River Delta Joint Unified School District Report

River Delta Joint Unified School District Transportation Review July 9, 2010 Joel D. Montero Chief Executive Officer Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM July 9, 2010 Mr. Richard Hennes Superintendent River Delta Joint Unified School District 445 Montezuma Street Rio Vista, CA 94571-1651 Dear Superintendent Hennes, In March 2010, FCMAT and the River Delta Joint Unified School District entered into an agree- ment for a review of the district’s transportation program. Specifically, the study agreement states that FCMAT will complete the following: 1. Conduct a review of the district’s transportation program and operations for special education and regular home to school services. The evaluation shall provide recommendations, if any, to reduce encroachment from the unrestricted general fund. The district provides transportation services in three contiguous counties: Sacramento, Yolo and Solano. 2. Provide recommendations for a new bus routing methodology based on a stan- dardized district wide school bell schedule and the most efficient use of transporta- tion routes. This option should also include staggering start times at all district sites. An evaluation of the district’s board policies regarding bus pickup and walking distances should be included in this component. 3. Review bus routes and provide recommendations for changes to improve route efficiency. 4. Analyze the fiscal impact of current bargaining contract provisions related to transportation including wait time, field trips, extra duty, additional benefits, other overtime and hourly activities. This component should include options to increase ridership and improve the registration process, if any. 5. Evaluate the current in-house bus maintenance activities and provide recommen- dations for cost savings and improvements. The attached final report contains the study team’s findings and recommendations. FCMAT Joel D. Montero, Chief Executive Officer . . 1300 17th Street - CITY CENTRE, Bakersfield, CA 93 . 301-4533 Telephone 661-6 . 36-4611 Fax 661-63 . 6-4647 422 Petaluma Blvd North, Suite. C, Petaluma, CA 94952 Telephone: 707-775-2850 Fax: 707-775-2854 www.fcmat.org Administrative Agent: Christine L. Frazier - Office of Kern County Superintendent of Schools iv TABLE OF CONTENTS We appreciate the opportunity to serve you and extend our thanks to all the staff of the River Delta Joint Unified School District for their cooperation and assistance during this review. Sincerely, Joel D. Montero Chief Executive Officer Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Foreword .................................................................................................iii Introduction ............................................................................................1 Background ......................................................................................................1 Study Guidelines ............................................................................................1 Study Team.......................................................................................................2 Executive Summary ..............................................................................3 Findings and Recommendations .....................................................5 Fiscal Issues ......................................................................................................5 Routing, Scheduling and Service ..............................................................9 Collective Bargaining Agreement ..........................................................13 Maintenance ..................................................................................................15 Staffing, Organization and Operations .................................................17. Appendices ............................................................................................23 river Delta Joint UniFieD school District ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM iii FOREWORD Foreword FCMAT Background The Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) was created by legislation in accordance with Assembly Bill 1200 in 1992 as a service to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in complying with fiscal accountability standards. AB 1200 was established from a need to ensure that LEAs throughout California were adequately prepared to meet and sustain their financial obligations. AB 1200 is also a statewide plan for county offices of education and school districts to work together on a local level to improve fiscal procedures and accountability standards. The legislation expanded the role of the county office in monitoring school districts under certain fiscal constraints to ensure these districts could meet their financial commitments on a multiyear basis. AB 2756 provides specific responsibilities to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emergency state loans. These include compre- hensive assessments in five major operational areas and periodic reports that identify the district’s progress on the improvement plans. In January 2006, SB 430 (charter schools) and AB 1366 (community colleges) became law and expanded FCMAT’s services to those types of LEAs. Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform nearly 750 reviews for local educational agencies, including school districts, county offices of education, charter schools and community colleges. Services range from fiscal crisis intervention to management review and assistance. FCMAT also provides professional development training. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools is the administrative agent for FCMAT. The agency is guided under the leadership of Joel D. Montero, Chief Executive Officer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee schedule for charges to requesting agencies. Study Agreements by Fiscal Year 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 92/93 93/94 94/95 (94.886%). 95 (94.886%)./96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 (94.886%). 