Hot Topics: 10 Current Issues In Pupil Transportation in North Carolina

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Hot Topics10 Current Issues In Pupil
Transportation in North Carolina

• Derek Graham, Section Chief
• Transportation Services
• NC DPI

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New Federal Requirements

• School Bus Drivers must have a CDL with a
  Passenger (P) Endorsement and a NEW School Bus
  (S) Endorsement.
• Recognized in all states.

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Fiscal Impact of New Endorsements

• FEES G.S. 20-37.16 (d)
• The fee for a Class A, B, or C commercial
  drivers license is ten dollars (10.00) for each
  year of the period for which the license is
  issued. The fee for each endorsement is one
  dollar and twenty-five cents (1.25) for each
  year of the period for which the endorsement is
  issued. The fees required under this section do
  not apply to employees of the Driver License
  Section of the Division who are designated by the
  Commissioner.
• 10 x 5 years 50 license
• 1.25 x 2 endorsements (SP) x 5 years 12.50
• Application fee 20
• TOTAL FOR NEW DRIVER 82.50

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Responsibility for Payment

• Exemption for school bus drivers was deleted in
  this bill
• There was no fiscal note attached to this bill
  no funds appropriated
• State funds may not be used to pay school bus
  drivers license fees

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Chartering Motorcoaches

• Legislation required State Board of Education to
  report on appropriateness of policies for school
  activity trips
• All LEAs surveyed report submitted to
  legislature in March, 2004

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2003 State Budget Bill

• SECTION 7.25.(c) The State Board of Education
  shall study the adequacy of the safety rules and
  policies adopted by local boards of education
  regarding the use of activity buses. The State
  Board shall report the results of this study to
  the Joint Legislative Education Oversight
  Committee by March 15, 2004.

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Motorcoach Guidelines

• Issued June, 2001
• Lawsuit filed by N.C. Motorcoach Association
  February 26, 2002
• Judge dismissed the case, Spring 2003
• School Charter Transportation Safety Committee
  resumed meetings to consider revisions to
  Guidelines
• Motorcoach Association appealed to 4th Circuit
  Court of Appeals case heard June 3, 2004

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Revised Guidelines

• Revised pre-trip
• Acknowledgement of Safety Record
• Best practices - Consortia

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Purchasing - Senate Bill 620

• It shall be the duty of local boards of education
  to purchase or exchange all supplies, equipment
  and materials in accordance with contracts made
  by or with the approval of the Department of
  Administration.equipment, and materials, and
  these purchases shall be made in accordance with
  Article 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes.
  These purchases may be made from contracts made
  by the Department of Administration.

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Transportation Impact

• The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
  regarding equipment standards for supplies,
  equipment, and materials related to student
  transportation. The State Board may adopt
  guidelines for any commodity that needs safety
  features. If a commodity that needs safety
  features is available on statewide term contract,
  any guidelines adopted by the State Board must at
  a minimum meet the safety standards of the
  statewide term contract.

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State Board Policy - Purchasing

• Required to be Purchased from State Contract
• School Buses
• School Bus Tires
• School Bus Braking Equipment
• Not required to be Purchased from State Contract
• Everything else

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School Bus Replacements The financed purchase
of school buses

• 460 IC Buses inanced through CCMI
• 39 IC buses direct-purchased (LEAs getting only 1
  or 2 replacements
• 750 Thomas/Freightliner Buses financed through
  Daimler-Chrysler Services
• 31 IC buses direct-purchased
• 2004 School Bus bid opening June 22nd, 2004
• Separate bid for financing to be issued to
  finance about 600 school buses

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Environmental Issues

• Impact of school buses on the overall condition
  of the environment Small percentage of the
  problem
• Effect of Diesel Exhaust on Children Since
  children are in and around school buses
• Lots of attention on this issue we have a
  responsibility to work toward cleaner air for the
  kids and to set a good example as government
  entities

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Environmental Issues

• National Initiative Clean School Bus USA
• State Initiatives
• Air Quality Grants Priority for School Buses
• Bio-Diesel use in Durham, Chatham Counties
• League of Women Voters / Child Advocacy Task
  Force position paper
• Common theme need for Anti-Idling Policy

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Anti-Idling Policies

• No idling longer than what is needed to build up
  air pressure
• Buses should not be parked nose to tail when it
  can be avoided
• Buses should not be parked on school grounds near
  building air intakes
• Bus Driver Commitment Cards
• Look for a recommendation from DPI
• Followed by State Board Policy?

