Many routes ran late or not at all, and central administration staff was called in at one point to drive vans. Problems have worsened this year because of COVID.
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The two largest, Central Valley and Mead, acknowledged occasional driver shortages during the pandemic, but reported fewer problems delivering students on time. Most other districts in Spokane County operate their own bus fleets. Twice last year, Durham’s operation in Spokane was fined by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries for operators’ failure to wear masks and follow other safety guidelines. Some quit in mid-shift, leaving students stranded at school or at a bus stop. Since then it has contracted for those services, which since 2008 have been provided by Durham.Īfter a relatively smooth ride, the school transportation model in Spokane and elsewhere was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.īus drivers, many of whom are retirees, balked at the additional requirements of the pandemic and resigned. Until the mid-1970s the district owned and operated its own fleet. The issue is complex with many moving parts. Topics include funding, legal requirements, the merits of the current setup and an examination of other models. Jordan emphasized that the group is in the early stages of its discussion. “We are looking at other models and what is going to provide the safest, most cost-effective solution,” said Shawn Jordan, the district’s chief operating officer.
More meetings are scheduled, with the goal of presenting a recommendation to the district sometime this spring. The committee draws from all sectors of the district, including teachers, students, parents, school board members and other stakeholders.Īfter several internal meetings, it gave an initial presentation to the school board Wednesday night. Its goal, according to documents shared at Wednesday ’s school board meeting, is to “establish a long-range plan that includes identifying strategies for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of transportation services.” The district has formed a special committee to study the situation.
However, that possibility is on the table. That doesn’t mean the district will soon lay out tens of millions of dollars and buy its own fleet of buses. “We’ve had a consistent practice of evaluating our systems, and this is consistent with this practice,” Superintendent Adam Swinyard said last week. The district and Durham are in the fourth year of a 5-year contract – an opportune time, SPS leaders say, to look at possible alternatives. Problems have included COVID safety violations and chronic staff shortages, leaving school district personnel to fill the gaps on many occasions. It’s been a bumpy ride lately, partly because of the pandemic but also due to Durham’s handling of the crisis.
Spokane Public Schools is taking a closer look under the hood.įor almost half a century, the district has contracted with private companies to transport almost 7,000 students back and forth to school.įor the last 13 years, at a cost of $10 million to $13 million annually, that precious cargo has been handled by Durham School Services, a national firm headquartered in Illinois.