Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Transport controller Nick Cheney outlines fleet modernization, safety upgrades for Fremont City Schools
Summary
At the June 22 board meeting, transport controller Nick Cheney gave a data-heavy briefing on Fremont City Schools’ transportation operations, citing fleet size, ridership, fuel pressures and proposed camera and fleet upgrades to improve safety and reliability.
Nick Cheney, Fremont City Schools’ transport controller, told the board on June 22 that the district operates 40 active buses serving 1,788 students — about 55% of enrollment — on 114 daily routes supported by 29 full-time drivers and six substitutes.
Cheney said route buses log about 2,479 miles each school day and emphasized safety as the organizing priority. "School buses are 70 times safer for student transit than standard parent transportation," he said, noting Ohio’s construction standards and safety laws. Cheney said the district’s core route fleet averages 4.3 years of age while backup vehicles average about 15.7 years.
The presentation outlined several near-term initiatives the transportation department is pursuing: using a roughly $30,000 Ohio school bus safety grant to install illuminated "first light" signs on route buses at no cost to the district; investigating upgraded on-board camera systems to improve license-plate capture and evidence quality for stop-arm violations; and further fleet modernization to reduce maintenance costs and lower the average fleet age.
Cheney described how the department responded to rising fuel costs reported in the presentation (the transcript records the price moving from "332" to "535") by tightening routes, reducing idle time and increasing use of propane buses when appropriate. He told the board these steps helped offset the diesel-price spike without increasing spending.
Cheney also highlighted personnel and training steps: two drivers (John Plath and Ann Carr) completed the Ohio advanced bus driver training program, and on-board instructor Darren Lee will attend a train-the-trainer event to speed onboarding. Cheney said the department plans to expand evacuation drills beyond the start of the school year to keep safety procedures fresh.
Board members commended Cheney and director of facilities Tom Manley for improving reliability and for pursuing grants and technology that could strengthen enforcement of stop-arm violations. Several trustees also encouraged pursuing camera upgrades that can capture readable plates on vehicles without front plates.
No formal board action was required at the meeting; administrators said they will continue to investigate camera upgrades, bus washing infrastructure and fleet purchases and report back as proposals mature.
