It’s not even time yet for the November presidential election, and we got school bus operators warmed up to vote on issues relevant to the industry. This year’s School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) featured a new activity that let operators share their opinions on various trends.

1. What have you found works best for bus driver recruitment/retention?

• Staff recommendations/referrals: 18%

• Retention bonuses: 5%

• Opportunities for growth/professional development: 3%

• Promoting benefits (insurance, hours, pay): 16%

• All of the above: 53%

• Other: 5%

2. What has helped you become a better leader?

• Having a mentor: 28%

• Training opportunities: 20%

• Being prepared before getting my current position: 5% 

• Listening to staff: 38%

• Anticipating staff needs: 3% 

• Other: 8%

3. How can national, state and regional pupil transportation associations help your district?

• Offering possible solutions to common problems I face: 38%

• Staff recruitment opportunities: 5%

• Networking: 23%

• State and national legislative efforts on behalf of the industry: 28%

• Connections to consultants/contractors: 5%

• Other: 0%

4. What's lacking in your relationship with your national, state and regional industry association?

• Nothing, I get what I need from them: 42%

• I rarely use them as a resource: 16%

• They don't reach out enough: 11%

• They don't provide me enough support to do my job better: 21%

• Other: 11%

5. What concerns you most about the future of Pupil Transportation?

• EV mandates, feasibility: 49%

• Hiring drivers: 34%

• Developing future leaders in our organization: 2%

• Safety: 0%

• Budgets: 10%

• Other: 5%

6. What is preventing you from accelerating your EV program?

• Nothing, we are aggressively pursuing EVs: 10%

• We are planning to transition to EVs about 10% to 20% per year: 3%

• Despite grants, we don't have the funds or infrastructure yet: 38% 

• We have concerns about EVs as a viable long-term solution: 33%

• We are not pursuing EVs at this time: 18%

7. Which key factor contributes most to your department’s success?

• My staff: 85%

• Organizational leadership: 10%

• Strong financial support: 0%

• Community support: 0%

• Technology and tools: 2%

• Other: 2%

8. How has customer service for your department evolved?

• We are more visible and engaged in the community: 24%

• Technology has made it easier as our app shares information in real time: 32%

• It's harder because community expectations grow faster than we can keep up: 34%

• It's about the same as over the past three to five years: 7%

• Other: 2%

9. Have you considered contracting a company to operate all or a portion of your school bus service?

• Yes, it will allow our district to focus on transportation rather than fleet maintenance and/or driver recruitment: 8%

• Yes, for special needs transportation or other routes with unique challenges: 3%

• No, we are happy with our in-house transportation program: 65%

• We are already working with a contractor: 13%

• Other: 13%

10. What about your job keeps you up at night?

• Operations concerns: 5%

• Staff concerns: 2%

• Pressure from district leadership: 10%

• Recruiting: 0%

• Behavior issues on the bus: 2%

• All of the above: 73%

• Other: 7%

Do any of these results surprise you? Weigh in in the comments!

Add your own voice to the conversation and join us at the next SBFX!