Los Banos Unified School District Report

Los Banos Unifi ed School District Transportation Services Review January 22, 2009 Joel D. Montero Chief Executive Offi cer Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team January 22, 2009 Steve Tietjen, Superintendent Los Banos Unifi ed School District 1717 S. Eleventh Street Los Banos, California 93635-4800 Dear Superintendent Tietjen, In September 2008, the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) entered into an agreement for a transportation services review with the Los Banos Unifi ed School District. The request specifi ed that FCMAT would: 1. Conduct a review of the district’s transportation program and provide recommenda- tions for improvements in the following areas: Routing methodology Vehicle maintenance Bell schedules Changes to school calendars, including MTYRE, traditional, single-track YRE, and modifi ed traditional Fiscal and operational effi ciency The attached fi nal report contains the study team’s fi ndings with regard to the above areas of review. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you, and we extend our thanks to all the staff of the Los BanosUnifi ed School District. Sincerely, Joel Montero Chief Executive Offi cer FCMAT Joel D. Montero, Chief Exe.cutive 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: Larry E. Reider - Office of Kern County Superintendent of Schools Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team TABLE OF CONTENTS i Table of Contents Foreword ...........................................................................iii Introduction ...................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ......................................................... 3 Findings and Recommendations ................................... 5 Fiscal Analysis .........................................................................................................................................5 Staffi ng .......................................................................................................................................................9 Routing and Scheduling ...................................................................................................................13 Vehicle Maintenance and Shop Operations ........................................................................17 Appendices ......................................................................21 FOREWORD iii 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 in complying with fi scal accountability standards. AB 1200 was established from a need to ensure that local educational agencies throughout California were adequately prepared to meet and sustain their fi nancial obligations. AB 1200 is also a statewide plan for county offi ces of education and school districts to work together on a local level to improve fi scal procedures and accountability standards. The legislation expanded the role of the county offi ce in monitoring school districts under certain fi scal constraints to ensure these districts could meet their fi nancial commitments on a multiyear basis. AB 2756 provides specifi c responsibilities to FCMAT with regard to districts that have received emer- gency state loans. These include comprehensive assessments in fi ve major operational areas and periodic reports that identify the district’s progress on the improvement plans. Since 1992, FCMAT has been engaged to perform nearly 700 reviews for local educational agencies, including school districts, county offi ces of education, charter schools and community colleges. Services range from fi scal 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 Offi cer, with funding derived through appropriations in the state budget and a modest fee schedule for charges to requesting agencies. Total Number of Studies....................711 Total Number of Districts in CA ..........982 Management Assistance.............................675 (94.9%) Fiscal Crisis/Emergency ................................36 (5.1%) Note: Some districts had multiple studies. Districts (7) that have received emergency loans from the state. (Rev. 7/30/08) Study Agreements by Fiscal Year 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 92/93 93/94 94/95 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Projected Los Banos Unifi ed School District seidutS fo rebmuN Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 1 Introduction The Los Banos Unifi ed School District, located in Merced County, encompasses approxi- mately 270 square miles of ranch and farmland and the city of Los Banos. Los Banos is bisected by State Highway 152 and is approximately eight miles east of Interstate 5 in the Central Valley. Los Banos USD reports an enrollment of 8,948 students for the 2007-08 school year attending seven elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, one continuation school and one community day school. The district had experienced regular growth in the recent past, but currently is seeing its fi rst decline in enrollment in quite some time. The district utilizes a multi-track, year-round schedule at fi ve elementary schools and one secondary school to maximize school-site use. In August 2008, the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) received a request from the district for a transportation review. The study agreement specifi es that FCMAT will complete the following: 1. Conduct a review of the district’s transportation program and provide recommen- dations for improvements in the following areas: Routing methodology Vehicle maintenance Bell schedules Changes to school calendars, including