MAPT Newsletter_May 2014

5/25/2018 MAPT Newsletter_May 2014

1/16

TransporterTransporterMinnesota Associatiofor Pupil Transportat

Sp

IN THIS ISSUE

Page 2

Presidents Message

Page 32014 Transportation

Administrator of Year

Page 4

Taking TransportationInto the Tech Age

Page 5

Stop Arm Mobile Video

Page 6A Time for Recognition

Page 7

Driver Shortage?

Page 8Out on the Road

Page 9

Poster Contest Results

Page 10

Train the Trainer

Page 11View on Outsourcing

Page 12

Challenging Status Quo

Page 14Post-Trip Inspection

Quality Employees Require Quality TrainingMAPT to offer Train the Trainer in J

Training is essential to the achievementsof a district. Perhaps the most positivebenefit comes by way of better employees.

A district develops the potential of anemployee, and part of the way a districtencourages improvement through training.Often, good training is just as important as agood benefits package for an employee.

For districts, training allows them tolocate a wider range of people with the kindof outlook that matches the district missionstatement. The right kind of perspective is ahard thing to cultivate, whereas workplacespecific proficiencies are easier to nurture.

The other advantage districts shouldremember about training is it offers them animportant retention rate. Employees aremore loyal to districts that value theirgrowth and want to cultivate it, and thuslyprovide a better performance and decreasethe rollover rate at any district, no matter

how large or small. If an employee thinks adistrict values him or her, the sentiment willgo into whatever the employee is doing -driving a school bus, training new drivers,dealing with customers, etc.

However, the kind of training anemployee receives is very important.

Allowing an employee to simply passthrough a sort of substandard 101 trainingcourse does not ensure improvement.Cheap training will result in cheap work.

Quality employees require quality trainprograms. Excellent training programemphasize a correlation between persodevelopment and official evaluation.

Allowing an employee to discern thatsuccess means evolving their expertiseindustry-specific training.

Train The Trainer is not only abouimproving skills related to their specifisuch as government regulations, MDE

updates, safety training, conducting prinspections, setting up proper alcohol drug testing; but, its also improving skrelated to their interpersonalcommunications.

The short-term expense of a traininprogram ensures you retain qualified aproductive workers who will help yourdistrict succeed.

Thats an investment you can take tbank.

MAPT Presents...MAPT Presents...

Train The TrainerJuly 711, 2014

Register online atmapttrainthetrainer.com


2/16

- Hardy Minnesotans: Perspective -Presidents Message

I am sure everyone would agree we had a memorable winter througout the U.S. this year. I had the opportunity to be in Nashville for the

Special Transportation Conference this winter, warm weather right?Wrong! The third day of the conference a storm rolled through, and icaused closures throughout the city of Nashville, including schools,businesses, etc. It impacted hotel staff, many of them could not make itinto work, which meant, no housekeeping services. I had a chance to sthis nasty weather that paralyzed a city.

I was amazed when I looked outside to see what we call a dusting snow had just shut a city down. Tropical temps of 23 degrees above zer

yes, above zero - caused a buzz among the locals.All week people would ask How do you live in Minnesota with tho

temps? How many days have you closed school this year because of thcold?

I would chuckle, and tell them Oh, -20 it is the new norm for us inMinnesota. We only closed four days this year in my District.

They were amazed that the buses, or even personal vehicles would rin those kind of temperatures. That experience reminded me that peopfrom Minnesota are pretty hardy.

After much reflection, I thought about those hardy Minnesotans.The people that work tirelessly day in and day out in those -20 degreestemperatures and windchills. They are out starting buses before most o

us think about crawling out of bed. Looking back now, it sure was easyfor me to tell the Superintendent, Yes, we can run today. Its cold, but the buses are running. Theycan do it.

Who is we, and they, and what do they mean?

we [wee]plural pronoun, possessive our or ours, objective us.1.nominative plural of I.2.(used to denote oneself and another or others)

they [they]plural pronoun, possessive their or theirs, objective them.1.nominative plural of he, she, and it.2.people in general:

plural [ploor-uhl]adjective1.consisting of, containing, or pertaining to more than one.2.pertaining to or involving a plurality of persons or things.

...continued on next p

Kala HenkensiefkenMAPT President

Kala Henkensiefken has worked in theTransportation field since 1989 whenshe started as a school bus driver.She is currently the TransportationCoordinator for Brainerd PublicSchools (ISD 181).

Kala has been active member in the

MNAPT organization in variouscapacities since 1998. She is thecurrent MAPT President, MAPTSpecial Transportation CommitteeChair, and sits on the Train The

Trainer planning committee.

