Lepe & Dr. Lisa Gonzales S


ome say that public education is a “reces- sion-proof” industry, but the Great Recession of the mid-2000s taught us that no line of work can emerge from a recession unscathed. One thing


the Great Recession showed us is that an infusion of federal stimulus funds may have been helpful, but when funds dry up, state and local revenues decline, leaving districts in a quandary about how to respond. All indications are that we are headed into anoth-


er challenging fiscal time for public education. While student learning may not be affected directly during a recession, non-instructional services often are notably impacted, including transportation, utilities, student services, student activities, and technology. But why? When budgets are tight because less money


is flowing into school districts, leaders endeavor to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. Don’t be fooled: The recent boom of one-time funds and the protection of positions in transportation were nice while they lasted, but the new COVID world heading into a recession will not be immune to difficult budget conversations. So, what can transportation leaders do to recession-proof their departments?


Tighten up staffing, but don’t shortchange the value of training. School bus drivers, mechanics and dispatch staff are all a premium that a department should keep during a recession. Cut the fat but not positions that are required for your department to run safely. Efficien- cy may take a hit, but remember that it is temporary. With cross training, your staff will adapt. A well-trained scheduler can save the district tens of thousands of dollars. Similarly, a bus driver, who can also serve as a bus driver trainer, can allow more flexibility and fewer external contracts. Teach your staff to be adaptable. Past recessions have shown that education thrives during a recession, as it signals hope for a better position or op- portunity when the recession does end. Your staff is no different. Use this time to prepare them for opportunities when the high times do come.


Upgrade your technological expertise. Transportation


professionals in a leadership position should leverage on- line learning processes for the employees in their teams and automate IT processes wherever possible. Embrace the innovations in the industry and implement new tech-


20 School Transportation News • JULY 2022


nology with a return-on-investment plan that’s aligned with the district’s goal, mission and vision.


Tie spending to essential student programs and services. COVID taught us that the use of technology is a critically important learning tool, so think about how you use it in your transportation department. The safe and effi- cient movement of students should be positioned as a way to increase average daily attendance (ADA) and prevent the district from losing money due to absences. For example, if the student services or the attendance department can run reports for chronically truant students, create heat maps to better understand where they live. Can a bus route be added or redesigned to eliminate getting to school as a barrier to their learning? Not only will this impact district revenues, but it will also increase instructional access, po- tentially resulting in less mediation.


Consider multi-year contracts. During a recession,


vendors may experience increased costs and pass them on to districts. Carefully negotiated, multi-year contracts can help lock in subsequent years at a reduced or stable rate. Contracts that should be explored include necessary parts and materials, external transportation services, data systems, and more. Money up front can be a bargaining chip for reduced rates into the future to stay with those providers, assuming that any indirect costs to change to a competitor, don’t outweigh the savings.


Reduce overhead through cooperative agreements.


If you haven’t already joined a co-op, a board resolution with a commitment to participate starts the process. The advantage is that competitive prices can be obtained without a lot of haggling or time-consuming negotia- tions. This may be a great time to lock in labor or parts prices for the next two years. Negotiating with parts vendors now may save you pre-


cious budget dollars later, so bring your purchasing staff in to assist you with thinking this through. Most vendors that you have a past relationship with will work to secure future business, even if it’s at a lower margin. Ten percent is going to be your target. Try and reduce your operations by that figure.


Look for new ways to deliver value. Look for low- cost alternatives in fuel, parts and services. Now would


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64