MTYRE, traditional, single-track YRE, and modifi ed traditional Fiscal and operational effi ciency Study Guidelines FCMAT visited the district on October 27-29, 2008, to observe and evaluate the district’s school transportation program and operation. This report is the result of those activities and is divided into the following sections:  Executive Summary  Fiscal Analysis  Staffi ng  Routing and Scheduling  Vehicle Maintenance and Shop Operations Los Banos Unifi ed School District 2 Study Team The FCMAT study team was composed of the following members: Don Fowler Michael Rea* Retired Administrator Executive Director Kern County Superintendent of Schools West County Transportation Agency Bakersfi eld, California Santa Rosa, California Laura Haywood Public Information Specialist Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team Bakersfi eld, California *As a member of this study team, this consultant was not representing his employer but was working solely as an independent contractor for FCMAT. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 3 Executive Summary The Los Banos Unifi ed School District receives a higher than average transportation apportionment from the state because of the level at which its transportation funding was capped in 1982-83. The district’s general fund contribution to transportation in 2007-08 constituted approximately 51% of the total transportation budget, as compared to the statewide average district contribution of 55%. A reduced transportation budget for 2008- 09 indicates that the district expects to reduce its costs. The budget should be monitored to ensure that it meets the needs of the department, especially in view of the current economy market and unstable fuel costs. The district’s $5.49 cost per mile for transportation operations is comparable to other districts in the state with similar-size service areas and mileage. Charging fees for bus transportation services does not seem feasible for the district because a high percentage of students qualify for free or reduced price meals. Districts are able to charge up to the maximum level approved by the California Department of Education, which was $8.06 per daily round trip as of August 2008. Returning the district from a year-round to a traditional school calendar would reduce transportation costs con- siderably, but could make it much more diffi cult to recruit and retain bus drivers because they would likely have fewer opportunities for full-time work. Some savings could be realized by adjusting the Wednesday early-release schedule. The bus schedules are effi - cient, and adjusting school site bell times is not likely to increase their effi ciency. Department staffi ng provides adequate coverage for the bus routes. The Transportation Manager works to ensure that all drivers are occupied with ancillary tasks when they are not driving a route. Dispatch duties are adequately covered as well. An employee who is qualifi ed to provide additional driver instruction would help to ensure that a comprehen- sive driver training program is in place in the event that driver turnover increases or the Transportation Manager is unavailable to conduct training for a period of time. Driver training records are well-organized and compliant with state Education Code. The responsibilities of the Lead Driver need to be clarifi ed in terms of what level of driver training this individual is qualifi ed to provide. Several job descriptions in the department are unused. The district should determine whether there is still a need for these classifi ca- tions, and should update the requirements listed in all transportation job descriptions in accordance with current collective bargaining agreements. Home-to-school transportation is provided on 17 routes, nine of which include mid-day kindergarten routes. There is an additional afternoon route and door-to-door service for approximately 40 special education students on two small-bus routes. The district does not adhere to strictly defi ned attendance areas, so the routes are designed around a pri- mary transfer point at Los Banos Elementary School. Manual routing works well for the Los Banos Unifi ed School District 4 district and a computerized routing system appears unnecessary. Walking distances are typical and appear to adhere to district policy. Ridership has decreased over the past three years, but it does not appear that any routes could be eliminated or further consolidated. Field trips are well-managed. The Merced County Offi ce of Education currently transports Los Banos USD’s special education students who attend Merced COE classes at district sites. The district may want to inquire whether the Merced COE would agree to transfer a portion of its state trans- portation apportionment to the district if the district were to transport these students. This could result in a savings for the district. If the Merced COE would not transfer a suffi cient portion of that funding, there would be no fi nancial advantage for the district. The district consistently receives the highest rating from the California Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Division for its bus driver and vehicle maintenance records. Additional information that would benefi t the management of vehicle maintenance should be included in the records. This can be accomplished using a simple database. The maintenance shop is large and fairly functional for the number of buses and size of the district. More complicated repair work is outsourced. The department maintains 27 school buses, seven non-school-bus automobiles assigned to the department, and 38 other vehicles for various other departments. The exterior appearance of the buses is poor because of faded paint, although signifi cant efforts are made to keep the buses clean. The district’s bus replacement policy has not been followed, which is common across the state as school districts struggle to prioritize their resources. Bus replacement grants through the local air quality district may be available to help purchase new buses, and the district should explore this opportunity. There is no fueling station at the transportation facility. The district has considered and should continue to explore developing an MOT facility on district-owned property. