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Hillsborough school transportation is better, but work remains

 
Published Sept. 6, 2014

TAMPA — Bus transportation is improving for nearly 100,000 public school children in Hillsborough County, but work remains for a district rocked this year by harsh assessments from a consultant and its own workers.

Members of an advisory council assembled by superintendent MaryEllen Elia say there are fewer complaints this school year from drivers and parents. Student behavior continues to be a challenge, but drivers are getting more assistance from newly hired administrators housed at their area offices. Buses are arriving largely on schedule, something that often doesn't happen until late September.

"Everybody has worked together, and everybody is working through these issues," Elia said as the group held its monthly meeting Friday. "Nothing is going to happen overnight, but we have got to be on the page of making it happen."

Elia and her staff embarked on an extensive transportation improvement plan after about 100 employees spoke out publicly about low morale, older buses and safety concerns about training and equipment.

The district is awaiting its first shipment of 100 new buses — which committee members quipped they might greet with a parade. Shortages remain in the ranks of drivers and mechanics at a time when the student population is growing.

Officials said they would like to raise the starting pay for drivers, which currently stands at $11.08 an hour, and that matter is being discussed in contract negotiations.

Ruby Shannon, a driver on the committee, said some drivers wish the district could assign attendants to all of the buses, not just those that carry special needs students.

However, Elia said the cost would be prohibitive. Instead, she and facilities chief Chris Farkas hope to provide drivers with training in the behavior modification methods used at the schools.

Under one scenario, the driver would give students tokens for good behavior, which they could then exchange for prizes at school. There was talk of upgrading the prizes now given out to provide the kids with more motivation.

"The best behavior we are going to get from kids, other than passing them from bus to bus and from year to year, is if we do it in a positive way," Elia said.

She's also recognizing the principals who get the best reviews from the drivers.

To make sure drivers are familiar with the needs of medically fragile students, the district arranged sessions with registered nurses to cover each child, said Shannon Lesperance, a supervisor in the Exceptional Student Education Department.

Nothing was said during Friday's meeting about the driver who on Thursday overlooked a sleeping special needs child on a bus to Maniscalco Elementary School and then drove the child to Liberty Middle School instead.

Speaking after the meeting, Farkas said he did not know what could be done to prevent such errors, as drivers are told they must inspect or "sweep" the bus before leaving a school.

"As far as I'm concerned, that's non-negotiable," he said.

District officials have said they will investigate the incident and could discipline the driver.

Contact Marlene Sokol at (813) 226-3356 or msokol@tampabay.com. Follow @marlenesokol.