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Transportation director details fleet upgrades, supply delays and plan for bus ID scanning system
Summary
Transportation Director Mitchell told the board the department runs 110 daily routes, logged more than 600,000 miles last year, is upgrading digital radios and cameras, and plans to put an ID card scanning system on buses; the board authorized advertising for bids for the ID system.
The Lamar County School Board received a comprehensive transportation update from Director Mitchell, who said the department operates 110 regular routes, including 14 special-needs routes, multiple CTE and college partnership routes, and logged over 600,000 miles of driving last year.
Mitchell described safety and operations upgrades: a new digital radio and real-time tracking system that shows bus location and speed, improved radio coverage across the county, plans to replace problematic MaxxForce engines, forward-facing dash cams for newer buses and a phased rollout of an ID-card scanning system so students can scan on and off buses.
Mitchell said driver training meets federal entry-level requirements, including a 40-hour course, and that the department has seven staff certified as Federal Department of Transportation entry-level driver trainers. He also acknowledged ongoing supply-chain delays: purchase orders placed last September for parts needed on several buses have still not been fulfilled, leaving multiple buses in the shop.
On the proposed student ID system, Dr. Hinson explained the phased implementation across elementary, middle and high schools. The system would allow staff to account for who is on each bus in real time, which administrators said would improve post-accident response and reunification. The board approved a motion to advertise for bids for the bus-mounted student ridership/ID monitoring system; the motion passed unanimously.
Mitchell also described a community partnership with the Lamar County Library System to repurpose an older retired bus as a mobile book bus.
What’s next: staff will advertise the ID system procurement and return with vendor proposals; fleet maintenance will continue while the district works through parts delivery issues.
