An Eye-Opening Training Exercise

In Lawrence, Michigan 80 people participated in a training exercise in which they entered a school bus that had been turned on the side. They also got to experience being in a smoke filled bus. This massive event was sponsored by the Van Buren Intermediate School District (ISD) and Lawrence Township Emergency Services.

Featured above in an image taken from the rear end of the flipped school bus. This shows just how little space there is to move around. This image also provides a message about how tricky it can be to get to the exit if needed.  It should also be noted that the whole these people are shown exiting through is not the roof hatch emergency exit. That whole was made by the fire fighters who were able to practice their rescue methods. The roof hatch is pictured to the right of the whole the people are shown walking through. Notice the size difference and imagine how much trickier that would be to get everyone out of. One woman in the drill said, “The student strapped into the wheelchair was a real eye-opener for me.” She is referring to the mannequin who was strapped into a secured wheel chair in the back of the flipped bus.

They group was also able to experience what it would be like in a school bus filled with smoke. The smoke in this case was non-toxic vapor. They were then asked to run through an exit drill, the image above shows the proper way to exit through the back of a school bus. One person said this after their experience, “I could not believe how disoriented I became in the smoke-filled bus.” Not being able to see whats going on is a terrifying experience and when your in an emergency situation such as a school bus accident, the smoke  is one huge handicap against you.

After experiencing the two bus exercises the group was also taught the proper method of extinguishing a fire and how to use and extinguish road side flares. After the day was over one man said this, “I came here today because I had to, thinking this was a perfect waste of time. When I got into the cut-open bus and later the smoke-filled bus, I changed my mind. This was the best day ever.” 

Running this drill is such an awesome idea and it is one that is so helpful to all who not only run it but all who are able to experience it. Hoglund Transportation took part in one of these over 30 years ago and would love to do it again. To read the full story click here.

Thank You,

Haleigh

Don't Board the Bus!

Three mothers boarded school buses, three mothers are being charged in a court of law. The two mothers that boarded Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) buses are being charged with  trespassing and disorderly conduct. While the mother that boarded a Bibb County Public Schools bus and attached a child, (her cousin)  has to wear a sign that says, “I made a fool out of myself on a Bibb County Public Schools bus,” for a week at a school bus stop as well as wash a bus, serve five years on probation and pay $500 in attorney fees. 

The two woman who are being charged for boarding CMS buses, one with a bat, learned the hard way that boarding a school bus on route is illegal.  The mother who brought a bat on board boarded so she could talk to some students who were giving her daughter a hard time. Thankfully no one was hurt. The other mother's reason was not stated but when asked to leave the bus she started cursing and swearing at the driver. Their charges are stated above.

As for the final mother who boarded and repeatedly assaulted her 11 year old cousin, after an argument broke out between the girl and her own son. The woman also pulled the little girls hair. The fight was broken up by the driver and the woman's child. In court the woman plead guilty to battery and making terrorist threats. Her charges are stated above.

To read more click here!

Thank You,
Haleigh

On Managing Transportation, Part 2

On Monday, I wrote about this month's School Transportation News topics.  First, they highlight what challenges Transportation Directors face.  Second, they outline what makes a GREAT Transportation Director.

Monday's article focused on the challenges.  Today's post is about how they define a GREAT Transportation Director.  

Here at our company, there is not a single Transportation Director, but a Transportation Crew, including our Superintendent, Joe, Jami, me, and our support staffs.  For the record, I'm including how I think we're doing at each point.  Feel free to add your comments! :)

GREAT Transportation Directors:

1. Have great communication skills.
   Thumbs up.  We are able to communicate on many levels with many different groups of people, from the students and parents, to the tenth grade driver's ed students, to our drivers.
   
2. Have industry knowledge, studying regulations, best practices, district policies, and more, including knowing how to expertly do a wide range of tasks.
   Another thumbs up.  We work really hard to know the latest information.  Sometimes that information comes from YOU, our drivers and community. We work hard to do more than just maintain buses and plan routes, and  most often the expertise we use is found under our roof.
   
3. Focus on safety.
   Thumbs up.  It's the first thing that motivates every decision we make.
   
4. Are dedicated.
   Yup, thumbs up!  We work long and hard hours when we must in order to get the best possible result for the most people.
   
5. Have integration skills.
   I wouldn't give this one a thumbs down, but I'm not going with a thumbs up either.  I think we have trouble during certain seasons creating a good balance between each of the various tasks we do (for example, August labor is highly dedicated exclusively to routing).  That's why we took apart all the things we do this summer and redesigned how every aspect of our company is managed.  We won't be able to fully assess the success of our redesign until next summer.  I have high hopes.
6. Are flexible.
   Thumbs up for our relationship with the school district, staff, parents, and students.  Thumbs down for employee interaction, but I don't see that changing.  I believe we need to spend more time explaining why we are saying "no" to certain requests or why we insist on certain behaviors, but a fair amount of inflexibility is required to maintain high levels of service.
   
