Student Transportation of America tells Corvallis board it has cut late arrivals and added recruitment incentives after rocky startup

Student Transportation of America outlined a series of staffing, technology and communication fixes to the Corvallis School Board after service disruptions this fall, saying the company has cut late arrivals and stepped up recruitment and outreach.

"Safety of the students is our priority," Shane Anderson, STA regional vice president of operations, told the board. He described higher-than-expected driver attrition over the summer in Corvallis — roughly 15–18% compared with an industry typical of 8–12% — and said STA deployed regional teams to stabilize routes.

STA described specific steps taken to address shortages and reliability. The company said it added competitive starting wages, an attendance bonus that can add $1 per hour for drivers who meet attendance criteria, and expanded sign-on bonuses (now $3,000 for non-CDL hires and $4,000 for CDL drivers). STA also said it added medical benefits this year and that about 9% of eligible drivers enrolled in those benefits during open enrollment.

"We were able to get our entire regional team down here on-site helping support us be successful," Angela Taylor, local terminal manager, said. She reported 14 new drivers on the road for the school year, one awaiting an Oregon Department of Education certificate, and six additional candidates in CDL training.

STA described technology fixes after early problems with the parent tracking app and GPS. The MyRide K12 app, which STA uses to push notifications and show bus location, suffered GPS and data-integration problems when launched; STA said it worked with third-party vendors, including Zonar and Tyler Technologies, to resolve many issues. "Now that we've got more than 1,240 parents registered for this app, the call volume for confused parents has gone down dramatically," Taylor said.

STA also told the board it asked the Oregon Department of Education about provisional arrangements that speed drivers into service; the company said ODE issues a 10‑day temporary permit as an initial step while full certification is processed. STA said ODE processing delays have sometimes stretched to several weeks but that closer daily reporting has reduced the backlog in recent weeks.

To reduce unusually long student trips, STA said it began contracting directly with Dialabus on Nov. 1 and is using charter partners such as MTR and EcoShuttle to cover routes when needed. STA said it also began tracking on‑time performance on Nov. 1 and has seen an overall 8% decrease in late arrivals since starting that report; the company said it reviews performance weekly with district staff.

Board members pressed STA about communication with families. Several board members, including board chair Lou, described parents who received no notice during incidents (a bus that struck a pole was cited as an example) and said many parents report the app “doesn’t work.” Lou asked that the district and STA post clear instructions on the district website and consider automated calls as a supplement for families without smartphones. STA said it will include clear guidance in the communication campaign planned for early in the year and encouraged families to call STA so staff can reassign registrations or fix route assignments.

STA officials framed the district’s immediate measures of success as student safety, reliable on‑time delivery, a full workforce and effective communication. The board asked STA to continue weekly reporting on on‑time performance and to coordinate a district-wide communication rollout that makes clear how families can register for and troubleshoot the app.

No formal board action was taken at the meeting; STA’s presentation concluded with an agreement to continue collaborating with district staff on recruitment, permits and communications.