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 5 Fiscal Analysis The district received a school transportation apportionment of $969,911 from the state in the 2007-08 fi scal year. The actual transportation expense was $2,074,158.19. The district’s general fund contribution was $1,065,472, or approximately 51% of the trans- portation budget. The district receives slightly more than the statewide average school transportation apportionment. The current statewide average apportionment is 45% of the total reported costs, with school districts funding the remaining 55% from unrestricted sources in the general fund. Before 1977, the state fully reimbursed school districts for their reported home-to-school transportation costs. Between 1977 and 1982 the reimbursement percent- age was gradually reduced. In the 1982-83 school year, the state capped the amount that school districts received at their reported level. Since that time, districts in California have received that capped amount. Occasionally the state has applied a cost-of-living adjustment to that amount if funding is available. As school transportation costs have increased, the state funding covers less and less of school districts’ actual transportation costs. This funding formula also does not account for population growth in a school district that increases the need for transportation service. If districts spend less than their apportionment, the apportionment is decreased to match the need. The 2006-07 TRAN reports a cost per mile of $4.82 and a cost per student of $933.71. The 2007-08 TRAN reports a cost per mile of $5.49 and a cost per pupil of $977.91. For a district of this geography, with a relatively compact service area and relatively low mileage, these numbers appear comparable to similar districts. In review of the district’s Comparative Budget Report covering the years 2007-08 and 2008-09, it appears that the district has reduced the 2008-09 transportation department budget compared to the prior year particularly with regard to overtime, parts and fuel. There have not been any service reductions for this year, so it is likely that these catego- ries could exceed their budgeted amounts. Strategies to Reduce Transportation Costs Because the state does not fully fund school transportation operational costs, many school districts explore strategies to reduce their service and costs. One such strategy is to expand the areas that are not served by district transportation to reduce service require- ments. Some school districts charge fees for home-to-school transportation to offset costs. In 1992 the California Supreme Court ruled that charging fees for home-to-school transpor- tation was permissible and did not violate the constitutional requirement for free schools. The state publishes a maximum level of fees that changes over time ($8.06 per daily Los Banos Unifi ed School District 6 round trip as of August 2008), and free transportation must be made available for indigent students. However, many school districts do not charge fees, primarily because the cost of administering the program exceeds the amounts collected. Most districts in the central valley do not charge fees because they have a high level of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals. Most districts utilize the same criteria for free or reduced price bus passes. Approximately 45% of the district’s students qualify for free or reduced price meals. Returning to a traditional school calendar also would reduce transportation costs consid- erably. Most of the bus drivers work eight hours per day, 12 months per year. A traditional 180-day school year would result in 62 fewer school days. The 12-month bus drivers work 167 hours in total per day, or 10,354 hours in those 62 days. Assuming that all driv- ers are on Step 1 plus 33% for salary-driven benefi ts, a driver’s cost equates to $16.30 per hour. Thus, the savings would be approximately $168,770 for those 62 days. Estimating $2.50 per mile as a typical bus operating cost with a total of 62,938 miles over the 62 days (377,628 total annual miles divided by the total number of operational days or approximately 1,015 miles per day), the potential savings is $157,345. Together with the decreased salary cost, this could create a savings of $326,115. This is a conservative estimate. It should be noted that if the district returned to a traditional school schedule and reduced driver work days and hours, it would likely be much more diffi cult to recruit and retain drivers. This has been a key issue for school districts in California and across the nation for several decades. The availability of full-time, year-round positions with benefi ts in a rural area is a key factor in the district’s success with driver retention. The Wednesday Focus on Achievement (FOA) schedule requires the Transportation Department to pay overtime to run more routes than on a regular school day. An in-house review suggested that