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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
 Posted - 07/23/2008 : 11:24:03 PM
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Collier school district to lay off 45 bus drivers, attendants
By KATHERINE LEWIS
July 22/23 2008
Marco Eagle, Florida
School is not in session yet, but 45 Collier County School District employees will not be working by the new school year.
The district confirmed it will lay off 20 bus drivers and 25 bus attendants. Chief Operations Officer Michele LaBute said in an e-mail that the district determined it could reduce the number of bus routes for the 2008-09 school year during an annual efficiency review of the routes and occupancy.
“School districts throughout our state have experienced significant budget reductions this year and will receive even deeper budget reductions next year. In total, our school district has lost over $20 million in two years and the outlook for 2009-10 is not good,” reads a letter sent to the drivers and the attendants Friday.
LaBute said that the reduction in force came as the district was looking to cut routes due to a decrease in student enrollment.
District spokesman Joe Landon said in an e-mail that the district would reduce the number of bus routes from 275 at the end of the 2007-08 school year to 259.
“We will still be making all the stops we did last year, but with fewer buses,” he wrote. “No stops will be eliminated.”
In a letter to the 45 employees, district officials informed the employees that they will be employed until Monday, Aug. 18, which is the day before school starts for the 2008-09 school year.
Randy Pines, chief negotiator for Teamsters Local 79, said the union was informed about the reduction in the work force Friday before the letters went out to the employees.
“We just found out, so the information we have is still sketchy,” he said. “I am concerned about the attendants being gone and what effect this will have on the children.”
The 25 bus attendants are placed on buses to help exceptional education students who might need help while on the school bus. LaBute said the district is not reducing the number of students who get the attendant on the bus. She said those are determined by the student’s individualized education plan. She said the district is just changing the method by which it assigns runs to the attendants, which reduces the number of attendants needed. ...
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Sam
Advanced Member
United States
390 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 05:50:52 AM
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| Oh my.... our district in Pinellas County FL is still going great guns hiring and training drivers. There are currently 52 (at last count) students in training class. |
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coolbusdriver
Top Member
Canada
1509 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 09:34:40 AM
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quote:
School is not in session yet, but 45 Collier County School District employees will not be working by the new school year.
I am hearing a lot of this on these forums lately. Is the price of fuel really that bad, or is this just an excuse to do cut backs that were wanted in the first place? (hope that makes sense) |
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busmaster
Senior Member
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 2:35:09 PM
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| Florida is reeling from decreased tax revenues because of a property tax amendment that was passed in November. The state is dealing with that, plus the national recession. |
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guzaldo
Advanced Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 3:14:01 PM
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| There is no national recession. Fuel is higher than we are used to we just need to deal with it. We need to drill drill & drill some more. |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 3:58:41 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by guzaldo
We need to drill drill & drill some more.
Agreed 500% but good luck with that. Too many total fools in this country who seemingly want to transform us back to the 1800's way of life. |
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JC Theriault
Top Member
Canada
1326 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2008 : 7:17:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by guzaldo
There is no national recession. Fuel is higher than we are used to we just need to deal with it. We need to drill drill & drill some more.
Drill all you want but eventually that supply will run out, and don't even think of invading Canada for our supply 
Conservation measures might be a good thing to try so that the oil supply will last longer. Might want to add water to that conservation idea too. People need to smarten up and get rid of the Escalade, Hummer or other "status" vehicle in their yard and start driving something more economical.
JC |
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Sam
Advanced Member
United States
390 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2009 : 1:59:01 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Oh my.... our district in Pinellas County FL is still going great guns hiring and training drivers. There are currently 52 (at last count) students in training class.
The original article and my post (above) are just under a year old. Today was our last days of school (!) and lay-off notices were handed out as we were hanging up our keys.
We've lost about 200 drivers, 5 supervisors, 3 driver trainers, and 2 routing coordinators.
We're talking nearly 25% county wide.
Have a good summer, and be thankful if you have a job in September! |
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School district to lay off 45 bus drivers, attnds
