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Transportation director: all open routes covered; district hires drivers and new dispatcher to improve service
Summary
Transportation Director Baptiste told the board all open routes were being served, seven routes were temporarily covered by substitute drivers, three new drivers were hired with two in training and a new dispatcher starting Monday; the bus‑tracking app is functioning and staff are addressing late runs and overcrowding.
NATCHITOCHES, La. — Transportation Director Baptiste told the Natchitoches Parish School Board that the district has covered every open bus route since the start of the school year while pursuing staff hires and operational fixes.
"At present, all of our routes that are open are actually being run," Baptiste said. "There are actually 7 routes that are being covered by subs currently. That should go down in the next couple of weeks."
Baptiste reported the district hired three new drivers, has two drivers currently in training, and will add a new dispatcher who is scheduled to start Monday. He said the district has also begun school visits to address site‑specific concerns and is working to resolve reported overcrowding and late runs — citing specific work at L.P. Vaughn and route number 124 as having been adjusted.
On the bus‑tracking application, Baptiste said the system "seems to be working fine" and that the transportation office sends regular updates to district staff. Board members pressed for clarity on substitute drivers and whether the dispatcher would be available to answer school calls; Baptiste said the phone line is located in his office and is answered when he is present, and that the new dispatcher will improve responsiveness.
Board discussion included a planned review of staggered start options to make routing more efficient and inform a future request for proposals (RFP). The superintendent said staff plan to meet with teaching‑and‑learning leaders prior to the October board meeting to model staggered start scenarios and their impact on master schedules and buses.
No formal motions or votes were recorded on transportation during the meeting; staff asked board members to collect operational concerns and to expect a fuller update at the next meeting.
