ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION - TRANSPORTATION ISSUES WITH REOPENING SCHOOLS - Presenters: Karen Smith, CPA, RTSBA, CIA Kayne Smith, Ed.D. Mike Martin, NAPT

ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION –
TRANSPORTATION
ISSUES WITH
REOPENING SCHOOLS
Presenters: Karen Smith, CPA, RTSBA, CIA
            Kayne Smith, Ed.D.
            Mike Martin, NAPT

Agenda
•   Brief presentation regarding what is being done at the national level and Cypress-Fairbanks
    ISD’s evaluation of transportation options to accommodate state and CDC guidelines

•   Potential costs to consider

•   Roundtable discussion regarding:
    ✓   Plans to accommodate CDC and state guidelines for safe transportation of students
    ✓   PPE for drivers and students
    ✓   Alterations to bus interiors
    ✓   How food service will continue when transportation is limited
    ✓   How bus and bell schedules will impact each other
    ✓   Other transportation challenges

Potential Costs to
    Consider

Potential Costs 2020-2021

•   PPE for staff/students          •   Revised bus schedules
•   Increased cleaning costs            ✓ Fuel
•   Hand sanitizer                      ✓ Drivers/aides
•   Thermometers and other health       ✓ Expanded learning opportunities
    screening                       •   Increase in substitute drivers
•   Bus aides for screening         •   Staff development on CDC safety
•   More buses/leasing of buses         guidelines
•   Increased costs due to demand   •   Lost state funding if required to
•   More preventative maintenance        close schools

Background
•   After participating in numerous webinars as presenters, panel participants
    and listeners, the STARTS team identified a number of common questions
    and comments and therefore designed the following approach to address
    them:

•   First, we have developed a short-list of viable scheduling options for the
    reopening of schools. These range from utilizing 100% remote learning to
    starting school as normal.

•   If a district applies social distancing to the educational environment, then
    there are a multitude of split schedule or hybrid scheduling options that need
    to be evaluated.

Background
• Second, the STARTS Task Force is compiling a master set of
  federal, state and local recommendations that relate to:
  ✓   Facilities;
  ✓   Vehicles;
  ✓   Driver and Student Safety;
  ✓   Management and Operations (particularly routing and scheduling); and
  ✓   Communication (including advocacy and public relations)

Background
• Third, we are conducting a variety of surveys to collect
  information from relevant stakeholders.

• Finally, this data will be compiled in a matrix that will enable a
  school transportation service provider to utilize its geographic
  and demographic circumstance in concert with its preferred
  scheduling option and routing options (3/2/1 tiers) to quickly and
  easily determination how each recommendation applies (or does
  not apply) to its individual circumstance.

STARTS Structure

STARTS Timeline
• WEEK 1: Alignment, Develop Survey Content and V1 of the Master List of
  Guidelines & Practices

• WEEK 2: Survey Distribution, Daily Review of Results and Preliminary
  Version of the Master List

• WEEK 3: Sort Guideline & Identify Essential Practices by Type of District and
  Tier Structure, Finalize Master List

• WEEK 4: Development of Draft Findings and Results, Report Framework

• WEEK 5: Development, Review and Release of Final Report

Transportation
Reopening
Plan

Overview of Scenarios

Fleet Capacities

2019-2020 Route Summary

2019-2020 Route Summary:
Two students per seat/47 students per bus

2019-2020 Route Summary:
One student per seat/24 students per bus

2019-2020 Route Summary:
Current Texas Guidelines – 12 students per bus

Capabilities Using Current Resources/Schedules

        Totals based on current runs that include single and double routes (out of area and larger attendance zones)
        • It is important to note that due to state and federal laws and regulations regarding special
          education, to continue transporting all special education students, resources will need to be
          transferred from general-education transportation, which will result in further decreases of
          services for general-education students.
        • Blended Scenario (Mon/Tues – Thurs/Fri) or a sub-tier bell schedule would be the only
          options for 1-student per seat (24)
        • Blended Scenario and suggested sub-tier bell schedule would be the only option for 1-
          student alternating seats (12)

2020-2021 Plans and Scenarios

• Fog buses daily
          • Spray Quat256 on high-touch areas (seats/handrails)
            after each run
          • Hand sanitizer dispensers on each bus
              ✓ Installed on bus by loading door
                  (Expected to use upon loading and unloading)
Student   • Social distancing (based CDC/state guidelines)
          • Seating arrangements
Safety         ✓ First students to load on bus sit in back, filling
                  seats towards front of bus
               ✓ Students in front unload first
               ✓ Prevents students from passing one another while
                  loading/unloading
               ✓ Loading at campus?