7. Focuses on students.
   Thumbs up.  Just remember that we focus on students in general, not specifically.  This is a mass transportation program, so we focus on what - collectively - is best for students.  That's not the same as focusing individually.
8. Pays attention to detail.
   Thumbs up.  Some might say obsessively so.  Still, I think we keep the big picture in view as well.
9. Has problem-solving skills.
   Two thumbs up!  We have solved some humdingers!  And done it within twenty-four hours.  Trust me, there is never a dull moment.
10. Has clarity.
    Thumbs up.  We focus first on our priorities:  SAFE, EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE transportation.  Then we strive for excellence.  Finally, we work hard to be kind and caring in our decision-making.
11. Acts on feedback.
    Thumbs up.  We listen to people who offer feedback.  If it's good, we share it with those affected.  If it's bad, we investigate and come up with a solution (see #9).
12. Is responsible.
    Thumbs up.  Each person listed by name has willing and loudly taken responsibility for mistakes and miscalculations.  What's more, we take responsibility for the people who share our work with us.  When questioned about a driver's behavior, my immediate response is first to apologize, and then to explain how we are going to address or fix the problem.
13. Thinks ahead.
    Thumbs up!  I think most people get afraid when they hear me say, "I have an idea!"  We are always thinking about next week, next month, and next year.  People who visit our office at various times will see our poster boards where we keep notes about "WHAT CAN BE BETTER NEXT YEAR?"  We make new ones every year during the various routing processes, and we look at them before we start those jobs in the subsequent year.  It's a good, if less than sophisticated, practice.
14. Has a servant's heart.
    Two thumbs up!!  We can offer many examples of pure and dedicated service.  But often acts of service are better left between the servant and the served.
15. Keeps learning.
    Thumbs up.  There are times when I recognize the magnitude of what we do and that the actions we take today can result in the loss of a student's life tomorrow.  That could be overwhelming.  Rather than wearing the responsibility as a burden, we focus on learning to be better every single day. 
16. Has an eye for talent.
    Thumbs up.  We can find the right people.  You can tell by looking at the people in key positions in the office, shop, and behind the wheels of the various vehicles.
17. Leads.
    Thumbs up.  "'Leadership in this sense is a broad term to encompass integrity, commitment to your people and your mission, and the ability to know your stuff, your people, and yourself,' says Grant Reppert of Gwinnett County Public Schools in Lawrenceville, Ga.  'This is why people are willing to trust and follow the direction and guidance you provide.'"
18. Knows and uses the Three Cs:  Compassion to listen to others.
19. Knows and uses the Three Cs:  Confidence to make tough decisions.
20. Knows and uses the Three Cs:  Courage to stand alone behind the decisions.
    We listen, we make tough decisions, we stand behind them.  I'm not giving the thumbs up just yet.  
21. Has heart.
    Thumbs up.  Our decisions affect people, and we need to think about the effects. 
22. Has a thick skin.
    Two thumbs up!  We are cussed, ridiculed, belittled, and bullied.  And it doesn't matter.  We believe in what we do, and we stand by it.  It helps that we stand as a team and not as a single person.  
23. Delegates wisely.
    Thumbs up.  We are getting good at using the right person's talents to achieve the right successes.  
24. Uses negotiation skills.
    Thumbs up.  
25. Is dependable.
    Thumbs up.  We have Joe available 24/7, in most cases.  We have checks and balances in place.  We have the right people in the right positions.  Those things create dependability.
26. Is willing to get down in the trenches.
    Thumbs up.  We drive, ride, clean the toilets...  There is no job that we leave unfinished because of a job title or status.  
27. Has business acumen.
    Thumbs up.  All of us have learned so much about business while going through some tough times!  And during those tough times, we've learned to trust and rely on each other and support staff.  So, our business will continue to grow and we will keep it healthy, even when it requires tough decision-making.
28. Embraces challenges.
    Thumbs up.  We get overwhelmed, but we don't stop working.  In fact, we laugh more the harder things get.  We've learned the best way to get through the toughest challenges is to share them with each other and look at the problem from more than one direction and with different sets of eyes and points of view.
29. Thinks about the "Big Picture."
    Thumbs up.  
30. Is determined.
    Thumbs up.  We are determined to be prepared at all times for even the most unexpected events.  We are determined that our staff will be kind, caring, and excellent.  We are determined to get the job done every day.
31. Networks.
    Thumbs up.  We belong to local networking organizations like the Monticello Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.  We attend community events and relevant industry events.  We talk to people and listen to their stories.  
32. Follows-up.
    Thumbs up.  We have a rule that emails and voice mails need to be answered within hours, and, for the most part, everyone follows the rule.
33. Follows-through.
    Thumbs up.  We follow-through by communicating with drivers and letting parents know what's going on.  Sometimes, our best-laid plans for some of the non-route training and scheduling go awry because we are so very short-staffed.  We're working on a plan designed to keep our training schedule on schedule.  
34. Is accessible.
    Thumbs up, most of the time.  We try to always have at least one person available to both employees and customers, but it's a bigger challenge in late August and early September.  
35. Gets the facts.
    I think we are better at fact-collecting than ever before, and I'm tempted to give us the thumbs up.  I think we could be better at making sure we get the facts from all sides of an issue before reacting.  I'm glad this was part of the list; it gives us a new goal!
    
36. Is organized.
    Thumbs up!  Says Colleen Murphy (in STN), "Everything has its place, and either at the beginning or end of each day... you need to straighten up the piles and put what you can away.  We deal with so many items that are time- and safety-sensitive that not keeping good records will destroy your entire operation."  And, that, my friends, is why we have developed our Very Important Paper Box, which is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we did to reorganize our company this summer.
    
    
37. Empowers employees.
    Thumbs almost up.  I would have thought we had this one nailed, until an incident occurred on a bus that scared another employee who was riding along.  Had I been riding and a driver made an error that was a near-miss, I would have removed him from the seat, and driven the bus myself.  Every professional driver here should feel the same way.  It's about our students' safety and not at all about whose toes get trampled.  We're going to work on this.
    
38. Has a calm demeanor.
    Thumbs down overall.  We tend to get excited, and there is always the buzz of excited energy traveling the corridors of this building.  I think, though, that most often in serious circumstances we have more than a calm demeanor.  We have an innate sense of confidence in what we do that lends itself to professionally handling tense or emergency situations.  We're going to work on this one too.
    
39. Is patient.
    For everyone, that's a big thumbs up.  For me, it's a big thumbs down.  I really admire patience in people since it's a quality I rarely bring forth.  
    
40. Is fair.
    Two thumbs up!  We work really hard to be consistent and in most cases are successful.  We aren't perfect, and our decisions are subject to approval from a variety of sources, but we do try to always err on the side of consistency.
    
