BUSES: It's the personal touch

There is a lot more to driving a school bus than simply picking children up and dropping them off. These men and women are responsible for the safety of our children. They know many of the parents and grandparents who these children belong to. They know when someone is not to have contact with these children, they know whose parents are responsible and they know the ones who are not. These children share stories with their bus driver because they trust them. For some of these kids the bus driver and their teacher are the only adults in their lives that they can talk openly with. Many of our children, mine included, had the same bus driver from elementary school all the way through high school. Some drivers are even driving the children of their former charges. Continuity is one of the most important services the Coeur d’Alene School District Transportation Department provides.

If our school bus drivers are privatized many things could happen. First, we will sell off all of our buses, making it almost impossible to go back to a district bus service. The cost of purchasing a whole fleet of buses would be astronomical. The bus drivers who are employed by these “private” contractors have no job security and in my experience with employees, that means they also have no job commitment. The first time they have an opportunity to work at a higher wage, they wisely take it. Certainly, some of the people driving for contract bus services are very dependable and conscientious but I will wager that the longevity of their employment is nothing like we have in our current transportation department. In the recent past our School Board found that the transportation department of the District 271 was one of the most efficient and well run in the state.

Most of the drivers at the Coeur d’Alene bus barn have many years of service. Many have worked for the school district for 20-plus years. This is their career, not just a job to get them to the next job. Yes, they do have benefits; this is what keeps most of the drivers working because the low wages are not. Our drivers are paid for approximately 4 to 5 hours a day but are on call for the entire school day. They must be available to respond to any need in the school district. Last year there was a bomb threat at Lake City High School, every bus driver was called and they immediately returned to work, went to the school and evacuated the children.

I hope that the District 271 School Board will look at the big picture. Privatizing our schools transportation department is not a good way to save money. I encourage all who are interested or concerned regarding privatization of our school bus service to attend the School Board meeting on Jan. 7.

SANDY MAMOLA

Coeur d’Alene