05 (94.886%)./06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 Projected Total Number of Studies....................743 Total Number of Districts in CA ........1,050 Management Assistance.............................705 (94.886%). (94.886%) Fiscal Crisis/Emergency ................................38 (5 (94.886%)..114%) Note: Some districts had multiple studies. Eight (8) districts have received emergency loans from the state. (Rev. 12/8/09) river Delta Joint UniFieD school District seidutS fo rebmuN Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 1 INTRODUCTION Introduction Background The River Delta Joint Unified School District serves an area of approximately 530 square miles in portions of Sacramento, Solano and Yolo counties, primarily in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river delta areas . The district reports to the Sacramento County Office of Education. The district office is located in the city of Rio Vista. The district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools as well as one community day school and one continuation high school. The district also sponsors a charter school. The district has an approximate ADA of 2,000 and enrollment has been declining over the past four years. School transportation is important to this rural district. Approximately 40% of the district’s students ride school buses to and from school. The district owns 23 school buses, five automo- biles, 16 pickup trucks and 13 vans. The district has two transportation facilities: six home-to- school routes and four special education transportation vans operate out of the Rio Vista facility; four home-to-school routes and two special education routes operate out of the Courtland facility. One of the home-to-school routes serves an island accessible only by ferry. Study Guidelines FCMAT visited the district on April 28-29, 2010 to conduct interviews, collect data, review documents and inspect facilities and buses. The study agreement specifies that FCMAT will do the following: 1. Conduct a review of the district’s transportation program and operations for special education and regular home to school services. The evaluation shall provide recommendations, if any, to reduce encroachment from the unre- stricted general fund. The district provides transportation services in three contiguous counties: Sacramento, Yolo and Solano. 2. Provide recommendations for a new bus routing methodology based on a standardized district wide school bell schedule and the most efficient use of transportation routes. This option should also include staggering start times at all district sites. An evaluation of the district’s board policies regarding bus pickup and walking distances should be included in this component. 3. Review bus routes and provide recommendations for changes to improve route efficiency. 4. Analyze the fiscal impact of current bargaining contract provisions related to transportation including wait time, field trips, extra duty, additional benefits, other overtime and hourly activities. This component should include options to increase ridership and improve the registration process, if any. 5. Evaluate the current in-house bus maintenance activities and provide recom- mendations for cost savings and improvements. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 2 INTRODUCTION This report is a result of those activities and is divided into the following sections: • Funding and Finance • Routing and Scheduling • Collective Bargaining Agreement • Bus and Vehicle Maintenance • Comprehensive Department Evaluation Study Team The FCMAT study team was composed of the following members: Jim Cerreta Tom Carroll* FCMAT Fiscal Intervention Specialist Director of Transportation Sacramento, California Shasta Union High School District Redding, Califorinia John Lotze Michael Rea* FCMAT Public Information Specialist West County Transportation Agency Bakersfield, California Santa Rosa, California *As members of this study team, these consultants were not representing their respective employers but were working solely as independent contractors for FCMAT. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary Fiscal Issues The State of California funds an average of only 45% of the total cost of school transporta- tion statewide , but that varies depending on each district’s reported operational costs from an established baseline in fiscal year 1982-83. The remainder of funding typically comes from the district’s unrestricted general fund and is commonly known as a general fund contribution. The district’s general fund contribution to transportation was 34.90% of the total transportation funding in 2007-08 and 30.43% in 2008-09, which is lower than the statewide average. The district does not charge fees for home-to-school transportation, and a high percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunches ride the school buses. Students who receive free or reduced-price lunches are exempt from paying transportation fees, and it is unlikely that a fee would generate significantly more revenue than the cost of administering a fee-based program. The rate the district charges for field trips and athletic trips is determined by the transportation director and is higher than average, which deters schools from using bus service. The rate should reflect only the variable cost of operating the bus for the field trip. The state reduced transportation funding to school districts by 19.84% for 2009-10, but the district did not budget for this reduction. Further, if the district spends less than the amount it received in 2008-09, the apportionment will be reduced, even if costs are higher than the amount received in the 2009-10 school year. Routing and Scheduling The district’s bus routing and scheduling follow normal industry standards for bus routing methods, and routes have relatively high ridership. Bell schedules cannot be adjusted to accom- plish greater bus use at this time. Bus routes follow the service zones outlined in board policy. The district should continue considering the safety hazard posed by State Highway 12 when planning transportation in the city of Rio Vista. An after-school program at White School contracts with Rio Vista Public Transit to transport students to home in the evening at a cost of approximately $36,000 per year. This service appears to be in violation of federal transit rules and the California Vehicle Code. The district could provide this service at a lower cost using its own equipment and drivers. Collective Bargaining Agreement Bus driver salaries are competitive for the area, but the Mechanic II position’s salary is low in comparison with districts of similar size and structure. The district should compare salaries with those of other area school districts and commercial shops to determine an appropriate salary for its mechanics. The collective bargaining agreement has an article devoted to transportation issues that addresses bus route bidding and field trip assignment procedures. These are typical features of a collective bargaining agreement, and the language is reasonable and does not appear burdensome to the district. