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- [00:02]
John Brucato
You're listening to ASPO International's School Business Insider. I'm your host, John Brucato. Each week on School Business Insider, I sit down with school business officials and industry experts from around the world to share their stories and explore the topics that matter most to you. Find out what it means to be a school business official and get your insider pass on all things school business. Welcome back to another episode of School Business Insider. Today we're addressing a challenge that's been affecting school districts nationwide. The bus driver shortage. Finding and retaining qualified bus drivers has become increasingly difficult, and many districts are struggling to maintain essential transportation services. However, some districts are taking innovative approaches to combat this issue. And and today we're spotlighting one of those success stories. Joining me are Liza Eckinfora, Director of Adult and Community Education, and Graham Violino, Director of Transportation, both from the Kenmore Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District located in New York. Together, they've implemented a unique bus driver training program funded by a New York State Department of Labor grant that's helping to address the driver shortage in their district. We'll explore how their program works, the impact it's had, and how other districts might follow their example to solve their own staffing shortages. Liza and Graham, welcome to the podcast. I'm happy to have you.
- [01:31]
Liza Akinpura
Thank you so much for having us.
- [01:33]
Graham Violino
Yeah, thank you, John. Excited to be on.
- [01:35]
John Brucato
Yeah, very excited to speak to both of you because I had said this is a nationwide issue. So what you're doing in Kenton is really unique, and I'm excited to share your story. But before we kind of get into everything you've been doing from top to bottom, Liza, maybe you can start us with a little bit of your background and introduction to what you do at Canton.
- [01:53]
Liza Akinpura
Sure. My name is Liza Akinpura. I'm the Director of Adult and Community Education for Kenton School District. I've been with the district for seven years, and prior to this, I worked in workforce development and grants for adult education at Erie2BOCES for five years. In this current role, I support programming through both general fund and federal fund budgets that include state, federal, and local grants. So it's really workforce training and involving the community in our operations, which obviously.
- [02:23]
John Brucato
Is a huge portion of the program that you've implemented. So welcome. And Graham, why don't you give our listeners a little bit of your background?
- [02:31]
Graham Violino
Sure. My name is Graham Violino. I am the Director of Transportation for the Kenmore Tonawanda School District. I'm actually responsible for managing a fleet right now of 127 buses. We have 101 drivers, 43 attendants, and 7 mechanics. Canton has about 8,000 students in it, and we transport about 6,500 of those students. I started as a bus driver back in 2001, and now I'm in the current position that I am.
- [03:06]
John Brucato
Great. Do you ever wish you were a bus driver again, Graham? I mean, overseeing that much is pretty daunting.
- [03:13]
Graham Violino
Yeah. And actually, over the last couple of years, I've done enough driving.
- [03:20]
John Brucato
Absolutely. So, you know, you are, like I said, really taking a unique approach to the driver shortage. So can you just kind of give me an overview of what initially prompted you to develop a training program, and how does that really tie into the broader issue of the bus driver shortage that districts are experiencing all over the country?
- [03:38]
Liza Akinpura
I'll kick it off, and then I'm sure Graham will add some more stuff in. But really, the need for qualified bus drivers is not unique to Canton. In western New York alone, we're seeing an influx of school. School districts that are contracting out their transportation services instead of really keeping it in house because of the lack of drivers to fill the necessary runs. So here for Canton, you know, a cert, a number of stakeholders identified this as an appropriate funding opportunity and really collaborated to create this first of its kind training program that's funded by the New York State Department of Labor. So really, we're trying to create our own solution to the driver desert, and it's proven to be impactful, and we're learning as we go. But really, our district has been facing a critical driver shortage for years. So, you know, the contracting of the runs and stress and client and culture of the department were all impacted by these shortages. So we really just came together to create this program in hopes that we would, you know, solve our own problem. And so the initial vision for the bus driver training program was to fill our driver needs first and then help other districts in western New York fill their staffing needs, too. And so really, our goal of the training program is to expand the pool of trained and licensed individuals so that that can safely transport students to and from school every day.
- [05:03]
John Brucato
So this program you have is more than just Canton, as you alluded to. This is something that you're looking to help out neighboring districts, correct?
- [05:10]
Liza Akinpura
Absolutely.
