2007-08 Adopted Plan - Wake County Public School System

Growth RequestsInitiative: Perfect Attendance Incentive for Transportation Department personnelCurrent Funding Formula:Estimated funding needed for the current fi scal year is $160,000, basedon $1,000 per district, times 16 districts, times 10 months. One additionaldistrict is being added in 2007-08. Mechanics may also participate in thisprogram. Estimated funding needed for the current fi scal year is $12,000,based on $1,000 per month for 12 months. Only 10 mechanics per monthmay receive the bonus.In 2005, the Superintendent authorized establishment of an amount offunds to be used for an incentive to bus drivers and mechanics for perfectattendance. Under this concept, drivers and mechanics that have perfectattendance for a month are eligible for a $100 incentive, to be awarded toten persons within each transportation district by random drawing. It isproposed to continue this program for the current fi scal year.Implementation Timeline & Budget Needed:2007-08 Amount CodePerfect Attendance BusDriversMechanics$ 10,0007657143,000230214Total: $ 14,923Base 02.6550.706.183.0225.0880SS 02.6910.706.211.0225.0880Ret 02.6910.706.221.0225.0880Base 02.6550.706.183.0225.0980SS 02.6910.706.211.0225.0980Ret 02.6910.706.221.0225.0980During the past several years, the Transportation Department hasexperienced a vacancy rate of 6-10 percent of both bus driver and busmechanic positions. The impacts of this high rate have been:• Shortage of mechanics has resulted in preventive and routinemaintenance not being performed on schedule; managementhas authorized overtime to keep up with urgent repairs.• Shortage of drivers has required assignment of substitutes tofull-time routes, depleting the supply of substitutes available fordrivers out on a daily basis.• Shortage has required assignment of mechanics to buses, takingthem from their work; and of Team Leaders, taking them fromadministrative tasks, such as monitoring time cards, verifyingroute effi ciencies and addressing parents’ concerns.• Shortage of drivers has required doubling-up of bus routes,lengthening the ride times of students, and in some cases makingbuses late arriving to school and late arriving at homes.The shortage of personnel has been exacerbated this year by theincrease in student ridership. The less than satisfactory service on someroutes has been manifested in calls from both parents and principals.The impact on route timeliness is lessened if the rate of driver absenceis reduced.238