Georgia School Bus - Conference 2014

Georgia

SCHOOL BUS

Official publication of the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

2014 Conference

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CONTENTS

Georgia Georgia School School Bus Bus

Message from Pat Emfinger, GAPT President.......................................................

6

A golden anniversary: GAPT celebrates 50 years of putting people first........................................................................................................................

7

City Schools of Decatur transportation director Simonia Elder ‘driven by safety’.........................................................................................................

Ed Donn makes school buses safer and more efficient through digital technology.....................................................................................................

10

12

Growth and opportunities define active career in transportation for Lynn P. Simpson ...................................................................................................

14

Willie A. Coneway dedicated to the children and transportation systems of Washington County............................................................................

16

Kathy Mewborn” From safety and training coordinator to supervisor of special needs – a natural progression.....................................

18

Dr. Marty K. Simmons improves communication for staff, students and parents...............................................................................................

20

Director of transportation and safety Benny Long develops second edition of ‘Magic Bus’ for safety education......................................

22

Cherokee County School District takes first place at National Special Needs Road-E-O.........................................................................................

24 GAPT thanks 2014 vendors......................................................... 24 ‘SnowJam 2014’.......................................................................................................... 26 What you need to know about propane and CNG school buses............ 28 Six proven steps to a successful stop-arm enforcement program...........31 Digital solutions for busing provide greater student safety and accountability....................................................................................................

34 Understanding the fire-block test....................................................................... 36 Quantum XXI’s GPS/AVL-integrated transportation solution.................... 40 Dorsey Tire: Delivering quality tires and excellent service for over 35 years.........................................................................................................

44

Trapeze transportation technology solutions: More than just routing and scheduling...........................................................................................

46 Trust Atlanta Commercial Tire with your school bus business................. 48 Easy Way Safety Services: Your safe seating and transportation specialists.......................................................................................

50 Index to advertisers.................................................................................................. 50 4

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

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President’s Message

Pat Emfinger

GAPT 50th Anniversary Conference “A Golden Opportunity – Learning From the Past, Focused On the Future”

6

Hello to all my fellow transportation

nization much stronger and will give

for every area of your organization:

professionals and supporters! What

our membership the professional

leadership – for both new and ex-

an honor to have had the opportuni-

development opportunities that can

perienced staff, fleet managers,

ty to represent this worthwhile orga-

make the difference in the life of a

special education staff, routing and

nization. What better place to hold

child.

planning personnel, and safety and

the “Golden Anniversary” of GAPT’s

As we move forward, our focus

annual conference, than here in the

must remain on keeping our students

Golden Isles?

safe and alive, through education

training professionals.

So come one, come all; let’s take our legacy and build on it! Together

I hope, as you read this edition,

and training at all levels. Unfortu-

that you are enjoying lovely Jekyll Is-

nately, we have failed again this year

land with us here, whether it was a

in our aim to have zero fatalities, as

short hop or longer trip for you to

our most recent loss is still very fresh

travel in order to attend this spe-

on our minds. We must strive to do

people who have come together for

cial conference. We have so much

better. Join me, with our colleagues,

one cause: the safety and future of

to offer at this year’s conference.

as we offer the most comprehensive

our children. Look forward to meet-

We have undergone a lot of changes

learning opportunity GAPT has ever

ing each of you here at the GAPT’s

that we believe will make our orga-

offered. We literally have something

50th Annual Conference! q

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

we can protect our future – our children – by sharing the knowledge and experience of such a diverse group of

A golden anniversary GAPT celebrates 50 years of putting people first

By Jillian Mitchell

A 50th anniversary is the hallmark of

“I watched children grow up and bring

relationships, warranting more than its

children of their own to the conferenc-

fair share of pomp and circumstance.

es,” adds Allen, who will celebrate his

To commemorate their golden celebra-

39th consecutive conference this year.

tion, the Georgia Association for Pupil

“That says something.”

Transportation (GAPT) is doing it up the

Of course, the conference has seen

Southern way—good food, good fellow-

its fair share of change (Allen, himself,

ship and good fun.

has witnessed the conference move four

This June, GAPT members and their

times—from the Wanderer Hotel on Je-

families will congregate at the ultimate

kyll Island in ’76; to a larger island ho-

summer/work getaway on Jekyll Island,

tel, the Buccaneer Beach Resort, in ‘83;

the GAPT 50th Annual Conference. The

to Callaway Gardens in 2009 and then

event, which will be held at the Jekyll Is-

back to Jekyll in 2013), but each change

land Convention Center from June 16th

seemed to better serve the association

to 19th, is always a family favorite.

and its members, he says.

“Everyone enjoyed Jekyll so much our

One of the greatest aspects of the

attendance increased tremendously last

annual conference is, of course, the op-

year, and I have a feeling the same will be

portunity to learn. It might be sitting in a

true this year,” says long-time member

workshop; it might be rubbing elbows at

T. Carlton Allen, state director of trans-

dinner—either way is fine by Ed Crook of

portation at the Georgia Department of

247Security Inc., a retiree from Newton

Education. “Hopefully more people will

County Schools who joined the asso-

take the opportunity to attend the con-

ciation in 1981 while working in DeKalb

ference this year. Once they get started,

County. For Crook, the GAPT confer-

they will be hooked and want to go back

ence was a time to meet and pass infor-

every year.”

mation around as much as it was also

It’s the association’s people-first approach that renders the conference a

a time to decompress from the school

Michael Jennings, Beverly Skipper, Gene Thomason at a GAPT banquet.

GAPT Special Needs Group in 2004.

James Basley at general meetings for the GAPT conference.

year, relax and chat with others.

must-go year after year, says Allen, who

“Two things come to the forefront

served as the 1993 GAPT president.

when I think about the GAPT,” says

From the family cookouts of the early

Crook, who has attended the associa-

days to catered-in eats by today’s hotel

tion’s annual conferences since 1984.

pools, the GAPT conference has main-

“One is the people with whom I am hon-

tained that unique sense of camaraderie

ored to have worked and known in the

set forth in its infancy.

industry. The second is the wonderful Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

7

Cecil Weaver and Yogi Peeples.

Tom Goddard and Mark Lindstrom.

people, colleagues who actually cared about each other; you were part of a select group of individuals who cared.”

His favorite GAPT moment? “When I had the honor of announcing to the group about the renaming of the State Roade-o trophy to the McGowin–Weaver Trophy, honoring Cecil Weaver from Appling County,” says the 2005 GAPT president.

Long-time member Ed Donn, also of 247Security Inc., joined the association in 1991 while working at Whitfield County.

Though he retired from the industry in 2001, the past state and national president has been actively involved as a tradeshow vendor for the last 10 years. As Donn explains, the motivation to continue his relationship with the association was simple. “I think it’s mainly an appreciation for what the association is trying to do for the pupil transportation industry,” he says, “and anything I can do to help I would be much obliged to do so.”

During Donn’s time on the GAPT Executive, the conference underwent an integral milestone, the expansion of the tradeshow in 1999 at Jekyll Island’s Buccaneer Hotel. “We increased the number of vendors from 37, up to about 65 that year,” he shares. “As a result of that change, we eventually moved the tradeshow to the Convention Centre and then ultimately we moved the entire conference there. That was a major growth period for us.”

Similarly, Donn echoes his fellow GAPT colleagues’ sentiments that the association’s family-oriented focus has re-

Ronnie Quarles at a GAPT banquet.

8

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Ed and Donna Crook.

Lannetta Mills, Jim Waggoner, Wanda Waggoner, and Ed Donn at a GAPT banquet.

mained integral over the years. “There was always an effort to engage the entire family into the overall conference,” says Donn, noting the activities available to spouses and youngsters during member workshops. “There was a real concerted effort to include the family as part of the association, and by us having the meeting during the summer, naturally the youngsters were off school and it was the ideal opportunity to make it inclusive.”

Fellow GAPT member Dewayne Porter, director at Columbia County Schools, has only missed one GAPT conference since joining in 1997. For Porter, it is the draw of seeing colleagues and friends from across the state that has him coming back year after year.

“The pupil transportation business is comprised of some of the best, most dedicated people you will find in any walk of life,” Porter says. “We love to share ideas, because we are all working towards the same goal and praying for the same results.”

His fondest memory of GAPT was in 2009 when he served as association president. “I passed the gavel along to one of my best friends, Brett Martin of Screven County,” he says. “He and I worked hard for several years to get to that point, and we made a lot of memories along the way.”

Of course, Brett Martin, director of operations at the Screven County Board of Education, holds that memory

Yogi Peeples, Georgia State Patrol, at a GAPT banquet before awarding the State Roadeo Championship winner.

Beth McDonald, GAPT drawings.

Michael Jennings, Dewayne Porter, Ronnie Quarles, and Ed Crook’s skit “Dum Dum Dada” at a GAPT banquet. (This one was hilarious….)

equally dear, as he does of those made at the Jekyll Island conferences.

“I think some of the best memories were at Jekyll Island … just the close family atmosphere,” says Martin, a former GAPT president who joined the association in 2000, “not just for each individual family but also how the directors across the state became a transportation family.”

The relationships built at the annual conference are longlasting, adds Martin. “I’ve created some fantastic friendships throughout my 14 years,” he says. “When you get anywhere from 250 to 350 members, a lot of people focus on the classes—and that’s great—but I think you get as much from the networking. It’s just as beneficial, if not more, because the whole time you’re talking shop.”

Over the course of Martin’s involvement with the conference, he confirms that the footprint has remained the same, though the conference’s move to Callaway was met with mixed review. “A lot of folks don’t like change,” Martin recalls of this transition, “but change is sometimes a necessity. When we did move to Callaway, we had more space and that’s when we really broadened the scope of [the conference], offering [more workshops] multiple times a day.”

Each year Phil Budensiek, chief operations officer at Rockdale County, takes full advantage of the opportunity to interact with directors and transportation leaders from across

Ed Donn (right) and Ed Crook at GAPT tradeshow.

the state, whether it’s to learn and hear of their successes or potential pitfalls, or to understand how systems of all sizes are improving customer service, staffing, and budgets and implementing new laws and procedures. Undoubtedly, for Budensiek, professional development ranks high on the list.

In addition to the highly coveted family time, Budensiek values time allotted for vendor interaction, specifically the opportunity to see and hear of the newest techniques, tools and gadgets, professional services, equipment, and electronic supports.

“The last few years, the conference has drastically been broadened in scope and depth for all levels of the transportation family,” he says. “It’s been an opportunity for me to grow professionally, and it provides my staff at each level opportunities to continue their professional growth.”

At the end of the day, the Rockdale County COO is proud of his involvement with the association, which he plans to continue for years to come.

“Serving the GAPT for five years in the different officer capacities was a tremendous honor and learning experience, and it created lifelong relationships,” Budensiek says. “I love GAPT and all the opportunities it provides to each of our state’s transportation families. Roll on!” q

Classroom training at a GAPT conference.

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

9

Member Profile

City Schools of Decatur transportation director Simonia Elder ‘driven by safety’

By Gloria Taylor

As director of transportation for the City Schools of Decatur, Simonia Elder is all about safe transportation for the more than 1,000 students her department transports daily.