Kala is a certified Child PassengerSafety Technician, and recentlycompleted the NAPT Special Needs

Transportation Program.


3/16

...Hardy Minnesotans continued

We includes the mechanics who spend hours before dawn starting buses to make sure the fleet is ready togo. Its the mechanics who replace broken bus parts like they have never seen before. They say it is due to thextreme cold temperatures these parts are breaking like never before.

We are the school bus drivers who, day in and day out, make sure our kids make it to school, have a warm

bus ride, and make it safely back home. All while the driver feels the chill of -20 each time they open that busdoor. If it isnt the cold, its the snow and ice packed roads they have to deal with, all while safely delivering ochildren.

So, the next time you see the we in your organization, thank them for a job well done. Our drivers andmechanics did an amazing job this winter to get our kids to and from school through wind, rain, sleet and sno

They have done an amazing job in some of the worst conditions we have had for many, many years.They need a big Thank You from each of us.

Respectfully,Kala HenkensiefkenMAPT President

Each year, MAPT solicits nominations for itsTransportation Administrator of the Year Award.

This year, we received four nominations.After reviewing the nominations and scoring

the achievements of each candidate, the judgesselected Ken Willms, Transportation Manager atDuluth Public Schools.

Superintendent William Gronseth, along withExecutive Director of Business Services WilliamHanson, traveled to St. Paul and were present atthe 2014 School Bus Safety Expo where the award

was presented to Ken.

This award recognizes Kens leadership andexcellence in the area of student transportation.Ken has worked in student transportation for over

30 years, nearly 25 of them as a manager. He servesas Region 4 Director for MAPT and is a formerSecretary and President of MAPT.

We are honored to recognize Ken with thisaward, noted MAPT Treasurer Greg Liedl. Notonly is he a great guy, but he is also dedicated tothis organization and the field of student

transportation. We applaud and thank him!Congratulations to Ken Willms for paving the

way for transportation professionals everywhere!

Ken Willms (center) was honored by the Duluth School Boaduring its January 2014 meeting. Also appearing in the photoare Board President Mike Miernicki (left) and Duluth PubliSchools Superintendent Bill Gronseth.

Transportation Administrator of the YearKen Willms, Duluth Public Schools, Earns 2014 Honor

Do you know a worthy

NOMINEE

Watch Facebook for details on the 2015 process


4/16

By John ThomasTransportation CoordinatorEastern Carver County School District

Student transportation isnt just getting the kids toschool by 8am and taking them home at 3pm anymore.

Today, we are needed to serve special programssuch as Early Childhood, homeless situations, andcare and treatment needs. We have families withseparate households, single parents, and families

where English is a second language. Students thesedays are dealing with bullying, stranger-dangercircumstances, and troubles at home. No, our industryisnt just getting the kids to and from school anymore.

Its much more.I think its safe to say that all of us have been asked

by our administration and school board to cut costs,run efficiently as possible, and often times, go without.We do everything we can to make this happen, whilestill providing a safe, reliable ride for our students.

There have been some significant technologicaladvances in the transportation industry in the last 20

years, and there are even more on the horizon.Changing habits and trying new things is hard to dofor some. Finding the funding is always a challenge as

well. But once the newness passes, and we can seenew technology in real time situations, quite often we

embrace it and value it. Most of us use some kind ofcomputerized routing program now. GPS isbecoming a standard rather than a wish, and internalcamera systems have proven their value over and overagain.

I am a vocal advocate for using technology to keepour system running efficiently, assist our drivers in any

way possible to make sure they can do their job safely,and to ensure that our students have the best possibletransportation. Im privileged to be supported by myadministration and school board, and I value thepartnership my department has with our contractors.Recently, we have rolled out two new services to ourcommunity that were very proud of:

Wi-Fi in our school buses: In the spring of 2013we installed Wi-Fi units on 25 of our buses that aredesignated our field trip buses. We received aninternal grant from the School Board to help with thisproject, because they saw the potential of offeringstudents an opportunity to do school work while on

late night or weekend sports trips. This opportunity

also allowed teachers to take their class out of theclassroom. By using personal tablets, students canstill be doing work while riding the bus on a field triand can immediately enter data and work on projectinstead of waiting until they returned to the classrooIn the fall, with the assistance of our TransportationContractors, we added Wi-Fi to the rest of the fleetnow every student is able to access the internet whilon a bus, even during their route.

