UniteGPS – Every day we at UniteGPS work closely with school transportation directors using our routing software in districts from across the country. The more we collaborate with these mobility experts and diligent leaders, however, the more we realize that this role is one of the riskiest jobs in the entire school transportation industry. 

school transportation directors

There’s no light way to put this but being a transportation director is a risky profession when there’s so much at stake. Between a worsening hiring shortage, deteriorating route coverage, and the omnipresent threat of reckless drivers, there’s always the potential for things to go wrong on a school bus. By now we have all seen the headlines:

Police arrest Florida school bus driver for drunk driving

Minneapolis school bus driver survives shooting incident

Laramie County School District responds to bus driver DUI

Let’s not forget about the events in which students with disabilities were dropped off at the wrong bus stop or even the occasional school bus hijacking. Transportation directors must ensure optimal safety on so many different levels, cooperating with both administrators, students, parents, bus drivers, as well as federal officials. 

What school transportation directors must handle

Trust us, transportation directors have a lot on their plate. To better illustrate what transportation directors have to go through, here are some hypothetical questions:

  • If school transportation directors don’t have effective GPS tracking installed on buses, how can they guarantee students’ safety while traveling from school to home or out on a field trip?
  • If school transportation directors don’t or can’t hire qualified responsible drivers, how can they provide reliable coverage to students without cutting routes?
  • If school transportation directors don’t have an adequate CDL training system set in place, how can they comply with new federal training regulations without risking penalties?
  • If school transportation directors don’t advocate for support and teamwork from the superintendent, how can they retain bus drivers desperate for higher wages and benefits?
  • If school transportation directors don’t have the proper technological equipment to support school bus operations, whether that be routing software, parent apps, or stop-arm cameras, how can they investigate potential student safety incidents that happen on-board?

In case these situations send shivers down your spine as a school transportation director, don’t fret. We’re not mentioning these to scare you, rather commending school transportation directors for the work they do for districts to function. Through thick and thin, we at UniteGPS are here to give as much support as we can to mitigate any further tragedies from happening.