- [05:11]
Graham Violino
Yeah. I think that's the most important thing. The way that we look at this program is we wanted to create. Create more of a pool for other districts for contractors to be able to pull from. Right. I think when what we were seeing was other districts trying to take other Drivers and bring them to their own district. Just to get back to some of the numbers, when we started here In March of 2023, we had about 100 runs, but we only had about 75, 80 drivers. And 10 of those drivers only work morning. So our primary focus was we had to consolidate as many runs as we can. We ultimately ended up having to contract out about 15 to 20, 20% of our runs. You know, through the initial cohorts of the DOL program, starting the 24, 25 school year, we've been able to bring all of those contracted runs back to the Canton school district.
- [06:18]
John Brucato
That's incredible. You know, when you, when you were mentioning before that you were driving all of your runs, you have an in house transportation department. When you looked to contract runs, did that present an issue with the union? Because I know unions are very protective over their work, but were you just kind of forced to go out to runs and did the union kind of understand that they just didn't have the manpower to accommodate that, that those amount of runs?
- [06:44]
Graham Violino
Yes, there was a mutual understanding between the district and the union that this was a need that we had to take.
- [06:53]
John Brucato
Wow. Well, kudos to the union as well for being able to recognize that, because that's not always easy when it comes to collective bargaining agreements and union owned work. So I'm glad to hear that you've been able to work positively with your driver's union. So tell me a little bit more about the shortage. What do you feel has been some of the, if not one of the more main contributing factors to the shortage? I mean, as we've been talking about, the nation as a whole is experiencing a bus driver shortage. But is there something or a few things you can kind of really attribute that shortage to?
- [07:26]
Graham Violino
Sure. I'll start with rate of pay. You know, for most individuals that hold their cdl, most jobs, the rate of pay is considerably higher than what it is or what the starting rate is for a bus driver. I think one of the things that contributes is maybe the split shifts. You have an aging population, and even for the interested applicants that will come in and do it on a part time basis, you were kind of losing that demographic. And one of the big things that I think not a lot of people realize is what is required by the state, the DMV and the federal government as far as the standards and the compliance that bus drivers have to meet on a yearly basis.
- [08:20]
John Brucato
So it's just really not just getting your cdl, but there are additional requirements on top of that. Not only that. But you could be making more Money driving an 18 wheeler across the country, right?
- [08:31]
Graham Violino
Absolutely.
- [08:32]
John Brucato
Yeah.
- [08:33]
Liza Akinpura
I think part of this training program is really looking to, I guess I would say, increase or change the stigma and optics that are typically associated with a bus driver and what a bus driver looks like or acts like. And I know in my experience, as, you know, like going to elementary school, I can still remember what my bus driver looked like, and she was old and gray hair and was miserable. And I think our goal for this program is really to try to change the optics of what a bus driver looks like and put a little bit more respect and responsibility and positivity towards the role of a bus driver and how important they are to our school district. And so our conversations when we're. When we're looking at these participants is really just trying to tell them that they are important and make sure that they know how important they are to the role of our school district. Yeah.
- [09:34]
John Brucato
Because I think when you think of a bus driver in a traditional sense, I think, Graham, you said part of the problem was kind of like the split shift. Traditionally, I think it was maybe like stay at home mothers who had kids in school and were kind of looking to fill their day. Are you finding now with this bus driver training program, is it a totally different demographic of what we traditionally were thinking of as school bus drivers?
- [09:59]
Graham Violino
We have, and I think that's been a really, like, a pleasant surprise to us. Number of the participants that have gone through the cohorts have been part of the younger demographic, primarily between the ages of 30 and 40. And a number of the participants that have gone through and completed the program have now wanted to give back. So they want to become part of the training program. Right. So they want to give the new participants and people in the new core cohort kind of, you know, the knowledge of, hey, this is what we're going to do. And, you know, so, yeah, it has really, really been a pleasant surprise to Liza and myself.
- [10:48]
John Brucato
That's great. And Graham, you had mentioned that you had over 100 runs, but well under 100 drivers. I mean, that is obviously an impact to your operations, not just transportation wise, but it's bleeding into instruction if buses are laid, to getting kids to school or picking them up. But what are some other impacts to really your operations at the district? And how have you really been able to manage those challenges prior to this program? And then, you know, how have those challenges maybe dwindled since then?
- [11:18]
Graham Violino
Well, I mean, I think in addition to the contracting out the runs, you know, we had to look at the load counts to see where we could increase, possibly double up runs. You know, I mean, we were deploying office staff out to, to drive. All of the mechanics were behind the wheel and on the road. And then you're dealing with the absenteeism, the levels of stress when we're not getting the kids to school when they should be, because it is impacting their instruction time, which has that trickle down effect. Because if they're not getting that instruction time because we're not getting them to school, it just has a negative impact, I think, on the climate and the culture of the department, which ultimately then bleeds into the rest of the district.
