Board approves new transportation job descriptions as district rolls out bus‑tracking app and student ID badges

Chickasha Public Schools’ board approved updated job descriptions Wednesday for an operations coordinator (certified position) and a transportation supervisor (support position) as the district implements new transportation technology and student ID badges. District transportation staff described multiple operational changes tied to the job descriptions: Tyler Drive will provide turn‑by‑turn directions for drivers, record when and where students board and exit buses, and support a parent app that will notify families when a student is near a stop. Staff said the system’s rollout is phased: ID badges will be distributed to students next week and scanned by bus readers; badge and tracking app rollout will follow in stages to avoid system disruptions. Dan (last name not specified), who presented the job‑description changes, said the new system will “keep track of our students. We're gonna know when the student got on the bus. We're gonna know when the student got off of the bus and where the location was that they got on and got off.” He told the board that initial data entry and setup require substantial work and that district drivers must accept changes to their route processes. Board members asked whether the positions were new. Staff clarified the district previously had the roles on contract and that this vote formalizes updated job descriptions and moves the coordinator role to a full‑time certified position. Questions from board members centered on overlap between duties, recruitment expectations and whether the coordinator should be certified; staff said the coordinator’s certified status reflects the need for operational knowledge of transportation, child nutrition and cross‑department coordination. Staff said Tyler Drive implementation is already under way: bus readers and access‑control hardware are installed at some sites, high‑school badges completed and scanning integrated into the system; a public information video will be released and badges sent home to families next week. The parent‑facing app (for real‑time bus location and stop notifications) will be rolled out after badges and internal testing. Staff also said the district will use the system to support substitute drivers and reduce phone calls asking “where is my child’s bus?” Board members discussed operational trade‑offs, funding and personnel priorities, then approved the job descriptions by roll call. Staff committed to providing further details on hiring and contracts as the district moves from job description to recruitment and contract negotiation steps. The board approved both job descriptions and directed staff to proceed with implementation planning and future hiring processes tied to the new positions.