The Exeter Township School District is in search of bus drivers to transport students to and from the schools, according to district transportation supervisor, Rick Wegman.
Wegman presented a transportation report to the Board of School Directors during their Tuesday, Oct. 21 voting meeting.
With a lack of personnel and lack of drivers, Wegman himself “has been driving a lot.”
“We’re trying to get drivers licensed and really encourage people to get their clearances,” he said. Wegman suggested interested drivers begin as van drivers for the district, as you only need a valid Pa. driver’s license.
“The best drivers come through word of mouth, or know someone who drives [for] the district… they know what we’re about,” Wegman said.
For the 2014-15 school year the buses are being used more frequently.
“Our demands for special education and alternative placements, that has grown. We took over for some things that were contracted out. School trip requests and athletic trip requests were up from the previous year.”
There have been a few years of enrollment decline, but Wegman said, this year the K-class is considerably larger than the last two years.
The district keeps their fleet of buses in tact when enrollment does decline, as the vehicles are paid for.
The total mileage buses ran last year was down from 2012-13, but projections from Wegman suggest “it will be more next year.”
Buses ran a total miles during the 2012-13 year at 574,955.9 miles, with a total miles for the 2013-14 school year at of 571,461.0 miles.
The use of the vehicles is taking a toll on the fleet. For the 2014-15 school year, the district purchased three new vehicles, two 77 or 78 passenger conventional style buses and retrofitted a wheelchair accessible bus with air-conditioning. Three buses, a 2001, 2002, and 2003 90 passenger school bus, were traded.
Previously, emissions were replaced on the majority of the buses, but 12 buses “have motors in them that are junk.” The district could see increased expenses for parts.
“There was a class action suit against International, I don’t know if that’s anything that will happen with these,” Wegman said.
Next year the district transportation supervisor would like to add two additional 77 or 78 passenger conventional style school buses to the fleet, and would also like to replace a nine passenger student van. “Both will have 200,000 miles on them by the end of this year.”
In addition, Wegman would like to trade four buses on the current fleet to purchase new buses.
The board complimented Wegman’s leadership of transportation in the district.
“Everyone needs drivers, we’ll keep plugging away,” Wegman said.
If you are interested in becoming a driver for the Exeter Township School District, Richard Wegman at rdwegman@exeter.k12.pa.us.
