PHOTOS: Elk Grove’s School Bus Champions

This electric cart makes it easier for technicians to jump-start buses when needed.

While most of Elk Grove USD’s school buses still run on diesel, the district has been shifting to alternative fuels for its newer models.

Director of Transportation Jill Gayaldo started her career in the industry 30 years ago as a transportation secretary.

School bus drivers eat lunch and share a few laughs in the lounge.

Elk Grove USD has 160 drivers and is aiming to recruit about 20 more.

Gayaldo talks with office staff members. She has worked for Elk Grove USD for 10 of her 30 years in pupil transportation.

The American School Bus Council recently honored Elk Grove USD with the council’s School Bus Champion Award.

Appropriately enough, a sign in the Elk Grove USD transportation office reads “Lead Like a Champion Today!”

In December, Elk Grove dispatched 72 buses to transport runners for the California International Marathon. A hat from the event sits in Gayaldo’s office atop a display of school bus bric-a-brac.

Elk Grove (Calif.) Unified School District (USD) transports 10,000 students daily with a fleet of 200 school buses. The shop crew also maintains another 325 district vehicles.

The shop at Elk Grove USD operates on two shifts: a day shift and a swing shift. Seen here is the parts department.

Twenty-five of Elk Grove’s 200 buses run on compressed natural gas, as seen refueling here. Also, the district recently purchased a propane bus and plans to buy 20 more.

One room of the transportation facility has been turned into a gym, with elliptical machines, a treadmill, weights, and other exercise equipment on hand.

This vintage Elk Grove USD transportation photo is on display in the entry to the department’s office.

In October, a motorhome ran a red light and broadsided an Elk Grove bus. The four special-needs students on the bus, all wearing seat belts, were not injured.