• All safety protocols established by CFISD currently in
             place in all five transportation centers
           • Current 2020-2021 plan for employees:
               ✓ Employees will not enter building (except by
                  appointment only and to use restroom maintaining
                  social distancing and following PPE guidelines)
               ✓ Employees will be screened in the parking stalls by
Employee          transportation personnel
               ✓ Hand sanitizer dispensers on each bus
Safety         ✓ Employees will clock-in and out on bus
               ✓ All necessary items will be placed on bus prior to
                  driver departing (keys, route sheets, necessary
                  documents, etc.)
               ✓ Employee meetings and trainings will occur
                  through Zoom and Infinit-I when applicable

• Project 100% increase in need
                     for secondary runs and 155.8%
                     increase in elementary runs if no
                     changes are made to current
Traditional - 24     schedules
                   • Total estimated school bus
Students per         routes: 1,497
                   • Total estimated MPV routes: 104
Bus                  ✓ Do not have enough buses to
                       accommodate this model
                     ✓ Many schools will not have the
                       loading zones to support this
                       number of buses

• General education – 12
Traditional - 12      students per bus
                      ✓ 1 student per row,
Students per            alternating sides
                        (approximate 6-foot
                        distance)
Bus (current        • Special education – 5
state guidelines)     students per bus
                       ✓ 4 walk-ons
                       ✓ 1 wheelchair

• Routing will be planned based on
                 overestimates, not underestimates
               • Previously, Transportation would add
                 routes to alleviate overloads and time
                 concerns
2020-2021      • For 2020-2021, Transportation will
Routing Plan     route based on high estimates and will
                 consolidate and condense where
                 possible
               • This will allow for more flexibility and
                 reduced cases of buses being over
                 determined capacities

• Students will be required to register to ride
                     the bus
                       ✓ Registration available online or on
                           campus (registrars)
                       ✓ Information will feed into Transfinder and
                           Zonar (will know if student is not
Student                    registered when they scan on the bus)
                       ✓ Register by August 10, 2020 to ride on
Registration for           August 24, 2020
                       ✓ May take up to 10 business days if
Bus                        register during school year
                            ▪ May impact routes – may need to add
                              bus depending on ridership numbers
                       • Student will be removed from ridership list
                         if have not used school bus in ten (10)
                         business days

• New state or CDC guidelines in July?
           • Percentage of students returning to
             school in August
           • Percentage of students continuing to
             utilize bus service (for the 2019-2020
Unknowns     school year 70% of CFISD students
             rode the school bus)
           • Expectations of students
             ✓ Face coverings
             ✓ Health screenings

Recommendation
• In an effort not to cut service and utilize Transportation Department resources
  effectively, it is recommended to utilize a three-tier model with staggered
  arrival and departure times (subtiers).
• Tiers will be developed based on size of school attendance zone
• Students may have 30 minutes of “targeted instruction time” before or after
  school, depending on which “subtier” the student’s bus is assigned.
• Three tiers will remain in effect and will be communicated to the general public
  in this model
• Tiers are built with 30 minutes of additional instructional time (7.5 hour day)
  with an additional 30 minutes (before or after school) of “targeted instruction
  time” dependent on student’s subtier assignment

Sub-Tier Schedule
• Tier one: 7:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
   Tier 1A: 6:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
   Tier 1B: 7:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
• Tier two: 8:05 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
   Tier 2A: 7:50 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
   Tier 2B: 8:05 a.m. – 4:05 p.m.
• Tier three: 8:55 a.m. – 4:25 p.m.
   Tier 3A: 8:25 a.m. – 4:25 p.m.
   Tier 3B: 8:55 a.m. – 4:55 p.m.

Benefits

Roundtable
Discussion/Questions?

Presenter Contact Information
     Karen Smith
 Chief Financial Officer
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD             Mike Martin
Karen.smith1@cfisd.net         Executive Director
     281-897-4587            National Association of
                              Pupil Transportation
      Kayne Smith
                             Mike.martin@napt.org
Director of Transportation
 Cypress-Fairbanks ISD           518-452-3613
 Kayne.smith@cfisd.net
      346-205-8434