MyStop bus locator: This winter, we rolled ou

MyStop. MyStop is a feature of Versa-Trans On-Screen program, that allows a parent to log-in on-linand receive a real time message letting them know

what time their childs bus is expected at the bus stoIt also gives the parent a map screen with a smallarrow that shows where the bus is currently on theroute. Our intent was to give our parents an additiotool that will let them know where the bus is, and toreduce the number of phone calls we receive in ouroffice. This is especially valuable on days with bad

weather where buses might be delayed.

Initially, you might think, well those are nice tohave, but we dont need them and cant afford that.

The challenge we all have is to find the value, and seit to the powers that approve the budget. In the casethe Wi-Fi, an added benefit we immediately realized

was that our student discipline issues decreasedsignificantly. Students were engaged and occupied long rides, and drivers were able to focus moreattention on driving safely.

Taking Transportation into the Technological Ag

I am a vocal advocate for usingtechnology to keep our system

running efficiently, assist our drivein any way possible to make sure thcan do their job safely, and to ensuthat our students have the bestpossible transportation.


5/16

Our Contractors recognized this and were eager tohelp us install Wi-Fi on the route buses. MyStop was afeature of a program we already had, and ourSuperintendent was clear that he wanted to offer it tothe parents as soon as possible. Once word got out

that we were running MyStop, I heard from many ofyou that your superintendent had inquired about itand told you to make it happen. You cant get anybetter support that from your own superintendent!

As I stated earlier, once the newness wears off,and you can see real-time results, I hope you can agreethere are some fantastic technical advances available tomake all of our jobs easier. There will be a day in the

near future, whether its 2 years, 5 years, or soon aftethat Wi-Fi will be standard and expected. Parents agoing to demand immediate answers to where theirbus is at. Well be looking at the next new thing.

So what actually IS in the near future?

At our local and national trade shows, were seeinstudent tracking systems, on-board computers that

would eliminate paper route copies, and exteriorcamera systems that specifically catch motoristsrunning stop arms. All of these would make the job transporting our students safer, easier, and moreefficient.

And those are good things to look forward to.

Technology: Expectations Increase as Times Chang

By Dan BaconDirector of Property Services and TransportationMoorhead Area School District

Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, the MoorheadArea Public Schools began installing school bus on-boardvideo cameras for the purpose of identifying drivers ofvehicles that violate stop-signal arm laws. To date, thisprogram has proven to be very successful!

Here is the data that I have been able to acquire withthe cooperation of the Moorhead Police Department.

Benefits: The school bus drivers are reporting more violations

and experience reporting to court less frequently. School bus drivers feel better about reporting violations

with the confidence of having all of the correctinformation needed.

Bus drivers can prioritize their attention to theirstudents, rather than trying to record violator vehicleinformation.

Law enforcement is able to show violators what theviolation looked like, thus reducing drivers ability tominimize or contest their responsibility.

Prosecuting attorney is able to produce video evidencein court supporting the driving violation.

As the public becomes aware of stop-signal arm video;this heightens their awareness to school bus safety.

Additional considerations: A policy and video retention schedule must be

developed. Staff time to manage video collection and providin

copies to law enforcement.

We anticipate seeing continued higher rates ofreported stop-arm law violations until the point that driving public learns of this technology. Our ultimateobjective isnt to increase the number of citations, bureduce the number of school stop-arm violations thatplace.

Improving Traffic Safety Around School BusesStop Arm Mobile Video Recorders First year experience

School Year Violations Report

2011-2012 68

2012-2013 69

2013-2014(through May 15, 2014)

94


6/16

A Time for Recognition- Hofschulte earns Life Saving Award -By Lt. Brian ReuMinnesota State Patrol

As we near the end of another school year,companies and organizations are taking time torecognize outstanding employees. We have been invitedto attend several of these award presentations andappreciate the opportunity to express ourcongratulations to the recipients.

While this year has not been without seriousincidents, crashes and challenges, there have also beenmoments when drivers and bus assistants have takenheroic actions to keep students safe. Two suchincidents involved school bus fires situations referred

to by the NTSB as Thermal Events. In each case, thedrivers and bus assistants used their training to safelyevacuate students from the bus.

These are high-profile events and certainly deserverecognition and awards, but I also want to express ourappreciation to drivers all around the state for theactions they take on a daily basis to ensure theirstudents make it to school and back safely. Theseactions include conducting a thorough pre-tripinspection, managing student behavior while ensuringthat each child is properly seated, driving with duediligence and attention, and checking the buses uponcompletion of each route to ensure that each child madeit to their destination safely. Some might consider theseto be minor things however, if any of these steps areskipped, the chances of something terrible happeningincrease significantly.

