School Bus Fleet

July 2014

A management & maintenance magazine for school transportation fleets

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22 S C H O O L B U S F L E E T • J U L Y 2 0 1 4 Your Safe Seating Specialists Distributors For: E-Z-ON Safety/Max Vests Cam Harnesses BESI Pro Tech III Universal/Moore Vests Over the Shoulder Harnesses Q'STRAINT/SURE-LOK Wheelchair Occupant Restraint Systems SPECIALISTS IN: All Seat Covers and Foam Special Needs Seating 3 Point/Integrated Bus Seats 1.800.543.0575 l www.ewss.org 10939B Reed Hartman Hwy. l Cincinnati, OH erative, started the program for high school graduates. When a staff posi- tion that involved taking care of the 23 vehicles was cut, the district would have had to assign cleaning them to another employee, or take them else- where to be detailed, which would have been costly, Henkensiefken adds. Approximately 12 to 22 students work in the program each year. In addition to cleaning the vehicles, students learn a work ethic and soft skills such as effectively communicat- ing with others and taking pride in their work. The program has helped the district save annually approximately $5,000 in car wash fees and about $15,000 in de- tailing fees. It also enables students to demon- strate work experience when they apply for jobs. One participant was hired by a local detail shop after com- pleting the program because of his experience. nicole.schlosser@bobit.com Transition Plus Program has taught special-needs students ages 18 to 21 independent living and job skills. The bus shop plays an integral role by hav- ing them detail the district's vehicles, says Kala Henkensiefken, transpor- tation coordinator at Brainerd Public Schools. The Paul Bunyan Education Co- operative, a special-education coop- has hired one or two students from the program each year. "This is benefcial to both the stu- dent and to DCS; they end up with a full-time job with benefts, and we se- cure a trained mechanic," Jacobs says. Teaching work, life skills For the last eight years, Brainerd (Minn.) Public Schools' Paul Bunyan SHOP INTERNSHIPS David Anderson, director of transportation and feet for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, started an appren- ticeship program to train the next generation of mechanics. Anderson (left) is pictured with Tyler Huston, a former apprentice and now master technician at the district.

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