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