The most daunting challenge right now for Larry Ursu, manager of transportation and fleet services for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, is finding enough drivers for the division's 163 school buses.
It's a vital job since 3,248 of the division's 8,200 students require bus service to get them to their schools every day. That means those vehicles travel just over 19,160 kilometres per day along 113 regular school bus routes.
Ursu reported to the board of trustees on Dec. 13 that the division has added 10 new buses to the fleet this year and the department has registered a two per cent increase in student transportation over last year.
While there have been only a few temporary route cancellations due to a lack of drivers, Ursu said the system is relying more and more on spare drivers to fill the rosters. He said there had been 10 driver resignations just recently, five from Weyburn and four in Estevan.
Incentives are being put out there with a hope of gaining new drivers with $200 to $500 bonuses being offered for new drivers or for existing drivers who recruit new drivers. The division is also pursuing traditional advertising avenues in an attempt to bolster the lineup.
Ursu said while substitute drivers are often able to fill the gaps, "they often have other obligations," which is probably why they are spares and not regular drivers.
A recent meeting in Estevan helped improve communications among the drivers and the school division, he said. Driver evaluations are underway and workshops regularly deal with matters such as defensive driving and other practical aspects of dealing with large buses and loads of students.
Ursu said there are three other vehicles in the system; namely a van, a large SUV and a sedan that are used regularly, at above 70 per cent usage rate, which saves the division approximately $26,000 per year when they are used in lieu of a larger bus.
The two per cent increase in transportation has translated into 809 extra trips and one additional route in 2011-12, said Ursu, or an average of five trips per school day.
On some days, the number of students travelling by bus exceeds 4,000, or nearly half the student population.
Ursu said the catchment areas which are served by the buses need to be re-evaluated and he reported that the division sends regular transportation information packages to the Ministry of Education.
Cornerstone has three major bus garages/depots, with full mechanical services, located in Weyburn, Estevan and Moosomin.
In response to a question from trustees, Ursu said mechanical breakdowns that directly affect students riding on the buses are very uncommon. He said there have been only three or four since early September and with modern communication technologies, good mechanical assistance and reserve buses available, there is no cause for concern on that front. Getting aged buses out of the fleet and replacing them with newer models is another key to a more efficient flow of traffic.
Ursu said that he has found that having smaller group meetings with drivers, rather than conducting large regional meetings, appears to work better for all concerned. "When I have 13 or 20 bus drivers in a room, I can hear the personal problems they might be having and they're willing to discuss them in smaller groups."
He also told the trustees there is a distinct difference between urban and rural bus routes with more drivers tending to be attracted to the urban driving, so he said there has been some discussion about linking pay with the number of kilometres being driven by each driver. He said that decision would not be his, but "it is a matter for human resources to discuss." That, along with the payment of retention allowances and bonuses for spare drivers, might entice a few more potential school bus drivers to get involved.