The State Patrol held an awards banquet recently,and I was able to attend as one of our school businspectors was recognized for actions that earned him a

Life Saving Award.

The Life Saving Award is given to employees whoprevent the death of another person under conditions in

which no unusual hazard exists to the employeeinvolved. I had the privilege of presenting the award toCVI Ethan Hofschulte at the southeastern MinnesotaRegional Safety and Compliance Outreach in Byron.It was a great opportunity to present Ethan with thisaward in the presence of several of his peers andassociates he works with.

Ethan was nominated for his actions related to crash that occurred on February 18, 2014. While heenroute to Zumbrota to conduct school bus inspecCVI Hofschulte came across a rollover crash in themedian of Highway 52. The crash had just occurreone else was on scene and the snow was still settlinEthan stopped to assist and advised State Patroldispatch of the situation. A Ford Ranger was on itside, and the driver was buried under the snow andtrapped inside of the vehicle. The doors of the vehi

were locked, so Ethan used his flashlight to break the passenger-side window to gain access. Ethan aanother passerby broke out the windshield to impraccess. They dug the snow away from the drivers hand face, and she told them that she was finally ablbreathe. Ethan's quick thinking and actions that dclearly helped save this womans life.

As the year closes, we know this may be a time otransition. To those who will be off for the summe

I wish you a peaceful and relaxing break. Some macontinuing to work throughout the summer,transporting students, and I wish you continued saas you travel the roads. Many are choosing to retire

year, and Im sure this is an exciting time for you.I want to say thank you to each of you in the stu

transportation industry for your continued dedicatand passion.

Until we see you again, drive safely!

CVI Ethan Hofschulte was honored for his heroic actiohelping save a womans life in February 2014 near Zumb


7/16

By Keith PaulsonTransportation DirectorAnoka-Hennepin Schools

BOY ARE WE TIGHT ON DRIVERS!This seems to be a theme throughout the area and

perhaps nation. We are patching things together toget trips covered. We are combining teams on busesand shifting times a little so we can provide options forathletes. We dont say no we say heres what weCAN do.

So why are we short drivers? Is it the demand fortransportation services? Is it the economy picking up?

This was a topic briefly discussed at the last Issues

Committee meeting that needs further review anddiscussion. My quick answer to this issue is it is all ofthe above and then some.

In the early 2000s, when unemployment rates wereat their lowest I had a very difficult time findingeligible people to even apply for school bus driving.

This seems to be a common problem for our industrywhen the unemployment rate is low. As the economypicks up and unemployment rates decline, we will seethis as a more and more difficult task.

There are other factors that are impacting the

supply/demand for drivers. I will try to mention a fewhere.

The supply of drivers may be dwindling As babyboomers are aging, the supply of drivers will bedropping. The new normal, where thousands of folksare retiring a day, may be a challenge. It may also be ablessing, because not all folks can 100% retire. Theymay need a part-time job to help supplement theirretirement income. That could be a population torecruit.

Another supply issue for us is the low densitytransportation that seems to be on the rise. Withdesegregation, charter school and studentsexperiencing homelessness, our ratio of student todriver is dropping dramatically. Most of our newservice requirements are for a 10 student to 1 student/driver ratio (or less) compared to the traditional 60students to 1 student/driver ratio. While ourtraditional bus service providers are running a similaramount of routes each day, the cab companies andmini buses companies are seeing dramatic increases in

demand. With deseg and homelessness receivingalmost 100% funding, there does not seem to be areason to curb this service in the near future. Thedemand for more drivers serving fewer students isdrawing candidates from the same driver pool.

The demand for athletic buses continues to behuge. Everyone needing to get to their event at thesame time on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday increasethe demand on the supply of staff. We are beingcreative with offsetting bus times and combiningteams on buses in order to provide students access tthese events.

Another supply issue we may be facing is the All-

Day Kindergarten programs. These are great ideas help students prepare for life. The all-day piece meathere will be fewer full-time drivers and feweropportunities for drivers to become full-time. Takintwo hours a day from dedicated employees may meathese folks need to look elsewhere to make endsmeet. We are not sure how this will impact staffing.

Will the healthcare law changes make bus drivinmore or less attractive to candidates? Will operationcosts increase, or will some employers reduceemployee hours so they are not subject to healthcare

laws? In both cases it will be different and the fallouwill not be known for a while.

