SCHOOL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE Transportation Department Ed Wildesen Director of Transportation

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2 SCHOOL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE Transportation Department Ed Wildesen Director of Transportation 2

3 "The data on school transportation are clear the safest way to get our most precious cargo to school and home each day is on a large school bus with a well-trained driver.... The safety data is even more remarkable when you think about just how many students are riding the bus every day. ~US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx 3

4 Director of Transportation Major Responsibilities and Duties: Supervises and evaluates the student transportation office staff, as well as a combined 134 contractors, drivers, and assistants. Responsible for the legal requirements, training of school bus drivers and all other transportation regulations. Per: COMAR, MVA, DOT, Garrett County Public Schools Board Policies and Procedures. Responsible for bus specifications per Garrett County Public Schools and State of Maryland, inspections, updating and revising routes, and assisting with bus driver evaluations. Prepares and manages the budget and expenditures related to transportation. Recommends the awarding, suspension, or termination of bus contracts. Administers all safety aspects of the pupil transportation program, including bus inspections, driver training, routing, selection of bus stops, and other related activities. Assure COMAR and Garrett County Public Schools Compliance. Makes recommendations on cancellation of schools, delayed openings, etc., as related to road and weather conditions. Evaluates and/or develops programs designed to improve the cost/benefit aspects of the pupil transportation system. Maintains and submits in a timely fashion appropriate records and information. 4

5 Director of Transportation Major Responsibilities and Duties: Maintain required records on each bus driver and substitute driver as mandated by the Maryland State Department of Education and other records required by audit. In collaboration with the Department of Motor Vehicles, see that all buses are inspected at least 4 times annually, and all required repairs are made in a timely manner. Insure that each school conducts two bus evacuation drills each year. Secure and maintain an updated and accurate list of the names of students riding each bus. Advertise for bids for insurance on transportation, and all county-owned school vehicles and furnish pertinent information to the official agent for the chosen company. Investigate all concerns relating to school transportation in cooperation with school personnel and interested persons who are involved. Work with bus drivers, contractors, principals and parents to enhance preventative discipline techniques and to resolve discipline issues. 5

6 Assistant in Transportation Responsibilities and Duties: Assist the Director in the development of the quality of drivers via development and delivery of the staff development program; keeping drivers informed concerning laws and regulations; driver training and licensing. Assume primary responsibility for training of new drivers. Assist the Director in presenting school and bus safety programs, instructional activities and evacuation drills. Work with bus drivers, principals and parents to enhance preventative discipline techniques and to resolve discipline problems. Observe the entire operation of the transportation system by riding and following busses and being present at or near loading areas at the school and along routes and make recommendations for improvements as applicable. 6

7 Assistant in Transportation Responsibilities and Duties: Participate in the evaluation of all bus drivers. Help maintain current and necessary data on all bus contractors and drivers, time schedules, student rosters, inspections and related issues. Assist in the investigation of all requests and issues concerning transportation. Assist in the development of an up to date set of regulations distributed to all drivers. Assist in the interpretation and application of laws and regulations affecting transportation. Assist with periodic bus inspections. Assist Director in weather related school closing, delays and dismissals. Assume primary responsibility of the program in the absence of the director. 7

8 Secretary in Transportation Responsibilities Processes payroll for all transportation employees. Schedules buses for instructional activities and trips associated with student studies. Serves as a dispatcher as needed. Prepares information packets and documents for all drivers and contractors. Prepares newsletter for all drivers. Enters students name onto bus rosters. Assigns student to established bus stops. Answers questions from parents, bus drivers, contractors, and employees within the school system. Organizes and schedules drug testing for all drivers. 8

9 Secretary in Transportation Responsibilities Submits state reports, MVA reports and all others as assigned. Assists in approving bus pass requests. Code filed trips and prepare paperwork for payment to contractors for those trips. Enter route description data electronically and be familiar with those routes. Prepare fleet insurance bid. Verify bus manifests accuracy. Verify workers comp is kept current by contractors. Organizes spare buses and keeps daily records and location of spare buses to cover routes. Verifies bus driver physicals are submitted properly. Collects bus inspection sheets prior to school for all buses. Maintain a high level of confidentiality and ethical behavior. 9

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11 General Information 63 Buses provide transportation for 3886 students. Buses travel 6000 miles daily. Mileage traveled does not include Hickory Environmental Center, College and Me, I Can Swim Program, Allied Health, Child Care trips as well as other trips associated with study, athletics, band, and other curricular related events. 11

12 41 of our 63 (65%) buses have students on for 1 hour or more 10 of our 63 (15.8%) buses have students have students on for minutes 51 of our 63 (81%) buses have students on for 50 minutes or more (all times reflect one way) 12

13 We currently have 1566 bus stops in Garrett County. To date Mr. Bray has approved 452 long term bus passes. More are sure to follow and this does not take into account the temporary passes issued by each of our schools. We currently have 155 out of areas approved by Pupil Services. Not all Maryland counties honor bus passes or allow students options of multiple buses. At 1566 stops we average 2.5 students per stop. To allow stops for passes (not counting school issued passes) and out of areas the number of students on average would be less than 2 students (1.8) per stop. To allow stops for all passes and out of areas would on average add 10 minutes to each bus. Pushing over 1/4 of our buses past the 1 hr. 15 minute ride to almost 1 ½ hour for some students. (one way) 13

