By Anonymous
Filed Tuesday, February 21 at 9:42 PM
Transportation Proposal Introduction:
The St. Louis Public Schools Transportation Department lauds its mission "To provide safe and reliable transportation to all eligible students within the District, and accordingly, the Wilkinson ECC PTO congratulates the Department and Laidlaw Bus Company on what we believe you’ve achieved in carrying out that mission:
1. Your above-average maintenance of your fleet, and
2. Consistency in driver personnel – Our children can feel comfortable seeing a familiar and safe face as they board their buses daily.
Maintaining this spirit of safety and reliability, the PTO would like to offer remedies to shortcomings in the transportation service we’ve experienced over the past few years, and most recently, the past year.
A. Early Bus Route Distribution to Bus Contractors
The Transportation system would run much smoother if the bus companies received school enrollment by mid-July. During this 05-06 school year, many parents complained of receiving bus schedules less than one week before the start of the school semester.
Benefits
∑ If this occurs, the bus companies will have ample time to develop and distribute manifests to parents, schools and drivers. Parents would really appreciate this because we are able to make pick-up and drop-off arrangements for their children without losing time from work.
∑ When bus companies have manifests early in the year, operators have time to conduct training and dry runs with drivers so they are confident about their routes when their vehicle is full with precious little riders.
B. Dry Runs:
Speaking of dry runs, operators should ensure that they conduct dry runs with regular and substitute drivers before the initiation of their route.
Benefits
∑ This could easily eliminate discrepancies that leave children at the stop or at the wrong school.
∑ Driving children on the first few days of school would be a lot smoother.
∑ And with all the construction going on in and around St. Louis, drivers can anticipate alternate routes in the event of detours, and remain on schedule.
C. Timely Distribution of Manifests
We would like to see that permanent and substitute drivers have in their possession at all times and prior to the start of their shift and on board the bus, an updated and accurate manifest.
Regrettably, in recent months, and on a frequent basis, anxious drivers have arrived at Wilkinson seeking a copy of the bus manifest from the principal.
Benefits
∑ In particular at the beginning of the school year when enrollment, transferring students and relocations are most volatile, drivers can immediately identify which children should be on their bus, thereby reducing the incidence of children being dropped off at the wrong school or wrong bus stop.
∑ Secondly, Substitute drivers are more confident about their route and their ability to confirm student passengers.
D. Drivers’ Adherence to Bus Schedules:
Your policy requires that students position themselves at their respective bus stop 10-15 minutes prior to pick-up time and as late as 10 minutes beyond pick-up time, which essentially is a 25-minute window.
Currently, and consistently, by the mere nature of their driving patterns, drivers have caused children to miss their buss, adjust to unauthorized pick-up times or miss their bus altogether. We have testimonies of parents of children (at the beginning of the school year) who arrive at their stop early and nearly miss their bus. As a result, they wait at the stop much earlier than the 10-15 minutes to adjust to the drivers’ pattern. When there is a substitute driver, he/she adheres to the manifest, and as a result, the pre-schooler waits 20 to 30 minutes in the morning. The same goes for the parent who waits for their child in the evening.
Benefits
∑ Reducing the amount of time a child waits for her bus would reduce the risk of him feeling stranded or possibly being abducted. (of course we are aware of how abductors study patterns).
∑ Fewer stranded children would increase school attendance – of course many parents are unable to pick up the slack when their child misses the school bus.
∑ The parent’s and child’s stress levels are reduced, thereby improving job performance and school performance respectively.
∑ And children who receive breakfast at school would do so in a timely manner and not have to sit outside a classroom to finish their meal or miss their meal altogether. (and we all know what studies show about the relation between eating breakfast and academic performance.)
E. Improved Customer Service and Coordinated Scheduling from the Transportation Department
In this instance, the ultimate customers are our precious little children. And since they are essentially powerless in these situations, we as parents are their only voice. Our priority, like yours, unequivocally, is the safety and security of our cherished cargo.
Our relationship with the transportation department and the bus contractors will only be enhanced by well-trained, courteous and responsive personnel who are able to answer our questions and concerns, and spring Laidlaw into action.
We believe customer service staff can benefit from the employment, enhanced training and utilization of additional dispatchers, especially during peek hours in the morning and afternoon. Parents are outraged that they currently wait on hold for upwards of 30 minutes when their child has not been picked up or dropped off. In fact, one parent who made a connection during an evening of the first week of school was furious when told most customer service staff were on vacation.
Benefits
∑ Quality customer service training prepares staff to address most if not all parental concerns.
∑ Additional staff during peek hours allows for the opening of more phone lines to report missed or lost children and other issues associated with inclement weather.
∑ Parents and children will feel valued as the result of improved customer response.
In conclusion, we echo your sentiments of "Safe and Reliable" transportation as outlined in your Transportation Department mission, and to that end, we implore you to consider our recommendations. We would be happy to meet with the appropriate transportation personnel to develop and support your implementation of these and other strategies.
Respectfully Submitted,
Wilkinson ECC PTO
Presented to the St. Louis School Board on behalf of the Wilkinson PTO by Pamela Davis on February 14.
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