She admits she is “driven by safety” and as the head of a brand-new, oneyear-old transportation department (from 2004 to 2011, Elder worked for both DeKalb and Decatur simultaneously, until Decatur’s school system split with DeKalb County), Elder is in the enviable position of overseeing a 20-plus bus fleet equipped with the latest digital technology – technology that she is only too pleased to mine in the interest of efficiency and protecting her young passengers.

All the buses are equipped with a modern digital system that combines four-camera recording of what’s happening on the buses with a GPS-enabled fleet management system that records the time and location of each stop – for the ultimate in accountability. Some buses even have rear-view cameras, which she hopes to install in all the buses eventually; not only will transportation staff be able to see exactly what transpired on a bus at any

10

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

given time, but they will also be able to monitor the status of each bus itself.

Elder began as a bus driver in DeKalb County in 1998, then rose through the ranks to a supervisory level in the county before becoming director of transportation for the City Schools of Decatur in 2004. In 2005, she earned a bachelor of business administration from Clayton State University. Then, in 2008, she earned a master of business administration from Walden University.

After long years of first-hand experience, she was only too aware of the needs of transportation departments before assuming her current post as transportation director. Until 2011, DeKalb had provided transportation for the school students of Decatur; once in charge of Decatur’s system, Elder had the opportunity to shape her own department.

“I started off first by making sure all our buses are equipped with four cameras. I also made sure we had a system where if I wanted to go and look at where a bus driver was, I could go pull the tape and click on it and it would tell me how fast the driver was going and give me the GPS coordinates as to

where the driver was at the time,” she says.

This year, the director added a separate cell phone application to track the drivers’ hours.

“We use cell phones with GPS tracking, where the drivers punch in and out on it, and that’s one of the tools we use to pay.”

Why the emphasis on bus technology?

“I try to put more emphasis on the prevention of accidents,” she responds unequivocally. “Sometimes, when we do a job, we can become complacent.

But the first thing we have to do is to make sure that we have a safe vehicle, to make sure that the district stays safe, that the kids stay safe, that my staff stays safe.”

Another system that she would like to add is student tracking. “We tried to do it a few years ago, but it just fell through,” she explains.

Riders get a device such as a digitized card or an arm band that they carry, which tracks the students’ whereabouts. And the system is versatile.

“You can set it up for students on a field trip. You can say this is when these

Elder is in the enviable position of overseeing a 20-plus bus fleet equipped with the latest digital technology – technology that she is only too pleased to mine in the interest of efficiency and protecting her young passengers. children got on the bus and this is when these children got off the bus. It will send a message to the principal. What I’m looking for is just the basics—something to say when a child got on the bus and got off the bus. It takes attendance, it tracks the ridership on and off the buses, and if the parents want to, they can opt into it, and have it set up to where it sends them a message,” says Elder.

“Right now, I’m in the research stage, figuring out which company works best with what we have now and finding out what the cost will be.” Purchases always have to be considered in terms of budgets.

“You want to meet the demands of everything in your district, but there isn’t always the money to do everything that you want. And because I’m safetydriven, there are a lot of programs and a lot of neat things here that I would love

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to try and do, but can’t always afford them.”

Outside the technology realm, she and colleague Jason Ware, director of

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Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

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VENDOR Profile

Ed Donn makes school buses safer and more efficient through digital technology

By Gloria Taylor

Ed Donn began his career teaching biology to high school

Working on the front-lines of school bus transportation,

students in Prince Georges County, Maryland, in 1962, and

perhaps it was merely natural that he would develop a life-

ended up making major contributions to the school trans-

long penchant for improving bus security and transporta-

portation industry throughout the country, which he con-

tion systems.

tinues to do to this day.

“I started out trying to decide what was really going on in

His first transportation job came in 1965, when his then

the school buses, because when there were discipline prob-

principal recommended Donn for a job as the transporta-

lems, sometimes it became the student’s word against the

tion assistant in the county’s central office. He accepted the

bus driver’s word; not being present, you were in the diffi-

position and worked at the job for more than eight years be-

cult position of having to sort through all the facts,” Donn

fore becoming assistant principal at Crossland High School

explains.

in the same county for the next two and a half years.

“We started by placing camcorders, which were basically

His career took a major turn in 1975, when Washington

video cameras that had been modified in boxes in the buses

County in Western Maryland hired him as transportation

in order to photograph what was occurring on the bus. You

director.

had one camera, one lens – and the audio was far from good

One of the busiest times in Donn’s career came when he

in the late ’80s.”

also became a student, earning his master’s degree in edu-

That gave way to recording video on VCR systems onboard

cation from Frostburg State University in Western Maryland

the buses, which was problematic because tapes could get

while working full-time in his job as a transportation director.

damaged and were a nuisance to manage.

Digital camera systems provided numerous benefits: multiple cameras with audio could be installed on a bus, and the quality of audio and video was far superior to the old VCR systems.

12

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Later, while in Whitfield County Schools, Georgia, he and other school transportation professionals found that some companies were providing digital cameras to record children in daycare centers, so some members of the group explored the option of installing the digital cameras on their school buses.

In the midst of those tentative early steps, Donn retired from the school system in 2001, just at the time when some companies were introducing digital systems into the schools market. Far from retiring, however, Donn began work with an early provider of digital systems and travelled a lot the first year, just trying to let departments know that an exciting new era was coming in school bus security: the era of digital camera systems.

“I was probably one of the first to go around the country providing digital cameras. I attended tradeshows with friends of mine who were still selling VCR systems, and as a result of that, a number of companies that were selling VCRs basically went to their engineers and designers and eventually joined the digital operation about a year after that,” he recalls.

Digital camera systems provided numerous benefits: multiple cameras with audio could be installed on a bus, and the quality of audio and video was far superior to the old VCR systems.

“With digital, you record onto a hard-drive. Now, instead of storing six to eight hours on a tape, you are now able to store much more data. That became an important feature, because sometimes on a tape, if somebody didn’t notify you of a problem until days later, the tape may already have been erased. With digital systems, you can go back to the harddrive and pull information weeks later.”

Today, Donn is the industry consultant to 247Security Inc., a company with experience in providing high-level electronics to governments, private companies and the school bus industry. He travels throughout the U.S., providing feedback to the company, and meets with transportation directors to report on what they need so that 247Security Inc. can improve their products for end-users.

The high point of his career in transportation?

“The evolution that has occurred in transportation,” Donn responds unequivocally.

“I started when there were no computers. In fact, most of the typewriters we had in our offices were not even electric.

Now, today, we basically have a digital camera system that

Tim Duncan (right), tra nsportation co- ordinator for Calhoun Cit y School Zeus DVR with new hyb s, rid hard-drive with Ed Donn (lef t), industry con views a 247Security Inc. sultant to

is a management system for the transportation director. It’s been an interesting ride these last 40 years.”

He also has a special feeling for his colleagues in transportation.

“They are the types of individuals who are excited about sharing information. It’s the best and most sharing group of people I’ve ever seen,” he stresses. “If you go into pupil transportation, you make friends and colleagues very quickly.”

Donn is also twice a past president of the National Association of Pupil Transportation for the years of 1986 and 1995, a past president of the GAPT, and was inducted into the Pupil Transportation Hall of Fame in 2001. q

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dtenut@ddinstruments.com 2525 Winter Street Ne, Minneapolis, MN 55413 612.378.1224 Extension 25 • Fax: 612.378.1445 Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

13

Member Profile

Growth and opportunities define active career in transportation for Lynn P. Simpson

By Gloria Taylor

Lynn Simpson congratulates Scott Wilder, who graduates from PTU. The former driver trainer is now assistant supervisor with Fulton County Schools.

Photo credit: FCSS Fulton County Schools.

Transporting students in Fulton County, one of the oldest and largest school districts in Georgia, offers plenty of career challenges, even for the most dedicated transportation department professionals.

Those challenges also provide numerous opportunities for creative individuals with leadership potential

14

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

to enjoy a satisfying career in school transportation.

Lynn P. Simpson, executive director of transportation for Fulton County Schools, has enjoyed many interesting firsts in her 40-plus-year career.

Simpson got her first job in transportation in 1974, when she was hired to work with the transportation de-

partment of DeKalb County, working directly with special needs’ drivers. Ten years later, with a good understanding of the issues involved in transporting students, Simpson formed her own contract bus company in 1984.

It was a momentous step, and kept the president busy for the next 15 years. She ran a total turnkey opera-

Lynn P. Simpson, executive director of transportation for Fulton County Schools, has enjoyed many interesting firsts in her 40-plus-year career. tion, from ownership of vehicles and operation of a garage, to hiring and training drivers and overseeing every other aspect of the business. The company bused students within the public sector to private schools, colleges, and universities. It was a year-round effort, with summers filled with contracts such as YMCA summer programs.

“That was very rare for the south at that time,” she recalls. “The contract school bus industry was very unique, and LPS Bus Services was the largest privately owned Georgia-based school bus company,” she says.

She sold her company in 1998, then returned to the classroom, teaching school at Social Circle City Schools in Walton County for two years before joining Fulton County Schools to accept a job as coordinator for north transportation in 2003.

In October 2005, she assumed her current position as executive director of the growing and dynamic Fulton County, overseeing the massive job of safely transporting upwards of 78,000 students twice daily.

Meanwhile, an expanding student population and bus fleet was putting a strain on the South Fulton County Transportation Facility. “We are bulging at the seams in the south,” says Simpson. “Our North Transportation Facility, built about 13 years ago, is state-of-the-art, and we are looking forward to a similar facility for South County, which is planned for the near

future. The new South Facility, like that of the North, will contain training and meeting rooms, offices and a bus garage.”

Capable career-minded staff is one of the greatest assets for any school district, and Fulton County has taken an active role in helping the best drivers to advance to higher-paying jobs within the Fulton County Transportation Department through its newly established Pupil Transportation University.

Whereas transportation departments everywhere are struggling to retain good drivers and employees because of career opportunities in other sectors, Simpson has been in the enviable position of helping to develop the first-ever Pupil Transportation University to chart clear career paths for the best employees.

“This gives participants a ‘peek under the hood’ of what it would be like to make transportation your career.

We have a very fast-paced curriculum; we set goals, we set expectations, we chart their progress. It is truly a magnificent opportunity,” she enthuses.

As a result, some of the top driver graduates of the first session competed the session and earned jobs as dispatchers, certified instructor trainers, and assistant supervisors. “And this was quite a shot in the arm for our driving staff, because they can see how their colleagues, who are sincerely interested in making transportation

their career, are beginning to progress,” she says.

The executive director credits superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa and deputy superintendent of operations Patrick Burke with creating the culture and conditions that make the program possible and successful. Feedback has been ‘overwhelmingly positive’, she adds.

Simpson, a member of the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation, is not the only member of the family to enjoy a career in school transportation. Her husband, Bill Simpson, retired from transportation as assistant superintendent for DeKalb Schools, and was also state director of transportation for the Georgia Department of Education. He also served as president of the GAPT in 1982.

