Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation And Schedules topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and bus drivers urge action on driver shortages and a proposed middle-school start-time change
Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 15 Chandler Unified board meeting, a bus driver and two parents raised concerns about driver shortages and a proposed schedule change at Arizona College Prep Middle School that they say would harm families and students.
Three public commenters addressed the board during the Jan. 15 public comment period, raising transportation and schedule concerns.
Gary Bancheck, a district bus driver, told the board he has driven for the district eight years and said the driver pool has fallen from about 250 drivers previously to fewer than 180 currently. He urged the district to match a neighboring district’s wage plan, develop a retention strategy with human resources and transportation, and bring a continuous improvement plan with measurable goals back to the board. Bancheck said route cancellations and modifications already affect families.
Parent Lisa Calderon thanked the district for support but also drew attention to transportation delays affecting downtown Chandler routes; she cited an example of a 30-minute delay on route 234 and urged the board to value drivers’ work and ensure reliable service for families who cannot adjust work schedules.
Leslie Falcone spoke on behalf of a group of parents from Arizona College Prep Middle School (ACPMS), saying the district communicated a proposed start-time change after open enrollment closed. Falcone said ACPMS’s start time would move from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m., which parents said would create childcare and scheduling hardships because many families are dual-working households and students have substantial homework and after-school activities. Falcone said teachers at ACPMS were unanimously opposed and asked the board and superintendent to ‘‘listen to stakeholders’’ and reopen dialogue before finalizing the change.
Board members acknowledged the comments. Trustees and staff noted open-agenda limits on board discussion during public comment (citing A.R.S. §38-431.01(H)), but several trustees said they were tracking the transportation staffing issue and asked staff to follow up. The district indicated it will report additional information to the board, including driver counts and any planned HR or compensation actions.