having all schools start at regular time in the morning and dismiss an hour earlier would be more cost effective. The review estimated the savings to be approximately $12,000 in salary and benefi t costs and $10,000 in fuel costs annually. FCMAT believes this estimate may be conservative or low, and the district may want to review this option more thoroughly. Students from throughout the district may attend any school in the district, particularly if the school in their area is overcrowded. Transportation is provided for these students. If the district had strict attendance boundaries for elementary schools, transportation savings would be likely. The bus schedules are effi cient and it does not appear that changing or adjusting school bell times would create any additional effi ciency. As reported above, schools have adult supervision available up to an hour before bell time and the bus schedules utilize this to maximize their effi ciency. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 7 Recommendations The district should: 1. Monitor the 2008-09 home-to-school transportation budget to ensure it meets the needs of the department. 2. Explore one or more of the above strategies to reduce transportation costs. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 8 Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 9 Staffi ng The Transportation Department has the following positions and staff: Number of Staff Position Hours per Day Months per Year in Position Driver 8 12 15 Driver 6 12 2 Driver 5 12 1 Driver 5 10 1 Driver* 3 12 2 Dispatcher 8 12 1 Head Mechanic 8 12 1 Mechanic/Driver 8 12 2 Transportation 8 12 1 Manager * Afternoon only. One driver has an assigned afternoon route, the other is a fl oater; both are called fi rst to substitute for AM routes. There appears to be adequate driver coverage for the bus routes. Many of the routes are less than eight hours per day. The drivers are responsible for inspecting their bus in the morning, cleaning and washing their bus, and doing all of the seat repairs for their assigned bus. They are also responsible for fueling their bus at a local card-lock fuel station. The Transportation Manager endeavors to ensure that drivers fulfi ll all of these obligations and engage in other work-related tasks during their scheduled hours. One of the drivers is responsible for a mid-day mail route for the district, delivering mail between sites. Another driver is responsible for the food service deliveries between sites. A third driver has the position of Lead Driver and assists in the offi ce. Many school districts do not allow bus drivers to take vacation time during the regular school year, paying the drivers in lieu of vacation time. Bus drivers traditionally do not work during winter break, spring break and the summer. This is not possible at Los Banos USD because of the multi-track, year-round schedule, so the drivers take vacation time or earned compensatory time off when school is in session. The department maintains strict control of days off to ensure that all route and fi eld trip obligations are fulfi lled. The Mechanic/Bus Drivers do not substitute on school bus routes very often. If they did, this practice might need to be re-evaluated, as it could seriously affect quality bus and vehicle maintenance time. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 10 The Dispatcher routes and schedules all bus routes, ensures all assignments are covered for the day, and answers telephone and two-way radio calls. In the early morning a driver covers some of the dispatch duties, and in the afternoon a mechanic covers some of the dispatch duties when the Dispatcher is not on duty, ensuring telephone and radio coverage throughout the span of a normal operating day. The Transportation Manager is the only state-certifi ed school bus driver instructor for the department. He appears to be a knowledgeable and capable instructor. He is familiar with the laws and regulations governing school transportation in California, and the district appears to be in compliance with them. However, the lack of an additional driver instructor on staff is of some concern. Currently, some of the Transportation Manager’s time is spent conducting training programs for new and existing drivers. Because there is little driver turnover, he can devote the necessary time for this. If there were ever higher driver turnover it could become diffi cult for the manager to devote the time necessary to maintain a comprehensive training program. A review of the driver training records revealed a very organized and regulation- compliant system. School bus driver training records must use common forms and must follow specifi c protocol. The district’s records appear to be compliant in all aspects and are very neat and well-organized. Bus drivers are involved in very few school bus accidents, indicating that the district has a sound training program. Currently the job description for the Lead Driver includes an “Example of Duties” to “Assist in the behind-the-wheel training program for bus drivers in training and in service training of existing school bus drivers.” The job description, however, does not include a requirement for the proper certifi cation to train behind the wheel. The Lead Driver has been the incumbent for approximately four years. There has been some confusion as to whether or not this individual can provide the training, what certifi cation is necessary or if the Lead Driver wants to provide behind the wheel training. This confusion over the responsibilities of the Lead Driver should be clarifi ed. There are two separate certifi