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PM, Inspection, Spec Committees

• Spec Committee Setting specifications for 2005
  school bus contract
• Lots of work in 2003 to prepare 2004 specs
• New IC and Thomas models lots of changes
• PM Manual Committee Representatives from NCPTA
  districts revising the current PM manual more
  flexibility in SAP to follow manufacturers
  recommended maintenance
• 30 Day Inspection Committee Representatives
  from NCPTA districts revising the 30 day
  inspection manual
• Criteria for out of service
• Measurement criteria for items

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Specifications CommitteeLEA Representatives

• Eastern Region
• Bobby Taylor, Brunswick County
• David Twiddy, Dare County
• Tommy Hudson, Edgecombe County
• Central Region
• Jay Temple, Davidson County
• David Misenheimer, Stanly County
• Todd Naylor, Davie County
• Western Region
• Rick Stiles, Haywood County
• Jeff Garmon, Cabarrus County
• Terry Campbell, Iredell County

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PM CommitteeNCPTA Districts

• 1 Rick Stiles, Haywood County
• 2 Alfred Schrum, Lincoln County
• 3 Robert Boggs, Iredell County
• 4 Al Smith, Alamance County
• 5
• 6 Bill Winstead, Wilson County
• 7 Shannon Ennis, Johnston County
• 8 David Twiddy, Dare County
• 9 Wade Tyndall, Lenoir County

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Inspection Committee RepsNCPTA Districts

• 1 Ronnie Baldwin, Buncombe County
• 2 Rich Laird, Charlotte-Mecklenburg
• 3 Donnie Rose, Yadkin County
• 4 Jay Temple, Davidson County
• 5
• 6 Ralph Trango, Wake County
• 7 Mickey Beasley, Johnston County
• 8 David Twiddy, Dare County
• 9 Frankie Floyd, Craven County

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NTSB Recommendations Emergency Evacuations

• Require pre-trip briefings before school- related
  activity trips on school buses or
  school-chartered buses and subsequently assist
  the States in developing criteria for such
  briefings, to include training all students
  regarding the location and use of emergency exits.

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Public Transit Agencies

• Receive federal money
• Allowed to provide school tripper service
• Use of 15 passenger vans
• Need to look for alternatives to contracting with
  local transit organizations

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Study of Funding Formula

• Current funding formula implemented in 1990-1991
• Lots of changes in the past 13 years
• Funding based on previous year expenditures
• Local funding impacts ratings and funding

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Study of Funding Formula

• Lots of changes in past 13 years
• No Child Left Behind
• Pre-School and Head Start
• After school and other remediation
• Need to add programs without source for
  additional state funding

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Local PRC 56

• ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
• To/From School Transportation
• Yellow buses
• Grades K-12
• INELIGIBLE EXPENSES
• Maintenance of Activity Buses
• Maintenance of all local vehicles
• Parts and Labor
• Mileage for field trips

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Local PRC 56

• Eligible local expenditures reported on TD-1
• Local expenditures reported to DPI for all PRCs
  monthly
• DEFINE Local PRC 56 for ELIGIBLE local
  transportation expenses
• DEFINE PRC 706 for all OTHER transportation
  expenses
• Field trips
• Activity Buses
• Local Vehicles
• Eventually can replace the finance part of TD-1
  Annual Report

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Air Conditioning on Buses

• House Budget Bill A/C not REQUIRED
• Impact
• Capital Outlay Buses
• Mountain Counties (?)
• Should not impact replacement buses

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