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Board presses staff on vans, part-time drivers and shortfall affecting student athletics
Summary
Board members urged staff to accelerate purchases of smaller vans and hire part-time bus drivers to prevent athletes from missing games; staff said driver's-ed vans are due in July/August and the district plans to order additional vans after July 1 dependent on budget and delivery timelines.
Board members expressed frustration that student athletic teams have missed games because of transportation shortages and pressed staff for concrete timelines to buy smaller vans and fill part-time driver positions.
"I just don't wanna really be sitting here having that same conversation next year when these students... miss game after game after game," said a board member, urging action to avoid forfeited contests. Mister Pender and other staff described the steps under way: two driver's-education vans are expected to arrive in July or August; the district plans to place purchase orders for additional vans once the new fiscal year begins on July 1, and the initial target is four new vans, with the district increasing that number if budget and supply permit.
Staff said delivery timelines vary by manufacturer and can take "3 or 4 months" to "6 or 8 months," and that purchase timing depends on finalizing the budget. The board asked staff to contact van manufacturers to get estimated delivery times and to consider placing orders before the state budget finalizes if the district reasonably expects funding. Staff also noted a separate need for drivers: the board recently approved a part-time bus driver job description, and staff plan to recruit retirees with CDLs and other part-time drivers to cover athletic events when vans are not yet available.
Other options discussed included contracting local private carriers for short-term rentals and using part-time staff or substitute drivers to put buses into service. Staff agreed to ask Ralph (transportation) to contact manufacturers to provide an ETA for van deliveries and to return with an update at the next workshop.
No formal purchase or binding procurement decision was recorded at the informal meeting; staff said any van orders will occur after July 1 when the new fiscal year begins and when budget availability is confirmed.