41. Gives credit.
    Thumbs up.
    
42. Is decisive.
    Thumbs up.  Says Michael Dallessandro of Niagara Wheatfield CSD in Niagra Falls, NY, "Often a decision has to be made, and there is not much time to do it since our buses are often 'moving' while they are awaiting an answer."
    
43. Is visible.
    Thumbs up.  You see us throughout the day, at the various school sites, and - sometimes - on the streets observing.  
    
44. Is creative.
    Thumbs up.  We do really cool and creative stuff to make things work for people.  
    
45. Is consistent.
    Thumbs up up up!  See #40.
    
46. Is positive.
    Thumbs up, most of the time.  We need a plan to keep things positive when we're feeling the burden of the workload.  We have some ideas to put into play next year...
    
47. Has a sense of direction.
    Thumbs up.  We know where things are and know where to look when we don't.  And we don't just trust a map to tell us where things are;  we go look.
    
48. Is honest.
    Thumbs up.  We've shared hard things with our employees and our school administration.  It's always been the right choice to be forthright.  
    
49. Has high ethical standards.
    Thumbs up.  We work really hard to do the right things all the time for the most people, and we never try to circumvent a regulation, law, rule, or policy.  And we have earned trust and respect for those efforts.  We will maintain high ethical standards as long as we stay in business.
    
50. Is involved in the community.
    We try to do as much as we can for kids.  Through our membership in the Chamber of Commerce, we plan to participate in more events we didn't even know about prior to joining (what a great resource!).  We're looking forward to those new and exciting events in our very own community. 

After this article posts, bus drivers will have an assignment to read and comment on the article.  We won't hide any posts, so check back to see what the people who work here think about the article and our self-assessment.

Safe driving!
Kari

On Managing Transportation, Part 1

The latest issue of my favorite industry magazine, School Bus Fleet, contains an in-depth article about the challenges faced by Transportation Directors (TDs) and focuses on what makes a great TD.

In an earlier blogpost, I found a comment by an employee in which she wondered what it was like to be managing transportation rather than driving a school bus, so I thought I'd share some highlights of the articles.

This article is a great summary of input received by TDs across the country, and mirrors our own experience.  The magazine offered a survey for TDs to complete, and the majority of responders were companies/school districts our size or smaller.

After listing the concern and the percentage of responders who chose it, I offer commentary comparing it to our own experience:

1. Budget/Funding Issues (21.7%)
   This is, clearly, our biggest issue in Monticello.
   
2. Driver Recruitment/Retention (18%)
   I have personally not driven this often in years.  We would benefit from a few more quality drivers.
   
3. Student Behavior (9%)
   While I would not put this quite so high on the list, I would include it for the distraction factor it offers to bus drivers, and the danger that driver distraction offers to students.
   
4. Maintaining Service Level (6.3%)
   We have an exceptional level of service, and are one of the few companies that can honestly state we have never missed a route.  Not once in sixty-five years.  That's rare.  It IS tough to maintain a solid service level when there is a driver shortage, so this is definitely on our list.
   
5. Personnel Issues (5.3%)
   Just when I think I've heard it all, a driver will do something that disproves my conviction that things can't get any more strange.  Personnel Issues, and the things facing people in their private lives, are of great concern.
   
6. Driver Absenteeism (4.2%)
   I might actually move this one up the list to #3.  I regularly fail to understand why there is so much absenteeism when there are a mere 174 days of work, and there is a gap between routes.  I believe I have written many, many times the same statement:  "Come to work!"
   
7. Routing/Scheduling (3.7%)
   Creating routes that meet all the criteria for safe routes while meeting parent demands can be stressful, especially when parents hold us accountable for things beyond our control, like what the law requires in relation to transportation (for example, the law only allows transportation to and from home or daycare, and that means the bus isn't available for homework dates, rides to and from places of employment, or sleepovers/birthday parties).
   
8. Bus/Equipment Replacement (3.7%)
   It's tough to plan to replace buses and equipment when the budget is constantly under fire and when the cost of fuel is skyrocketing.  When all the money goes in the fuel tank...
   
9. School/Parent Needs (3.2%)
   We discuss this frequently in group settings.  Suffice it to say that parents are very demanding!  They can also be mildly abusive and completely offensive.  However, this year I've heard more parents being thankful and praising drivers and our company for dedicated and thorough service.  Keep up the good work!
   
10. Homeless Transportation (3.2%)
    The needs for homeless student transportation is on the rise.  In Minnesota, a student whose family becomes homeless deserves a ride to his or her regular school with his or her usual friends.  This attempt to create stability for students in unstable circumstances is noble -- but difficult to manage.  There is no distance rule.  And the "three-days to provide transportation" is also non-existent; these homeless students are guaranteed a ride the very next day.
    
11. Special-Needs Transportation (3.2%)
    Special-needs transportation is more labor-intensive than most other kinds of transportation and requires unique individuals to serve as drivers and monitors.  It can be stressful to manage all the unique students and student needs, but we feel like we provide excellent service to our most vulnerable students because we believe in the people behind the wheel.

The only thing I would add to the list, and it probably never would have appeared on a national survey, is that we often work with people who live in this community with us and attend the same churches, shop at the same grocery stores, attend entertainment at the same local establishments, and socialize in the same environments.  That can make it tough to be "bosses" at times.  

The same is true of our customers, which can make it tough to say "no" to special requests, or to make the student discipline call.  We handle those things best by creating policies to manage the situations instead of trying to manage people.

On Thursday, I will post a summary of what constitutes "Great Transportation Directors" according to School Bus Fleet magazine.  Bet you can't wait!

Safe Driving!

Kari

A Day In the Life of a Route Driver

So this week, I am a route driver.

I've been a route driver periodically during my lifetime in the bus business.  

To tell the truth, I've forgotten what it means to be a route driver.

Subbing is one kind of stressful thing.  Route driving is a different kind of stress.  I find that if I don't sub or drive a route periodically, I forget the stressors.