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maintenance At the time of FCMAT’s fieldwork, five of nine buses at the district’s Courtland transportation facility were not in compliance with state regulations that require school buses be inspected every 45 days or 3,000 miles, whichever occurs first. This is a serious violation, and FCMAT alerted the county office of education and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Motor Carrier Inspection Division of this violation. The CHP Motor Carrier Division inspects school buses annually and also provides an annual Terminal Grade. The River Delta Joint Unified School District has consistently received the highest terminal grade of “Satisfactory.” State rules require a written preventive maintenance program, but the district lacks such a program. Staffing, Organization and Operations The department’s transportation assistant should be assigned to a regular bus route, and the assignment should be reduced to ten months. The substitute driver contract position should be eliminated. Both mechanics should be assigned to the same location and be responsible for working on all district vehicles; they should also be certified as school bus drivers and drive as substitutes when needed. California mandates an intensive driver training program for school bus drivers. The district’s transportation director is a State Certified School Bus Driver Instructor and provides all training for the department. The transportation assistant is preparing to attend the School Bus Driver Instructor Training program. Driver training records are in compliance with state laws and regu- lations but need to be kept at the transportation facility in a secure, fireproof location. The district has one transportation facility in Rio Vista and one in Courtland. The district should perform all service and maintenance and most bus parking at the Courtland facility and park only a minimum number of buses in Rio Vista. Bus facilities are not well maintained or organized, and they have a poor exterior appearance that does not represent the district well. The district’s bus fleet is aging. Over the past twenty years many school bus replacement grants have been available for which the district qualified. The district should proactively research grant opportunities and aggressively apply for bus replacement grants. Fuel dispensing and recording is not closely monitored or secured, and there is a potential for misappropriation. The district should better secure its fuel supply. There is little data collection related to transportation and therefore little management informa- tion for short- or long-term evaluation and planning. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 5 FISCAL ISSUES Findings and Recommendations Fiscal Issues California school transportation was fully funded until 1977.School districts reported the operating costs and were reimbursed in the subsequent fiscal year, though capital costs were never reimbursed. From 1977 until the 1982-83 school year, the state gradually reduced the reim- bursement to 80%, then capped each school district’s reimbursement at that level, where it has remained since, except for occasional cost of living adjustments (COLAs). Thus while costs have increased over the years, state funding has remained relatively static, resulting in higher contribu- tions from school district’s unrestricted general fund Statewide, the state funds an average of 45% of public school transportation costs, with districts paying the remaining 55% out of their unrestricted general fund. The level of each district’s general fund contribution is the district’s total approved costs minus the amount capped by the state in 1982-83 plus the occasional COLA (also known as the Approved Apportionment). Districts that have experienced significant growth have a much higher general fund contribution percentage than districts that have declining enrollment and thus reduced transportation service. In fiscal year 2009-10, the state further reduced its transportation funding to districts by 19.84%.Districts that spend less on school transportation than their Approved Apportionment will have the apportionment reduced to that new level of spending. In fiscal year 2009-10, school districts must be mindful of maintaining costs at a level greater than the prior Approved Apportionment to ensure the historical level of funding. As shown in Table on the following page, the district’s unrestricted general fund contribution for transportation is lower than the statewide average river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 6 FISCAL ISSUES Table 1: River Delta Joint Union School District TRAN Data, 2007-08 and 2008-09 2007-08 2007-08 2008-09 2008-09 HTS SD/OI HTS SD/OI No of Buses 10 3 10 3 No. of Students 857 28 828 29 No. of Miles 182,733 155,715 192,880 145,183 Cost per Mile $5.18 $1.12 $4.42 $1.35 Cost per Student $1,105.00 $6,250.00 $1,030.00 $6,910.00 Approved Cost $947,453.00 $175,008.00 $853,397.00 $196,944.00 Revenue $660,276.00 $70,449.00 $660,276.00 $70,449.00 General Fund Contribution $287,177.00 $104,559.00 $193,121.00 $126,495.00 % General Fund Contribution 30.31% 59.74% 22.62% 64.22% 2007-08 2008-09 Total Cost $1,122,461.00 $1,050,341.00 Total State Revenue $730,725.00 $730,725.00 Total General Fund Contribution $391,736.00 $319,616.00 % General Fund Contribution 34.90% 30.43% HTS SD/OI TOTAL 2009-10 Funding $529,266 $56,471 $585,737 Forty-two percent of the district’s students ride school buses, which is a much higher percentage than the statewide average of 15%. Transportation Fees In 1992, the California Supreme Court ruled that it is legal for school districts to charge fees for home-to-school transportation, though indigent students and special education students with an individualized education program (IEP) that requires transportation are exempt. District administrators reported that approximately 50% of the district’s students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches. The director of transportation reported and district administration confirmed that the percentage of bus-riding students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals is far higher. Most school districts use qualification for free or reduced-price meals as the criteria for indigent status. Given the high number of students who would be exempt from transportation fees and the cost of administering a fee-based transportation program, FCMAT believes that charging fees for home-to-school transportation would not be feasible; the cost of administering the program may be greater than any fees collected. For this reason, most school districts in central valley farming communities do not charge fees for transportation. