On The Move
Dallas ISD Student Transportation Services
March 8, 2024
Welcome Aboard
Welcome to the newest member of our Student Transportation Services Team, Albert Brown. Mr. Brown's experiences extend over a decade of student and family engagement. He has experience in managing and guiding both at state and county initiatives. He is no stranger to Dallas ISD, his most recent position in the District was as Manager of Student Management. Some of his work was highlighted in the Dallas Morning News. He is the father of two and is excited to join the team. Welcome Aboard Albert!
Eclipse 2024
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of the few places in the country where the eclipse will be visible. We are waiting with anticipation for this amazing event. More information about this coming soon.
Fleet Services
Fleet Services in Dallas ISD is the department that oversees the acquisition and maintenance of all vehicles in the district including school buses. The Fleet Services Department is led by director, Duran Hargest. Duran supervises the shop foremen and others who are responsible for the repairs and preventative maintenance schedules. Our technicians are some of the best in the metroplex and we want to make sure they know we appreciate them. Technicians are available in the mornings before drivers start their routes to assist with low tires or headlight malfunctions which they can fix relatively quickly so that the drivers can get on the road and complete their routes on time.
Switching from Heat to Cool
You may remember in a previous issue that there is a lever that needs to be changed on the bus which switches the bus from heat to cool and cool to heat. Fleet Services is working hard over spring break to get all of the buses switched over from heat to cool. Thank you for your patience during these unusually warm days in February and March.
Radios and Radio Etiquette
There has been a growing concern with the radio system used on the buses in STS. We know there are days when they work better than others. As part of some of our improvement to communication systems in STS, there are plans to overhaul the radio systems on the buses. Fleet Services is working toward getting the necessary paperwork / acquisition to get the ball rolling on this next endeavor.
Radio Etiquette - We have received reports there are on occasion instances of non-professionalism on the radio. Please remember that many ears are listening, including students. Inappropriate comments should not occur on the radios. Our Operations Handbook states the following as it pertains to radios.
Radios are provided on every bus for safety and dispatching reasons. Drivers should use the radios to contact dispatch and to respond to any requests by dispatch.
Dallas ISD Student Transportation Services radio usage rules for all employees: a. Do not transmit with other drivers unless told to do so by the dispatcher. b. Do not use the radio for personal reasons. All transmissions must pertain to official school transportation business. c. Do not transmit while someone else is using the radio. Wait until they clear before transmitting. d. Do not radio dispatch to see if someone is at the service center. e. Do not remove the radio from the bus. Radios may only be removed by authorized personnel. f. Do not use profane, obscene, unprofessional or inappropriate language or comments over the radio. g. Employees should not discuss personal issues over the radio. The radio is monitored by information technology, police dispatch and student transportation administration.
ARMOR
As many of you know, SAMSARA is our new telematics system which provides a great deal of data on bus location, fuel usage and other important information. In addition to SAMSARA we now have ARMOR which will provide live video feed. This is an amazing safety feature which will help protect our drivers, monitors and students on the bus.
Pre and Post Trip Inspections
Let's make sure we are not rushing through the inspections and make sure to only use current photos.
Marking buses as Unsafe - When drivers categorize the bus as unsafe, it means that the integrity of the school bus is compromised and may potentially cause harm to the driver or the passengers such as a nail in a tire or broken headlight. When classifying a bus as unsafe - it is important for the driver to provide facts associated with the classification. Do Not mark a bus as unsafe when there is something on the bus making it uncomfortable. Uncomfortable is not synonymous with unsafe.
An Example of a properly marked bus as unsafe:
DVIR Defects: Tires - Right rear tire flat
Examples of a bus marked unsafe incorrectly:
DVIR Defects: Brakes - Brakes loud
DVIR Defects: Engine - Check engine light
DVIR Defects: Body Fluid Kit - Need new , First Aid Kit - Used
Loud brakes is not a reason to mark a bus as unsafe but it is something the shop can look at in the near future if it is marked as an issue during the inspection. A check engine light is not enough reason to mark a bus as unsafe. Mark the check engine light as an issue during the pre-/ post trip inspection and the shop will address as soon as possible.
Credential Check
Services Center management is currently conducting credential checks to ensure our drivers are in compliance with driver requirements. All drivers are required to have their credentials when operating a vehicle on Texas roads. Individuals found driving without their proper credentials will face disciplinary measures.
Statistics
So far this year, we have:
Traveled 6,833,556 miles,
Consumed 909,358 gallons of fuel,
and have completed 10,272 Field Trips.
Spring Break
Wishing everyone a fantastic spring break with hopes of lots of rest and relaxation. We look forward to seeing everyone back on March 18, 2024.