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Mesquite ISD transportation leaders describe safety training, 117 routes and new community 'stuffed the bus' initiative
Summary
Transportation Director Raymond Ford told the board the department operates 117 bus routes, emphasizes CPR and CPI training, added in-house DPS testing to speed driver certification, and will launch a community 'stuffed the bus' program for students in the homeless program.
Raymond Ford, the district's transportation director, told trustees on Oct. 7 that transportation is more than yellow buses — it is an operational and safety-focused service the district relies on daily. "The school bus is the only vehicle that's not emergency vehicle that can stop and control traffic," Ford said as he described training and operational priorities.
Ford and his leadership team outlined department scope and staffing: the district operates 117 routes (including 15 suburban routes that serve state-mandated McKinney-Vento student-displacement routes), runs continuous staff training (CPR and crisis-prevention CPI), and partners with risk management, benefits, special-needs services and campus nurses to ensure compliance. He highlighted a new capability: an in-house DPS-certified tester that has shortened driver-certification timelines "instead of it taking several months...now weeks" under in-house testing.
The department also plans a community-facing initiative called 'stuffed the bus' to collect toys and clothing for families served by the district's homeless program. Board members thanked Ford for the department's work in long hours and difficult schedules.
The presentation included recognition of staff and students who earned certifications and statewide competition placements; the board asked no formal actions on transportation at the Oct. 7 meeting.
