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Activity bus driver urges district to use in-house buses for overnight and out-of-area trips
Summary
An activity bus driver urged the Tooele Board of Education to revise transportation procedures so district-employed drivers and activity buses can serve overnight and long-distance trips, citing student safety, equipment, and cost savings compared with charter buses.
Cindy Kirk, an activity bus driver for Tooele County School District, told the board she and other drivers had submitted a letter asking administrators to review student-transportation policy for overnight and out-of-area travel.
'We, your bus drivers, have a higher level of training specific to transporting students,' Kirk said, urging the board to allow district drivers and activity buses to carry students and equipment for overnight trips and other out-of-area events.
Kirk told trustees that district activity buses now include air conditioning and Wi-Fi and that the district maintains a pool of trained drivers. She argued the district should prioritize student safety and retain drivers by offering more activity assignments.
'There is no scenario in which a charter is cheaper than a school bus,' Kirk said, calling use of charters when district buses and drivers are available a 'flagrant misuse of funds.' She also said recent policy changes allowing drivers to stay overnight with teams had not eliminated the practice of sending empty district buses home and hiring charters instead.
Kirk asked the board to revise procedures so district drivers can be assigned to overnight and out-of-area trips, noting that doing so would increase trip availability, reduce costs, and aid driver retention. The board acknowledged the comment during the public-comment period and did not take immediate action; the comment was referred to administration for review.
