A Good Deed, One Big Mistake

A few weeks ago in California a teacher offered a ride to a wheelchair-bound woman and her male companion. As it turns out the woman was the mother of one of the children who happened to be on the field trip. The field trip was from East Side Union High School and was headed to a college, the purpose for this field trip was not stated. The woman and her companion did not ride to the college on the school bus but were left with out a ride for the way back, which is why they asked a teacher to let them return to the high school on the school bus.

In our company letting an unconfirmed and/or an unknown person on board a school bus is a severe breech in policy. What I find to be truly unacceptable is that the male companion is a convicted sex offender and yet he was allowed to accompany the field trip! I would personally be in an outrage if anything like this ever happened when I was in school or if my child had been involved. It is reported that the two sat in the front of the bus away from any of the students and that no crime was committed but that is still an uneasy situation to be in.

This teacher was only trying to be helpful and ended up putting a lot of children in a dangerous situation. Please use more caution when trying to help and be aware that it could back fire.

If you want to read the full story click here.

Thank You,
Haleigh

Joy Ride lands Boy Back in Jail

Pictured above is Jonathan Cole Collins

      Jonathan Collins, 18-years-old, had just been released from jail when he found himself without a ride. He had been charged with a misdemeanor marijuana charge and had only served 4 days of jail time. Upon his release he began the walk home which was roughly 9.5 miles in the chilly winter weather. Since he wanted to avoid being cold he decided it would be a good idea to "borrow" a Catoosa County school bus from a near by high school.

     Collins located the school buses key, which was meant for the substitute driver, and boarded and started the school bus. Luckily the school bus was equipped with a security camera that was automatically activated when the buses engine was cranked. Collins drove for bus for approximately 20 minutes before discarding it and finishing his trek home on foot, so as to make his arrival look less suspicious.

      When the bus was located the next morning the county was excited to see that no one was injured and the bus was not damaged either. They were able to identify Collins from the video feed and when they confronted him later that day he admitted to the theft. . "He said, 'I just didn't want to walk anymore and decided to drive the bus,'" Fort Oglethorpe Detective James Leamon told WRCB. Collins now faces a $1,000 dollar fine or up to a year in jail.


To read the complete story click here.

Thank You,
Haleigh

An Inspirational Man

Pictured above is Earl Rineer.

In Lafayette Hill, Pa, I happened upon an article about Earl Rineer. What an inspiring man, still driving (and even training) at 90-years-old - a commitment not made by many.  After  serving in World War II, Rineer served as a police officer, and found time to volunteer for the local fire department as a fire fighter, and for special school bus routes. 

It was 1976 when Rineer became an official school bus driver and in just a few short years he was certified to be a school bus driver trainer.  Having been driving for about 25 years, he had accumulated a vast amount of knowledge and was an inspiration to the younger generations. His son, Jerry Rineer, who is transportation supervisor for Lower Merion School District in Ardmore, Pa., told SBF that his father recently showed him how he stays so fit and able.

"He starts out every morning and ends every day doing push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, etc.," Jerry Rineer said.

My only hope is that I am still able to function at 90!  Exercising may be one of those things I brag to my grandkids about, saying, "Back in my day...we had treadmills in the gym, not [insert whatever new-fangeled device they will have invented by then]." Yes, Rineer has inspired me to not only be more generous in my lifetime but to also stay in shape and dedicate myself to something I love. 

Congratulations on so many years of service and thank you, Earl Rineer, for protecting our country. You are amazing and I'd like to wish you a happy 90th birthday.

To read the full story click here.

Thank You,

Haleigh

A Driver to be Praised and a Child Who Needs Help.

A heroic tragedy took place this past Tuesday in Midland City, Alabama. It stared when the suspect now identified as Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, a Vietnam veteran and retired truck driver, boarded a school bus at about 3:40 p.m. and demanded two 6-8 year old hostages. The bus driver ,Charles Poland, age 66, had been driving students home and upon hearing Dykes commands stood up and place himself between Dykes and the children as they evacuated from the rear of the school bus. Not much detail has been reported on exactly what occurred next, but what we do know is that Poland, in his outstanding bravery allowed at least 21 students to escape from the school bus before Dykes shot him four times. After Poland was shot and subsequently murdered by Dykes, Dykes managed to snatch a single child from the bus and force him into a bunker Dykes had previously made behind his home in the same neighborhood.

 Pictured above is  Charles Poland, the school bus driver.