These are just some issues and ideas around thistopic. You may have other items as well. Some of usare getting together to review the issue and discuss

what we CAN do about it.Please send me any thoughts you have on how yo

are dealing with the shortage.

Food For ThoughtDriver shortage or an increased demand for transportation service


8/16

Out on the Road with MAPT

By Ken WillmsDuluth Public Schools

Like a bad house guest, winter came early and stayedlate this year. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain have been apart of our forecasts from November through early Maythis year. Ice covered many of our lakes through the|fishing opener this spring. Here in Region IV, home tothe largest (sq. miles) and most sparsely populateddistricts in the state, drivers were out early and latemaking sure kids were delivered safely. Kudos for thegreat job they did under less than ideal conditions.

Counties included in Region IV are Koochiching,

Itasca, St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Cass, Crow Wing,Aitkin, and Carlton. Operating in Region IV presents aunique set of challenges for pupil transportation. Longroutes through miles of wide open and sparselypopulated areas, narrow roads that wind their wayaround lakes and rivers, and then of course there is thelake effect weather from Lake Superior.

Because we are so sparsely populated and remote in

Region IV, we often have the smallest presence at statactivities. If you are reading this newsletter and not a

member, I encourage you to become involved.MAPT is one of the most advanced pupil

transportation organizations for professionals in thecountry. Our members regularly participate and receivrecognition in the national arena. Our Train The

Trainer program is the best in the nation. We partnerwith industry leaders and other professionalorganizations to provide current and relevant trainingopportunities.

We also partner with state and federal agencies to

keep our members up to date on current and new ruleand regulations. The contacts you will make whileattending a MAPT function are well worth the price membership.

If you would like more information about MAPT oyou are not sure if you are in Region IV, give me a call218-336-8970. Im not above stealing members from aneighboring region (wink wink).

Ramblings from Region IV

By Amy TiedensIntermediate District 287

The MAPT Special EducationCommittee met in February andfeatured guest speaker LaurieCarlson from Can Do Canines. Shebrought a black lab currently beingtrained to be a service dog.

My sister Debra is disabled andhas a Can Do Canine service dog.I have witnessed, firsthand, how thedogs assist their owners, giving theirowners unconditional love andcompanionship.

CDC is a non-profit group thatsupplies service dogs to people withdifferent disabilities. The groupcharges people who would like toapply for a dog a $50 application fee.

The waiting period to get a dog is 1 to 2 years. It costs $25,000 to train

each dog. The dogs are placed with a

Puppy Raiser family when thepuppy is 8-10 weeks old until the dogis 18 months old.

Puppy raisers dont needexperience, but they need to attendtraining with the puppy they areraising twice per month with theCDC staff. At the age of 18 months,the dogs go to the CDC trainingfacility for a couple months tocomplete their training with a trainerand their new owner.

CDC trains service dogs forclients with mobility issues. Theservice dogs pick up objects, opendoors, gets the phone, hit the lifesupport button and help withbalance. They also train dogs to warntheir owner if the dog may sense thatthey will have a seizure or diabeticattack. CDC trains hearing assist

dogs to alert their owner that the

phone is ringing, or of the doorsmoke alarm, oven timer and inalert. Laurie told the group thahas become a need for autism dassist parents with autistic child

The dogs are tethered to the chthe child bolts, the dog will sit uthe parent gets control. The chcalms down while petting the d

Laurie said any of the CDCtrainers would be willing to ass

with training a child and their sdog to help them get used to ridon a bus. The dogs are trained under the seats.

CDC would also like to havbrought out to their facility in NHope to assist with training.

If youre interested in helpingbus training or being a Puppy or temporary foster care for the

call Laurie at 763-331-3000 Ext.

Can Do Canines Can Do Wonders


9/16

A record setting 173 entries were received in the 2014Minnesota School Bus Safety Poster Contest, sponsoredby the Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportationand the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association.

Be Smart. Be Seen. I Wait In A Safe Place was thisyears theme and was met by much enthusiasm by youngartists throughout the State of Minnesota.

Congratulations to our National Division Winners:Naomi Tu, 3-8 grade, Anoka-Hennepin Schools (above);

Akshu Rai, 2-4 grade, Fridley Public Schools (top right);Cody Crawford, Special Needs, Intermediate District#287 (middle); and Laura Ickes, Kindergarten, Rockford

Area Schools (lower right).Thanks to Districts who participated, includingAnnandale Public Schools, Anoka-Hennepin SchoolDistrict, Bloomington Public Schools, Brainerd SchoolDistrict, Edgerton Public Schools, Fridley PublicSchools, Hutchinson Public Schools,Intermediate District #287, Menahga Public Schools,Moorhead Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools,Osseo Area Schools, Randolph Public Schools,Rockford Area Schools, South Washington PublicSchools, St Francis Public Schools, St Paul Public

Schools and Winona Public Schools.