Simpson feels that being a member of the GAPT offers wonderful opportunities for professional development and networking; the organization is making great strides in producing a conference with programs for all aspects of transportation departments.

“Transportation leaders across the state can benefit from this state conference in June!” she says.

Growth and change have always defined Simpson’s career in transportation, and today, she is only too pleased to pass on exciting career opportunities to others. q Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

15

Member Profile

Willie A. Coneway dedicated to the children and transportation systems of Washington County

By Gloria Taylor Willie Coneway was just a young man when he planned to pursue a career as a professional athlete. But life took a different turn for him when he earned his Commercial Driver’s License in the mid-1990s and began work for a commercial transportation company.

In 1997, he made the switch to the transportation department of a technical school in Sandersville, Georgia, and subsequently joined Washington County Schools as director of transportation in 2004, a position he still holds today.

Ten years later, he is happy to report that he is just where he should be and enjoys a fulfilling career working with children and transportation systems in Washington County.

“I just love being around children and I just enjoy transportation,” Coneway says. “My grandfather worked in transportation for 44 years, and he influenced me. I also coach a lot of youth sports today, so actually one of the most enjoyable things for me is to see the youngsters grow up to be responsible young men and ladies and to keep reliable transportation going for all of them.”

His duties are many and vary from hiring drivers to sorting out discipline issues on the buses to safety issues – “anything having to do with transporting students to and from school, I have a hand in all of that,” he says.

While Coneway works with staff, he still gets to interact with the children

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

in various ways and can still drive if the need presents itself. “I don’t drive a lot, but I keep my license in case I ever have to.”

There are always challenges regarding the need to work within prescribed budgets while obtaining the things that would make the system better. A case in point is his goal to install air conditioning in all the buses in order to make the rides comfortable in all types of weather, including suffocating summer temps. “Right now, we’re about onequarter of the way to doing that,” says Coneway.

Another is to keep well-trained and dedicated bus drivers in the department. Like all transportation departments, Washington County Schools loses some of its drivers, who transition out of their jobs, but Coneway works hard to retain the ones who exhibit the special qualities for which he keeps a sharp eye out.

“I’ve been in this business long enough now to know that especially when transporting children, who are our most precious cargo, I think your heart has to be in it. You have to be 100-percent committed, you do have to keep reliable school buses, and you do

have to keep reliable school bus drivers, as well,” Coneway explains.

“You have to put your heart in it and you have to love children.”

As a seasoned transportation professional, Coneway also works on a statewide level as the Oconee RESA Representative to the GAPT, responsible for seven school districts under his jurisdiction. As such, Coneway is responsible for bringing back information from the general board of directors to each of the seven school districts on a wide range of topics that he describes as “anything that can make the process run more smoothly.” These include training, best practices, best recommendations by the state and many others.

Coneway believes in the work because he believes in the value of the GAPT. “I believe that the GAPT is very important, because anyone from trainers, shop personnel, basically anyone who has a part in pupil transportation, can come together as one for four or five days in the summer. And we can get a lot accomplished, because you’re there with people who do the same jobs as you do every day. We get ideas, best practices. Those things are very important, and we’re just trying to balance and together come up with different ways to make transportation better.”

Loading and unloading the students has been a major focus for the last two years, he says, in order to tackle the discouraging statistics regarding student fatalities.

“The State of Georgia has been leading the nation for fatalities in the last two years,” he says. “We’ve actually been very fortunate here in Washington Country that we’ve had no major accidents in Washington County for the 11 years that I’ve been here, but in the

State of Georgia we’ve suffered some

“This year, to this point, we can

fatalities in the last three years, which

proudly say that we are not leading the

of course means we’ve led the nation.

nation for the fifth year. So, we’re very

So the big push in transportation in

proud of that here in Georgia.”

Georgia is to educate drivers and every-

A major topic at the last GAPT meet-

one who’s in transportation on safety

ing attended by the Georgia state

measures, the correct practices, and

representative, Coneway says RESA

everything that’s aligned with trying to

representatives are committed to main-

reduce fatalities to zero,” he says.

taining the safety momentum. q

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Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

17

3/21/14 11:50 AM

Member Profile

Kathy Mewborn:

From safety and training coordinator to supervisor of special needs – a natural progression

By Gloria Taylor

As safety and training coordinator for

Every day, Mewborn is responsible

“The bus may have oxygen, and some

the Rockdale County Schools, it was an

for routing students with physical,

of the students have computer devices

easy transition for Kathy Mewborn to

emotional and behavioral concerns to

if they can’t speak,” she adds.

supervisor of special needs in the same

their schools and back home. And in

Mewborn started as a bus driver in

county – a brand-new position she ac-

February, that included operating 36

1992 and came to work at Rockdale

cepted in November of 2013.

special education routes throughout

County Schools in 1999 as a driver.

“What brought me over to ‘special

the county (of 153 routes in total) and

“Before I started working here, I ran a

ed’ is that I assisted with the special-

transporting anywhere from 450 to

daycare center for 20 years. That’s what

ed students while doing safety training

500 pre-kindergarten to high school

brought me into the field with children.

and just really loved it. Part of my job

students each and every day.

I do like children, and I love what I do.

there, as the safety and training coordi-

Of course, there are always challeng-

I started out initially driving bus, but I

nator, was to ride every bus in Rockdale

es related to special equipment and in-

had run a daycare for that many years,

County and just make sure we’re doing

dividual instructions for each student.

and it just wasn’t enough. I’m a person who wants to be challenged.”

things as safely as we possibly can, not

“We try to make sure that we have

only for the regular students, but for the

the proper equipment on the buses for

In 2000, she became a safety and

special ed students, as well,” she says.

these students, because they all require

driver trainer, or a hands-on trainer on

Mewborn hadn’t fully transitioned

different equipment, depending upon

the bus, with all the certifications that

from her duties as safety and training

the type of disability that they have.

come along with that. She is a certified

coordinator in late February, and plans

There are students in wheelchairs,

NHTSA Child Passenger Safety techni-

in fact to keep involved in her former

safety vests, car seats and in the regular

cian and an American Red Cross CPR/

job to some degree even as she takes on

bus seats. And each student has an ‘In-

First-aid instructor.

more of the duties of special education

dividual Educational Plan’ that must be

supervisor.

followed,” she says.

Mewborn then became a commercial driver examiner for the Georgia Depart-

Everybody’s ultimate goal here, including mine, is to make a difference with a child, transporting them safely to and from school every day.

18

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

ment of Driver Services, testing candi-

with special needs children. Being out

bus and getting them there, a lot of the

dates who want to obtain their Com-

there and seeing them hands-on and

parents don’t have access to the ways

mercial Driver’s License.

then being able to come in and being

and means of transporting the students

She became the safety and training

involved with the routing, getting the

themselves. They’ll be missing instruc-

coordinator on July 1, 2001, doing the

special needs equipment coordinated,

tion throughout the day if we can’t get

classroom training as well as the field

as well as our drivers and monitors

training.

here, is very rewarding.”

them there.”

In 2011, Mewborn became the special

needs

committee

chairperson

for the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation.

Mewborn is also privileged to work as part of a well-oiled team.

“I’m working with a wonderful group of people here. Together, we believe

As GAPT committee head, she does

that everybody achieves by working as

training throughout the county and is

a team. Everybody’s ultimate goal here,

available to assist other counties with-

including mine, is to make a difference

in the state of Georgia. She attends

with a child, transporting them safely

conferences at the national and state

to and from school every day.”

What makes a good bus driver?

Mewborn looks for stability in work history and a good vehicle driving report and background check. Successful candidates can enjoy a good career and opportunities for advancement, she is convinced.

“This is a great job for someone who has children in school, because they

levels, tasks she finds challenging but

Challenges include time constraints

do hold the same schedule. They’re off

highly rewarding. “Just expanding the

and getting the student routed as

when the kids are off. It’s a wonderful

knowledge in the state of Georgia is a

quickly as possible.

job for working mothers, fathers or

goal that we have,” she says.

“The goal is to educate the child,

“My passion has always been to work

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19

Member Profile

Dr. Marty K. Simmons improves communication for staff, students and parents

By Gloria Taylor Good communication systems are vital

county’s schools. Systemic changes were

to students’ households in order to no-

to the health of any organization, and

necessary in the department.

tify parents, as well as the schools.

this is all the more important when it

Transportation staff, in the past,

“It means parents of students on a

comes to transporting the precious car-

would email bus changes to the affected

particular bus would be notified that

go of children.

schools painstakingly, one message at

their child’s bus has been delayed, and

When Dr. Marty K. Simmons made a

a time. Today, bus changes and other

possibly why,” says Simmons. In prac-

mid-career change in 2011 from teacher,

necessary information are put into a for-

tice, this could empower parents to

counselor, and administrator to direc-

matted document that is mailed to all

make an informed decision on transpor-

tor of pupil transportation for Glynn

schools in the county, simultaneously in

tation arrangements for the morning/

County Schools, it didn’t take Simmons

a group email, whether each has chang-

afternoon or allow more time in which

long to learn how important efficient,

es that day or not.

to take their child from their home to the

accurate communication is to county

“It’s more of a team approach and I

bus stop or meet the student at the stop

can quickly communicate with school

in the afternoon. This would include

Like today, school administrators

administrators and support staff,” ex-

parents as part of the team.

needed to know when some of the coun-

plains Simmons. “Having been in their

“The biggest challenge to me is to

ty’s 9,000 transported students would

shoes, I understand some of their frus-

communicate well and to help everyone

be late to class in the event a bus was

trations, and I can explain why things

understand the importance of working

delayed and staff had to be notified

have to be done in a certain way or why

together as a community,” says Sim-

when any emergencies occurred, such as

things happen.”

mons. “We very often get phone calls

schools.

a child becoming sick on a school bus –

The next step will be to expand the

related to a child not being able to sit

just two of many possible scenarios that

system to include parents. Eventually,

where they want to sit, or the bus being

required Simmons and his department

Simmons would like to see bus status

a few minutes late, so we’re still trying to

to deliver clear, timely messages to the

updates also phoned, emailed, or texted

educate the whole community that we’re

The biggest challenge to me is to communicate well and to help everyone understand the importance of working together as a community.

20

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

working as part of the school system, and we want to make sure that we’re efficient and responsive while transporting students as safely as we can.”

Communication has always been a focal point of Simmons’ career.

In 1991, he joined Glynn County as a teacher in an alternative school with middle and high-school students who benefited from Simmons’ drive to communicate well.

This was after a stint as a court services worker in the State of Georgia’s then Department of Juvenile Justice, where he first met some of the students he would eventually work with in the alternative school, and where he remained for seven years.

He became school counselor for eight years at Needwood Middle School, then joined Glynn Middle School as assistant principal for two years. He returned to

Needwood Middle school as principal for three years before becoming director of pupil transportation for Glynn County in 2011.

