Fannin school fleet passes state inspection with no red tags, driver shortage called critical
Fannin County school buses will return to the roads to pick up students for the first time since March 13 as the 2020-2021 school year starts Friday, August 7.
Transportation Director Denver Foster wants to remind local drivers to watch out for school buses, and prepare for more traffic around the schools
He said, “The first week of school is always difficult. I expect this one to go no different than any others.”
He intends to have additional law enforcement to help get the buses in and off campuses in a timely fashion.
Buses had previously performed transfers at the elementary schools to bus students from different routes to Fannin County Middle School and Fannin County High School every morning.
This year, every bus will go to an elementary school and both the middle school and the high school to limit potential COVID-19 exposure.
“That’s going to pose a logistical nightmare, because we’ve got 32 buses that have got to ride to the middle school and high school campus,” Foster said. “That’s going to impede traffic as well, so we do anticipate some traffic issues. We’re working, as we can, to get that resolved.”
The afternoon bus process will not change from years past, and they will continue to utilize their standard transfer.
The majority of the system’s fleet have stop sign arm cameras to video record those who pass school buses when they are stopped to drop-off or pick-up students.
“It has been effective,” Foster said. “The thing about cameras is it’s an after thought. The goal really is to keep them from doing it.”
While the Transportation Department is required by the state to inspect every bus every 20 days of school, they go above and beyond what is required when inspecting each bus.
“We’ve got a sheet, that is required by state law, that we use and fill out, but actually it’s a very minimal sheet,” Foster said. “One of my desires when I came here, and when I came here, I came as shop foreman, was to do better than just the minimal. … It’s a pretty extensive inspection every 20 days.”
The department received no “red tags,” or notices that a school bus is in out-of-service condition, when the state came in for their yearly inspection last November.
“Our goal is to never, ever have a bus that is not safe for any child to ride on,” Foster said. “We give it our utmost best to stay true to that, and we have an excellent safety and track record on that.”
The department has received multiple awards in the past for doing just that.
Foster said, “We have two ASE Master Certified School Bus Technicians. We are a Blue Seal ASE Certified Shop, and there’s only a couple of those in the state. So, we’re real, real proud of all that.”
The school system has a “critical need” for substitute bus drivers at this time.
“Bus drivers have a very rewarding job, but with that is a lot of responsibility,” Foster said. “We’re looking for anybody that would be interested as long as they have a clean driving record.”
Foster explained that bus drivers can often have special relationships with their riders, because the position is one of the only in the system that can stay with a child throughout their entire academic career.
“It’s a special relationship, and if you’ve got somebody that has those skills and are good with children, that just makes that blossom even more,” he said.
Those interested in being a bus driver can apply online at www.fannin.k12.ga.us. Foster also mentioned that anyone interested can also travel to the bus garage and speak with him about the position.