cations that can allow an individual to train school bus drivers behind the wheel. One is a school bus driver instructor certifi cation that is awarded to successful students who attend the California Department of Education’s instructor training program. The CDE also awards a certifi cation referred to as a delegated behind-the-wheel instructor. This instructor is only able to train behind the wheel (the other can provide classroom training and in-service as well), and does so under the direction of a school bus driver instructor. Currently, the only legally permissible behind-the-wheel training the Lead Driver can perform is driver profi ciencies in compliance with 13 CCR 1229. No certifi cation is required for this type of training. The district has several adopted classifi cations that are not in use. There are job descriptions for Bus Driver/Trainer, Assistant Bus Driver/Trainer, Mechanic Helper and Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 11 Head Custodian/Bus Driver that are reportedly not used. The district should determine the need for these job classifi cations and should also update its job descriptions to include physical requirements and other necessary job requirements in accordance with current collective bargaining agreements. It would be preferable for the district to have a bus driver/trainer who drives a route and fi lls the middle part of the day with driver training duties. This would provide the necessary redundancy and ensure that the district has a school bus driver instructor on staff if the Transportation Manager is unavailable for an extended period of time. Overall, the staffi ng is adequate for an operation of this size. Recommendations The district should: 1. Consider the need for another driver instructor on staff. 2. Review, evaluate and update all transportation department job descriptions to ensure that they are necessary, include all requirements of the job and are updated to current standards. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 12 Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 13 Routing and Scheduling The district provides home-to-school transportation service on 17 routes. Nine of these routes also have mid-day kindergarten routes that pick up students for afternoon sessions and take students home from morning sessions. There is also one additional afternoon- only big-bus route. In addition the district provides home-to-school, door-to-door service for approximately 40 special education students on two small-bus routes. These students’ individualized education plans require transportation as a related service. They reside in the district and attend programs at district schools. The bus routing is very responsive to the district’s needs. The district utilizes a multi- track, year-round schedule. Unlike traditional school calendars that operate for 180 days of instruction, the district has schools in session throughout the school year, with only a two-week winter break and approximately a one-week break at the end of June. Most bus drivers are employed on a 12-month basis. The district has a short-day schedule on Wednesdays for teacher in-service and planning purposes. These are called FOA (focus on achievement) days. On these days the high school students come to school later in the day and are dismissed at regular time. The middle school and elementary school students come to school at the regular time, but are dismissed earlier. Bus routing must accom- modate this minimum-day schedule. In addition, when one of the tracks is at the end of a session, the last day is a minimum day (just for that track) and requires additional transportation. Students throughout the district may attend any elementary school in the district (primarily related to class size balancing and overcrowding), rather than adhering to strictly defi ned attendance areas. This requires the Transportation Department to create routes that can pick up students anywhere in the district and transport students to any school. This is accomplished with a primary bus transfer point at Los Banos Elementary School. The bus routing appears to follow generally accepted methodologies utilized by school districts throughout California. Each route consists of more than one run in the morning and afternoon, indicating high bus utilization. On average, each route transports 123 students. The district is able to accomplish this with a high level of cooperation from the schools, allowing buses to drop off as much as an hour prior to bell time. Bus routing is done manually and effi ciently. Some school districts purchase and utilize computerized bus routing systems, which often are labor-intensive and costly. The Los Banos USD would not benefi t from such a system. Board policy indicates a service area for students in the following grade levels that reside beyond the following distances: • Grades K-3: Three-quarters of a mile • Grades 4-8: One mile • Grades 9-12: Two miles Los Banos Unifi ed School District 14 It appears that the routes adhere to the distances stated in the policy. Bus ridership has been declining over the past three years. In 2005-06 the district’s TRAN reported 3,100 student passengers. In 2006-07 there were 2,049 passengers and in 2007-08 there were 2,121. The routes have not substantially changed, indicating even higher bus utilization in the past. It does not, however, appear that the routes can be fur- ther consolidated or that any routes can be eliminated given the current requirements and parameters for service. Dispatch The district uses a two-way radio system for communication between buses and the dis- patch