- [12:07]
John Brucato
So are you finding that you had bus drivers yourself, your mechanics? Are you able to have more time in the office now? Are your mechanics turning wrenches more than they were? Are you seeing that positive impact?
- [12:20]
Graham Violino
They are. I want to say the last time that we had the mechanics on the road was maybe May of 2024. So, you know, went through the entire summer program and the start of this year. As far as the office staff and the mechanics, we've actually been able to do what you could say is our jobs. Right?
- [12:46]
John Brucato
Yeah, right, right. That's great. So let's kind of go through the program itself. Can you walk me through this bus driver training program that's been implemented and what are those key components that you feel have really made it successful in Quinton?
- [13:00]
Liza Akinpura
Yeah. The Grant is almost $250,000, and it was awarded by the New York State Department of Labor and their Unemployed Underemployed Worker training program. The goal of the program is to achieve 72 CDL Class B licenses in the one contract year. The training program is facilitated in cohorts of eight to 10 participants. On average, the program lasts about six weeks long and takes place right at our transportation building. So, you know, when you're looking at applicants and prospective training participants, once I receive an application, they are screened and given a 19 a physical form and their fingerprinting codes, which allows them to get the required health screening and fingerprint clearance. And then we also go through the process of getting them Board of Education approved. Now, one delineation that I think is important is that they're not actually employees of ours when they're coming, when they're starting the program. And so we get them approved at the Board of Education level to be participants in the training program. But at that point in time, they are not like employees of ours. And then once they start the cohort, so each class is we call it a cohort, and they start and end around the same time. The first two weeks of each cohort is preparation to pass the CDL permit test. The group prepares as a whole, led by two classroom instructors, and then they do the classroom training and complete federal requirements. And then they take the participants in the cohort to the DMV for their permit test. Once the participants achieve their permits, they are matched with behind the wheel trainers that will help them prepare. Prepare for the intensity of the road test. And then once the trainers deem the participants road tests ready, the program staff makes appointments at the DMV for them to take their road tests. Graham, is there anything you want to add in there about that?
- [14:57]
Graham Violino
I think it's important that, you know, the grant allows for incentives for the drivers. You know, they get an incentive for when they achieve their permit, and then they get another incentive when they achieve their license.
- [15:15]
John Brucato
So is the grant something you had to go to the DOL for? We had this idea. We want to see if this fits into something that exists already. Or did New York State already have kind of the framework for a driver training program?
- [15:27]
Liza Akinpura
Our grant coordinator really identified the opportunity, and then Connie and I worked together with the other district stakeholders to really build the program and submit the application. So this was not something that the Department of Labor had in mind when they. When they released the training or the draft of the rfp, but, you know, we were fully funded. And I think I'm. I think the district is really proud to submit an application that is first of its kind. And, you know, honestly, John, we've. We've built it as we've gone a little bit. We've learned a lot of lessons. We've had to modify process and protocol. We've had to kind of go back to the drawing board. We've had to remodify our budget. And if you want to talk about the budget perspective, we can at some point, but we're learning a lot as we go. But the Department of Labor and this RFP really was something that was a perfect fit. And so as we look for where we're at right now and then going forward, you know, we really anticipate growing this program and making it a sustainable part of our district, but also western New York as well, so that, you know, districts are referring people to us when they need somebody trained instead of trying to train them on their own. And so, you know, the key component, one of the key components that makes it successful is really the program is offered at no cost to the Participants. So when we were doing the regional cost comparison, private training companies were charging anywhere from 1,000 to $5,000 to get licensed and trained. And that didn't even include assistance with securing employment as a driver. And then for our program, all fees, costs, books, materials are covered by the grant in addition to the $1,000 in incentives. And then they are also eligible for NFTA bus passes if they need them, and child care reimbursement.
- [17:24]
John Brucato
Wow. So this is really a full fledged program that not only is a benefit to Canton, but those interested in potentially becoming a driver, not only are they being instructed along the way on what they need to do, but there's financial reimbursement for them really incentivizing them to kind of finish this out. That's incredible.
- [17:43]
Graham Violino
Yeah. And I think, just to add, right, like, I think we here in Canton are extremely thankful to the, you know, New York State Department of Labor, like our school board, the administration, you know, Connie and Liza specifically, in the time that they took to secure and, you know, sustain the funding, everybody throughout the transportation Department, you know, the union, human resources, and how we've been able, and they've worked with us as well. And then all of the participants that have gone through the program and have been willing to give back.
