A recently completed review of Oxford Area Community Schools’ transportation department consistently dealt with one all-encompassing question: “Does Transportation have adequate resources to meet current and future needs?”
In some areas of the final report done by David Hott, owner of Pine Tree Systems Inc., the answer was a resounding no. From communication issues to policy issues to equipment needs, the Oxford Schools Transportation Department has several areas where the resources are not available to meet the needs of the staff and students.
According to Hott’s findings, the item needing the most attention is the department’s facilities.
“Begin plans for a new facility,” Hott recommends in his report. “Many of the problems of confidentiality and consistency will be handled with an improved traffic flow in the office area.”
The transportation garage and parking lot are located just off of Lakeville Elementary along Wildcat Drive. Some of the other facility issues listed in the report include the following:
n Better separation and more space allotted for office staff, staff areas and vehicle maintenance bays.
n A security system is needed for the garage and bus area to ensure no vandalism.
n The maintenance garage is small and inadequate. “Safety hazards are prominent in this area.”
n Not enough parking for buses or drivers. “Many drivers have to park and walk from a nearby elementary school.”
n Restrooms – “They are a mess. Inadequate septic system places them out of service often.” The transportation garage has three stalls divided between one men’s room, one ladies and one handicapped room. The men’s room also doubles as a shower/locker room for the mechanics.
“Please make the replacement of the bus facility an immediate planning issue,” recommended Hott.
Other recommendations in the report include improving the department’s emergency plans, training in confidentiality and consistency, training programs for drivers and communication lines between employees and administrators, especially central office administration. Hott also suggested for the district to purchase a computer program for tracking repairs, fuel and parts inventory.
Items that were suggested for updating or creation include:
n Specialized staff evaluation programs.
n Update the transportation handbook, the employee handbook and training manuals.
n Create a plan that replaces buses evenly and creates a rotating replacement schedule.
n Develop a Request for Proposal to Outsource (RFP) for the entire department.
“While we sincerely doubt that there is enough contractor competition to make (RFP) financially attractive, it is a great exercise in finding the True Cost of the operation,” explained Hott.
In addition to the recommendations for improvement, the transportation department also received high marks in several areas. Hott said that the department’s policies look “very good,” and that the district “is to be commended for a very complete policy.
Also, in the report’s conclusion, Hott praised the transportation department for being run well within the budget constraints available. He found that the entire staff was concerned about student safety and that the department’s management “is cognizant of efficiency and effectiveness of issues relevant to the transportation function.”
Hott’s final conclusion was that Oxford Schools would not be able to find any significant savings within the department without looking at service reductions. Such reductions could include eliminating service routes or increasing walk areas.
Assistant Superintendent Ron Franey said that a committee has been formed to itemize the transportation department’s issues and create a timeline for improvement; however, not everything will be able to be done immediately.
“We won’t even be able to consider a new bus garage for five or more years,” he told the Board of Education at a previous meeting, “but there are some items we could address yet this year.”