Simmons graduated with his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia in 2012, the same year that he joined the GAPT. These days, Simmons is also focused on the need to recruit and retain good drivers for the county. One such initiative emerged through a unique partnership with the state’s Department of Labor (DOL). Last summer, Simmons’ department partnered with the DOL to recruit and help driver candidates get their Commercial Driver’s License by offering the candidates some classroom training.

“We had about 20 people come in.

We went through the booklet used to

test CDL candidates, suggested what they needed to focus on and answered questions. And we were able to get about six drivers as a result of that,” he says. Glynn County had 126 drivers this spring, but Simmons anticipated adding a few more drivers and was contemplating how to proceed with this program to address current and future needs.

As for goals, he would like the Glynn County Transportation Department to become the model department for the state. “We are working hard to make sure every need is met and every child and every household is being served as best as possible.”

Simmons gets satisfaction from a job well-done and lauds his staff for their roles in making the transportation department function properly. q

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

21

Member Profile

Director of transportation and safety Benny Long develops second edition of ‘Magic Bus’ for safety education

By Gloria Taylor

Magic Bus 2.

The “Magic Bus 2” is a motorized version of the original stationary plywood Magic Bus prototype developed and used successfully for four years in Fannin County schools.

22

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Elementary school students in Fannin County are in for a treat when Benny Long and his crew drive the latest edition of the “Magic Bus” through their school and into their gymnasium.

The four- by eight-foot boardable, fullymotorized model bus, complete with bus seats, lights, stop sign and walk gate, is a creative way to combine the serious intent of educating children in safe bus practices with just plain fun. Six youngsters can board the miniature bus at any one time, and the safety clown (a.k.a. bus driver and good sport Margie Kolesky) will be there to help demonstrate just how to wait for, load and unload, drop stuff off at the bus stop and proper riding techniques – all for students at a young and impressionable age when the lessons can hopefully lead to a lifetime of safe habits.

The Magic Bus is a creation of the Fannin County Schools Transportation Department to use in its school presentations on safe bus practices for students.

The “Magic Bus 2” is a motorized version of the original stationary plywood Magic Bus prototype developed and used successfully for four years in Fannin County schools.

The original Magic Bus of Fannin County.-

Magic Bus 2 had yet to debut at the time of this writing – it was still being worked on – but the parts had enthusiastically been assembled.

“We have recently purchased a club car. It’s kind of like a golf cart with a van body on it and an opening door for the children to board,” said Benny Long, Fannin County’s director of transportation and safety, in February.

“It is a golf cart, but instead of having a back seat on it, it’s got a service body like someone would keep some tools in it, and it’s covered. We’re going to paint it up here in the shop and put the stop sign and lights on it and incorporate that into the little wood bus. My plan is we’ll be able to simulate a bus stop and we’ll have a mailbox mockup, and have some students or a driver be at the bus stop to be picked up,” he explains.

“We do the Magic Bus presentations after the teachers in our training department go into the schools and teach bus safety to every elementary school student. The teachers then do a unit on bus safety and afterward we follow up with the Magic Bus presentation.”

This spring, there were 10 presentations scheduled for elementary school students in kindergarten to Grade 3 and

grade 6 to 8, but Long would eventually like to also develop a customized program for high school students.

“The goal of our transportation department is to transport our students as safely as possible – and safety is our first concern for students in all grades,” he says.

As a teacher since 1992, transportation and safety director since 2002 and father of a nine-year-old daughter, student safety has always been a priority and a passion for Long. These last three years have been particularly challenging in the face of heartbreaking statistics that show Georgia has led the nation in children’s fatalities. In the last survey, two of nine students who died in busrelated accidents (after they were hit by motorists) were from Georgia, according to the 2011-2012 National School Bus Loading & Unloading Survey – stats that Long is prepared to battle with safety education.

“For years, we’ve led the nation in deaths when loading and unloading students. And so, this has just been one of my passions for something that we could go into and expose our students to, so hopefully not to let anything happen in Fannin County. It’s a little bit of

reinforcement in education for drivers and students that I’d like to provide just to try to keep our children safe,” he emphasizes.

Teachers and students have reacted enthusiastically.

“The students love it. I have a great response. When we do the presentations, school administrators are usually present to help reinforce the importance of what we are doing,” he adds.

A different type of recognition came in 2008, when Long’s department received the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification from the National Institute for Automotive Excellence. The independent, non-profit professional certification group certifies professionals in the automotive and service industry as competent automotive technicians.

Long joined the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation in 2002, and in the same year, he became an at-large representative of the educational organization.

He values the safety information and initiatives the organization provides on a wider scale, as well as GAPT’s excellent networking and communication opportunities. q Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

23

Cherokee County School District takes first place at National Special Needs Road-E-O

By Ken Johnson, Director of Transportation, Cherokee County School District Cherokee County School District is proud to announce that

10 years, eight of which she has driven a special needs bus.

the team of Rhonda Fiddler and Susan Nulph placed first in

During the last four years, Fiddler has worked as a trainer in

the National Special Needs Road-E-O held in Nashville, Tenn.,

between bus routes, utilizing the knowledge and abilities she

on March 1, 2014. This comes on the heels of a second-place

has acquired competing at these types of events. On a state

finish last year at the TSD Conference and Trade Show in

level, she has competed in the Special Needs Road-e-o for the

Frisco, Texas. Further emphasizing this accomplishment is the

last six years; five of those six years, Cherokee County School

fact that these two amazing finishes resulted after only two

District has taken first place. Additionally, she was part of the

years of competing as a team!

team that represented Georgia at the national level on five

Fiddler, who was the driver in the competition, has three children and has been an employee of Cherokee County for

different occasions, bringing home second- and third-place finishes for our state.

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

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Award” for their performances! Using “student profiles,” judges are assigned syndromes, traumas, behavior issues and physical needs that they are to “express” to the best of their abilities. Handling these “students” is a crucial necessity for the team, as the attendant must control the situation and still communicate with the driver. Sounds easy…. deceptively so; factor in the unpredictability of those “students” while trying to maneuver a bus through an obstacle course!

Fiddler and Nulph consider their experiences at the state and national road-e-o’s to be inspiring. Meeting so many other professionals as passionate and dedicated to student safety as they are has been one highlight of getting to compete. They would like to extend the offer of assistance to whoever would like to take up the competition mantel as this was their last year competing.

The Cherokee County School District is very proud of them for their accomplishments; but most of all, for who they are as individuals.

GAPT Special News Program chai r Kathy Mewborn presenting the third-place State Award to Twanna Holmes and Petra Wallace of Mar ietta City Schools.

Nulph, a mother of three, has been

guard down is not an option. Every night

with Cherokee County Transportation

we pray and say our pre-trip until it be-

for four years, two years as an atten-

comes rote; and even then, there are no

dant and two years as a driver. Acting as

guarantees that on the day of the com-

the attendant during the competitions,

petition you won’t freeze up. Our hope is

Nulph has been integral in the teams’

that once we get started, all the training

accomplishments. Fiddler, who was one

takes over and we perform well.”

of Nulph’s trainers when she made the

Both the state and national competi-

move from attendant to bus driver, knew

tions begin with a test and an essay to

she had found her new partner after only

complete, which requires a good deal

working with her for a short while.

of time and research. Upon arrival, the

When asked what they did to prepare

timed hands-on events begin. These

for competitions, they both laughed and

events require verbalization as well as

said, “Well, we could tell you that we

excellent execution in order to receive full

are naturals at it and it just comes easy,

credit in the scoring system. Probably the

but that would be a lie. Competition is

toughest of these events would have to

fierce and not to be underestimated;

be student management. The “students”

everyone competing wants those titles

are adult judges who have come with

just as much as we do and letting our

one purpose only – to win an “Academy

GAPT Note: This year’s State Special Needs Road-e-o was hosted by the team at Lumpkin County School System in Dahlonega under the beautiful blue skies of the mountains of Georgia. Finishing first was the team of Allen Melton and Rose Joseph from Cobb County Schools, who scored 964 points. Following in second was Forsyth’s team of Carol Burnes and Amelia Burnes, with a score of 944 points. Marietta City Schools’ team of Petra Wallace and Twanna Holmes finished on the podium with 925 points and a third-place finish.

It was not only great competition but also an enormous learning opportunity for participants and volunteers alike. For every competitor, there were at least two volunteers. Kathy Mewborn and her team of volunteers, along with the folks at Lumpkin County, put on a first-class event. q Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

25

‘SnowJam 2014’

By Mark Lindstrom

View from a school bus’s side mirror on January 28th, 2014.

Right now, you’re basking in the warm sunshine on Jekyll Island while attending the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation’s conference, or wish you were there thumbing through this magazine drinking a nice, cool glass of iced tea (stirred, not shaken). You’ve forgotten those short days of winter that wrecked perhaps a political career or two and caused some head-shaking by folks who live north of the Mason-Dixon line. How can Atlanta not handle a bit of snow?

26

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

It started out as any other winter morning; just a call for flurries starting in the afternoon, with perhaps an inch or so of snow by 8 p.m. in the evening. The Metro RESA directors of transportation meet monthly, as most RESA districts do, and they also have an open phone call at 4 a.m. to discuss the weather and email with updates when the forecast may look challenging. The forecasts the evening before didn’t look foreboding. The email traffic only hinted of closing evening programs Tuesday night, and perhaps some after-school programs for the most prudent of decisions. No early morning call was scheduled nor taken.

By 10 a.m., the flurries had started, a little earlier and perhaps a little heavier and wetter than was expected. By 11 a.m., the flurries were mostly snow and were definitely sticking. By then, most school systems had made the decision or were in the decision-making process of closing schools early. By the time most schools released their students early, the city of Atlanta had vacated their office buildings and commuters were headed home north, south, east and west. Students on buses of school systems that had dismissed them early were now caught in traffic, especially if commuters were passing through their towns. Gridlock became overwhelming.

Traffic was nearly at a standstill by early afternoon in some counties, and accidents were becoming more prevalent; the prospect of getting students home on time – actually at any time – was becoming bleak. It wasn’t that the roads were wet, slick or snow-covered – the traffic just wasn’t moving anywhere; in many cases, traffic was stopped, parked, or vehicles were even abandoned. As many of you already know, some students were on buses for more than 12 hours; some even overnight.

Many students were rerouted back to their schools. Those who were on buses

were sometimes helped by neighbors, on- and off-duty police officers, teachers, and many others. One bus in Marietta had an off-duty firefighter bring the stranded students hot chocolate as they waited at a shopping center parking lot for their parents to pick them up. One driver abandoned his bus and walked his last student the half-mile to his home, as the only adult at home was a grandmother who was unable to leave her house (the parents were still miles away, stuck in the traffic).

Unless an accident involved injuries, the police departments could not respond, due to the overwhelming number of traffic accidents – many just fender-benders, as cars and trucks slid through the ice or wet snow. The next day saw local firefighters and police officers deliver students home, especially where buses were not able to venture down ice-covered roadways.

The best place to be during this snow storm was at home watching the news… Kudos to Carrollton City and Carroll County for making the correct call: the early call to close schools for the day. (Since they can see Alabama from their houses, they knew what was in store for the city of Atlanta.)

