Penfield transportation director warns of rising miles, driver shortage; district to add electric buses
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Summary
Director of transportation Mike Daley told the board the district’s fleet is running more miles, out‑of‑district runs have increased, and driver recruitment and retention remain the department’s top challenges; the district plans additional electric bus purchases.
At the Feb. 11 Penfield Central School District Board of Education meeting, Mike Daley, director of transportation, outlined staffing, fleet composition and rising mileage that he said are stressing the department and driving renewed use of contract transportation.
Daley said the department currently lists 66 drivers on the DMV roster, with about 60 actively driving, and that the ideal staffing level would be roughly 76 drivers to provide reliable coverage for calls offs and medical absences. He said the transportation staff also includes five office staff members, 16 attendants (one of whom is training to become a driver), three full‑time mechanics and three part‑time driver/mechanics.
On fleet composition, Daley said the district operates 58 large diesel buses, two electric buses, 22 mini buses and four wheelchair‑capable buses (including one full‑size bus configured for three wheelchairs). He said the district runs 229 in‑district runs and 61 out‑of‑district runs, serving 52 schools; the out‑of‑district total has grown compared with last year.
Daley said year‑to‑date mileage has increased significantly and that the district has traveled about 4,809,108 miles across its fleet to date. He said the district has added 13 new drivers year‑to‑date (January to January) and lost nine during that same period for reasons such as termination, medical issues or unsafe driving; four newly hired drivers remained in service and one trainee was still in training.
On equipment purchases, Daley said the district will receive six additional Bluebird electric buses funded through a grant, joining two current electric buses; three new Bluebird mini buses and one additional wheelchair mini bus are expected in June. He said the district will retire three of its oldest mini buses because of mileage and rust.
Daley described state changes temporarily simplifying licensing requirements for school bus drivers, and told the board Penfield continues to train drivers to the full Class B CDL with passenger and school endorsements so drivers are fully qualified and able to assist with mechanical issues if necessary. He said New York State Department of Transportation inspections have been completed for all but one vehicle, and that the mechanics’ work has kept the fleet at a 100% inspection rate on 106 inspections.
Board members asked about the increase in out‑of‑district runs. Daley cited several reasons: specialized programming not available in Penfield (requiring travel to BOCES or other providers), McKinney‑Vento transportation for students experiencing homelessness, and continued service for students who began programs while living in Penfield. He noted that the district may legally provide transportation up to 50 miles for eligible cases.
A board member asked about the district’s transportation aid ratio; Daley said the current aid ratio is 74 percent. Several board members thanked Daley and his staff for flexibility and creativity in meeting transportation needs.