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 7 FISCAL ISSUES Field Trip Rate The district’s chief business official (CBO) and the transportation director reported that the transportation director determined the rate of $3.65 per mile and $27.93 per hour for standby time field trips and athletic trips. This is higher than most other districts in FCMAT’s experience and higher than the cost of a charter bus in many cases. Because bus operating and other department costs are primarily covered by normal home-to- school bus route service, field trip rates should reflect the variable cost of operating the bus, not the capital costs, mechanic salary, management salary, bus replacement costs, and other related costs. One way to calculate the cost per mile is to take the bus operating cost for the entire district (including the cost of fuel, oil and parts) and divide it by the total mileage. Similarly, a per-hour labor cost could be calculated by taking salary and benefits for drivers, including both regular time and overtime to reflect the actual use, and dividing this by the total number of hours worked in a year. The rate determined should be charged for all miles and hours. FCMAT believes that this method would reduce the mileage and hourly rate and more accurately reflect the variable cost of a field trip. Budget Monitoring The district’s budget has not been updated to show the lower revenue as a result of the previously referenced 19.84% reduction in the Approved Apportionment from the state for fiscal year 2009-10. The district’s budget has also not been adjusted for other local transportation revenues received or capital outlay costs the district has incurred. These transactions occurred months prior to FCMAT’s fieldwork, indicating that the transportation budget is not monitored and maintained in a manner consistent with industry standards. The budget should be revised to show these changes, and be maintained regularly and in a timely manner so that management has accurate information regarding the transportation program’s fiscal performance. Updating and adjusting budgets at least monthly is prudent, particularly in the current economy. Recommendations The district should: 1. Revise the 2009-10 budget to take into account the 19.84% reduction in state revenue for school transportation, as well as other local revenues received and capital outlay costs incurred. 2. Avoid charging fees for home-to-school transportation. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 8 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 9 ROUTING, SCHEDULING AND SERVICE Routing, Scheduling and Service The district’s board policy provides for home-to-school transportation for students who reside at least the following minimum distances from their school: Three-quarters of a mile for students in grades K-3 One mile for students in grades 4-8 Two miles for students in grades 9-12 The policy also allows the transportation of students living within these distances if a safety problem or hazard exists, at the discretion of the superintendent or superintendent’s designee. The district provides bus service within these distances in the city of Rio Vista, primarily because White Elementary School is north of State Highway 12, which bisects the city, but a significant number of its students reside south of the highway, creating a valid safety concern. To evaluate bus routing, FCMAT reviewed ridership, the length of bus rides, routing methods and bell times. Each of the district’s bus routes serve a different geographic area, and most transport elementary, middle school and high school students on the same bus. This is a typical routing structure for a rural, unified school district. The district consolidated routes several years ago and carries a large number of students per route. To produce a comprehensive routing analysis, all routes would need to be studied, student rider counts taken, and additional data collected. Data gathered in this study does not indicate that further route consolidation is achiev- able. Many school districts are able to reduce school transportation costs by extending non-service zones or significantly shifting bell times. Extending service zones does not necessarily require students to walk to school; parents should be encouraged to accompany students to and from bus stops if they live within a service area, or to and from school if they do not. The district’s non- service zones are reasonable and are similar to other rural California school districts that FCMAT has studied. Extending non-service zones may not be practical because of the district’s rural setting and the fact that many roads are constructed on top of levees, are narrow, poorly maintained, often lack shoulders and are bordered by steep drops, causing student safety issues. Adjusting or staggering bell schedules can work well in relatively compact suburban or urban areas where buses can load fully, bring students to an elementary school, return to the same area and bring students to the middle school; then travel back for a third run to the high school. However, River Delta Joint Unified School District serves a large geographic area, making bell time adjustments impractical. Federal law mandates transportation for special education students whose IEP requires transpor- tation services. The district transports 43 special education students on four bus routes and four vans. The transportation director indicated and the district’s TRAN report confirmed that there has been significant growth in the need for special education transportation, particularly to loca- tions outside of the district. The TRAN report indicated that the district transported 28 special education students in 2007-08 and 28.5 students in 2008-09. Students transported in vans often travel great distances to special education programs outside the local area. Options for increasing efficiency are extremely limited in such a small program. Logistics are also difficult because they are often dictated by the need for door-to-door service and varying bell times in distant locations. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 10 ROUTING, SCHEDULING AND SERVICE Logistics are challenging and are often dictated by door-to-door service and varying bell times in distant locations. The average number of special education students transported per route (also known as the load factor) in 2009-10 is 5.3; in 2007-08 and 2008-09 the average was 9.3. Transporting special education students in vans driven by district employees is a creative short- term solution for students who cannot be placed on existing bus routes. Although a school bus driven by a certified school bus driver is a safer alternative, a van is more desirable than contracting with taxi companies as some school districts do. The car driver classification requires that the drivers be tested for substance abuse, similar to school bus drivers. Van drivers should also receive training similar to that of a school bus driver. Field Trips and Athletic Trips The district’s transportation department provides almost none of the athletic trips for the high schools. This is extremely unusual for a school district with a transportation department, particu- larly one that has a number of substitutes available. The district does provide academic field trips during the school day, as well as athletic trips within the district by dismissing students early from classes. The district needs to provide more field trip and athletic trip service for the district’s schools rather than using outside contractors to provide this service. Many school districts lack the drivers or buses to provide field trip or athletic trip transportation when it conflicts with regular route times; this is understandable in very small operations with few resources. Many elementary schools with high home-to-school ridership prefer to conduct field trips during the school day so students can ride their regular bus route to and from school. Charter School The