We are aware of ongoing bus problems that all of our families have experienced since the return from the pandemic. (See my email of 01-31-23) Our buses frequently run late, and there have even been times when we've been told that there is no driver available at all. Please know that we are truly sorry for all of the frustration and inconvenience this causes for you. We understand that you entrust the district to get your child to school safely each day. So that you can better understand how our bus process works, here is how we arrange transportation for our students.
1. Like most districts in our area, we contract with an outside company (Kickert) for bus service. Kickert owns the buses and employs the drivers.
2. Each year, our Transportation Coordinator (Alma Gonzalez) works collaboratively with Kickert personnel to establish routes that are efficient and safe.
3. Each morning at 6:30 AM, Ms. Gonzalez calls Kickert Dispatch to find out what routes, if any, are running late. She then sends out notifications to our families.
This system works well, but only if we receive the information from Kickert in a timely fashion. We share information with families as soon as we receive it, but sometimes we do not recieve the information we need in order to notify our families. This has been a point of ongoing concern and frustration for us as we work with Kickert to provide you with the best service possible.
So why don't we get a different bus company if Kickert is unable to provide the level of service we deserve? First, Kickert is suffering from a severe driver shortage, and they are not alone. ALL bus companies are facing the same problem, so to a degree they are a victim of a more universal problem.
That said, when our contract expired with Kickert last year, we sent out Bid Proposals to see what service and prices other bus companies could offer in place of Kickert. Not one other bus company attempted to bid on our contract. Kickert was the only one . So we renewed our contract with Kickert.
I do not want to badmouth our colleagues at Kickert. They are good and hardworking people, and I cannot imagine the anxiety their staff experience each morning trying to navigate the myriad of issues they face. We have worked with them for several years and have strong relationships with many of their staff. While I know you, as parents, are frustrated, please do not take it out on the drivers who actually come to work. They are doing their part to help; they are coming to work each day.
Despite our ongoing relationship with Kickert, however, we will continue to express concern and demand they do better to provide us with the information we need to provide accurate and timely information to you, our families. Until we get it right every day, we will not be satisfied.
