Hot Topics 10 Current Issues In Pupil Transportation

Hot Topics: 10 Current Issues In Pupil Transportation in North Carolina Derek Graham, Section Chief Transportation Services NC DPI

Local PRC 56 • ELIGIBLE EXPENSES • To/From School Transportation • Yellow buses • Grades K-12 • INELIGIBLE EXPENSES • Maintenance of Activity Buses • Maintenance of all local vehicles • Parts and Labor • Mileage for field trips

Local PRC 56 • Eligible local expenditures – reported on TD-1 • Local expenditures reported to DPI for all PRC’s monthly • DEFINE: Local PRC 56 for ELIGIBLE local transportation expenses • DEFINE: PRC 706 for all OTHER transportation expenses – Field trips – Activity Buses – Local Vehicles • Eventually can replace the finance part of TD-1 Annual Report

Chartering Motorcoaches • Legislation required State Board of Education to report on appropriateness of policies for school activity trips • All LEAs surveyed; report submitted to legislature in March, 2004

2003 State Budget Bill • SECTION 7. 25. (c) The State Board of Education shall study the adequacy of the safety rules and policies adopted by local boards of education regarding the use of activity buses. The State Board shall report the results of this study to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 15, 2004.

Revised Recommended Guidelines for Chartering Motorcoaches for School Activity Trips • To be released any time now…. • Revised pre-trip checklist – State Highway Patrol video in the works • Acknowledgement of Safety Record of Motorcoach Industry • Best practices – Consortia – Many LEAs contracting with a consultant to do site visits

Purchasing - Senate Bill 620 • It shall be the duty of local boards of education to purchase or exchange all supplies, equipment and materials in accordance with contracts made by or with the approval of the Department of Administration. equipment, and materials, and these purchases shall be made in accordance with Article 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. These purchases may be made from contracts made by the Department of Administration.

State Board Policy EEO-H-008 Purchase of School Bus Equipment • LEAs, for safety reasons, shall purchase all school buses, school bus replacement tires, brake pads, brake shoes and brake hardware only from the statewide term contract. The Department will confer with the Division of Purchase and Contract on a yearly basis to determine whether technological changes necessitate an amendment to this policy. • Required to be Purchased from State Contract – School Buses – School Bus Tires – School Bus Braking Equipment • Not required to be Purchased from State Contract – Everything else – Including Activity Buses

School Bus Replacements – The financed purchase of school buses • 460 IC Buses financed through CCMI – 39 IC buses direct-purchased (LEAs getting only 1 or 2 replacements • 750 Thomas/Freightliner Buses financed through Daimler-Chrysler Services at a negative interest rate – 31 IC buses direct-purchased

Status of Finance Payments • International Buses – – 1 st payment issued by DPI on your behalf upon delivery October – February – 2 nd payment to be paid in September/October • Thomas Built Buses – 1 st payment issued by DPI on your behalf upon delivery February – July – 2 nd payment being paid August 1 • LEA notification with allotments

2005 Replacement Buses • 2004 School Bus Contract – Most buses awarded to Thomas Built Buses – 66 and 72 passenger Wheelchair Lift Buses awarded to IC (International) – All activity buses awarded to Thomas • Separate bid for financing on the street to finance about 600 school buses – LEAs can use financing contract for Activity Buses – work out details with the vendor.

Environmental Issues • Impact of school buses on the overall condition of the environment: Small percentage of the problem • Effect of Diesel Exhaust on Children – Since children are in and around school buses • Lots of attention on this issue – we have a responsibility to work toward cleaner air for the kids and to set a good example as government entities

Environmental Issues • National Initiative – Clean School Bus USA • State Initiatives – Air Quality Grants – Priority for School Buses – Bio-Diesel use in Durham, Chatham Counties – League of Women Voters / Child Advocacy Task Force – position paper • Common theme – need for Anti-Idling Policy

Anti-Idling Policies • No idling longer than what is needed to build up air pressure • Buses should not be parked “nose to tail” when it can be avoided • Buses should not be parked on school grounds near building air intakes • Bus Driver Commitment Cards • Recommendations issued by DPI – Followed by State Board Policy?

Dashboard Stickers Sent to all Transp. Directors

Recommended Policies TIPS FOR DRIVERS • Do not idle your school bus for longer than five (5) minutes to build up air pressure. Additional idling does not help the school bus get warmer. • Do not idle your bus while loading or unloading on school grounds. • Driver must be within 3 feet of the bus while it is running. No exceptions!

Salary Increase for School Bus Drivers • $1, 000 for non-certified full-time and part-time employees • Most bus drivers are in one of these categories: – Full time driver (40 hours per week) - $1000 – Part time driver (20 -39. 9999 hours per week) – Salary increase pro rata based on hours worked – Split funded position, full-time – combined cafeteria-bus driver, TA-bus driver, etc - $1000 from combined sources • About 20% of bus drivers are employed only as school bus drivers and work less than 20 hours per week. – Legislation does not require a prorated salary increase – The block grant for transportation (PRC 56) will be increased for LEAs that provide the increase to these drivers – 63 cents per hour

Sample Calculations Two Examples: Hourly Increase for Part. Time Employees based on 200 days per year (180 school days plus vacation, sick, in-service, etc) Hours Annual Raise (R) Worked Per Week (Per Day) Hours Worked Hourly Per Year Increase (H). (R / H) 35 ( 7 hrs/day) (35/40) x $1000 = $875 7 hrs x 200 days = 1400 hrs. ($875 / 1400 ) = $0. 63 22. 5 (4. 5 hrs/day) (22. 5/40) x $1000 = $562. 50 4. 5 hrs x 200 days = 900 hrs. ($562. 50 /900) = $0. 63

NTSB Recommendations – Emergency Evacuations • Require pre-trip briefings before school- related activity trips on school buses or school-chartered buses and subsequently assist the States in developing criteria for such briefings, to include training all students regarding the location and use of emergency exits.

Public Transit Agencies • • Receive federal money Allowed to provide “school tripper service” Use of 15 passenger vans Need to look for alternatives to contracting with local transit organizations

Study of Funding Formula • Current funding formula implemented in 1990 -1991 • Lots of changes in the past 13 years • Funding based on previous year expenditures • Local funding impacts ratings and funding

Study of Funding Formula • Lots of changes in past 13 years – No Child Left Behind – Pre-School and Head Start – After school and other remediation • Need to add programs without source for additional state funding

Study of Funding Formula • RFP Authorized by State Board • Expected funding authority did not materialize • Next Steps ? ? ?

New Federal Requirements • School Bus Drivers must have a CDL with a Passenger (P) Endorsement and a NEW School Bus (S) Endorsement. • Recognized in all states • Effective October 1, 2005

Fiscal Impact of New Endorsements • FEES: G. S. 20 -37. 16 (d) “The fee for a Class A, B, or C commercial drivers license is ten dollars ($10. 00) for each year of the period for which the license is issued. The fee for each endorsement is one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1. 25) for each year of the period for which the endorsement is issued. The fees required under this section do not apply to employees of the Driver License Section of the Division who are designated by the Commissioner. ” • • $10 x 5 years = $50 license $1. 25 x 2 endorsements (S&P) x 5 years = $12. 50 Application fee: $20 TOTAL FOR NEW DRIVER: $82. 50

Responsibility for Payment • Exemption for school bus drivers was deleted in this bill • There was no fiscal note attached to this bill; no funds appropriated • State funds may not be used to pay school bus driver’s license fees

Hot Topics: 10 Current Issues In Pupil Transportation in North Carolina Derek Graham, Section Chief Transportation Services NC DPI