Most directors, assistant directors, supervisors, shop staff and many drivers stayed late into the night or even overnight, taking care of students at their buildings and trying to help the students who were still stranded on buses. It was certainly an experience we were not prepared for initially, but we rose to the challenge. Many parents who were stuck on the road for hours upon hours, some as long as 24 hours, knew that their children were being cared for in schools and district offices across many systems, allowing them to concentrate on their own situations.

The students were fed and cared for as local families brought food, sleeping bags and games to the schools to help

the schools care for the students.

The key in all of this is to learn from this incident, see the positives (and there were many!), and praise the teamwork between city and county municipalities and school districts; let us build those relationships that will enable all of us to respond better in the future, for any incident that may arise.

Governor Deal, facing pressure as a result of the crisis, named a Severe Weather Warning Task Force to better address future weather challenges.

It included several well-known meteorologists, emergency managers from DNR, GADOT, Georgia State Patrol, GEMA, the City of Atlanta’s fire and police chiefs, and several superintendents, to name a few participants. Before the task force even had a chance to meet, February brought snow and ice – mostly ice, which shut down the city of Atlanta and surrounding cities for a few days. This time, nearly everyone stayed off the roads, warranted or not. On April 24th, Governor Deal once again declared a state of emergency, this time for approaching tornadoes.

If any good came out of “SnowJam 2014”, it is that school systems, emergency services (fire, police) and community-service providers started communicating better, the State of Georgia now has a task force that will unequivocally be proactive, and the value of GAPT members communicating with each other prior to a storm’s arrival has proved its worth.

If your RESA doesn’t have a phone tree or a joint phone call, now is the time to think about setting one up prior to the winter of 2014-2015. It has worked for the metro Atlanta RESAs many times; we just failed to use it last time… I bet next winter, we’ll all be on the line with each other. q Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

27

Bluebird/yancey

What you need to know about propane and CNG school buses

Photo courtesy of Blue Bird Corporation.

Today, alternative fuel school buses are

Safety First

abundant. There are over 5,000 pro-

Safety is at the forefront of everything associated with student transportation, and alternative-fuel school buses are no exception. Propane and CNG technology meets or exceeds all FMVSS and EPA regulations. In fact, the fuels are cleaner than diesel, resulting in better emissions for school children and the community.

Blue Bird strategically mounts all fuel tanks between the robust frame rails for optimum safety. Propane autogas and CNG fuel tanks are 20 times more puncture-resistant than diesel or gasoline fuel tanks. Buses operating on each of these fuels are fitted with safety devices and shut-off valves that function automatically if a fuel line breaks.

pane autogas school buses on the road and over 3,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses in operation.

Georgia is no exception, as school districts are successfully operating both propane and CNG across the state.

While propane is the industry’s fastest-growing school bus segment, CNG also has merit. The adoption of a domestically produced alternative fuel in a school bus fleet benefits schools and the community – saving taxpayer dollars and reducing harmful emissions in the air. We at Yancey Bus Sales educate our customers on the pros and cons of alternative-fuel school bus solutions.

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Propane autogas and CNG fuel also have natural safety features. In the event a fuel spill occurs, both fuels will dissipate into the air rather than pooling like traditional fuels. In addition, propane autogas has the narrowest flammability range of all alternative fuels.

Propane autogas and CNG buses operate significantly quieter than diesel.

This safety feature is most appreciated by drivers as it allows them to better hear outside traffic and the students onboard the bus.

Propane and CNG Properties Natural gas is made of several gases including propane, butane, ethane; but it mainly consists of methane. While

Your GeorGia Dealer

Jay McDuffie, Sales Manager 678-373-8466 Archie Brass 478-521-2870

“With today’s tight school budgets, using a transportation fuel like propane autogas that saves taxpayers’ money, keeps the environment clean and keeps jobs within our national borders is a win-win for everyone.”

— William Schofield, Superintendent Hall County Schools Gainesville, Georgia

Brantley Sims 678-409-8968 Shooter Roberts 404-606-2367

8 www.yanceybus.com

On average, propane autogas costs about

50% less than diesel

8 blue-bird.com

Blue Bird has always been a company that thinks about the future. That’s why the Propane-Powered Vision and Micro Bird come with the unmatched safety, efficiency, durability and performance of our exclusive Ford/ROUSH CleanTech propane engine.

They are not only friendly to the environment; they also save more per mile than any other bus on the road. Any superintendent and transportation director can appreciate those savings! It’s no wonder the Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision is the fastest growing school bus in the industry today.

Blue Bird. A heritage of looking ahead.

Bluebird/yancey propane is a part of natural gas in its raw state, it is a hydrocarbon separated from the other gases at gas processing facilities.

As something we all can appreciate, propane and CNG are a domestically produced fuel. The U.S. produces 90 percent of the nation’s propane supply, while seven percent comes from Canada and 98 percent of CNG’s supply is sourced in North America.

Fuel Prices and Maintenance On average, propane autogas and CNG cost about 50 percent less than diesel. Hall County Schools in Gainesville reported $123,000 in fuel cost-savings over a six-month period with Blue Bird Propane Vision school buses. Because propane and CNG are domestically produced, prices with these fuels do not fluctuate and remain fairly consistent.

Propane and CNG also contribute to maintenance savings, as both fuels feature clean-burning properties that offer less wear-and-tear on the engine and components. Technicians also find that these buses are easier to maintain because they do not require SCR technology, DEF or diesel fuel additives.

Propane buses have a slight maintenance advantage as they require less oil than CNG or diesel. Technicians also report that during oil changes, the propane autogas buses require less expensive filters and oil changes can be performed in considerably less time.

Fuel Stations Propane and CNG significantly differ when it comes to fueling infrastructure. A CNG fueling station can range from $400,000 to $2 million and is regulated by the EPA. A CNG fueling station is required to be below ground and is more complex to install. Propane-autogas fueling stations are more affordable and start at around $45,000 to $175,000, depending on your propane-autogas fleet size, and are not regulated by the EPA. Propane-autogas fueling stations can remain above-ground, thus adding to its affordability. As an added benefit, many propane providers will install propane-autogas infrastructure at no cost if the district or contractor signs a fuel contract.

To ensure competitive fuel pricing, we recommend districts and contractors utilize fuel contracts with their local providers. A contract ensures a consistent supply and price of fuel should demand unexpectedly increase, such as last winter’s rare arctic blast that caused demand to rise across North America. Those districts that had fuel contracts in place did not see a change in fuel price or supply.

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

While most school districts have on-site fueling stations, public fueling stations are also available for longer routes or school trips. Propane autogas offers an abundance of public fueling stations, with over 2,700 stations across the U.S. and CNG offering over 700 stations.

The rapidly growing popularity of the propane autogas school bus is due to the affordable infrastructure and technology. Most school districts that purchase CNG buses already have an existing CNG fueling station on property or feature a public station within a close proximity. The biggest barrier to entry for CNG buses is the costly infrastructure.

Bus Availability and Acquisition Costs Blue Bird’s Type A Propane Micro Bird and Type C Propane Vision school buses feature the Ford 6.8L engine with the Roush CleanTech propane system. Additionally, the Micro Bird comes with five-year, 60,000-mile propane system coverage while the Vision features five-year, 100,000-mile propane system coverage. Blue Bird’s exclusive relationship with Roush CleanTech brings you the industry’s most comprehensive and advanced propane technology. Today, districts are finding the affordability of the propane autogas buses do not require supplementary grants.

The cost of a propane-powered school bus is approximately 10 to 15 percent more than a conventional diesel. CNG is available on the Type D All American and is powered by the Cummins Westport ISL-G. The cost of the All American rearengine CNG bus is approximately 25 to 30 percent more than a diesel counterpart. Like all other Blue Bird buses, the CNG All American is fully-equipped with special needs options.

Return on Investment Fuel economy with both alternative-fuel types vary according to terrain and driving habits. While propane and CNG are not as efficient as diesel, the notable savings is experienced with the cost of the fuel and reduced maintenance. On average, propane and CNG cost $1.50 to $2.00 per gallon less than diesel.

Overall, propane tends to provide a more rapid return on investment due the affordability of propane technology, fuel savings, maintenance savings and less expensive infrastructure. School districts and contractors typically achieve a return on investment within one to three years.

For more information on alternative fuel school bus technology, please contact Jay McDuffie at jay_mcduffie@yanceybus.com. q

seon

Six proven steps to a successful stop-arm enforcement program

By Lori Jetha, Marketing Communications Manager, Seon

Like many other states, Georgia has a problem with stop-arm

bus camera technology,3 Seon has worked with dozens of

violations. In 2013, participating Georgia school bus driv-

school districts across North America to deploy stop-arm

ers reported a whopping 6,807 vehicles illegally passing the

cameras. Based on our own experience, here are a few steps

school bus in a single day, according to an annual survey orga-

you should take before starting your own stop-arm camera

nized by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil

enforcement program:

Transportation Services (NASDPTS).1 Even worse, the state has one of the highest rates of student fatalities while loading/off-loading the school bus, with nine deaths in the past four years.2 Georgia school districts have started investigating stoparm camera technology to stem this growing problem. But as many districts have discovered, building a successful stoparm enforcement program isn’t as simple as placing a camera on the side of the bus. As the number-one provider of school

Step 1: How large is your problem?

The first step in any successful stop-arm solution is exploring how large the problem is in your district. Ask yourself these four questions to start off: 1) How many stop-arm violations do my drivers report in a week?

2) Are these reports isolated to a few buses or routes, or is the problem more widespread?

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

31

seon

3) Do the violations tend to happen in the morning or afternoon runs?

4) Do most violations occur from vehicles travelling in the same or opposite direction?

The answers to these questions will help you select the right stop-arm camera system and position the cameras to best capture all possible violations.

Quantifying the number of violations will also allow you to assess the risks involved and provide proof of the problem when consulting other parties that need to be involved.

Step 2: Know your state laws Many states have passed legislation on stop-arm cameras. Georgia passed legislation in 2011 permitting counties to equip school buses with video cameras to aid in enforcement of school bus-stop laws.

If state or local laws do not provide for the use of automated cameras on school buses, then work with local law enforcement to understand their requirements for detecting and citing violations. This brings us to step three.

and willing to work with you to combat the problem, is critical if you plan to enforce the law by ticketing drivers who illegally pass the school bus.

Even if your state has legislation that allows stop-arm cameras, establishing this relationship early on in the process is important. Remember to discuss what documentation and type of image or video is necessary for them to review, approve, and issue a ticket for a stoparm violation.

Step 5: Install, test, and consult Step 4: Choose the right camera system Once you have law enforcement’s commitment, the next step is selecting the right camera system. You will need to consider your discussion with law enforcement when making this selection, among other factors.

“There are two key factors in capturing the license plates of vehicles illegally passing a school bus – camera position and image quality,” says Peter Simmons, director of marketing at Seon.

“Even if you install the cameras in the right position, the camera must be designed to provide high-resolution imag-

Step 3: Establish a good relationship with law enforcement

es, clear enough to capture the license

The next step, once you understand the state law, is to establish a relationship with your local law enforcement.