- [18:20]
John Brucato
Yeah, I mean, it's really affecting the entirety of the district, and obviously in the future, more districts in the western New York area. Can you tell me a little bit more about the instructor process you walked me through, really, what it takes from a participant standpoint. But who are the instructors? Are they Canton employees? Are they people specifically that you hired through the Department of Labor? Who's doing the instructing, who's doing the driving and all of that?
- [18:44]
Graham Violino
So in the inception of the program and as we were structuring it, you know, the Transportation Department had a handful of employees who were bus drivers, but they also had their 19A certifications. Right. So they were certified 19A examiners. We specifically took those certified 19A examiners and put them in the classroom. So when the participants come in their first two weeks, as say, the classroom training portion of it is done by the certified 19A examiners. We then put together a training staff where we took willing participants in the transportation Department and added them to what was the core group of trainers that were already there. You know, with the sheer volume and the number of participants that we had coming in, having three trainers we knew wasn't going to cut it. So we've increased that number. And I believe right now we have nine individuals that do the behind the wheel training.
- [19:57]
John Brucato
Wow. And how was that received initially when you presented this to your 19, 8 trainers and the drivers? I mean, were they receptive to the idea that we have a brand new grant program that that is likely going to benefit Canton, but you could potentially be training drivers for other districts in the area? How was that received by your staff?
- [20:16]
Graham Violino
Very well. You know, I think all of them were excited. They were willing participants to participate in the program, you know, because I think at the end of the day, they knew the benefit that this was going to have to the transportation department and the Canton school district as a whole.
- [20:37]
John Brucato
That's great. So the program seems incredibly robust. There's a lot of supports in there for new and existing trainees. But how do you get those people in the seats? How are you recruiting people and what qualities are you looking for in prospective drivers?
- [20:53]
Graham Violino
You know, I know Liza can touch on this a little bit. What we have found, or what I have seen specifically is really the word of mouth, like people that have gone through the program and then have shared that with friends, family, whoever, you know, and it's kind of spread. And I think we've seen a lot of participants just from people that have gone through it, and then the word of mouth that it has gotten through the community and then more people have shown interest in the program.
- [21:26]
Liza Akinpura
I also think it's important to highlight the career growth as well. So we have a few attendants that have been either long term or short term attendance that have then decided to go through the department of labor training program to become a licensed driver. Right. So then you're talking about higher hourly rate, you know, a licensed and, you know, kind of looking at how they can move up in their positions. It's better wages. So the career growth, I think is important to highlight and then the communication with other districts as well. So we're making sure we get the word out through our local networks of administration to highlight the program and then encourage other folks to send participants our way. So we have a few people from like the south towns, right. And they come to the program knowing that they want to work for Lakeshore or Goanda or the Indian reservation. And so they come to us and they get trained and then we send them back already licensed and ready to be employed for those respective, you know, school districts. And so I'm proud of the work that we're doing with that. And I think that's only going to get better as time goes on, because again, this is such a new program that we're really Learning as we go. And so our messaging to other districts is that we're not going to steal your drivers because we are fully. We're fully staffed in a sense. Right. But, you know, I think some districts may have hesitation to send people to us in. Out of fear that we may try to, like, keep them here at Kenton. And I think I've. I've tried to be very purposeful and intentional in our messaging that we are. We don't need everybody that comes in, and we really don't want to hire everybody that comes through the program. The first couple cohorts, we really were desperate to hire everybody just to fill those. Those vacancies that we had, that shortage.
- [23:20]
John Brucato
Right, you needed the drivers.
- [23:21]
Liza Akinpura
Absolutely.
- [23:23]
Graham Violino
Yeah. And now it gives us the ability to maybe, you know, be a little bit more selective.
- [23:29]
John Brucato
Sure, sure. So, and then was there any resistance to your trainers training drivers that ultimately were likely going to end up in another district? Was there, like, a little bit of tribalism? Like, why am I putting all this effort into training drivers that aren't going to actually work for us?
- [23:44]
Graham Violino
Not at all.
- [23:45]
John Brucato
Oh, great, great. So then what about qualities of drivers? I mean, not that you have the luxury of handpicking who you want, but it sounds like it's getting a little bit more easier. As you said, you could be a little bit more selective. So what are those qualities of a Canton bus driver?
