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District transportation director reports staffing gains and proposes bus‑patrol camera pilot for stop‑sign violators
Summary
Transportation director Mr. Taylor said the district now employs 37 bus drivers and five monitors, uses GPS and dash cameras, averages about 2,300 daily riders, and presented preliminary pilot data showing many motorists running bus stop signs; he proposed returning with video and statistics for board consideration of a bus‑patrol program.
Transportation director Mr. Taylor delivered an extended strategic update, describing improved staffing and a proposed safety pilot.
Mr. Taylor said the district operates 45 buses in service (35 regular education and 9 special education), three vans for cross‑zone transport, and currently staffs 37 drivers and five monitors after a board decision last year to increase part‑time wages. "We are now up to 37 bus drivers," he stated, attributing recruitment gains to the board's pay change.
Operational details included GPS monitoring, interior cameras, dash cams, two‑way radios and use of TRANZACT with PowerSchool for routing and rosters, which Mr. Taylor said allows the district to assign students nightly and notify parents when buses run behind schedule. He reported 3,266 students are assigned to a transportation plan with an average daily ridership of about 2,300 students.
Safety: Mr. Taylor described a no‑cost pilot with a vendor that records motorists who run bus stop signs; the vendor provides video and, after law‑enforcement review, citations can be issued. He said a review of five buses from Jan. 7–29 produced an estimated 154 violations and that the videos "have been alarming." Mr. Taylor said he will bring additional statistics and video evidence back to the board before seeking formal approval to proceed.
Accident record: Since August 2023 the district recorded 8 bus incidents, 3 of which were judged preventable; he emphasized there were no reportable student injuries in those events.
Next steps: Mr. Taylor recommended returning with fuller data and videos to help the board evaluate whether to pursue the camera enforcement program in coordination with the city police, noting it would also require city‑level action if citations were to be issued widely.
Quote: "We are now up to 37 bus drivers," Mr. Taylor said. "Just since January 7 till January 29 on just 5 buses ... estimated of 154 estimated violations."