district closed an elementary school a few years ago, and community members responded by forming a charter school at that site. The charter school bought a bus from the district and oper- ates one bus route. The transportation director reported that the district provides transportation for some charter school students, and the district indicated that the charter school provides an approximately equal amount of transportation service for some district students; however, no data was provided to substantiate this conclusion. When transportation service is provided for another entity, best practice is to invoice that entity for that service . After-School Program White Elementary School in Rio Vista operates an after-school program. District staff reported that when the program started, the transportation department determined that they could not provide school-to-home service in the evening. Instead, the city’s transit department provides this service and bills the district approximately $36,000 per year. The after-school program reported that an average of five to seven students, and sometimes more, ride this bus. Although the after-school transportation is an evening service that may be somewhat incon- venient for the district’s drivers, there are drivers available for this route and the district could provide this service at a lower cost than the city’s transit department. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 11 ROUTING, SCHEDULING AND SERVICE Recommendations The district should: 1. Continue to monitor bus route ridership and consolidate routes whenever possible. 2. Provide more field trip and athletic trip transportation. 3. Invoice the charter school for the transportation it provides for charter school students, and encourage the charter school to do the same for the transporta- tion it provides for the district’s students. 4. Provide transportation service for the after-school program at White Elementary School. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 12 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 13 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT Collective Bargaining Agreement The district has a collective bargaining agreement with its classified employees, who are repre- sented by the California School Employees Association. Bus driver salaries are competitive with those of other school districts in rural areas that FCMAT has studied. The starting salary for the district’s school bus drivers is $14.51 per hour. The district’s starting salary for the Mechanic II position, an experienced journeyman position, is $33,987 per year, which is low compared to similar districts based on the FCMAT study team’s collective experience. The transportation director stated that it has been difficult to recruit and retain competent mechanics. The district will need to review the salaries of mechanics in similar school districts and private truck repair shops to develop a competitive salary for mechanics. The collective bargaining agreement has an article specific to the transportation department, with industry-standard language that defines the route bidding and field trip assignment processes. There is no indication that this article creates any undue burden on the district. Bus drivers are guaranteed only four hours per day, and the district-paid portion of medical benefits is prorated and limited to no more than $400 per month. This is a very conservative amount compared other districts FCMAT has reviewed. Recommendations The district should: 1. Conduct a survey of mechanics’ job duties and salaries to ensure that it is offering a competitive salary for its Mechanic II position. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 15 MAINTENANCE Maintenance The district has one transportation facility adjacent to Rio Vista High School in Rio Vista and another adjacent to Bates Elementary School in Courtland. Each facility performs some vehicle maintenance , and one mechanic is assigned to each. Specific buses are assigned to each facility, and bus maintenance records are housed at each facility. The vehicle records and inspections at the Rio Vista facility were in compliance with inspec- tion and safety requirements at the time of FCMAT’s visit. However, five of the nine school buses at the Courtland facility were not in compliance with Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 1232, which requires maintenance inspections every 45-days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Because those buses were out of compliance, students should not be transported on them until inspections are completed. FCMAT has notified the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Motor Carrier Division and the Sacramento County Office of Education of this finding. This will likely result in random unscheduled inspections of the district’s vehicles and vehicle records to ensure compliance. FCMAT did not perform a comprehensive evaluation of vehicle maintenance. The California Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Division issues an annual report titled the Terminal Grade. This is an overall assessment of the district’s compliance with vehicle maintenance rules and regula- tions, vehicle maintenance records, driver training records and federal drug and alcohol training records. The district has historically received the CHP’s highest grade of “Satisfactory.” The district has no written preventive maintenance program as required by state regulations. Evidence indicates that the mechanics have an understanding of when maintenance and service is required, but a written plan is needed. The district provides its mechanics’ with tools, and the drivers reported that they feel comfortable with the mechanical condition of the buses they drive and the mechanics’ responsiveness to their maintenance concerns. The mechanic assigned to the Courtland transportation facility reports to work at 6 am and the Mechanic assigned to the Rio Vista Facility works until 5 pm. This creates a reasonable shift spread so that mechanics are present to assist with any mechanical issues throughout the day when drivers are on the road. