ON THE MOVE
Dallas I S D Student Transportation Services
November 17, 2023
Giving Thanks
On this Thanksgiving, may your heart be filled with gratitude and your home with warmth. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends.
Advisory Committee
Recently, an advisory committee was launched which is composed of two-mile drivers, drivers of students who receive Special Services, MPV drivers and monitors. The group of individuals met on Tuesday, November 7th with the Student Transportation Services Executive Director. Several items were brought forward such as better training for monitors, cleanliness at the buildings, radio etiquette, dispatch and others. The advisory committee will work toward bringing solutions to the several items that were discussed to bring consistency at the four service centers.
Edulog Tablet
As we continue to work through the District implementation of Edulog and Samsara, we know there have been some issues with a handful of tablets. For this reason, several of the Cover Drivers have been trained to troubleshoot and provide drivers with the assistance they need to use Edulog/ Samsara. Some additional troubleshooting tips are found below:
The folks from Edulog have provided STS with some troubleshooting strategies for working through some of these challenges.
Log In Issues
- Ensure you have the correct log in credentials
- Bus # = bus you are currently sitting on
Time / date is not accurate
- This cannot be handled by the driver. The Cover Driver will need to submit this for tablet support.
Tablet will not Power On
- Make sure the charging cable is plugged in
- If battery is completely drained (ie, left on overnight) make sure the charging cable is plugged in and wait a few minutes for it to get an initial charge.
Pat Raney Update
Currently, we are waiting on permits and other preliminary work for improvements that are scheduled for all of the District service centers. As such, the first move from Pat Raney which had been scheduled for December has been delayed until Spring Break.
CPI Training
Student Transportation Services staff were scheduled to participate in professional development on November 7, 2023. Drivers and monitors received pay for completing the training and/or for work completed on that day. Drivers and monitors who did not complete the training did not receive pay for November 7th, but because it is a scheduled workday, PTO can be used. If you would like to use PTO for that day, make sure your payroll specialist knows so they may make the necessary adjustments.
The expectation is that all drivers and monitors complete the CPI Training. As such, those who have not yet completed the training have until December 1, 2023 to complete this training.
Reasonable Assurance
As we approach the Thanksgiving week break, this communication serves as notice of reasonable assurance of continued employment for the 23/24 school year. You are expected to return on November 27, 2023.
All 185-duty day employees should have received and acknowledged the Student Transportation Services Reasonable Assurance Enrollment form for school year 23/24. There is no action you have to take on your end.
Crisis Hotline call or text 988
The holidays aren't always a happy time for everyone. Many individuals experience crisis or hardships during this time. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an organization that provides a great deal of resources for individuals who are going through a difficult time. Please share the link below with anyone you know who is going through a mental health crisis.
Homeland Security
We are currently finalizing a partnership with Homeland Security which will soon launch a thorough assessment centered around the security of our operation. The results of the assessment will provide Student Transportation Services with recommendations on ways to improve.
Training will also be provided as a result of the assessment; this training may include topics such as how to respond when an active shooter is in your vicinity and how to recognize suspicious activity. More information is forthcoming, but we know that improving safety is critical as we transport our students.
Outsourcing of Service Center
There are no current plans to outsource any of the district student transportation service centers.