Not the obvious ones, of course.  It's always stressful to deal with loading and unloading kids and worrying about people failing to obey the stop arm.  It's always important to manage student behavior - and tough to predict in what way student management skills will be tested.  It's also tricky to function in troubling traffic situations.  Those things affect all drivers.

When subbing a route, knowing where to go and what to expect creates a new stressor.  As the person responsible for planning and choosing bus stops, I have additional stress when I find out that drivers are doing things they ought not.  Trust me when I say, we work on that problem EVERY DAY!  Sub drivers often have to explain to parents why they are there, why they are not perfectly on schedule, and where the regular driver is.

When driving a route permanently, there are additional responsibilities.  I have to KNOW my students. I have to KNOW my route (following a route map/instructions after a couple days is NOT okay).  I have to BE ON TIME at ALL TIMES.  I have to be accountable to the people meeting the bus, whether parents or school staff.  I have to be presentable, efficient, professional, and happy at all times. I have to forget the other things calling my attention, and focus solely on driving the route.  I have to plan my seating arrangement, and deal with change requests from parents.  I have to be driver, friend, parent, responsible adult, nurse - and not get too involved in inappropriate ways with my students.  And I need to do all this - and this is particular to me - knowing I will not continue to be the route driver;  I have to prepare my students for their new driver too.

Yes, route driving is a different ball of wax.  I'm so very, very glad I get to do it now and then.

Safe driving!

Kari

Yes, Folks, It's a Theory

Before the start of the year, we send home a bunch of information about bus routes, including bus stop times.

I hate sending those times.  They are never perfect - in fact, not even close.  And there's no way to make them perfect.

The problem isn't with the software, and it's not that we're morons.  The problem is that we have no way of predicting which kids will be slow to load, which ones will be fast to load, which ones will show up every day, and which ones have a seat reserved, but never ride the bus.  We cannot predict which neighborhoods will have bizarre traffic and parking situations or which ones will have a random construction project.  We cannot predict which students will be clueless about where their bus stop is or which ones will insist they should get an extra stop along the path of the route.  We cannot predict who will be new to the district, and - more surprising - who will disappear to parts unknown without letting anyone know.

So, the bottom line is, the bus information is a theory.  An educated, thoughtful theory, but imperfect as a guarantee schedule of arrival and departure times from bus stops.

How can we tell what time a bus will be at a bus stop?

We send the buses out with our best theoretical plan and run the routes for five days.  On the sixth, the buses will have established when they will be at their stops.  The time they arrive/depart next week will be the time they will arrive all year long.  That time is the actual scheduled time.  We will not send another 4,000 letters home.  We just expect families to understand and know that this is the way things work.

The perfectionist in me really hates that, but it is practical and it does bear out our experience for the last sixty-five years.

And when a parent calls next February and says the bus has been late every single day this year, and that it has been coming exactly ten minutes later than the letter said all year long, I try to remember that not everyone has sixty-five years experience with mass transportation systems.  To me, the measure of successful routing is that the bus comes at exactly the same time every day from September through February.

Safe driving!
Kari

The New Practice for High School Students

We have a new transportation policy for high school students.

Each spring, we will start the next year's routing by eliminating tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students from the routes.

We will ask for input from those students and/or their parents about who will still need a bus ride and reinstate their privilege to ride the bus immediately.

Then we will commence creating routes, using what we believe to be the number of students riding the bus.

Why make a change?  Why include tenth grade students when many cannot yet drive?

We have good reasons!

First, there are not very many students who use the bus regularly beyond ninth grade.  Many students have after-school activities and older siblings and friends who drive.

Second, it is extremely difficult to get information from parents about the use of the school bus.  Many are worried that if they don't sign-up for a bus ride, they won't be able to get one EVER.  The truth is, it is extremely easy to add a student back to the route, and only takes us a few minutes.  So a parent could call any time during the year and have a bus ride for their student the next day.

Third, we do not want to add school buses and the additional expense to the routing system when we don't yet need to do so.

This is the first year we've attempted to use this new practice.  I printed the letters and brought them to the schools to be sent home with report cards, something I thought most parents would be excited to read.  We got responses from a number of students, so I thought that method of communication had been effective.

We sent another letter with bus information on it about ten days ago, noting that changes would be suspended effective August 27.

Then, worried that we might not have great addresses for everyone or that some people might not read through the letter and understand the new practice, I called the Superintendent and expressed my concern.  He had a great solution - he would be able to use their new mass communication technology to call every family and remind them to make sure bus information was up to date.  We got more responses after that, and well within the time frame to make adjustments to buses.

Some parents are upset about not having time to reinstate their students' rides, and we certainly understand that concern.  But every student we add changes the time slightly (each student has a pre-set "loading time" of a few seconds in the software) and also adds one more rider to very full buses.  My greatest worry is that those people who responded in a timely fashion might not have a seat if we continue to add later registrants to the bus route.  And it's far too late to change buses around or change which developments are paired because, again, there's no way to communicate that to the people who responded in a timely fashion.

I think we have a good solution for next year, though.  I've asked whether it would be possible to use some classroom time next spring to have students complete a bus registration form during the school day.  We will be able to present their current information to them, and then ask them the following questions:

Will you ride the bus:

1. every morning?
2. every afternoon?
3. never?
4. only between sports seasons?
5. only if your car breaks?
6. only occasionally?

Will you need a different bus stop?

THEN we'll send home letters with the report cards.

I think that might be a good solution.

Safe Driving!

Next Week's Lunch Plan

Every year for the last several, we have been offering our bus drivers and helpers lunch during the first week and a day of school.

It's been successful!

During our Healthy Workplace initiatives, we started offering a healthy morning breakfast consisting of apples and bananas.  Our employees really enjoy the bananas.  This year we are adding individual serving sizes of raisins and nuts too.  A driver with good training, a good night's sleep, and a good morning breakfast is a better driver, and we're happy to promote driver health.