Record Number Participatein Bus Safety Poster Contest


10/16

Minnesota School Bus Train The Trainer

Instructor Seminars

July 7 11, 2014Grand Hinckley Conference Center

Training sessions for driver trainers, managers, dispatchers,bus technicians and special education

Your District cant afford to miss this training!

To learn more, visit www.mapttrainthetrainer.com.

Target. Train. Teach.


11/16

MAPT Board of Directors Response to the Minnesota 2020 Report:More Dangerous, More Costly: An Analysis of Transportation Outsourcing,

March 26, 2014MAPT Response as of May 16, 2014

1) Minnesota 2020 Transportation Outsourcing Report Conclusion

The transportation outsourcing report is based upon a review of school bus inspection data and financial datissued by Minnesota Public Agencies. An opinion is stated that outsourcing is less safe for students and mcostly for school districts (page 3). The report urges School Districts to use caution when considering achange to more transportation outsourcing.

Source: http://www.mn2020.org/issues-that-matter/educationtransportation/more-dangerous-more-costly-aanalysis-of-transportation-outsourcing

2) School Bus Safety and Transportation Outsourcing

The safety conclusion of transportation outsourcing report is based upon a review of State Patrol school businspection reported failure rates. However, school buses with failures cannot be used to transport students unafter the failure item is repaired.

Furthermore, there are numerous safety indicators including driver training, student training, vehicle safetyfeatures, accident rates, student behavior, and on time performance measurements.

The researchers seem to only use contrived failure rate statistics that support conclusions. Only comparing on

private school bus company with select school district school bus operations is an incomplete analysis.

3) Transportation Cost and Transportation Outsourcing

Likewise the researchers concentrate on one cost statistic, cost per student per square mile, when other factoaffect transportation costs. Those factors include school start times, school district rural/urban characteristicsgeographic features, route analysis, and competition.

Stating school district fleets are twice as efficient as outsourced transportation based upon data that is notprovided makes for questionable conclusions.

4) MAPT Summary

The report oversimplifies transportation operations, uses unscientific sampling, and unfairly disparagesoutsourced transportation service, School bus officials from school districts and private school bus companiesare united in promoting school bus safety. The financial decision of whether or not to outsource transportatioservice should remain a local school district decision based upon the local school district needs.

MAPT represents School District transportation administrators, for both school district owned school busoperations and for outsourced school bus operations. The MAPT Lobbyist is Brad Lundell, cellular phone612-220-7459.


12/16

Challenging the Status Quo...By Ben Cockram

Transportation ManagerByron Public Schools

I found myself making my annual stroll through the

local Hallmark Store trying to find the right MothersDay gift for my wife that says I love you, even though I

waited until the last minute.I was in good company as I saw many men - and

women - wandering around aimlessly with me until Ifound an interesting saying: What would you attempt if

you knew you couldnt fail? It is such an interestingidea, I thought I would explore how that relates toleadership within pupil transportation.

For the Byron Public Schools, one of our district

goals is to challenge the status quo and develop newnorms for education. The status quo is comfortable,stable, and doesnt involve any risk. I would assume thatmany of our transportation offices are very status quo.

The routes we run are only changed when weabsolutely have to and we still dont like changing themeven then. When I began in Byron, we had two busesstopping at the same location; because, several yearsago, there were too many kids there to fit on one bus sothey had a second bus stop and it never changed. Themore questions I asked, the most common answer I

received was thats how its always been done. So, Ichanged all the routes in our district. I found manypeople happy to see the change while others were not ashappy with the change. But today the new routes aregoing without a hitch. What would you do if you knew

you couldnt fail?The fear of failure can be disabling to any new ideas

or thoughts. It is the fear of failure that keeps us lockedin the past, too afraid to move ahead. Three frogs aresitting on a log and one decides to jump off; how manyare left? The correct answer is three, because the frogmade a decision but never jumped off the log.

Many of us, myself included, have a myriad of ideasthat could make our departments more efficient and/orsafer, but never go through with it because we are afraidof failure. We are looking at failure as innately bad.

Thomas Edison said I have not failed. Ive justfound 10,000 ways that it wont work. History doesntlook at Edison as a failure, but rather holds him in highregard. Lets be brave enough to put ourselves inEdisons shoes.