14 Best Practices In Place to Enhance Student Transportation Services Combining elementary, middle, and high school students on the same bus to take advantage of the close proximity of the schools and to avoid sending multiple buses SOURCE: Office of Legislative Services Audit 14

15 INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION SAVINGS I. At the conclusion of the school year, 12 buses will have been deleted over the last 6 years Bus #02 Bus # 59 Bus # 82 Bus # 70 Bus # 45 Bus # 80 Bus # 44 Bus # 24 Bus # 83 Bus # 106 Bus # 14 1 bus will be deleted before

16 II. Extra bus runs that have been deleted Alternative Education 4 Activity bus runs Northern district Northern district Southern district Southern district 2 CTP programs Northern district Southern district I-Tech Program to Garrett College In summary, a total of 20 buses and bus runs have been eliminated. 16

17 III. Lowered the payment to contractors on spare buses 25%. IV. The current acceptable percentage of capacity for school buses for the industry & auditors is 70%. 46 students on a 66 passenger bus is 70% capacity. It would take 78 buses to transport our 3886 students at 50 students per bus. We have 63. VI. Developing a payroll software in house. To contract the transportation application with a reputable development company it is estimated it would cost up to $30,000. Plus tech support costs for the program. 17

18 Garrett County Board of Education Fiscal 2015 Proposed Unrestricted Budget Comparison UNRESTRICTED EXPENDTURES by CATEGORY: Fiscal 2014 Fiscal 2015 Approved Proposed Variance % Change Administration $ 1,464,723 $ 1,490,752 $ 26, % Mid-Level Administration 2,437,942 2,475,384 37, % Instruction 19,501,124 19,702, , % Special Education 3,645,644 3,557,601 (88,043) -2.42% Pupil Services 670, ,721 22, % Health Services 434, ,923 7, % Pupil Transportation 4,306,014 4,292,578 (13,436) -0.31% Maintenance of Plant 3,755,103 3,898, , % Operation of Plant 798,891 1,0 56, , % Fixed Charges 9,951,554 9,112,374 (839,180) -8.43% Food Services 300, , % Capital Outlays 308, , , % $47,574,785 $47,475,978 ($98,807) -0.21% 18

19 Transportation expenses constitute 7% to 10% of a typical school budget SOURCE: School Business Affairs November 2010 The Garrett County Public Schools Transportation Department is at 9.1% 19

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21 Transportation Department's Winter Operations Data gathering begins for weather related school closures, many times, with the monitoring of weather forecasts from multiple weather services the night before and continues through the night and early morning hours between midnight and 5:00 AM. The transportation staff begins the evaluation of road conditions as early as 2:30 AM and continues as needed until 5:00-5:15 AM. The department routinely gathers input regarding road conditions from many individuals and agencies located throughout the county. The staff also monitors pavement temperatures as needed. The staff is in constant communication with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh in order to gain an even more detailed interpretation of the data available from weather radar. Weather related closure decisions, not announcements, can be made at any time. However, these decisions have to be made no later than 5:30 AM. Public announcements are then released immediately. Decisions for early out closures due to weather are typically made 2 hours in advance of the planned early out dismissal time. In regards to delayed openings, a procedure typically activated to allow conditions to improve to acceptable levels, this also allows for further evaluation of road conditions and forecasted weather. Schools could still ultimately be closed due to weather even after a delayed opening has been activated. One or two hour delayed openings may occur depending on the weather or forecast. 21

22 Mr. Bray will demonstrate: Night time Images Regular Images Isolate 1 view driver Isolate 1 view students Isolate Audio GPS Capacity 22 Each bus is equipped with 4 cameras

23 ANGELTRAX August December Discipline Referrals August December Discipline Referrals A Reduction of 43% Discipline Referrals Number of School Days in Number of School Days in

24 Breakdown of August December 2013 Bus Referrals Insubordination/Unacceptable Behavior Elementary 28 Middle School 17 High School - 2 Unacceptable Language Directed at the Driver Elementary 1 Middle School 4 High School 1 Directed at school administration OTHER: 1-9 th grade ~ causing problems with elementary students 1-6 th grade ~ bullying another student (age of student not known) 1-5 th grade ~ teaching other children four letter words 1-7 th grade ~ saying inappropriate things to elementary students 1-6 th grade ~ intimidating another student (age of student not known) Of the 58 Referrals 30 were elementary students 24

25 Garrett County Public Schools should use routing software. SOURCE: Office of Legislative Audits

26 Transportation Study Fulfills the recommendation of the Audit Confirms for the public that we have efficient routes It could offer suggestions to increase our efficiency even more. 26

27 WHAT WE TAKE AWAY The cameras will help protect our children. While we know that the facility study recommended balancing population by moving approximately 100 students from the Southern district to the Northern District, the Board is waiting for your input on what you think about school enrollments and school capacity. In addition, they are interested in your thoughts about transportation. Children living in the central to Southern section of Garrett County will see the greatest increase of ride times if Southern /Northern districts as a whole are adjusted. Changes within Southern/Northern districts should not increase costs significantly. Routes will simply be adjusted with the current buses. (as long as the districts remain the same) Do you see a need a need to revise school boundaries? 27