Having the local police on your side,

high speeds.”

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

be an outdoor-rated camera, built to stand up to extreme humidity or the pressure of a bus wash. The camera must also have, at minimum, a 16-mm telephoto lens in order to be able to identify numbers on a license plate or use high-definition technology. Seon’s high-definition CHW camera delivers three times the resolution of a typical analog camera and is ideal for this type of program.

Once you have purchased your stoparm camera systems, work with your supplier to install and position your cameras in the best possible locations.

Pull sample video of a mock stop-arm violation and create license plate still images to share with your local law enforcement. Make sure that everything satisfies police requirements. Next, run a pilot project to test the cameras in action. Consult all interested parties in the pilot project including police, the school board, parents, and even the media. Involving interested parties in the beginning, prior to launch, can eliminate any future problems and speed up your program launch.

plates of vehicles passing at potentially And not just any camera can be mounted outdoors to capture details like a license plate number; it must

Step 6: Have a plan to raise public awareness Now that you’ve installed and tested your cameras, and consulted with all

Worried About Student Safety?

Automatically capture every stop-arm violation in high definition.

Source: Operation Stop-arm, Georgia Stop-arm Law poster.

the necessary parties, you should be ready to launch your new stop-arm camera program. But creating awareness about your program is just as important as making sure the technology is accurately capturing violations.

Some school districts have put up posters in schools and sent notices to parents to create awareness. To inform the public at large about the cameras and to reinforce the existing laws about stopping for school buses, try working with your local media contacts. Spreading the message of student safety over driver penalty is essential in any news media coverage of your program.

Following these six steps will get you off to the right start with your stop-arm

enforcement program, and ensure you remove any potential roadblocks along the way.

For more information about other stop-arm camera programs, visit the Seon blog at blog. seon.com/category/customer-success-stories.

References: 1

National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services: http://www.nasdpts.org/StopArm/

2

National School Bus Loading and

Get started with your FREE stop-arm survey template: info.seon.com/Georgia

Unloading Survey (2009-2013).

3

IHS Group Report: The World Market for Mobile Video Surveillance Equipment (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013). q

1.877.630.7366 Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

33

BRIDGEWAY SOLUTIONS

Digital solutions for busing provide greater student safety and accountability

By Pam Walker Director of Marketing, Bridgeway Solutions, Inc. In Forsyth County, Georgia, there are approximately 250 buses and 350 employees working to transport 23,000 students each and every school day. Multiply this example across the state – or across the nation – and the challenge to keep track of each individual child may seem insurmountable – especially if the school system hasn’t identified a systematic method of student accountability.

GPS works great for buses and vehicles, but that’s where it stops. Where is the child? Where is the child, right now?! That’s where the real challenge begins.

Enter digital solutions. A bar-code identifier, a smartphone or tablet application, or software can make accountability easy and fast. Plus, digital solutions can automate late-arrival passes and validate permission slips to ride a different bus or to use a different stop.

Safety, security and efficiency are greatly improved using some level of digital accountability. School administrators have detailed information in real time. They have data that tells them which bus the child boarded and the location at which the child got off. Some systems also provide a date and timestamp and advanced reporting features.

Digital solutions are now available with a great variety of options and price points. Systems can be customized to fit the overall goals and budgets of an entire district, or they can be tailored to meet specific needs of an individual school.

Digital accountability solutions for students are typically based on systems using barcode identifiers of varying information capacity. Some systems utilize a student photo ID badge with linear barcodes that provide a machine-readable version of their student ID number. Other systems use a more complex PDF417 barcode or QR code that can have the capacity to interface with other student services, such as the library or cafeteria. Still other systems rely on simple, hard-copy master lists.

Just prior to the 2013/2014 school year, Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, the second-largest district in North Carolina,

34

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

contracted with Bridgeway Solutions, Inc. based in Morganton, N.C., to install a system-wide photo ID solution. In just over two weeks, photo ID software, cameras and plastic-card printers were installed at 160 CMS campuses. Each student was photographed and issued an ID that interfaces with cafeteria records via a linear barcode, and is expandable to connect with learning resources and other data in the student information system (SIS).

Moreover, CMS is the first school system to also include a PDF417 barcode on each of the student IDs. The PDF417 can be read by North Carolina’s statewide emergency management solution, Salamander. The PDF417 identifies students and allows their location to be tracked in real-time in the case of an emergency incident or evacuation.

Systems that include a high-capacity PDF417 barcode or QR code, such as those in use at Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, can be read using a smartphone or tablet application. School officials or bus drivers can scan the barcodes from individual badges or from a master list to record students as they are loading a bus and as they are delivered to their destination. The data is uploaded into cloud-based solutions which are avail-

BRIDGEWAY SOLUTIONS able to school administrators through browser-based logins in real-time.

Consider the advantages of such a system.

In recent months, the city of Atlanta was slammed with a winter storm that left students stranded at school or worse, stuck on buses in route and sitting for hours. Parents and school officials were frantic, worried about which students were still on buses, who was safely delivered to their home bus stop, who was in a bus pulled over and waiting for assistance, and who was sleeping in a classroom waiting for a ride.

Although GPS tracking could locate the buses, these systems could not pinpoint the location of each individual child. And manual systems could only provide isolated information that was heavy with the potential for being out-of-date.

In the same situation, a digital accountability solution, such as Salamander Technologies’ StudentTRAX, would have allowed administrators to know in real-time exactly who was loaded into which bus, where and when the child was allowed to leave the bus.

A child who fell asleep and missed their stop would still be shown as a passenger, while another child sleeping in a classroom would not be incorrectly assumed to be a passenger.

Parents and school officials would have immediate, accurate confirmation that the correct child was safely delivered to the correct bus stop, and when. For those stranded on a disabled bus, parents and administrators would know in real-time exactly who was still on board.

In everyday use, digital accountability solutions can also provide a more efficient and effective means of tracking and monitoring student whereabouts for field trips or special events, and even offer a method to track and control visitor traffic. The same system a school uses to track students on and off a bus can be tailored to account for students as they enter and exit a museum, attend an afterschool sports event or even spend time in detention.

Each district is unique. A system needed to monitor a kindergarten student’s arrival and departure is not necessarily the same as one needed to track a middle-school field trip or monitor student attendance at a football game. However, with the variety and customization options of current digital ID solutions, any campus can have greatly improved student tracking and accountability – and tracking and accountability equal improved safety and security for everyone. q

Real Time Accountability for Students STUDENT TRAX — an easy to use mobile app that tracks students on and off buses with date, time and location

smart, secure identification management solutions

800-333-3608

www.BridgewayID.com

STUDENT TRAX is the only solution in student transportation tracking that can link student transportation data directly with incident management solutions used by emergency responders.

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

35

Heavy duty bus parts

Understanding the fire-block test

By Brandon Billingsley What goes into a fire-block seat? How is it different from FMVSS 302? It’s in the bag-burn test, a test protocol adopted in 1993 by NHTSA. The federal standard resulted in part to help prevent the type of fire that occurred during the Carrolton, Ky. church bus crash in 1988.

Adopted by the NCST, the standard appears below, as published in the 2010 National School Bus Specifications & Procedures. At first glance, this seemingly complicated test is actually very simple, yet effective. To outline, we’ll relate to an actual test procedure.

Length The length of the test chamber shall allow three rows of seats at the minimum spacing.

Ventilation One ventilation opening shall be in each end of the test chamber and shall be 325 square inches, plus or minus 25 square inches. The bottom of the opening shall be 30 inches, plus or minus three inches above the chamber floor. Ventilation openings shall be on the same side of the test chamber (see Figure 1).

SCHOOL BUS SEAT UPHOLSTERY FIRE-BLOCK TEST A. Test Chamber Cross-section The suggested test chamber is the same cross-section as the bus body in which seats are used with the rear section on each end. If an actual bus is not used, the cross-section is to be 91 inches (plus or minus one inch) in width by 75 inches (plus or minus three inches) in height. There shall be a door, which does not provide ventilation, in the center of each end of the test chamber. The doors shall be 38 (plus or minus three inches) in width and 53 (plus or minus three inches) in height and include a latch to keep the doors closed during the test.

There shall be no ventilation openings along the length of the test chamber.

A forced-air ventilation system may not be used.

Baffles shall be used to prevent wind from blowing directly into the ventilation openings.

The test chamber in the actual test (pictured here) at the MGA lab in Wisconsin is more than adequate and is constructed with a cutaway from a Type A bus body.

Notice the bag in the test chamber “position A” is just that: a lunch bag as specified filled with newspaper as specified.

Hence the name “Bag Burn Test”.

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Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

du·ra·ble /ˈd(y)o͝orəbəl/ adjective 1. able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing.

“Heavy Duty Bus Parts seat covers are strong and durable” synonyms: hardwearing, long-lasting, heavy-duty, industrial-strength, tough, resistant, imperishable, indestructible, strong, sturdy “a durable seat cover” • lasting, long-lasting, long-term, enduring, persistent, abiding; stable, secure, firm, deep-rooted, permanent, undying, everlasting “a durable product” noun 1. short for durable goods.

THE DEFINITION OF DURABLE Durable, long lasting, double stitched seat covers manufactured

by Heavy Duty Bus Parts • • • • • • •

Double Stitched In House Manufacturing FMVSS Compliant Fire-Block & Velcro Available Quality OEM Material Quick Delivery All Makes & Models

HDBP HEAVY DUTY BUS PARTS

Toll Free 1 (800) 505-2300 | Fax (936) 344-9963 | DirectBus.com

Heavy duty bus parts Position A

Figure 2: Position the ignition source with 18-inch dimension in contact with the seat cushion and touching the seat back. Center the bag on top of the cushion.

Position B

Position C

Figure 3: Position the ignition source on the floor behind the seat with the 18-inch side resting on the floor and parallel to seat width, centered on width so that the rear of bag does not extend beyond the rear seat back.

Figure 4: Position the ignition source on the floor, on the aisle side of the seat, with the 18-inch dimension on the floor and perpendicular to the seat width, touching the seat leg, with centerline of the bag at the center of the seat back.

Camera-view Area An opening covered with glass shall be provided at the midpoint of the test chamber length for camera viewing. The opening shall allow the camera to view the seat parallel to the seat width (see Figure 1).

D. Test Procedure 1. Install three seats in the test chamber at minimum spacing, per installer recommendation. Seats shall be perpendicular to the dimension indicated as “length” in Figure 1. Install so that seat frames will not fall during the test. Seat width shall be determined so that maximum passenger capacity per row (two seats) for the seat style shall be tested.

2. For each test, position the ignition source in the following positions outlined.

3. A wooden match shall be used to light the ignition source.

Time the test, beginning when the ignition source catches fire and ending when all flames are extinguished.

4. After each ignition-source position test, weigh seat assembly, including loose material that has fallen off the seat onto the floor.

E. Performance Criteria For each ignition-source position test, the seat tested must meet all of the following criteria. A new seat specimen may be used for each ignition-source position test.