Our lunch menu's aren't quite as healthy as our breakfasts, but they do accomplish the goal of feeding people who can experience increased stress and tension during the first week of school.  The full-time staff also appreciates the opportunity to catch a bite when it's too busy to get out of the office.

This year's menu is complete and the bus driver's first online assignment will be to stop at the blog, review the menu, and RSVP.

Here's the good(ie)s!

2012-13 Free Breakfast Menu

Apples and Bananas, Raisins, and Nuts

First Week of 2012-2013 Free Lunch Menu

Tuesday, September 4

Pizza Party

Fruit & Veggie Tray

Wednesday, September 5

Make-Your-Own Sandwiches with Chips

Fruit Tray

Thursday, September 6

Rancho Grande Caters!

Chicken & Beef Tacos
Beans, Rice, and Chips with Salsa

Fruit

Friday, September 7

Make-Your-Own Sandwiches with Chips
Fruit

Monday, September 10

KFC Chicken and Fries
Fruit & Veggie Tray

Karen's Come Back!

As most of you know; Karen Klein is the woman in that dreadful school bus bully video that went viral last month. For those who missed the video and/or the post, here is a link. As a brief summery; Karen was bullied by some students and someone recorded it. The video for whatever reason, was posted and by happenstance was viewed by Max Sidorov who took it upon himself to start a fund for Karen who needed to take some time away from work. He set up a site, and asked for vacation money for Karen. The goal was $5,000 but with the help and generosity of 32,000 strangers, Karens ending amount was $703,873. If that doesn't amaze you then maybe this will.

Pictured above is Karen Klein.

Karen accepted that money and retired, then she  did something amazing back...she used $100,000 to start up an Anti-Bullying Foundation! Plus she has her hand in so many other cookie jars! A concert to promote anti-bullying, wanting to provide a fund for children who are bullied, going into media asset to help from other directions, etc! Here is her page at give back.

 Even the worst of things in life can have happy endings, Karen, Max, and everyone who donated are proof of that! I have often heard that attitudes are contagious, so answer me this, is yours worth catching? Doing one kind thing can have a tremendous impact on another person's day. Think about it.

Thank You,
Haleigh

The Final Count-Down

Every year we are surprised by the "busy-ness" of August at a Transportation Company.  And every year we try a little harder to be better at what we do.

This year, we're suspending transportation registration changes on August 27 (not 24th as originally intended), and resuming routing changes on September 10.  I wrote about this last week, and explained why were doing such an insane and unnatural thing.  I really believe it is going to IMPROVE our customer service by taking that short break from routing changes.

Behind-the-scenes we do other things to help things flow smoothly.  Keeping ahead of all the special things we do to make the first week of school successful is tricky - especially when we want to keep doing the things that worked well and stop doing the things that were a waste of time or some other resource.  One of our favorite programs we use is a perpetual electronic calendar.  We enter the annual jobs we want to keep doing and save links to various document files we need to complete those jobs.  The calendar reminds us each year when we need to do all those things.  Still, in the final count-down, we resort to the old fashion paper-and-pencil daily count-down lists to keep us on task.

For the next nine days, we will certainly be busy perfecting routes, training drivers and teaching them their routes, and all the usual daily business required to run our taxis, operate our storage facility, manage our car rental business, and perform maintenance for our customers and fleet.

As I look at this year's final count-down sheets, I am pleased at what we have already accomplished this year and the time we have left to complete the work before the first day of school.  We are well on our way to what promises to be one of the best starts ever.

I am greatly satisfied by the quality of our staff.  The willingness of each person to "get the job done" is a blessing and boon to our company.  And I am greatly thankful that as they do their jobs and complete their pieces of our company puzzle, I hear the recurring, happy laughter echoing through the hallways.

This is a happy, happy place.

Safe driving!
Kari

Registration Suspends August 27, 2012

For the past three years we've been able to track transportation data related to how bus routes change and how frequently we make route changes. 

It's a good tool for friendly competitions among staff.

More important, it helps us understand why the letters we send home are inaccurate by the first week of school.

For the three years in question, we have made more than 2000 changes to our database between open house and the first day of school.  The actual average is 2,234 changes.  Though some of those changes are not related to factors that affect time, many of them do affect schedules.

Without doubt, those routes that change by ten or fifteen minutes change because we allow 2,234 people to make changes to routes.  We should not have to make those changes in the week before the start of school.  We send home letters in the spring, again in August, and again at Open House.  We ask simply that parents make the changes earlier rather than later.

This year, we are trying something new.  We are suspending registration on August 27, one week after letters are mailed to families.  We will make all requested changes by close of business on August 27, giving us sufficient time to print and sort new bus schedules to hand out at Open Houses. You will be welcome to contact us about changes, but we will not be making those changes until the week of September 10.

Our hope is by suspending registration on August 27, we will have accurate bus schedule information in parents' and students' hands at Open House.  Our second goal is to have accurate bus routes in the hands of our bus drivers one week prior to the start of school so they have time to practice.

Keep in mind that our bus schedule letters are something more like an educated and studied theory of what we expect will happen the first week of school.  If we didn't have human variables involved in the process, those theories would be pretty accurate.  It's difficult for a computer program, or even live, experienced routing staff, to predict certain things about bus routes.  For example, which stops will be fast to load and which ones will be slower?  Where will we encounter heavier traffic?  Where will nature delay us?  How will the little portions of construction affect routes?  Which drivers will function more efficiently with students on the bus?  Those bus schedule letters are not a guarantee or plan for the entire school year.  After the first week of school, the buses will have settled into their regular routine accounting for all those questions I just listed.  Once the bus has settled into that new routine, you should expect the bus to come at that time for most of the school year.  We do not send new letters containing that information.  However, we invite you to call if you have a time question.

Safe Driving!
Kari

Bus Routes are Being Cut Across the States

Schools all over the US are getting their budgets cut and reducing school transportation. This means that parents and students are learning that school buses aren't stopping for them this year, and to most, that is a big shock.