- [24:00]
Liza Akinpura
Yeah. In regards to qualities that we look for in drivers specifically for this training program, I always say to participants at the start of each new cohort that if they do not like children, they should probably just not come back to class tomorrow. That's right.
- [24:13]
John Brucato
Yeah.
- [24:16]
Liza Akinpura
And I mean, I really do, because I think it's important. Important to, like, to be realistic about the role of a bus driver. And so they are the very first district employee that our students see each morning, and then in the afternoon, they're the very last ones to say goodbye to our children before he or she goes home. And so the driver really sets the tone for the student's school experience. So it really is pivotal that the drivers we hire here have similar attitudes and really priorities and understand their role and how it impacts the overall feeling of community in our district. And so we look for all the things that, you know, are you a safe driver? Can you show up to work on time? But really, you need to like kids. Right. And so I think, you know, Graham can kind of add some more into that. But that's my messaging for the Department of Labor training program is, you know, that is key. Right.
- [25:08]
Graham Violino
You know, and I know Liza is 100% correct. Right. And I think we've taken some steps in the transportation department to get the drivers and the employees of the transportation department out into the community. You know, they used to put buses into, you know, the Memorial Day parade, which is a huge thing here in the Kenmore Tonawanda area. There's a number of volunteer fire halls. Right. They do events like a Trunk or treat for Halloween and a winter wonderland during the holiday season. But they have been open to allowing us to put buses in there. And then that has given us the ability to offer that to drivers and to attendants to say, would you like to participate in this? And then they've been able to kind of get out there and meet, you know, members throughout the community, which I think gives that. That personal feel. Right. Because now members in the community are being able to put a face to, you know, the driver that's behind the wheel that's transporting their. Plus, I give. I think it gives the drivers a sense of pride working for the Kenmore Tonawanda School District.
- [26:26]
Liza Akinpura
Yeah.
- [26:26]
John Brucato
Cause they're out in the community. It's not just somebody behind a wheel, but, you know, this person. Maybe not super personally, but you can put a face to a name or to a driver. But, I mean, you know, it's kind of funny because you would think that all bus drivers would like kids, but I remember my fourth grade bus driver. I don't think she liked kids. And here I am as a grown adult. Those scars run deep. You want to make sure you have the right people driving by.
- [26:49]
Liza Akinpura
Well, and I also think, like, I'm just remembering that in fourth grade. And you can cut this, but in fourth grade, I choked on a Cream Saver on the bus, and I had. I really couldn't breathe, and I started to turn purple. Little chubby Liza in the back of the bus. And the bus driver pulled the bus over and had to give me the Heimlich maneuver on the bus.
- [27:13]
John Brucato
Really?
- [27:14]
Liza Akinpura
I'm just saying. Well, I haven't been saying that any cohort, but I need to start, like, saying that because that is how important they are in a school district.
- [27:23]
John Brucato
Have you had a Cream Saver since?
- [27:25]
Liza Akinpura
No, but I was in the Hamburg sun with me and the picture of the bus driver were in the hamburg sun like, 30 years ago. So I know.
- [27:34]
John Brucato
Wow. Well, that just goes to show the importance.
- [27:37]
Graham Violino
Do you send that picture?
- [27:39]
John Brucato
Yeah. Can you send that? Maybe I'll put that as, like, the artwork for the episode is you, little Liza with cream saver. Rapper.
- [27:47]
Liza Akinpura
I'll find it. I'm sure I could find it. Yeah, I'll do that right after we're done.
- [27:51]
John Brucato
So tell me about retention. I mean, you put all this time and effort into training people, whether it's for Canton or whether it's for another districts. Now are you seeing retention numbers that are strong or are drivers maybe starting and figuring out like, okay, now that I'm behind the wheel driving kids every day, maybe this wasn't for me. Talk to me a little bit about retention. And what factors do you think contribute to the retention of your drivers?
- [28:16]
Graham Violino
I think that goes into the transportation department as a whole. And I think that's what we've tried to do from the initial cohort was to have the mechanics involved in the training. Right. To have the trainers involved, you know, all the way through the, you know, the certified 19A examiners. You know, we offer the participants the ability to be an attendant as they go through the program as well, so they get to see and get a feel for the day to day operation of the transportation department. I know we touched on it a little bit earlier, but I think the being surprised at the younger demographic that has gone through and has been willing to give back. So that has helped. And the retention has been. Everybody that has gone through has stayed in the Canton school district. I think maybe we've lost two or three. And those were specifically to individuals that came here from the Indian reservation that came to get their CDL so that they could go and drive and give back to their community.