B. Test Sample The sample shall be a fully assembled seat. Record the weight of all padding and upholstery prior to assembly. Record the weight of the fully assembled seat.

C. Ignition Source A paper grocery bag with dimensions of approximately seven inches by 11 inches by 18 inches is used to contain double sheets of newsprint (black print only, approximately 22 inches by 28 inches). The total combined weight of bag and newspaper shall be seven ounces, plus or minus 0.5 ounces.

38

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

HEAVY DUTY BUS PARTS 1. Maximum time from ignition to flameout shall be eight minutes.

2. Flame shall not spread to any other seat with the ignition source in Position A and Position C. 3. Weight loss may not exceed 10 percent of the pre-test weight of padding and upholstery. Padding and upholstery may be combined in the form of integrally bonded seat foam.

The bag burn test, as it has been come to be known, defines a fire-block seat cover, which provides an elevated flame barrier between a fire source and the much more flammable seat foam. This results in a seat intended to minimize the cause of an on-board fire and to maximize the amount of time available during an emergency evacuation.

Test: Fire Block Test Evaluator: MGA Research Corporation Evaluatee: Heavy Duty Bus Parts Date: 2/7/2013 Results: Pass

About the Author: Brandon Billingsley is the president of Heavy Duty Bus Parts, Inc., a provider of OEM and aftermarket components and manufacturer of seat covers that is based in Willis, Texas.

Reprinted from the May 2014 edition of School Transportation News with permission from the publisher of School Transportation News. All rights reserved. q

Professional Service Guaranteed.

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(866) 291-6606 www.petroleumservicesgroup.com Waycross, GA Tifton, GA

Savannah, GA Tallahassee, FL

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

39

QUANTUM XXI

Quantum XXI’s GPS/AVLintegrated transportation solution

By Rebecca Peters, Education Consulting, LLC

All too often, change does not occur until something tragic happens—a plane crash, a terrorist attack, a lost child, or another tragic event. These events usually remind us of the need for improved technology to monitor and help improve safety, security, and management. Hopefully, it won’t take a tragic event for school districts to realize that advanced technology can improve business management and student safety in the area of transporting the most precious cargo in America: its children.

Quantum XXI, Inc. has developed a computer tablet technology for school buses and other fleets that is vastly improved over the old GPS/AVL firmware approach of the previous decade. In addition, they have worked directly with school districts in determining features that enhance student safety, driver accountability, and bring savings to districts.

Quantum XXI’s tablet solution for school buses is unique in approach and flexibility. It is more than refreshing for school districts to learn that applications are all inclusive in the initial software package pricing. All features are built into the software and available whenever a customer is ready to use them. In other words, the school district can pick and choose what to use and when to implement with no “add-on” cost to the school district.

Quantum XXI’s solution is a complete software driven transportation solution using its own GOLDBus software. It is

40

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

QUANTUM XXI significant that the solution is software-driven, as opposed to being firmware or hardware-driven. Why is that important?

Because when hardware breaks or becomes out-of-date, normally, you would have to replace the hardware with the same (old) hardware or update by purchasing new hardware, and then (gotcha!) purchasing an upgrade to the software. Because Quantum’s solution is software-based, it is not dependent on any particular tablet or computer; it can be used on any Microsoft-based platform.

Quantum XXI recommends the sturdy Fujitsu tablet for school buses. In Loudoun County, Virginia, the transportation department tested several tablets with the Quantum XXI software and found that the software worked flawlessly on all of the tablets, but that the Fujitsu tablet, which is built to military standards, proved to be the sturdiest for withstanding temperature changes, bumpy roads, dust, etc.

The uniqueness of the Quantum XXI solution is in its GOLDBus software. The software is uniquely flexible, allowing for easy customization of features and reports. Its comprehensive, all-inclusive ready-to-go applications make it easy to use for a beginner while being sophisticated and robust enough to fit the needs of management and more advanced users of technology.

With the Quantum XXI solution, a school district can expect all the GPS/AVL features, as well as many more sophisticated ones that integrate seamlessly within the system, along with other software used in the district such as routing, fleet management, payroll, human resources, and student information.

The following are included in the software and can be implemented whenever the user wishes, requiring no additional hardware or software (with the exception of RFID cards and readers if cards are desired).

• GPS/AVL – Built into the hardware (tablet) and includes all the expected features such as real-time and historical data, including: • Location of buses • Speed of buses • Departure/arrival times of buses • Length of time at locations • Comparative analysis of actual versus planned times • Standard and customized reports of events • Other GPS/AVL features • Report wizard – Allows the user to create customized reports to fit the needs of management.

• Time and attendance – Seamlessly connects with payroll systems, and: • Allows for paperless timesheets;

42

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

• Allows drivers/attendants to view hours, leave schedules, leave taken, etc.; • Allows managers to view hours, etc., in order to determine which employees are approaching overtime, which are available for additional hours without overtime, to approve leave-requests, etc.

• Two-way communication – Data can be transmitted to as well as from the buses directly, without other buses receiving or hearing the exchange.

• Real-time downloading of routes – Route changes can be sent directly to the tablet in real-time so that changes can be made whenever needed, even sent during a route if needed.

• Real-time video streaming – Can be utilized with the built-in camera in cases of a bus emergency or other situation. For example, if you receive a call that a driver is texting while driving, a simple flip of the switch allows the supervisor to view, and record if desired, live video of the driver. The tablet can also connect to other inside and/or outside cameras.

• Audio and visual directions – Derived from the routing software. Audio and visual directions include specific district directions used for routing, such as roadways, that may be prohibited to buses. Any last-minute changes, due to road closures, traffic, weather, etc., can be sent with routes and up-to-date audio/visual directions.

• Customizable pre- and post-trip inspection checklists – Included in the software.

• Hardware agnostic – The system is not dependent on any particular tablet or computer. This allows the user to take advantage of advances in technology without changes to the software. Administrators can access software from any MS-based computer, laptop, or smartphone.

• Student boarding/unboarding – Software includes ridership identification at no additional cost to the division or to the parent. Photo or icon boarding (touch picture) perfectly fits the needs for accountability of ridership for special needs students. With photo identification, even a substitute driver can accurately account for the ridership of a student without the need for a student to keep track of a card. If a card reader or biometrics identification system is desired by the district, the software is also already included. All that would be needed would be the cards and a reader.

• Medicaid reimbursement reporting – Transportation reporting for Medicaid purposes is included in the standard reports and can be sent electronically to central administration for inclusion in district reporting. Reports are customizable to fit needs of the school district.

QUANTUM XXI • Engine diagnostics – Connections to bus engine are made using USB or Bluetooth and software is included in initial purchase.

• Parent portal – Connection can be made through the transportation department or accessed through the district’s parent portal. Levels of access can be determined by the school district with parental password protection. Again, software is included with no additional cost to the school district OR to the parent.

Initially, the tablet may be more expensive to purchase than simple GPS tracking hardware. However, the many advantages make it a practical choice for a long-term investment. These features include the ruggedness of the tablet; the fact that the system is software based operating on any Microsoft-based computer, which allows other tablets and upgrades to be used without changes in the software; and the fact that all software components that most companies sell separately are included in the price, without need to install additional hardware, firmware, or software.

Quantum XXI expresses its appreciation to Loudoun County Public Schools’ transportation department director and GPS administrator for the opportunity to customize its product

to meet the needs of their world-class transportation department. The transportation and IT departments in Loudoun benefit from progressive and strong leadership that is innovative in approach, and effective and efficient in operations. Attention to student safety through modern equipment, up-to-date techniques, meticulous maintenance procedures, and innovative use of technology make their transportation department and fleet management operations superior. The Quantum XXI solution is an important partner in this pro-active management and use of technology.

For more information about Quantum XXI, please visit the website at: www.quantumxxi.com or contact Nick Grandy, vice-president, at 317-538-5708, or Richard Gallagher, CEO, at 317-446-7118.

About the Author: Rebecca Peters is a retired superintendent of schools from Virginia, where she served as superintendent of schools in the city of Alexandria, right outside of Washington, D.C., and as superintendent of schools in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Peters has also served in many other administrative positions in education, including director of technology and director of career and technical education in Fauquier County, Va. q

Mix work and Framily.

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Offer for employees of Georgia County School Transportation Departments Visit Sprint online at: sprint.com/k12georgia Mention this code for your Sprint Discount Program savings Corporate ID: GAEDU_SGA_ZZZ

Restrictions apply. See store or sprint.com for details. Sprint Discount Program (SDP) Discount : Available for eligible company or org. employees (ongoing verification).

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N145196CA ©2014 Sprint. All rights reserved. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

43

DORSEY TIRE

Dorsey Tire: Delivering quality tires and excellent service for over 35 years

Partnerships in the business world are an important part of creating a successful work environment. In the world of school boards and school bus fleets, Dorsey Tire understands exactly what it takes to be that partner and meet the stringent demands required to keep the wheels turning on school buses throughout Southeast Georgia.

Dorsey Tire has been in business for over 30 years, providing “Quality Tires and Excellent Service”. This reputation for excellence has allowed us to grow into the largest provider of tire sales and service in Chatham County. In fact, we now also have a location in Darien, Georgia, that provides service to counties south of Chatham.

One of the particular areas of focus for Dorsey Tire has been in providing products and services to school fleets throughout the area. Our innovative programs have allowed

44

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

school boards to update their fleets with newer tires on a greater number of wheel positions, even as they have been able to realize cost-savings in their budgets – a win-win any way you look at it.

Dorsey Tire can tailor a program to meet your specific needs, whether you prefer OEM tires, recap tires or a mixture of both. Dorsey utilizes the trustworthy and proven Bandag process for retreading.

Bandag offers application specific treads for the school bus industry and Dorsey Tire has the experience and technology to ensure that your tires receive the best handling available; this technology includes Bandag’s patented Basys system. This system al-

DORSEY TIRE Looking for a wide variety of OEM tires? Dorsey Tire is a dealer who is proud to partner with a number of recognized tire manufacturers. Operating a school bus fleet subjects tires to road conditions and hazards unlike any other operation on the road. When you combine the experience and knowledge of our OEM partners, along with our expertise in the region, you will receive lows Dorsey (and the customer, if they

Do you believe that image is important

so choose) to track tires, generate site-

and you want your equipment to look

specific reports and to keep track of

good? Dorsey Tire has a state-of-the-

inventory on all assets generated by the

art powder-coating facility that will take

fleet.

those wheels and make them look like

the best of both worlds.