In Grand Junction, Colorado the new walking distances have been extended so that elementary students will receive transportation only if they are more than 2 miles away or are in a hazardous zone. For the middle and high school students they will need to live more then 3 miles away.

At Hoglund's our main change is that grades 10,11, and 12 will need to request transportation if they need it or they will need to find a different way to get to school. Not bad since almost none of those students ride the bus anyway.

There are so many examples of these changes and it is unfortunate to know that the schools are so short on money that they cannot afford to pay for transportation anymore. This affects so many people: the transportation companies, their employees, the students, and their parents, along with so many others.

School is a huge part of growing up and knowing that you, or your children are arriving safely makes for a good year. School buses are repeatedly proven to be the safest way to get children to school and the thought that they are being taken away from the children is just too sad.

Thank You,
Haleigh

We Need the Students Help!

Dear parent and students,
 We are looking for students ranging in ages from six to twelve years old to be a part of our new rules of the week photos! This little photo session  would be taking place on the 15th and 16th of august and with last from 2- 4:30 both days with a picnic afterward on the 16th! We will be needing about 20 students and would also like them to bring their back packs and minimal supplies with them!

If you are interested in helping us out please call us at 763.295.3604 or leave a comment on either this post or on our facebook page! We look forward to having as many students as we can helping us make this process a success!  Thank you for your help!

Vandalism on the rise?!

Over the past few months I have come across an astonishing amount of articles about vandalism happening in school bus yards. It is also surprising to me that minors are responsible for almost every one I read about. The damages vary between cases and so does the severity of the crimes, ranging from a broken yard gate to whole buses being destroyed!

Sometimes things are stolen from the buses but they look to be intact, I think those are the most dangerous vandalism.  It is a good thing that it is a law that drivers have to do pre-trip check before the bus leaves the yard.   For a vandalism example, read this.

I personally do not get why anyone would damage a school bus or break into a bus yard. Taking a joy ride in a school bus is a little suspicious in the middle of summer. They are also a bit trickier to drive so most of the time the joy riders crash them and end up injuring themselves and destroying the school bus, thats a lose-lose situation if you ask me. 

Thank You, 

Haleigh

Safety Matters!

When riding the school bus, a few rules need to be followed; ten, to be exact. None of them are hard or tricky; in fact, most of them are just common sense! Here at Hoglund Transportation we have a system in place that rotates our ten main school bus rules every week. The rules get posted in the buses, in the office, and online! It's a new school year and we have new designs for our rules but the message each one sends will remain the same.

Here are our top ten rules:
1. Listen to the driver.
2. If it doesn't fit in your backpack, it doesn't belong on the bus.
3. No electronics of any kind can be used while on board.
4. Hands need to be kept to yourself.
5. When waiting for a bus to pick you up, stand back far enough to see the whole bus.
6. There is no pushing or playing while waiting for, or boarding, the bus.
7. Everything that boards the bus stay in the bus when its moving, including limbs and trash.
8. Always remain seated and facing forward, talking only in quiet voices.
9. Students must wait for the "THUMBS UP" sign and return it before crossing the road.
10. When waiting for the bus, make sure you are in a safe place, and easily visible to the driver.

Everything students need to do to ensure a safe and enjoyable ride are follow the rules and listen to anything the school or bus driver requires them to do. Have a great rest of your summer and we look forward to seeing you on September 4th!

Thank You,
Haleigh

1 Killed and 6 Hurt in Bus Accident.

A cement truck was attempting to pass under a low bridge and when it didn't fit the truck lost control and and swerved into on coming traffic. The truck then collided with a school bus and killed the driver. Four student on the bus were injured, ranging in age from six to nine years old, as well as an aid.

The bus was returning from a field trip for mentally underdeveloped students. All injured are stable but the driver of the school bus passed away.  No news on whether or not the truck driver is going to be charged. To all drivers of larger vehicles, be sure you are aware of the height of your vehicle. Watch for warning signs when entering tunnels or going under low bridges or beams.

Thank You,
Haleigh

Sometimes People Amaze Me

It was captured on camera, it showed a situation in which four went against one, and it allowed one woman a chance to make a difference. What I'm talking about is a 10 minute video that can be found on Youtube. The video showcases four male middle school students verbally abusing the 68 year old school bus monitor. 

Karen Klein is shown seated alone on the bus with the boys talking around her. Calling out to her that she is gross and unworthy of anyone's love. They even went so far as to say her son killed himself because he couldn't stand her...her oldest son did commit suicide ten years ago.

After reading about her story online I decided that I needed to see the video personally and see if it was hyped up or not. I wish it had been over done, after only 36 second of it, I could no longer stomach watching it. There was a site made with the idea of raising 5,000 dollars so that Karen would be able to have a nice vacation. I have attached the link here. On this site you can find the video of Karen and the boys and also see the most amazing thing. The amount of money currently collected for her, its up to 680,200 as of the 10th of July.  Congratulations Karen!

The boys are being punished and have been placed in a behavior correction school for the next year and will have to do 50 hrs of community service. Other actions against the boys from the public have included threatening texts, call, and letters. Their parents are cooperating with the police.

Thank You,
Haleigh

Bus Driver Dies after being in a Coma

Pictured above is Juan DelValle

Juan DelValle, 65 years old and a New York school bus driver died on the 6th of this month after being in a coma since the 11th of June as a result of being assaulted while driving his bus. According to reports, DelValle was attempting to maneuver his bus down a narrow lane and accidentally clipped the mirror of a double parked car.

He immediately got out of the bus and went to check the car for damage. At the same time the owner of the car approached DelValle and started to yell at the driver. After  reaching the driver the man, now known as Joey Scott, 28 years old, outright slugged the driver across the face and sent him to the ground. The fall resulted in DelValle's head slamming onto the concrete and him needing emergency medical attention. Scott fled the scene and was later picked up by the police.

At the hospital DelValle went into a coma. After a month, his family made the decision to take him off life support and died. DelValle was set to retire at the end of this year after 10 years of service.

