School transportation leaders from across the region met on September 23 for the first Transportation Directors Networking Group meeting hosted by Wabash Valley Education Service Center. The hour-long Zoom meeting gave participants a place to compare practices and discuss challenges affecting their school districts.
Dr. Jim Hanna, superintendent of Rossville Consolidated School District, welcomed participants and encouraged them to help shape future meetings.
Recruiting bus drivers emerged as a shared concern. Participants discussed the difficulty of filling routes and maintaining a dependable substitute pool, particularly in smaller communities. One district described a “Drive the Bus” event that invites prospective applicants to try driving a school bus in a parking lot. Others shared strategies such as displaying pay rates on recruitment banners and reaching out to parents and school employees who may be available before or after school.
Directors also discussed student behavior on buses and the training drivers need in behavior management, building relationships, and supporting students with special education needs. They compared routing software, GPS systems and electronic vehicle inspections, while noting that limited connectivity can affect technology used on rural routes.
Kelly Taylor, director of cooperative programs at the Central Indiana Educational Service Center, focused on bus replacement costs. Taylor explained that its statewide cooperative school bus bid lets Indiana districts compare prices from multiple vendors through a competitive purchasing process.
Taylor reported that the program processed 570 buses for 145 school districts, representing approximately $107 million in purchases during the preceding year. The average price of a 78-passenger conventional school bus is $162,755. Prices vary by bus size, equipment, and configuration. Taylor said prices are expected to rise again and advised districts to check whether vendor quotes include tariff costs when comparing.
Participants also exchanged ideas on driver testing, fuel costs, field trip charges, maintenance and professional development.
The group’s next meeting is when Indiana State Police Sergeant Chris Kath is expected to lead a discussion on school bus inspections. Participants were invited to suggest topics for future meetings.