What if you walked into work tomorrow with themindset that either you couldnt fail or you give yoursthe permission to fail. What would you change first?Maybe its a new way to route your students or try an

alternatively powered school bus. Whatever it is, alloyourself permission to fail.

None of us are perfect, but we can learn from eachother on what has worked and how other managers atrying new things in their districts. The temptation isoperate as an island, living with the delusion that no oelse has the same issues that you face.

Thankfully, there are many of us that are in the sampredicament you are. If this sounds familiar, let mepersonally invite you to Train The Trainer this summ

in Hinckley. Its a time where transportationprofessionals from all over the state meet to learn mantopics, and you will come home with tools to help as

well as contacts to bounce ideas off of. The sessions ataught by individuals who are experts in their fields aare known all over the state. You will sit with colleagat meal times and we can learn from each other whatneed to bring back to implement in your district.

So, what will you do if you knew you couldnt fail?The people in your departments want you to lead in oever changing world.

Try something new, small or large, and share it wus this summer at the 24th annual Train the Trainer.

Ihavenotfailed.Iv

e

justfound10,000ways

thatitwontwork.

-ThomasEdison


13/16

By Ray KrollMAPT Administrative Advisor

Special thanks to the Transportation Staff atBrooklyn Center High School for hosting the May 21meeting of the Minnesota School Bus SafetyCommittee.

Sgt Paul Davis, representing the Minnesota StatePatrol Office of Pupil Transportation Safety, remindedus that school bus drivers on wheelchair buses must betrained to pay careful attention to the proper stowageof wheelchair retractors, as well as cleaning andlubricating the wheel chair retractor tracks on the bus

floor. Reference was made to the importance ofconsulting the manufacturers specifications andoperation manual for the retractor and trackingsystems installed in the special education school buses.

Daily pretrip inspection of the school bus is thedriver's responsibility and should be monitored on arandom basis. MNSBSC members present reinforcedthe value of checking a couple of buses each day. Indoing so, managers and supervisors can lay thecompleted inspection report in the bus for the driver tosee. This helps to reinforce the drivers required

responsibility and can even detect errors of inspectionlapses and provide opportunity for further training.

The MAPT Pre-Trip Inspection CD is available fromMAPT Treasurer Greg Liedl, 218-333-3225.

August 21st is the date of the 2nd annual Twinsgame where the 2014 Minnesota School Bus SafetyPoster Contest winners will be recognized with an on-the-field ceremony. Last years event was an excitingexperience for the children and their families. Kudos tothe Twins organization, Lt. Reu's State Patrol Team,Cindy McKay, School Bus Industry vendors andeveryone who participated in the Poster Contest. Onehundred and seventy three entries were received this

year from 18 school districts.The problem of school bus drivers who do not

check their buses after completing their trips receivedconsiderable discussion. Shelly Jonas, representingMSBOA, stated that her members would be meetingon May 27 to discuss the development of a school bustraining poster to highlight the importance of solvingthis continuing problem among school bus drivers.

Deb Carlson with Driver License Section of DPnoted that she would review appropriate sections of Minnesota Model School Bus Curriculum andconsider inclusion of a question on the School BusDriver Knowledge Test.

The group discussed the 2014 Train The TraineRegistration is now open. This is your opportunity treceive professional training at the most exclusiveprogram of its kind in the midwest.

The 2014-2015 schedule for the MNSBSCmeetings were set forth under the leadership ofChairman John Thomas.

Safety Committee Brings Awareness toImportance of Post-Trip Inspections

Tips for Post-Trip InspectionsGet out of the drivers seat, proceed to the rear of thbus, and look down both sides of the bus - right andleft, front to rear, and rear to front - before turning othe bus engine.

This concept of the Double OO of getting out of tdrivers seat to check the bus for all students beforeturning off the engine will put an end to the reality

Oh, oh! You left a student on board your bus afterleft the bus and without checking front to rear and to front.

Consequences of leaving a child on theschool bus can and have included:

Traumatized parents Dehydrated students Injured students

and even death

As this problem is addressed and visual posters arecreated to bring driver attention to this importantresponsibility, we all play an essential role in stemmthe tide of this problem in our own state and perhaacross the entire United States of America.


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Time to Hit the RoadClosing thoughts...

Toward Zero DeathsBy Dan BaconDirector of Property Services and TransportationMoorhead Area School District

Our local law enforcement agencies, alongwith the Minnesota State Patrol, coordinated atwo day event using one of our school buses.

