Robert Feinberg, Deer Creek School District
School BUSRide spoke with Robert Feinberg, director of transportation of Deer Creek School District in Edmond, Oklahoma. As an NAPT PDS instructor, he offered his unique view on the industry coming out of last year’ s NAPT ACTS event.
Please introduce yourself and your district.
I retired from the U. S. Navy in 2013 after 24 years of service. Initially, I didn’ t plan to work, but I took a job with a school district and ended up staying in pupil transportation. I spent eight years with Oklahoma’ s third-largest district before joining Deer Creek School District in 2021 as transportation director. Deer Creek runs about 45 routes for over 8,000 students. We’ re one of the fastest-growing districts in the state, consistently adding 300 to 500 students annually. With 10,500 new homes currently being built in our area, that growth isn’ t slowing. Our department includes 70 staff members( drivers, monitors, office staff, and mechanics) working together to transport students safely every day.
What is the biggest challenge for your transportation department?
Staffing is our number one issue. Even when we’ re technically“ fully staffed,” we have new hires in training who can’ t yet drive. That means other staff, like my office team, often cover routes, taking them away from their regular duties. We’ ve also faced bus shortages, especially for special education. Nationwide supply issues have made it difficult to acquire needed vehicles, which adds strain to our operation.
How are you addressing these challenges?
We’ ve increased pay significantly over the past three years, more than just annual step raises. We now also offer state retirement benefits and healthcare to all drivers and monitors, which we didn’ t previously. These changes have made the roles more attractive. We’ ve also invested heavily in technology. When I started, we had only radios; no GPS, no routing software. Now we use a fully
automated routing and tracking system for both buses and students. Parents can track their child’ s location and bus status, which has reduced our call volume by 50 to 100 calls per day. That efficiency helps offset staffing shortages in the office.
What were your takeaways from the NAPT ACTS conference?
As a CDL examiner and NAPT PDS instructor, I taught during much of the conference. While that limited the sessions I could attend, the ones I did were excellent. The variety of offerings lets attendees choose sessions relevant to their needs. This was my second conference, and I’ m looking forward to attending again in 2025, whether as an instructor or just to learn. I’ m also involved with the NAPT board, working to modernize the PDS courses, which will further enhance the value of future conferences.
What advice do you have for other NAPT members?
Take full advantage of conferences and events. Don’ t hesitate to attend sessions, even if you’ re unsure about the topic. You never know what valuable insight you’ ll gain. And definitely work toward certifications. Being nationally certified— as a transportation specialist, supervisor, or director— not only boosts your knowledge but can also benefit your career. Some districts may even factor it into compensation, similar to teachers with advanced degrees.
How can NAPT better support professionals like you?
I see two opportunities: one from a state perspective and one from a district level. As the incoming president of Oklahoma’ s state pupil transportation association, I know firsthand how valuable it is to promote NAPT to local members. Many new directors or mechanics benefit greatly from access to NAPT resources and training. At the district level, I’ d love to see more recognition from NAPT directed not just at individuals, but also at their leadership. For example, when someone earns a certification, notifying their superintendent could help elevate awareness of its value. That external acknowledgment reinforces the importance of professional development in transportation roles.
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