We would love to show you our facilities and share our capabilities with you first-hand. If you’re intrigued by our ability to lower your costs, don’t just

When it comes to being able to offer

new. Our wheel refinishing area allows us

the full package, Dorsey Tire has every-

to blast the old, worn-out material from

thing you would need. Would you prefer

the wheel and then apply a glossy pow-

eration for yourself. Contact us at 912-

your mechanics not have to deal with

dercoat that will put a lustrous shine on

988-7500 and we’ll be happy to answer

mounting tires? Dorsey offers a mount-

them. White wheels? Black wheels? We’ve

any questions you might have. We want

ed tire program.

got you covered either way.

to partner with you! q

take our word for it – come see our op-

Quality Tires – Excellent Service Dorsey Tire

1476 US Highway 80 E Pooler, GA 31322-8904 Local: (912) 964-6798 Toll Free: 1 (800) 943-3501

Dorsey Tire - Darien 13061 GA 251 Darien, GA 31305-3644 Local: (912) 437-2390 Toll Free: 1(888) 243-994

Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

45

Trapeze software group

Trapeze transportation technology solutions: More than just routing and scheduling

By Christopher Rotolo, Director of Sales, Trapeze Software Group It’s an exciting time here at Trapeze Software Group. Not only did we recently launch our new, true calendar-based routing and scheduling software, VEO Transportation, we are also now installing GPS-based hardware solutions, which we manufacture, on school buses throughout North America.

In the summer of 2014, our latest AVL software will make its debut. Our one-of-a-kind OPS (operation man-

agement) software solution that is used by over 100 Trapeze transit authority clients is getting rave reviews from the school district personnel who have seen it… and a few have already signed on. When you add it all up, it’s a great time to be a Trapeze client.

No other hardware or software product in the school transportation space is truly a single-source provider. Our transportation technology solutions

VIEW

View and Adjust Routes, Anywhere, Anytime with Transfinder’s Infofinder mobile In Infofinder mobile, you can instantly view a route on the map with students assigned to each stop. You can then adjust the route as needed to add a stop or move a student to a new stop.

800.373.3609 | sales@transfinder.com | transfinder.com

46

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Trapeze software group consider the full 360 degrees of your operations, bringing together and connecting you with the numerous sources of information you need to run an effective, efficient department without the need to bring in outside “partners.”

For more than 30 years, Trapeze has been a leader in student transportation technology solutions. With new trends and emerging challenges every day, we make it our business to understand what keeps you up at night and then deliver the best possible suite of transportation products to help make your job easier.

Our integrated approach provides a complete enterprise solution connecting the back office, operations and dispatching centers with your vehicles, as well as providing up-to-date transportation information to your organization and public.

Trapeze’s modular approach to application design delivers an integrated product suite that enables you to build your transportation software system as needs dictate. Our products feature graphical-user interfaces, an open database architecture, browser-based applications and proven, best-practice algorithms. In developing technology for student transportation, we maintain a strong and consistent customer focus, working to thoroughly understand your goals and operational requirements and providing programs that exceed your expectations.

We realize that implementing a transportation software program is a significant investment in both time and money. Our goal is to provide you with affordable, flexible solutions that increase efficiencies and reduce costs while enabling safe, reliable student transportation within your district.

Most importantly, we are commit-

ted to continuing to invest millions of dollars in our transportation suite of products so that you are ensured the most current technology and functionality for the long term.

For further information, please call me at 216-539-1809, email chris.rotolo@trapezegroup.com or

For more than 30 years, Trapeze has been a leader in student transportation technology solutions.

visit www.trapezegroup.com. q

Redefining

School Transportation Management Tell us the challenges you face and we’ll deliver solutions that exceed your expectations.

Backed by over 30 years of transportation software expertise, Trapeze is a leading provider of school transportation solutions. Our 360 degree approach goes beyond simple routing and scheduling functionalities to provide you the most current technology and affordable, flexible solutions for the long-term.

Calendar-Based Routing & Scheduling GPS/AVL Software & On-Board Driver Display Employee Management, Daily Dispatching & Timekeeping Redistricting, Boundary Planning & Analysis Fleet Maintenance/Field Trip Management

Optimize resources. Control costs. Improve services.

888.595.4696, Ext. *2 schoolsales@trapezegroup.com www.trapezegroup.com/school Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

47

atlanta commercial tire

Trust Atlanta Commercial Tire with your school bus business Our mission:

cations with three retread facilities in

er. We use Bandag’s BaSys system to

“We strive to be the premier com-

Georgia. Our locations include Forest

track tires, generate scrap-tire reports,

mercial tire service provider in the

Park, Atlanta, Griffin, Macon, Albany,

generate fleet inspection reports for

state of Georgia by offering premium

Marietta, Doraville, Athens, Dalton

use with budgetary concerns and keep

products in the proper applications,

and Cartersville. We have also made

an up-to-the-minute inventory on fleet

while keeping in mind the best inter-

strides in keeping current with new

assets. We have also built an infra-

ests of each individual customer. Our

technology that will help fleets man-

structure from a service standpoint

ultimate goal is not being the lowest

age their tire assets in the most effi-

that is capable of managing a fleet’s

price dealer, but instead to be the low-

cient way possible.

complete tire program.

Our tire barcoding system is capable

Through our mounted tire program,

Atlanta Commercial Tire is a family-

of tracking a tire from the point of

we have the capabilities to pick up

owned business that has been serving

pick-up through to the process of re-

worn-out mounted tires from fleets,

the Georgia market for over 45 years.

treading the tire, and when we return

bring them back to our facility and

We have grown over the years to 10 lo-

the retreaded tire back to the custom-

dismount the tire. After we have re-

est cost dealer for any size fleet.”

DEL

Communications Inc.

Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 Toll Free:1.866.831.4744 Toll Free Fax: 1.866.711.5282 www.delcommunications.com

Attention School Bus Drivers!

Please visit the national Operation Lifesaver website at www.oli.org for information on highway-rail crossing safety, including a special Challenge Program for School Bus Drivers.

In Georgia, contact Jennie Glasgow, State Coordinator,

48

��� �������������� ���� ��� ����

��� ��� �� �������� We offer outstanding personal service and quality in the areas of:

CREATIVE DESIGN | ADVERTISING SALES

for additional information and assistance at

TRADE PUBLICATIONS

770-393-2711 or email gaol@mindspring.com.

QUALIFIED SALES & EDITORIAL TEAM

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

atlanta commercial tire treaded the old tire, we mount the retread on the same wheel and return it to the fleet aired up and balanced if needed. Through our wheel refinishing process, we also have the capability to refinish the old wheel by stripping off all the old paint and painting it with a powder-coat paint in any color you prefer. We can bolt the tire on the vehicle when we return it to the fleet, or it could be placed in stock and installed at the fleet’s discretion. This allows fleets to all but remove themselves from the tire-related aspects of their school bus operations.

Along with a complete commercial truck-tire offering, we also have five boom trucks to service all of your OTR tire needs. We have a press truck that can remove and install forklift tires of any kind on-site so costly down-time

can be avoided. And, if you are hav-

ity any time. Please keep us in mind

ing problems with flat tires, we have

when you may need help in lowering

a state-of-the-art tire-foam filling ma-

your overall tire costs. Contact an At-

chine.

lanta Commercial Tire representative

We welcome all fleet managers to tour our warehouse and retread facil-

at 404-351-8016 with any questions you may have. q

“YOUR COMMERCIAL TIRE DEALER IN GEORGIA FOR OVER 45 YEARS!” u

Extensive commercial truck tire service in the State of Georgia

u

OTR service with 4 fully equipped boom trucks

u

Foam fill service

u

Complete forklift tire offering including press-on service at your location

u

Wheel refinishing process to make your old wheels look like new

u

Mounted tire programs

u

Call (404) 351-8016 for all of your commercial tire needs!

Forest Park | Doraville | Athens | Griffin | Cartersville | Dalton | Macon | Albany | Marietta On-site fleet maintenance and repair, trailer readiness, alignments and DOT inspections

WWW.ACTIRE.COM

Call Tony Belmar @ 404-391-8825 to schedule maintenance or alignments today!

24/7 EMERGENCY ROADSIDE SERVICE (404) 351-8016 Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation

49

EASY WAY SAFETY SERVICES

Easy Way Safety Services: Your safe seating and transportation specialists Easy Way Safety Services is one of the leaders in the country

all ages. Whether your needs are of a physical limitation nature

when it comes to transporting individuals in both school buses

or of a behavioral nature, we can work with you to develop the

and passenger vehicles. Founded in 2003, Easy Way Safety Ser-

correct solution for your requirements. We are also knowledge-

vices specializes in helping school districts and school bus com-

able in working with Head Start associations, as well as other

panies transport children safely. We are nationally recognized

state and federal agencies. Our understanding of what is al-

as experts who are customer-focused and we are motivated to

lowed in each state ensures that we only implement approved

come up with the best and safest solutions for all of the indi-

solutions with our business partners.

viduals we help in the transportation industry.

We are participating members of the National Association of

Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, we have helped customers

Pupil Transportation, the National Association of State Direc-

in all 50 states, as well as on an international level. Our staff

tors for Pupil Transportation, as well as contributing product

has been trained and certified in the areas of seat covers and

and expertise in numerous training conferences. At Easy Way

foams, safety vests, star seats, pro-techs, wheelchair tie-downs,

Safety Services, we prefer to lead versus follow when it comes

lap/shoulder belts, integrated seats, special needs seating and

to the safety of our children. We are the leader in working to

evacuation accessories. We carry one of the largest inventories

uncover new and innovative solutions that will continue to al-

in the country, we personally answer the phone, and we ship

low us to transport all of our children safely.

out most items the same day we receive the order. All of our

We have a reputation for excellence and exceeding our cus-

products have been tested and certified on both the state and

tomer’s expectations. We look forward extending that same

federal level, thus providing you with the security and knowl-

level of service to all of our customers in the state of Georgia.

edge that whichever products you purchase are approved for

Whether you are interested in making your initial purchase or

use on the vehicles you use to transport your children.

making additions to your existing inventory, please contact

We provide one-on-one support as one of the national lead-

Easy Way Safety Services to find out what so many have already

ers in the area of special needs transportation. We offer a va-

discovered: no one cares more about the needs and the safety

riety of child safety restraint systems for helping individuals of

of our children. q

index to advertisers 247Security Inc................................19

Dorsey Tire.....................................45

Rush Enterprises Inc..........................3

Angeltrax..................................... OBC

Easy Way Safety Services................ IBC

Seon...............................................33

Atlanta Commercial Tire..................49

Georgia Operation Lifesaver Inc.......48

Soymet 101.....................................21

Blue Bird Corporation.....................29

Heavy Duty Bus Parts/Ultraled Inc....37

Sprint.............................................43

Bridgeway Solutions........................35

Petroleum Services Group................39

Transfinder Corporation..................46

Collins Bus Corporation..................16

Quantum XXI, Inc............................41

Trapeze Group.................................47

Cummins Power South....................11

Redflex Traffic Systems Inc.................5

W.W.Williams..................................17

D&D Instruments............................13

Reliable Hydraulics Inc................... IFC

50

Georgia School Bus • 2014 Conference

Your Safe Seating Specialists

SPECIALISTS IN: All Seat Covers and Foam Special Needs Seating 3 Point/Integrated Bus Seats Distributors For: E-Z-ON Safety/Max Vests Cam Harnesses BESI Pro Tech III Universal/Moore Vests Over the Shoulder Harnesses Q’STRAINT/SURE-LOK Wheelchair Occupant Restraint Systems

1.800.543.0575 • www.ewss.org

10939B Reed Hartman Hwy., Cincinnati, OH 45242

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