For Millstone drivers, bus issue is a matter of minutes
Drivers seek support from parents/guardians for school schedule change
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE - Some of the school district's drivers are looking for support in solving the busing issue with a schedule change.

Business Administrator Brian Boyle announced at a June Board of Education meeting that the school district's bus routes are changing this fall as a result of the opening of the new middle school on Baird Road. As a result, during the 2007-08 school year there would be two sets of in-district routes instead of one, which would leave fewer district drivers available for out-of-district runs.

Boyle also said that as a result of the schedule change, the amount of time each district bus driver works would be reduced. He also said that while the school district would prefer to transport all Millstone children with district buses and drivers, he does not believe it will be able to do so. He said the district is looking to hire additional bus aides and drivers, but there is a national shortage.

Millstone's Laura Kohler, who is the union representative for the district's bus drivers, said that there is nothing in the drivers' contracts that protects them from the district cutting their hours or outsourcing some of their routes.

"They can do whatever they want," she said.

Kohler said drivers are asking parents/guardians for help and to attend the July 23 Board of Education meeting.

"Bus drivers are talking to parents as much as they can, asking them to support us and to support themselves," Kohler said.

Kohler said that rescheduling the schools' starting and ending times would help solve some of the issues the drivers have with the new schedule.

Kohler said that the school district readjusted its schedule for the 2007-08 school year due to the opening of the new middle school. The district wants the middle school day to begin at 7:55 a.m. and end at 2:35 p.m., the elementary school day to begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:55 p.m., and the primary school day to begin at 8:40 a.m. and end at 3:20 p.m.

"Because of the new hours the schools have been changed to, the drivers are limited to covering only our in-house runs," Kohler said.

Hoping to keep the out-of-district routes, several district bus drivers got together to propose a new school schedule that would allow them to maintain the majority, if not all of the runs, according to Kohler.

"The only difference would be combining the kindergarten through fifth grade [on the buses] and staggering the [school start and end] times … ." she said.

The drivers have proposed the middle school day to start at 8 a.m. and end at 2:50 p.m., the elementary school to start at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3:35 p.m., and the primary school to start at 8:55 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m.

For this plan to work, Kohler said, all of the bus runs would have to start from the new middle school.

The drivers told the Board of Education about their idea on July 2.

"It hasn't been made clear as to why they are against the time changes, but the administration doesn't feel they are adequate," Kohler said.

On Monday, Boyle said the administration extensively reviewed options for schedules earlier in the school year.

"The schedule suggested by the drivers at this time was part of that review," he said. "The administrators felt that the schedule suggested by the drivers now was not conducive to the education program and endorsed the schedule as configured for Fall 2007."

Kohler said it is quite possible for some of the drivers in the union to seek employment elsewhere due to the uncertainty of the hours in the routes Boyle has proposed.

Kohler said most drivers would likely stay in the district because they want the benefits, which all drivers who work over four hours get.

"We're trying our best to stay, but we also have homes and food to buy," she said. "We're definitely looking at what is out there. The drivers [who are given the fewest hours] could go somewhere else."

Kohler said the school district could help ensure keeping runs in-house by continuously advertising for bus drivers as well as bus aides in the local newspapers and online.

Kohler said she could not definitively say if it would be cheaper for the school district to keep the routes in-house rather than outsource them.

"Give us a reason why it makes sense," she said. "We haven't gotten that yet and parents haven't gotten that yet."

Kohler said she suspects that the initial bids the district would get for the out-of-district routes would be low because companies will want to beat competition for the contract. However, she said she is skeptical that outsourcing would be the most cost-effective plan in the long run.

"As time goes on, the price will get higher and higher," she said. "And, you're not getting the same people driving, who live in the township and really care for these kids. You'll be getting a company from Trenton or Morganville or Matawan or wherever they're going to hire from."

By law, the school district can spend up to $826 per student for transportation to out-of-district schools. If the district could not outsource the routes for that cost, the district would provide aid in lieu of transportation to parents/guardians at $826 per student. However, students who live more than 20 miles (door-to-door) away from the school they attend would not receive any aid, according to Boyle.

Kohler said all out-of-district students would be affected, not just perochial school students.

Boyle said the district has asked the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission (MOESC) for quotes on the out-of-district routes.

"We are reviewing their response now," he said.

When asked if it would be more cost-effective for the district to outsource the routes or to keep them in-house, Boyle said, "That depends on the circumstances of the routes."

"We will not know the answer until we have gathered all the information," he said. "Besides, the issue is availability of drivers and buses to handle the routes, not finances."

Kohler added that Boyle's proposed plan does not seem cost-efficient considering increasing fuel costs. She said under that plan, three different buses would be entering and exiting the same housing developments at 15-minute intervals.

"With our proposal, we would only be going in two times," she said.

Boyle said, "Ms. Kohler is analyzing this intuitively. I do not know if the 15-minute interval part is accurate. We have buses going into developments three times each morning and three times each afternoon now."

Boyle said the district is still reviewing all of its options.

When asked for comment on the issue this week, Superintendent of Schools Mary Anne Donahue referred all questions to Boyle, who she said handles transportation.