offi ce. This type of system is common for school districts because it is reliable and relatively inexpensive. The dispatch offi ce employs a daily log as well as a white board to display and record the routes, assigned buses, regular or substitute drivers, the trips for the day and any other necessary activity. The district has negotiated a fi eld trip assignment system with its CSEA unit that is cre- ative, fair and universally accepted. Field trip assignments often can be a hot-button topic for school bus drivers. It is rare to fi nd a district where this is not an issue. The system in place at Los Banos USD rotates trips among drivers and balances the hours out over time. Most school districts employing a similar system will balance hours over one school year and then start over for the next year. Los Banos USD continues to balance the hours out over several years. This unique feature creates a higher level of fairness that is not usually found in most school district fi eld trip assignment procedures. As noted previously, the Dispatcher does all of the routing and scheduling by hand. Drivers keep the dispatcher informed of any route changes or amendments. The Lead Driver also assists in maintaining the bus routes. The routes are kept in a Microsoft Word format and can be easily updated. The Transportation Department performs most of the duties related to the bus student dis- cipline system. Drivers issue bus misconduct reports (citations or tickets) for violations of expected behavior on school buses. The driver determines the level of discipline, and either the driver or the Dispatcher contacts the parents. School offi cials are usually only involved in complicated cases. In many school districts the driver writes the misconduct report, but school offi cials counsel the student and issue the discipline. The system in place at Los Banos USD relieves the school offi cials from this often time-consuming responsibility. The dispatch offi ce also is responsible for receiving all fi eld trip and athletic trip requests (approximately 700 trips a year). Most trips are scheduled on district buses; very few are chartered on tour buses (special groups that require such buses, or if scheduling confl icts cannot accommodate a school bus). The dispatch offi ce also coordinates the use of Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 15 district automobiles and minivans that are requested by teachers or coaches and used for small groups or small teams. A driver who is fulfi lling time requirements usually assists in coordinating automobile and minivan use. The department evaluates and keeps DMV Pull Notice reports for all teachers and coaches who drive district vehicles. The Pull Notice is the driving record for that indi- vidual. In addition, the district receives an annual report regarding any activity on the record, such as moving violations, license class changes or accidents. School bus drivers are required to be in compliance with federal drug and alcohol testing rules. Although this requirement is not adopted by most school districts for teachers and coaches who drive students in district vehicles, it is one that the district should consider. In addition, it may be benefi cial for these teachers and coaches to attend a defensive driv- ing course. Special Education Transportation The district transports approximately 40 special education students that live in the district and attend programs in the district. Some special education students ride on regular big- bus routes. The Merced County Offi ce of Education transports approximately 80 students who reside in the district and are transported to Merced COE classes located in the district. Approximately 10 other students are transported to classes further away in Atwater, Merced or other communities on Merced COE buses. The reported special education transportation excess cost that Merced COE charges Los Banos USD is approximately $240,000 per year. Special education transportation can present thorny and complex logistical issues. Currently, the district transports its special education students that have the least restric- tive and thus least expensive transportation requirements. The district should study the feasibility of taking responsibility for transporting its students who attend Merced COE classes at district schools. It likely would be too costly for the district to transport the students who attend programs outside the district. The district would need to receive a fair share of the state transportation apportionment to enable it to take responsibility for transporting district students to Merced COE classes located on district campuses. Absent that, it most likely would not make sense for the district to take on this responsibility. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 16 Recommendations The district should: 1. Evaluate the necessity and feasibility of providing defensive driving training for teachers and coaches who drive students in district vehicles. Consider requiring these drivers to be included in the drug and alcohol testing program. 2. Evaluate the fi scal and operational feasibility of taking responsibility for trans- porting special education students who attend Merced COE classes at district sites. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 17 Vehicle Maintenance and Shop Operations The California Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Division annually inspects school buses, bus driver training records, vehicle maintenance records and bus driver drug and alcohol testing records. They produce a report called a Terminal Grade. The Los Banos Unifi ed School District historically has received the highest grade, which is a Satisfactory. The district’s vehicle maintenance records are compliant with all laws and regulations. They do not, however, provide easily accessible management information. For example, if an engine has had some repair, the notation in the records briefl y describes what was done and the date it occurred. It does not record the amount of labor hours it took to do the job or the parts necessary and their cost. Also, there is no work order system or read- ily available history of bus maintenance. These types of data can provide invaluable information for the department and district to make decisions, predict component failure on certain types of vehicles, determine when to replace vehicles and assess the productivity of mechanics. This can be easily accom- plished by moving to a work order system that tracks this information for every job and provides a simple database that can be sorted by bus. There are commercially available systems, but the same information can be obtained with a simply created database. The work orders would be fi led by date in separate fi les for each bus or vehicle. The shop is big and relatively functional. Hand tools are owned by the district and assigned to each mechanic. There is a parts storage room that has a small inventory of frequently used belts, hoses and other small parts. The department outsources more com- plicated and larger jobs. This is a common practice in the school transportation industry. Vehicle Fleet The bus fl eet consists of 27 school buses. There are seven non-school bus automobiles assigned to the Transportation Department that are used for transporting small student groups or teams. Thirty-eight other vehicles are operated by the district for the Grounds and Maintenance departments, Instructional Services Department and administrators. The Transportation Department provides the maintenance service for these vehicles. Despite a concerted effort by the Transportation Manager and the bus drivers to wash and clean buses, the exterior bus condition is poor. Some buses exhibit minor body damage. Most buses seem to have the original paint that has faded over time. Many buses have lettering that is worn or faded. In some cases lettering looks like it has been repainted by hand in-house. School buses represent the district and the community and often travel to other communities for athletic contests and fi eld trips. Most school districts prefer buses that look good and represent the district well. Of course, it is expensive to maintain and paint a bus. A complete paint job may cost as much as $8,000. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 18 The district has a board policy that discusses replacement parameters for vehicles that transport students and staff (75,000 miles or fi ve years), but that policy has not been followed. That is not unusual, as school districts statewide are struggling to prioritize resources for academic purposes. Nevertheless, it is important for the district to plan for reasonable intervals for school bus replacement and the replacement of other vehicles that transport students. The California Association of School Business Offi cials’ School Transportation Performance Profi le recommends a 20-year life-cycle replacement schedule. The district should apply for bus replacement grants through the local air quality district and other sources as they become available. Facility The district rents space for maintenance, operations, grounds keeping and transportation at Meza Brothers Trucking, a local trucking company in Los Banos. It appears that the trucking company built a facility intending growth, or its larger operation decreased in size. The company has excess space and charges the district $100,000 per year for use of offi ces, shop, storage and parking space. The facility is large and spacious and rivals anything the study team has seen at other school districts of a similar size. The Director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation reported that the district is in compliance with all hazardous waste and storm water runoff requirements. There is no fueling capability at this site. Drivers must go to a local card lock fuel station. The district is exploring the feasibility of developing an above-ground fuel system at this site. There is an in-ground bus lift that is located at the old bus shop at one of the school sites. Mechanics can use that lift if necessary. There was discussion that the district may develop an MOT facility on district-owned property. Recommendations The district should: 1. Establish a work order system for bus maintenance and record-keeping that includes a description of the repair, the parts used and their cost, and the mechanic time spent on each job. Develop a simple database to record this data. File work orders by bus or vehicle. 2. Budget for bus body work, paint and lettering. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 19 3. Develop and fund a bus replacement schedule or aggressively pursue bus replace- ment grants. 4. Explore the fi scal and operational feasibility of developing an MOT facility on district-owned property. Los Banos Unifi ed School District 20 Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team 21 Appendices Appendix A - Study Agreement Los Banos Unifi ed School District Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team Los Banos Unifi ed School District Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team Los Banos Unifi ed School District Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team