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 16 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 17 STAFFING, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS Staffing, Organization and Operations Staffing The district’s transportation department is staffed with a director of transportation, one trans- portation assistant, two Mechanic II positions, 12 school bus drivers (one for each route), four car drivers for the four van routes, and one substitute driver whose contract is guarantees five work hours per day. The director of transportation is also a State Certified School Bus Driver Instructor, and the transportation assistant is applying to attend the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) school bus driver instructor program in Sacramento. The district’s transportation department is relatively small and is comparable with those of Travis Unified School District, Sonoma Valley Unified School District and numerous other small trans- portation operations that FCMAT has reviewed. The district will need to maintain its director of transportation position. This position should be the direct supervisor of all school transportation staff; route and schedule drivers for home-to- school and special routes; dispatch all assignments; train drivers; and complete the majority of clerical tasks. It is rare for a transportation operation of this size to have a full-time transportation assistant position. This position could be reduced to a part-time, 10-month position. The individual in this position could be assigned to a regular school bus route for four or more hours per day, with the remainder of the time allocated to assisting with clerical work and training drivers. The district has a total of 34 cars, trucks and vans in its fleet, but its mechanics work at two different facilities and focus on the buses parked at their respective facilities, and occasionally work on other district vehicles. Some of these non-school-bus vehicles are used to transport students, but none of them receive any regular preventive maintenance. Most service for these vehicles occurs at local commercial shops and only when a vehicle breaks down. The two mechanics need to be responsible for regularly scheduling and performing of most maintenance for the non-school-bus vehicles. It would also be more efficient for both mechanics to work at the same facility and to obtain certification as school bus drivers so they can substitute on regular bus routes when needed. This is a common arrangement in school district transportation operations of this size. The district’s substitute driver who is guaranteed five hours work per day reports to the Courtland facility. During FCMAT’s visit, one of the district’s regular drivers was off duty for an extended time; however, the substitute driver was not driving this route but continuing with their regular assignment while another non-contract substitute was used. Transportation operations the size of the district’s do not need a contracted substitute position. The transportation director and one on-call substitute are available and, as mentioned previously, the two mechanics could be trained for substitute driving. Driver Training and Safety The district’s driver training records are well organized and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. However, the transportation director is the primary school bus driver instructor and reported that she often works on records at home, and the records are not kept in a secure loca- river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 18 STAFFING, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS tion at the transportation department office. Records should never be taken off site and need be stored in a locked fireproof cabinet. The district had school bus accidents during the 2009-10 school year. Drivers receive remedial training after an accident. When an accident results in minor dents or scratches that do not impair safety, body and paint repairs are usually not performed. A comprehensive school transportation safety program includes original training for driver candi- dates, renewal training for existing employees, and in-service training. School bus drivers are the most highly regulated class of drivers in California and are required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of classroom training and 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training covering all units of the CDE’s Bus Driver Training Program. To adequately cover all of the units takes nearly 35 hours of classroom training, and many new drivers require more than 30 hours of behind-the- wheel training. Drivers must also complete a minimum of 10 hours of in-service training each year to maintain their license. Drivers receive a Class B commercial license with a passenger endorsement, air brake endorsement and school bus endorsement. Drivers must pass written tests from the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the CHP, as well as a behind-the-wheel test administered by a CHP by a school pupil safety officer. The district’s drivers are trained in each vehicle in the district’s fleet. California Education Code section 39831.5 requires school districts to perform annual school bus safety instruction and evacuation drills for students, and keep records of these drills. The district is in compliance with these requirements and exceeds them by providing safety education and evacuation drills for all of its students. This is a prudent practice because it is likely that all students will ride school buses at some point. Education Code Section 39831.3 requires the district to have a transportation safety plan and make it available at each school site. The district is in compliance with this requirement.. Facilities The district’s transportation facility at Rio Vista is far less functional than the facility at Courtland. Buses cannot be pulled completely into the shop at Rio Vista so must exit the shop to close the door at the end of the day. There are also no vehicle lifts at Rio Vista, and the office is extremely small with no private areas for meetings. Although there is a concrete-encased fuel tank with diesel and gasoline, there is no approved location for washing buses or pressure-washing bus undercarriages. The transportation director also reported that vandalism occasionally occurs at the Rio Vista facility The Courtland facility is larger and better equipped. There is a two-bay shop large enough to fit complete buses inside, and one of the bays features an in-ground vehicle lift. Both diesel and gasoline are also available at this location. The facility has a covered parking area, and district property to the east might be available to expand the yard if needed. There is also an approved area for washing and pressure washing vehicles. The director of transportation reported that she and the transportation assistant drive half an hour each way from their primary work location to the Courtland facility and back each day, and that they spend approximately three hours per day at that facility. A transportation operation the size of the district’s needs only one transportation facility, and the Courtland facility is best equipped to serve this need. It would be more efficient and effective for Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 19 STAFFING, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS the district to park all buses at Courtland and have all drivers and mechanics report to and work from that location, except for a few routes that serve the southern part of the district that could park at the Rio Vista yard facility. The shop at Rio Vista could be placed out of service. The transportation director could then visit Rio Vista only when needed and when bus drivers are present. There is a noticeable amount of old equipment, surplus vehicles, used tires and