Since joining the SBF staff last year, I have heard and read from numerous sources that transporting students to and from school safely is the top priority for individuals within the pupil transportation industry.

Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when a transportation director recently informed me that he and his staff work in a rundown facility. The district has an 80-year-old, one-bay bus garage where the maintenance crew services 75 school buses, as well as the operation’s other vehicles.

The transportation director said that his department continues to pass its state police inspections and everyone gets their job done on a daily basis, but if Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) officials were to stop by, they would close down the facility.

If our industry’s mission is to transport students safely, shouldn’t the individuals who are responsible for maintaining and operating school buses work in a facility that allows them to do their job to the best of their ability?

Common sense tells me that working in a dilapidated facility must make it difficult for this transportation director and his staff to do their job — I think most people, regardless of their profession, will agree that working in a well-maintained and comfortable environment facilitates productivity and efficiency. It also helps boost employee morale.

The transportation director said that he has pushed to have the facility renovated but has always been told by district administrators that it is “not their priority” and that they “have bigger fish to fry.”

He said he’s sure that there are individuals at other school bus operations who are facing the same types of problems, and that there are probably people out there who have it worse than him and his staff.

Having learned about the budget problems that many school districts face, I agree with his line of thinking. This leads me to ask the following question to those in a similar position:

Have you implemented any innovative practices at your operation to improve your facility, despite having a limited budget and perhaps a lack of support from district administrators? Let us know in the comments section below or send an e-mail to info@schoolbusfleet.com.

Until next time,

Kelly Roher

Associate Editor