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By Tim Ammon and Tom Platt

The turning of the calendar

means that we are all getting settled into a new year and , in this year , a new presidential administration . While it seems unlikely that , to turn a phrase , the new boss will be the same as the old boss , a core set of challenges remain unchanged . As we continue to settle in to 2021 , it seems appropriate to consider how the student transportation community might need to react to the pandemic , budget development for the years ahead , and ( eventually ) a new post-pandemic school year opening .
The nature of the transportation function is to be relentlessly forward looking . Finding a way to meet the challenges of the next trip , the next route , and the next day dominates the thinking of managers across the school transportation industry . However , it is critically important that we take a moment to stop and look back at all that has happened since February 2020 . Identifying the changes to your organization and operations that enhanced your ability to be responsive is something that should be considered a new , permanent part of the system not simply a temporary COVID response . We need to look backward in order to look forward and acknowledge that COVID has forced us to rethink some long-held beliefs . By doing so over the past year , solutions that might not have seemed possible in January 2020 are now part of regular operations in January 2021 . New ideas , new solutions , and continued flexibility will be the lynchpin to successfully responding to the continued challenges that must be addressed . On the first full day of the new administration , President Biden signed an executive order focused on school reopening . The directives in the order support a number of issues the National Association for Pupil Transportation ( NAPT ) has addressed over the last few months in its webinars including enhanced data collection and reporting , support for funding of PPE , and encouragement of expanded broadband internet access . Meanwhile , public pronouncements encouraging , but not requiring , the reopening of schools within the first 100 days of the administration sets down a marker for expectations . It appears that the key concern for transportation managers will not be , “ What is the goal ?” as it was six months ago , but rather “ How do we get there ?” Over the next six to nine months , we are likely to be confronting at least two and likely more “ school starts . The near-term change in the operation of many schools across the nation from virtual to hybrid or from hybrid to full in-school learning is both an immediate challenge and a preview of the 2021-22 school year opening . Unfortunately , it is unlikely that all the buildup and effort that we dedicate to a “ normal ” school opening will be possible for any of these efforts . As a result , it will be necessary to ruthlessly and relentlessly prioritize how and where you are spending your time . Our belief is that three areas will be particularly demanding of your attention :
• Driver management – “ Who ’ s driving the bus ?” is both a leadership cliché and a nightmare come true for transportation leaders . The driver shortage crisis has not improved during COVID . Our observation is that the currently limited and / or disrupted transportation schedules may be masking how much worse the shortage has become , and how much additional work will be necessary to achieve an acceptable level of service heading into 2021 / 22 . A number of significant structural adaptations may be necessary to bell times , compensation strategies , recruiting and training practices , and policies to accommodate reduced driver availability . Given how big the hole will potentially be , there is no time to waste . This issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later .
• Route redesign – Right after the question of “ Who ” comes the question of “ How ?”. Physical distancing expectations , changes in school schedules , and lingering anxiety among families and staff about the impact of COVID-19 are only some of the new parameters that must be considered when designing routes for immediate use and for the next school opening . If expectations are to open schools soon and keep them open this will be a significant challenge and cannot start soon enough .
• Community communication – “ We need to talk .” This is a sentence that strikes fear into the heart of many , but it is crucial for our immediate success . We need to be just as effective at telling the daily story of transportation as we are at delivering the services . We need to do this not because it is nice to do , but because in these uncertain times we must do it . The funding you receive , the support you get from your administration and school board , and the respect you get from the community will define your ability to get things done . If doing important things to enhance safety , like limiting illegal bus passing , is predicated on every stakeholder understanding that what you do is important and valuable , then near constant reinforcement of your message is key . So again , “ We need to talk .” Changes in expectations , changes in operations , and changes in resources will all be part of the new normal for many if not all student transportation providers in the months and years ahead . However , the core commitment to student safety , enabling access to education , and high-quality service provision will remain . In the past year , our profession has been challenged like never before . We , as an industry and a student transportation community , need to use this unique time in history to remind the public of the value of our services . Transportation will be the smiling face at the vanguard of our rebuilt educational system . As you have on so many days before , go get ‘ em and bring them home safely .
Tim Ammon and Tom Platt are the co-owners of Decision Support Group , LLC , a consulting company based serving the student transportation community . They can be reached at tammon @ decisionsupportgroup . com and tplatt @ decisionsupportgroup . com , respectively .
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