 Scott is being charged with one count of manslaughter and three counts of assault and is being held on a 250,000 bail; his arraignment is set for next month. The whole incident was caught on tape by a street camera.

To his family we at Hoglund Transportation offer our deepest condolences and support.

Thank You,

Haleigh

The Summer Games

Aren't we excited about the upcoming Summer Olympic Games?  Sure, we see many of the same things every time there is an Olympic event - we see amazing feats of athleticism, bitter disappointments, and there is always that one underdog we all cheer.  Still, the Olympics always feel new, fresh, and exciting.

Here at Hoglund Transportation, we get the same feeling about our own version of the the Summer Games.

Don't get me wrong:  there is very little about what we do that we take as lightly as a "game" and we don't joke about student safety.  While keeping safety and  efficiency uppermost in our minds, we think it's important to approach our work with a spirit of excitement and fun in honor of the people we work hardest to protect: our students.

So it is during the summer that we renew our commitment to providing safe and efficient rides for all our students, clean and organize every space in our offices, develop new and better driver training tools, and generally plan the year to come.  This year we're making an extra effort to get things ready for the fall, and we're doing it now, in June.

Here's what's happening:

1. We have a new routing software upgrade that offers a better, digitalized map.  Jami and I are taking the time to review EVERY SINGLE BUS STOP in our District, and configuring our map so we know we are meeting very specific needs.  Some of the things the routing software can help us remember include medically required accommodations for our most vulnerable students, right-side (crossing) restrictions in those places where a student should never cross the road to board or deboard the bus, and how roads are configured in terms of passing and turning lanes, speed zones, and other specific information.  Routing software is amazing and, when it is properly implemented, makes what we used to do painstakingly by hand so much more simple and so much more beautifully produced.  Let me tell you, this is the most fun we've had in a few years!
2. We have summer school routing to prepare and present to drivers.  We should be finished with next week's routing plan by Thursday, so parents can expect to get a call by 2 pm Thursday.  
3. We have Kindergarten students to plot and separate into AM and PM groups.  It's not as simple as it seems.  We first plot every half-day Kindergartener on our map.  Once they're there, we color-code them so we can see what preferences their families have for AM or PM designation.  Then we start playing the "what-if" game:  "What if we drive this way?  Can we meet every single request by a parent?  If we can meet every single request, are there equal numbers of boys and girls in each division?  Have we met the needs of the families with shared custody?  Does this work for the greatest number of people?  If it does, have we met every single safety criteria?"  Surprisingly enough, once we hit on the right solutions for routing, it almost inevitably follows that we have met our safety criteria and we have divided the students the right way.  It's almost like magic when it works out that neatly and precisely accurate.  Considering we cannot ask parents to produce their children in a geographically organized fashion, routing half-day Kindergarteners can be a challenge.  It's one we greatly enjoy!
4. We have student records to update.  We've been receiving updates from parents by the armful!  We sure appreciate those who have sent them already.  The sooner we know who is riding and where they are, the sooner we can finish routes for the 2012-2013 school year.
5. We have routes to dissemble and reassemble.  Did you know that it is a failure by a transportation organization to leave routes unchanged from year to year?  The world changes every year - new vegetation appears or gets bigger, road configurations change, student populations age and new pockets of younger students appear.  We need to look at every single thing we do every single year (in fact, multiple times during the year) to make sure we are creating the safest program we possibly can.  The time to do that is not the middle of winter!  It's now.  
6. We have driver training programs and health initiatives we are planning.  Basically, each year we offer a new health initiative aimed at having the most healthy drivers we can behind the wheels of our vehicles.  THIS IS CRITICAL!!!!  Healthy drivers who come to work every day are the greatest safety feature we can offer our students.  We also present our drivers with the opportunity to accumulate a minimum of eight hours of safety training each school year.  They need to spend only minutes each week on our safety site completing assigned tasks and another handful of minutes reading our weekly newsletter and completing an additional assigned task.  They round out their safety training by attending safety and nutrition meetings (one of each every month), and participating in company functions.  This year's health initiatives include continuing our WALKER TRACKER PROGRAM and a new FRUIT AND VEGETABLE program.  Should be a colorful year!  Our safety focus this year will be HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS APPROPRIATELY (one of the six competencies the State of Minnesota requires school bus drivers to meet).  It's going to be a busy year for our drivers!
7. We have completed organizing half of our storage areas in the office and will finish the second half by the end of the month.  Organization is key to our business because of the number of things we offer our community.  Knowing where everything is, having everything in its place, and using our space efficiently is part of what makes us best able to serve our customers.
8. We have started a new business!  After providing transportation in this community for sixty-five years (since 1947), we feel like the local transportation professionals.  We expanded our offerings to include rentals cars two decades ago.  This year, we've added a line of TAXIS, A+ Taxi of Monticello, Inc.  This is not your average taxi service, my friends.  This is a full service offering. We will unlock your vehicle when your keys are inside it or jump start it when it's dead.  We will deliver packages for you.  We will help our elderly with groceries and medical appointments.  Eventually, we plan to offer bilingual staff.  This new endeavor has infused our staff with energy!

So, yes, we are busy in the summer.  Yes, we enjoy every minute of it (almost!).  Yes, we get shorter days and even have Fridays off.  So, yes, this feels a little like the Summer Games.  

Interested in joining us in our efforts?  Call now!  We can fully train a new driver well in advance of the start of the school year, and can always use extra help.

Safe Driving,

Kari

Dear Summer, I Welcome You!

School is almost out and I, personally, cannot wait for summer!!! The beach sand slipping between my toes and the warm ocean breeze on my face....wait a moment, this is minnesota. Oh well it's not long off now, but we're still not done. With the weather warming up (too bad gas is rising as well) this is going to be an amazing summer break!

Now for the friendly reminder, finish strong and we all look forward to seeing those returning safely in the fall!