parts at both the Rio Vista and Courtland facilities that should be disposed of, sold or returned to vendors for credit. Normal housekeeping has been neglected over the years, and both facilities could be more tidy. The district does not own a pressure washer to clean bus undercarriages and other equipment. Purchasing a pressure washer would benefit the district; buses and other vehicles need to be clean for a proper safety inspection to occur. The district’s buses are not washed or swept very frequently. Drivers are paid 15 minutes per day to sweep and clean their assigned bus. Bus Fleet The bus fleet has an average age of 15.5 years per bus. There are 23 buses listed on the fleet list, but two are noted as out of service. The oldest bus is a 1983 model. This is a relatively old fleet. Over the past two decades, the California Energy Commission and local air quality districts have made available numerous bus replacement grant programs for which the district was eligible. Although staff reported receiving two engine replacements on a grant from a local air district, the district has not aggressively pursued bus replacement grants. In addition, seven of the district’s buses qualify for the CDE’s Small School District and County Office School Bus Replacement Program. Because the district encompasses portions of three different counties, it qualifies for programs from three separate air quality districts. With an aggressive application effort, the district could benefit from numerous bus replacements from these programs. The California Air Resources Board has adopted regulations that will require all school buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 14,000 pounds to be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters. There is no evidence that any of the district’s vehicles are incompliance with this requirement. Over the years, a significant amount of funding has been available for these retrofits. Two of the district’s older buses are equipped with bumper rollers to protect the buses when negotiating the steep angles required to drive on and off of ferries. The district will need to contact bus sales companies to engineer a similar device so that there will be a viable option when these two buses are no longer serviceable. Supplies and Purchasing The district has a very small supply of bus and automobile parts in stock. When parts are purchased, the bus number is noted on the receipt and the director approves all purchases. The specific parts included in a repair may or may not be noted in the vehicle maintenance file. The transportation director reported that a mechanic was dismissed a few years ago because of misap- propriation of vehicle parts. There is always the possibility that parts could be purchased and river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 20 STAFFING, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS used on personal vehicles. The will need to continue to be vigilant regarding parts purchasing and record keeping. A wireless device on the district’s fuel tanks reports the fuel level to the fuel company, which delivers fuel when needed. School districts are exempt from federal and state excise tax on diesel fuel, and from federal excise tax on gasoline. The district is receiving the proper credit for these exemptions. The fuel tanks are split and concrete-encased in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Each tank has a capacity of 500 gallons of diesel and 500 gallons of gasoline. One tank is at the Rio Vista facility and one is at the Courtland facility. When employees fuel their assigned vehicle, they write the quantity of fuel on a log sheet. The quantities are not verified against the pump meter readings, so it is possible that fuel could be misappropriated. Although power to the fuel pumps is shut off in the shops, employees have keys, so it is possible that vehicles could be fueled in the evenings or on weekends. The district needs more stringent fueling procedures and controls. Card-lock electronic fueling devices could be installed at a relatively low cost to record fuel use and vehicle and driver information, thus reducing the potential for misappropriation. The district has an unusually large number of new and used tires at both transportation facili- ties. There is no evidence that the district needs to keep this many tires in stock. One mechanic reported that some old tires are illegal because they are old and cannot be retreaded. However, there is no law regarding the age of tires; however, age can contribute to tire failure. Management Information The transportation department does not regularly collect or store any data to assist in manage- ment or planning. It is common practice for a transportation department to gather and maintain data on maintenance costs, work orders, fuel mileage, mechanic productivity, bus route mileage, ridership, and other aspects of its operations that can assist the department and the district in making short- and long-term plans and decisions. Some of this data could be maintained in simple databases set up by staff. Other inexpensive school transportation management programs are also readily available on the open market. A lack of data can make transportation department management and planning extraordinarily difficult Recommendations The district should: 1. Maintain its director of transportation position 2. Consider reducing the transportation assistant position to a part-time, 10 month position. The incumbent should also drive a regular school bus route of 4 hours per day or more. 3. Require the two mechanics take responsibility for the maintenance of all district vehicles and work at the same facility. Encourage the mechanics to become certified school bus drivers to enable them to act as substitute drivers. Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 21 STAFFING, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS 4. Consider eliminating the five-hour per day contracted substitute bus driver position. 5. Secure and store the driver training records at the transportation facility. 6. Operate only one transportation facility, preferably at the Courtland yard. The district does not own a pressure washer to clean bus undercarriages and other equipment. One should be purchased and regularly used 7. Maintain high standards of cleanliness for its buses and transportation facility, including purchasing a pressure washer and ensuring that buses are cleaned regularly. 8. Proactively research and prepare for bus replacement grant opportunities. 9. Contact bus sales companies to engineer a bumper roller or similar device to prepare for replacement of its two aging buses that use this device. 10. Secure and monitor fuel use and reporting. 11. Reduce the tire inventory. 