At the Dec. 16 regular meeting, the KISD board of trustees approved a proposal for a 3-year contract with GoldStar Transit Inc. to provide drivers for at least 40 bus routes starting in fall 2020.
“There is not an abundance of school bus drivers,” said Ted Vierling, KISD's assistant superintendent for operations, at the meeting. “We have been in a pinch for the last several years with routes that are uncovered.”
The total cost of the contract is about $74,000 per bus route per year or about $2.4 million annually, and it will be funded through the general operating fund, Vierling said. The annual cost per route staffed by district employees is about $45,000.
In recent years, the district has tried to recruit school bus drivers through various incentives and benefits, Vierling said. But as of the Dec. 16 meeting, the transportation department is about 30 drivers short of being fully staffed, and the district will continue to grow, which will increase the district’s need for additional drivers, Vierling said.
With a shortage of drivers, the district is rerouting bus routes to ensure every stop is covered, and bus mechanics are also asked to take bus routes, Vierling said. This creates inconsistency for students and transportation employees.
“They’re pulling routes apart to make things work, so we get stops where they need to be and we get kids to school on time,” Vierlings said. “That to me is extremely inconsistent. And from a safety standpoint, if we can get our routes covered, and we’re not pulling them apart all the time, then we’ll get drivers who know [students, parents and guardians].”
Vierling stressed contracted bus drivers are not replacing the district’s 389 drivers and 155 special education bus attendants. Instead, the contract will help existing staff perform their jobs better and promote safety.
“These are fantastic people that we have working in transportation,” Vierling said. “They do an outstanding job every day. If I could clone them, I would. Unfortunately, we’re in a tight spot, and we continue to be in a tight spot, and the idea of a contract driver company is they’re going to help fill those voids that we’re struggling to fill.”
Goldstar Transit—which also provides services to Fort Bend ISD—will provide drivers who are trained alongside KISD bus drivers and have buses similar to KISD's that will display KISD signage, according to a press release. Additionally, the district will continue to recruit in-house bus drivers.
"The best option for us has always been, and will continue to be, to recruit and train our own drivers,” Vierling said. “The Goldstar Transit agreement is to help address the shortage until the point wherein we see more candidates applying for Katy ISD bus driving positions, and we can sustain a constant flow of qualified individuals coming through our doors."