The child is know to be a five year old boy and who's name will not be released for obvious reasons. As earlier stated, this horrible event happened on Tuesday, January 29th. As of this morning, Dykes and the young boy are still within the bunker. Reports from neighbor, Michael Creel, have lead police to believe that the bunker is "4-foot-wide, about 6-foot-long, 8-foot-deep homemade bomb shelter, with 3 to 4 feet of sand on top of it. If you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t [notice it]”. The police and negotiator has been able to keep in contact with Dykes through a PVC pipe sticking out from the shelter to allow air in. Through this same pipe the police were allowed to deliver much needed medicine and some coloring books and crayons to the child inside. While talking to Dykes they were told that Dykes had previously prepared an electric heater and blankets for the boy. 

Pictured above is Jimmy Dykes, the assailant.

The community is in a small uproar over this situation and school was cancelled Wednesday, when the schools reopened on Friday there where grief counsellors provided for the children. Their is a memorial Saturday night at a visitation service, followed by a funeral service Sunday at the Ozark Civic Center for the brave driver, Poland and prayer goes out to both his family and the family of this poor unknown child. 

If you have a moment, keep them in mind. No one knows what it is like for either family but we can all lend them our support. I, as well as the rest of the staff at Hoglund Transportation will be hoping for the absolute best, a quick and safe return of the young boy, and moral support for Poland's family. Check this link for the latest updates.

Thank You,
Haleigh and Hoglund Transportation's staff

Hoglund's 13 in 2013 Program!

     Starting this month Hoglund Transportation is holding a program for its employees!  This program is focused on 13 areas that an average adult can improve on.  As well as providing the employees with gym passes, this event also gives every participating member (13 in '13 is not mandatory but it's recommended strongly) a pedometer, water bottle, and a 13 in '13 journal! This journal provides you with all 13 improvement methods, and allows room to keep track of your progress. Before I go too far, here are the 13 improvements:

• Going to the gym and finding new ways to physically challenge and improve your body.
• Drinking enough water.
• Eating the right amount of fruit.
• Making sure you are getting enough sleep each night.
• Finding a way to challenge your mind.
• Eating the correct amount of veggies.
• Working on stress management.
• Keeping a positive attitude.
• Contributing to the community.
• Making sure that you are not a couch potato.
• Using daily affirmations
• Planning your meals in a healthy way.
  
       Now for the nitty-gritty, during this first week we have used the gym time to help new gym goers figure everything out. For the first two day the employees where introduced to the machines and could randomly hop from machine to machine. The third day we broke any employees who wanted to into groups and did a set work out plan focused on lower body strengthening. The fourth day we broke into groups as well and focused on upper body. Today we are going to do a tabata.

     For those who do not know what Tabata is, I will explain it here. Tabata is where you pick 6,8,10,or 12 different exercises, and do them in 20 second intervals with 10 second breaks. You do 8 intervals of each exercise you choose. This is a super fun way to work out because the Tabata music always has a quick beat and fun music (music can be bought online or through itunes). Starting next Thursday, there will be a Tabata class led by one of our staff members every week.

     Improving yourself is something all of us can work towards! It isn't hard to increase the amount of water you drink by one cup, or snack on an apple on your way to work. The goal of 13 in 2013 isn't to have everyone lose an extreme amount of weight because that's not realistic. The goal is for the employee to notice change, and know they're able to accomplish their goal with a little determination, effort and support.

Check out our Facebook page for update on work outs, what charity we are donating to this month, and healthy recipes and meal planning tips!

Thank You,

Haleigh

Man Wrested off a Loaded School Bus!

In Palestine Texas a man attempted to hijack a school bus that had approximately 14 students on board. The man is said to have been fleeing from a fight he started in a near by apartment complex. The man is thought to be 30 years old and fled onto the bus while the driver was in the isle assisting a student.

The driver immediately removed the man from his bus with the help of two by-standers. One of which was the apartment complex manager and the second was an off-duty corrections officer. Both of the men rushed to the bus drivers aid and together the men were able to remove the man from the school bus and restrain him until the police arrived.

Lucky for us none of the children were hurt and the bus driver is also reported as being uninjured.


To read the full story click here!

Thank You,
Haleigh

Simply an Astounding Generousity

In Portland, Oregon school bus drivers are delivering Christmas presents and cheer to families in need. Starting a few years back a group of drivers wanted to do something for the less fortunate families in the district and they can up with this amazingly generous plan. First they have the families and young mothers place theirs and their child's need on a "giving tree". Then each driver adopted families and underage mothers. The mothers all got a hat and scarf or mittens while the children got warm clothes or a toy. For families the drivers supplied 3 presents per child. Simply astounding.

To watch a short clip on it click here.

In total the drivers have adopted over 200 children! That is a life changing event for those children and families in need. As a parent I couldn't even begin to express my gratitude for someone who made Christmas a possibility for my children. Some people are willing to go above and beyond for others and that is what we strive for here at Hoglund Transportation. Compliance is an obligation; Excellence is a choice.

Happy Holidays and Safe Driving to all!
To read more click here!

Thank You,
Haleigh

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