It’s no secret that we are living in turbulent times. Perhaps two of the most unsettling side effects of the economic downturn in the U.S. are the rising percentage of unemployment and the number of companies that are going out of business.
Some industries have been hit harder than others, but I think that regardless of whether the company or organization that one works for is faring relatively well right now, these data can cause concerns about job security.
People in the pupil transportation industry are not exempt from this. While school districts and contractors may not be laying off bus drivers and auxiliary staff in droves, they are contending with challenges that can affect their staff, such as tight and shrinking budgets.
To this end, now more than ever it is essential to facilitate a positive, productive work environment for employees. It will help to ease minds and lift sprits, and for this industry, it will ultimately result in a safer ride for the students as they travel to and from school.
One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to organize activities or practices at your operation that enable your staff to work and come together as a team, particularly in support of a worthy cause.
On the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation’s (MAPT) Website, www.maptme.org, a notice is posted (under “MAPT News”) requesting that school bus drivers throughout the state submit their favorite recipes. The association is putting together a cookbook that will be sold at its annual conference this year.
Moreover, in the January 2009 issue of SBF (pg. 19), we reported that Cherokee County School District’s transportation department staff in Canton, Ga., has worn red polo shirts every Friday in support of U.S. troops since the Iraq war began. The department’s school bus drivers and administrators also wear pink shirts on the 11th each month to promote breast cancer awareness.
Have you implemented any innovative team building practices and/or morale boosters at your operation? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below or send an e-mail to info@schoolbusfleet.com.
Until next time,
Kelly Roher
Associate Editor
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