son the highest level of benefits the district offers.” He noted that large bus operators are given a five-hour
contract and special needs drivers are given a six-and- half hour contract. Additionally, four aides on staff are offered eight hours a day. All office personnel, mechan- ics and custodians are 40 hours a week. Technology-wise, the district has tablets with turn-by- turn directions as well as student ridership verification. “This is a great way to know what to do when on the
road and I feel that we have brought our department into the 21st century with live documents showing a variety of daily tasks for each staff that has an ever-evolving day at transportation,” he shared. In terms of how the tablets and student management system effect employee retention, he said staff is either grateful or contentious. “Some drivers embrace it and live by it while others look at it as a burden,” he said. Overall, Carnes said the driver shortage could be
solved within the department itself. “Having a team that gives a full picture of what this job entails and how to be the best driver you can be with students on board allows new staff to learn what to expect and not be learning on the fly with a minimal skill set to survive in this field,” he said, adding that they recruit through word of mouth from current drivers to their friends.
Carnes added that Grant Pass also has a good balance
of young and old drivers. “From what I have seen in this field for 13 years, if you show a new driver/aide what to expect and not throw them completely to the wolves, a person will continue to work with you,” he said. “If/when a person makes a small mistake it is a learning experience and having an open-door policy for my staff has been great to work out any kinks they may have with all entities we interact with each day.”
Rocky Mountain Region Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 in El Paso Coun-
ty, Colorado is going into the new school year about two to four drivers short. Director of Transportation Robert Leach said starting the school year shorthanded has become the new norm, as people wait till after Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer to apply. Once they pass the new federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) course, he said they’re ready to go by mid-October. But ELDT has also become a “hiring killer,” he explained. Leach said his district used to be able to train a new driver applicant in two and half weeks. However, that timeline has grown to six to eight weeks, and he said he can’t dis- cern how the new requirements produce a better driver. “In my humble opinion, we are just advancing slides
34 School Transportation News • JULY 2024
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