Thank You,
Haleigh

Rule of the Week

Whenever there is a motor vehicle near it is never a good idea to play around. This is even truer when that vehicle is a bus. If a student is standing too close to the side of a bus, it can be difficult for the driver to see them. If a student fell or tripped while standing that close, the driver may not see the student, and that is when injuries can happen. To avoid things like that, just board the bus nicely.

Riding the bus is a privilege; some people tend to forget that. We take the students' safety very seriously and will take action to ensure that they are, indeed, safe.

Thank You,

Hoglund Transportation

Interview with the Owner

Hoglund Transportation opened in 1947 with Stuart Hoglund as the original owner. Gordy Hoglund the current owner and one of Stuart’s seven children, was born in July of 1949. Gordy and his older brother Wayne bought the company from their father back in 1984 and decided to split the company a short two years later in 1986; this resulted in Gordy becoming the sole owner of Hoglund Transportation.


There isn’t much that Gordy hasn’t seen happen in the school bus world; from no power steering and small maximum passengers of 48 and 54. To current automatics that have an average maximum from 77 to 84. We even have a few newer buses that can transport up to 90 people at a time! As the cost of fuel rises the type of bus you have and its fuel efficiency is becoming more and more important. He has even helped with the changes such as designing a new type of school bus hood. The hood he designed allowed for better visibility of the smaller students in front of the bus, and made it more streamlined.

I spoke with him on April 24th, 2012 and he answered some of my questions I happened upon in my hunt for stories. Here are a few of them.

-ME- Why does it matter what type of school bus you buy?

-GORDY- The students safety is the most important thing and having the best bus possible, in my opinion is the best way to go about it.

-ME- Why do you prefer using International school buses?

-GORDY- “We have had such good luck with these; Doug Olson a mechanic at Hoglund Transportation for 20 years now has only needed to rebuild one DT International engine in all his time here..” They also have the best part replacement system in the school bus industry meaning less down time then others.

-Me- What do you think about the new electric buses?

-GORDY- A thing to come, but they are too expensive right now.

He is a smart man and one I am proud to call my grandfather! I have very little experience compared to him and he is always willing to take time out of his busy day to answer my questions. If the readers ever have any questions or comments about what is on the blog; I will do my best to find the answer for you if you just leave a comment about it.

Thank You,

Haleigh

Rule of the Week

While outside the school bus, the students should be far enough away that they are easily able to see the whole bus and not just a part of it. That means that students are standing about 10 ft. from the curb while they are being either picked up at their home bus stop or at the school.

This is to ensure that students are not going to be injured by the bus. Also we ask that the students do not approach the bus until it has come to a complete stop, and the bus driver has given the THUMBS UP for safety, indicating it is okay to board the school bus.

Thank You,
Hoglund Transportation

Troopers are on Board!

In West Virginia the schools are taking more and more steps towards keeping the riders safe. Their latest step involves having the local media and businesses help make people more aware of the danger they are putting the students into when they pass a stopped school bus with its lights flashing and stop-arm extended. Simply making people more aware of there actions is a big deal and can be helpful; but how to let people know isn't always the easiest thing to do.

They also teamed up with some state police troopers to nab all the people who were passing illegally. With one trooper riding inside the bus and a car following behind they were able to fully convey the message that they, the troopers, are watching. There were only a small number of buses that were allotted trooper escorts but one ticket was handed out.

The state itself has made the consequences more severe as well. Here are some examples of what has been done: drivers who don't stop for a stopped school bus can be charged with a felony, a driver who causes an injury faces up to three years in prison, a driver who kills someone can be sentenced to 10 years in prison. The law also increased fines for drivers who violate the school bus safety laws and introduced the potential for drivers to lose their license. Drivers who fail to stop can receive a misdemeanor and be jailed for up to six months.

I want so desperately to have some kind of police or at the very least community involvement in this very real issue that we have with people passing stopped buses. Our district has been very fortunate to have not had any injuries in years but there have been too many close calls. This is the original story.

Thank You,
Haleigh

We Have.....Websites!

I know that to some people what you are about to read might be a bit of a shocker but it must be read! Hoglund Transportation is not the only company we run. There is still U-Save Auto Rental, Ninety-Four Services, Attic Mini Storage, and our latest addition A+ Taxi! Are you ready for the run-down?

U-Save Auto Rental is a car and van rental business that is (and I know I'm a bit biased) friendliest and most convenient rental place in town. We offer a variety of vehicles to choose from and have both walk-in service and reservations. Plus you can go online to our website and print a coupon for a discount; you can even make your reservation there! Also online is our vehicle listings and what they cost to rent. If you ever need a rental just click here and we will be more then happy to help you out!

Ninety-Four Services 94 Services Inc. is a C-Corp, initially incorporated in 1970 to function as an over-the-road trucking operation and vehicle dealership.  Ambulance sales and service were added to the company’s roster of services in 1991, and we added Life Line products in 1992.  94 Services Inc. is sister company to a second C-Corp, Hoglund Transportation, Inc., incorporated by the same ownership in 1947.  Currently all sales and service are conducted by Joe Kounkel or his designee.  Joe has been employed by the company since 1987, and was the first ambulance salesman employed by 94 Services Inc.  Both the company and Joe are dedicated to providing the best service possible at all times, which is why “Service is in our Name.”  More information is available to customers, and all customers and potential customers are welcome to visit our organization at any time.  Four references are available as an attachment, and more references can be provided upon request

Attic Mini Storage is a storage facility located right down the road from our office making it quick and easy to use! This company has been under new management as of early April and is currently in the process of being renovated. We are Fixing the gate, adding cameras and many more exciting things!  Click here to look at our new web site for pricing contacting our office and updates as they happen!

A+Taxi is our newest company and is also being run out of our main office. This is an, as you guessed, taxi company. Where all you have to do is call and we come and get you! All our drivers are experienced and undergo background checks. For more info check out our website here. We await your call!

Thank You,
Haleigh