A Gold Standard

Federal award given to Norman Public Schools transportation dvision

Parents and students in the Norman Public School district can rest a little easier knowing that the district’s transportation department recently earned a prestigious national distinction, the Gold Standard Award from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an honor typically reserved for transit authorities in major metropolitan areas and companies such as FedEx.

As the first public school district in the nation to earn this achievement, Director Mike Tauscher and his team are being commended for their security enhancement effort that has been worked on for about 4 years.

Norman Public Schools began their work after Tauscher attended a professional conference where representatives from the TSA shared their concerns about school buses being “soft targets.”

“TSA was concerned about security measures on school buses,” he said. “I knew we had to get on board. It has been challenging at points, but we want to be prepared. If an incident was to happen on a bus, we need to know what to do.”

NPS’ commitment to the safety initiative required more than the existing equipment and training the school district normally provided.

“This effort did take substantial funding and I want to thank the community and the board because without their support this would have gone nowhere,” Tauscher added.

Drivers underwent extensive training in a variety of areas including what to do if a suspicious package is found or how to react in an active shooter situation, all of which has served as a positive recruitment tool when hiring, according to Tauscher.

“It really is a recruitment tool. Security is in the back of the mind of drivers,” he shared. “We want them to know that Norman is prepared.”

“Safety is the number one priority,” shared Justin Milner, associate superintendent and chief operating officer. “We have a rich history being at the forefront and that doesn’t stop at the classroom door.”

With a fleet of 100 buses and 84 drivers, NPS transports around 9,000 students every day, covering about a million miles a year!

“That’s like going to the moon four times a year,” Tauscher explained.

As part of the initiative, upgrades included new procedures, enhanced technology and ongoing training. Buses are equipped with 360-degree exterior cameras, high quality interior video systems, collision avoidance systems and GPS tracking systems.

“We can watch vehicles on GPS, which pings about every 15 seconds,” Tauscher said. “We can ascertain their location down to the tenth of a mile.”

The department is also rolling out an app called Stop Finder.

“The app will let parents know when their child’s bus is in range, so kids don’t have to be out in the extreme heat or cold,” Tauscher said. “The app can also let parents know when their kids get home.”

Other recent upgrades include heating and air conditioning systems in all NPS buses.

“Students days begin and end with their bus driver and they play a very important role,” Milner said. “We are very fortunate to have some very dedicated folks (in our transportation department).” – BSM