They positioned three officers on board a schoolbus and had several other officers positioned inmarked patrol cars at various locations along theirroute. The enforcement focus was to identify andenforce distracted driving laws. During thisevent, 80 vehicles were stopped and 50+ tickets

were issued. The Moorhead Police Departmentwould like to make this a quarterly event.

The goals were: First, to promote the event through the local

media to reduce distracted driving incidentsthrough awareness and education.

Second, to reinforce the education with

targeted enforcement efforts.Third, to heighten the motoring publics

attention around school buses with legaldriving conduct consistent with drivingbehavior around occupied marked police cars.

2014 Special Education School Bus Drivers aTransportation Assistants Awards Program

The Minnesota Special Education TransportationCommittee, in cooperation with the Minnesota Association

Pupil Transportation, sponsored the 12th annual awardsprogram. Congratulations to all 2014 winners...

Special Education Drivers:1st Place Brad WardPrior Lake School Bus Assoc.

2nd Place Ken UlrichThief River Falls Schools

3rd Place Stephan PozelSouth Washington CountySchools

Special EducationTransportation Assistants:1st Place Val SchneiderWestbrook-Walnut GroveSchools

2nd Place Julie PaulsenOsseo Area Schools # 279

3rd Place Shelly TwissBrainerd Schools # 181

Honorable Mentions:- Kathy CusacPine River/Backus Schools

- Robert SchwitchenbergKoch Bus Company

Thank you to all of ourdedicated transportationprofessionals that graciouslyservice all special needsstudentswhether on regulaeducation buses or specialeducation buses.

We know that ALL drivers aassistants touch the lives ofstudents with special needs.With our utmost respect andgratitude for all you do...

By Duane VornbrockCentral Area Director

It looks like summer is just around the corner (or atleast we hope so). Winter has been tough on everyone -

whether you were trying to get students to school orgetting ourselves to and from work.

I think most of us are looking forward to the end ofthis school year. Drivers, directors, and administrationare all at each others necks.

The Central Area Directors, Supervisors,Coordinators, and Contractors have been meeting every

month in St Cloud and hope to do so starting again inSeptember. We have been lucky enough to havemembers of the State Patrol with us at least half of thenine months we meet. THANK YOU to them for thehelp and attendance.

I would also like at this time to thank MAPT,MSBOA and the State Patrol for putting together theOutreach meetings. Sounds like all were well attendedand very helpful. Dont forget to register for Train Th

Trainer, July 7-11 at Grand Casino Hinckley.Hope everyone has a safe summer!

Update from the Central Area


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2014 Membership Inform

Membership Registration Form(all fields are required)

Name

Employer

Job Title

Street Address

Email Address

District #

City/State Zip Code

Work Phone Cell Phone

Membership Fees: Category Fee Please Mark()

MAPT Base Membership $50

Industry/Vendor $50

We accept all major credit cards through PayPal as well as checks for payment. When payment is received, yomembership will be activated. You can also register online at www.mnapt.org.

Please direct questions to: Ron Meyer, MAPT Membership Chair

Email: [email protected] Phone: (651) 768-5308

Membership benefits include:Networking with other professionals in the student transportation industry. First hand knowledge of new and proposed legislation that affects student transportation.The best and most current training materials available for school bus drivers and trainers. Priceless learning experiences through guest speakers and other training seminars at quarterly conferences. Quarterly newsletter that updates you on issues directly affecting you and your peers in the student transportation indusAnnual trade show that allows members to network with other pupil transportation organizations. Opportunity to take a leadership role in a well respected organization. Opportunity to demonstrate to your community that you are committed to safety through participation.Training material for Student Safety Training. Recognition and Award Program for school bus drivers.


16/16

Weve joined the Social Media revolution!

Become a fan of our page and get all the latestupdates and pertinent information to thetransportation world immediately.

Search us by Minnesota Association for PupilTransportation.

Minnesota Association for Pupil TransportationPO Box 413Bemidji, Minnesota 56619

MAPT has produced a new membership brochuto give potential members an idea of what MAPT isand what it can offer transportation professionals.

If you know of someone who you believe would binterested in, or benefit from membership to MAPTplease email [email protected] and we will se

you the brochure and membership form to pass alonThe MAPT membership committee has also

discussed potential additional benefits MAPT couldprovide its members. If you have ideas or suggestion

we would love to hear from you.Please email [email protected] and give u

some ideas on how we can better serve thetransportation community.

Did you knowMAPT is onFacebook?

MAPT Newsletter_May 2014

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Transcript of MAPT Newsletter_May 2014