12. Implement a system for gathering and using operational and cost data to assist in management, reporting and planning. river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 22 Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 2233 APPENDDRICAEFST Appendices river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 24 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 25 APPENDDRICAEFST Appendix A California Air Resources Board School Bus Provisions river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 26 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM 27 APPENDDRICAEFST Appendix B Study Agreement river Delta Joint UniFieD school District 28 DARPPAEFNTDICES Fiscal crisis & ManageMent assistance teaM FCMAT FISCAL CRISIS & MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM CSIS California School Infonnation Services FISCAL CRISIS & MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM STUDY AGREEMENT March 25, 2010 The FISCAL CRISIS AND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM (FCMAT), hereinafter referred to asthe Team, andthe River Delta Unified School District, hereinafter referred to asthe District, mutually agree as follows: 1. BASISOFAGREEMENT The Team provides avariety ofservices to school districts and county offices of education upon request. The District has requested that the Team provide for the assignment ofprofessionals to study specific aspects ofthe River Delta Unified School District operations. These professionals may include staff ofthe Team, County Offices of Education, the California StateDepartment of Education, school districts, orprivate contractors. All work shall be performed inaccordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. 2. SCOPE OFTHE WORK A. ScopeandObiectivesoftheStudy Thescopeandobjectivesofthis studyareto: 1) ConductareviewoftheDistrict'sTransportationprogramandoperations forspecialeducationandregularhometoschoolservicesTheevaluation shallproviderecommendations,ifanytoreduceencroachmentnom the UnrestrictedGeneralFund.TheDistrictprovidestransportationservicesin threecontiguouscounties,Sacramento,YoloandSolano. 2) Provide recommendations for anew busrouting methodology based ona standardized district wide schoolbell schedule andthe most efficient use oftransportation routes. This option should also include staggering start times at alldistrict sites. An evaluation ofthe district's board polices regarding bus pickup and walking distances should be included inthis component. 1 --- 3) Review busroutes and provide recommendations for changes to improve route efficiency. 4) Analyze the fiscal impact ofcurrent bargaining contract provisions related to transportation including wait time, fieldtrips, extra duty, additional benefits, other overtime and hourly activities. This component should include options to increase ridership and improve the registration process, ifany. 5) Evaluate the current in-house bus maintenance activities and provide recommendations for cost savings and improvements. B. Services andProducts tobe Provided - 1) Orientation Meeting The Team will conduct an orientation session atthe School District tobrief District management and supervisory personnel on the procedures ofthe Team and onthe purpose and schedule ofthe study. 2) On-siteReview-TheTeamwillconductanon-sitereviewattheDistrict officeandatschoolsitesifnecessary. 3) ExitReport-TheTeamwillholdanexitmeetingattheconclusionofthe on-sitereviewtoinformtheDistrictofsignificantfindingsand recommendationstothatpoint. 4) ExitLetter-TheTeamwillissueanexitletterapproximately10daysafter theexitmeetingdetailingsignificantfindingsandrecommendationsto dateandmemorializingthetopicsdiscussedintheexitmeeting. 5) DraftReports- Sufficientcopiesofapreliminarydraftreportwillbe deliveredtotheDistrictadministrationforreviewandcomment. 6) FinalReport-Sufficientcopiesofthe finalstudyreportwillbedelivered totheDistrictadministrationfollowingcompletionofthereview. 7) Follow-Up Support - Six months afterthe completion ofthe study, FCMATwill return tothe District, ifrequested, toconfirm the District's progress inimplementing the recommendations included inthe report, at no cost. Statusofthe recommendations will be documented tothe District inaFCMATManagement Letter. 2 3. PROJECTPERSONNEL ThestudyteamwillbesupervisedbyAnthonyL.Bridges,DeputyExecutiveOfficer, FiscalCrisisandManagementAssistanceTeam,KernCountySuperintendentofSchools Office.Thestudyteammayalsoinclude: A. Jim Cerreta FCMA T Fiscal Intervention Specialist B. TomCarroll FCMAT Consultant C. MichaelRea FCMAT Consultant Other equally qualified consultants will be substituted inthe event one ofthe above noted individuals isunable to participate inthe study. 4. PROJECT COSTS The cost for studies requested pursuant to E.C. 42127.8(d)(1) shall be: A. $500.00 per dayfor eachTeam Member while on site, conducting fieldwork at other locations, preparing andpresenting reports, or participating inmeetings. B. All out-of-pocket expenses, including travel, meals, lodging, etc. The District will be billed forthe dailyrate and expenses ofthe independent consultant, only. The District will be invoiced at actual costs, with 50%ofthe estimated cost due following the completion ofthe on-site review andthe remaining amount due upon acceptance ofthe finalreport bythe District. Based onthe elements noted insection 2 A,the total cost ofthe study isestimated at $12,000. C. Anychangetothescopewillaffecttheestimateoftotalcost. - Payments for FCMAT services arepayable to Kern County Superintendent of Schools AdministrativeAgent. 5. RESPONSIBILITIES OFTIlE DISTRICT A. TheDistrictwillprovideofficeandconferenceroomspacewhileon-sitereviews areinprogress. B. The District will provide the following (if requested): 1) A map ofthe local area 2) Existing policies, regulations and prior reports addressing the study request 3) Current organizational charts 3 4) Current and four (4) prior year's audit reports 5) Any documents requested on asupplemental listing C. The District Administration will review apreliminary draft copy ofthe study. Any comments regarding the accuracy ofthe data presented inthe report orthe practicability ofthe recommendations will be reviewed with the Team prior to completion ofthe final report. Pursuant toEC 45125.1(c),representatives of FCMATwill have limited contact with District pupils. The District shalltake appropriate stepsto comply with EC 45125.1(c). 6. PROJECT SCHEDULE The following schedule outlines the planned completion dates forkey study milestones: Orientation: April 26, 2010 to be determined Staff Interviews: Exit Interviews: to be determined Preliminary Report Submitted: to be determined Final Report Submitted: to be determined Board Presentation: to be determined Follow-Up Support: If requested 7. CONTACTPERSON Name of contact person: Rose Ramos. Chief Business Officer Telephone: (707) 374-1715 FAX: (707) 174-2995 Date Richard Hennes, Superintendent. Riverdelta UDifiedSchool District March 25. 2010 Anthony L.Bridges, Deputy Executive Officer Date FiscalCrisisandManagementAssistanceTeam Inkeeping with the provisions ofAB1200,the County Superintendent will be notified ofthis agreement between the District and FCMAT andwill receive acopy ofthe final report. 4 -- --