- [29:30]
Liza Akinpura
Right.
- [29:31]
John Brucato
So you've really built a program that with these new trainees, they feel a part of the organization right out of the gate. They're not outsiders or strangers. You're putting them on buses, attendance, so they can see firsthand what they're really getting themselves into. That's great.
- [29:44]
Liza Akinpura
And I think at the end of the day, everyone wants to feel appreciated and respected at work. And so I think from the top down in our district, Graham is really working to shift the culture of the department and emphasize the importance of the drivers in attendance. And I think that has really had a direct impact on retaining the individuals who complete the program too.
- [30:04]
John Brucato
Yeah, that sense of pride and ownership, I think really goes a long way. And I can't say enough about culture. It is such a challenge to change and improve culture, especially if you've inherited one that's been toxic or just not functioning well for so long. So, you know, kudos, Graham, to you, to really turning that around in the, in the department. Melissa you had mentioned earlier that, you know, with such a brand new grant program, there were some bumps along the way. You've had to make some course corrections and modifications to what you've been doing. Can you talk me through some of those initial challenges you faced when you implemented this program? And. And what were your approaches to kind of overcome those?
- [30:40]
Liza Akinpura
Sure. Some of the initial challenges we faced included was really even, just, how are we onboarding these folks? What does HR need from us? What do we need from the participants? What do the trainers need from us? Because there were so many different elements involved in just launching the first program that we really had to learn as we went. And one of the initial challenges that we faced was, were students or participants that had that did not speak English as their first language. And, you know, for example, and this is how we're growing and improving is the first cohort. We had three different participants that could not make it through the program. So we enrolled them. They came to the first day and they just couldn't get their permit. And because of the language barrier, so they did end up not completing the program. An example of how we've sort of grown from that is we have a driver right now who is a true success story. He's maybe mid-40s from, I want to say from Iraq. And Kazim has come through the program. He does not speak or did not speak English as his first language. He lives in the Canton community. He's a member of our adult and community education ESL program. And he signed up to be a bus driver. And he came through the program. He got his permit, he got his license, and then we really identified or the transportation staff identified that he had some deficits when it came to actually being prepared to drive the bus. And so we tag teamed together, where I had one of my ESL teachers from the adult education department work with Kazim one on one at the transportation department to go through his route sheet. She went on the run with him. She walked all the way through the transportation building and did vocabulary and, you know, and talked about process and protocol. She went and practiced on the radio with him. And really everyone really was working hand, you know, hand in hand to help Kazim through. And the benefit of that is Kazim is a great driver, and he just needed a little bit, a little bit more confidence. And I think from our perspective, that's a huge success in my mind, because now, you know, our district as a whole is growing in diversity. Right. And we have a lot of students that receive language Services. And so to see a student, for a parent to see a student on or a driver on the bus that looks like them is really something that I think we're proud of. And so sort of. That's one of the challenges that we had, was just the folks coming in that did not speak English as their first language. And so we really. We're really hoping to kind of capitalize on that a little bit more, too, and help more people get through the program by giving them those supportive services. So another challenge was really figuring out what supportive services people needed. And so our program is unique because we also have case management built into it. And so we have case managers that are designated to help these students and participants thrive in the program. So if they're having a hard time getting to class on time, they're able to ask the question, well, do you need a bus pass? You know, how can I help you with your housing situation? How can I help you with your childcare situation? And that really augments the probability that these participants are going to succeed in the program. And so, you know, trying to figure out what the role is of everybody and how we were all going to kind of like, bounce off of each other to meet the needs was something that we're still working on, but we've made significant progress in that process as well. So initial challenges were really figuring out what the process was going to be for. Fingerprint clearance, health works clearance, onboarding through human resources. And really, we have to work six weeks in advance to the start of a cohort. Right. And so just the timing of things had to be worked out a little bit. But we're very grateful for the human resources department in our district as well, because they've been pivotal in helping work through that process. The second was, again, the language barriers. We want drivers that are going to be safe and able to communicate with parents and students safely, but we also want to be able to support participants that have every right to this program, too. And then I think Graham can speak on this a little bit more. But the varying experience of the enrolled participants in the first few cohorts. So we had some people that came in with no idea even, like, how many wheels were on a bus, versus there may be. There were some other participants that. That had experience driving a truck before. And so the trainers really had to figure out how to teach and differentiate the instruction for both extremes.
- [35:33]
Graham Violino
Yeah, I think for us, it was really taking a look at it after the first cohort and seeing how we could become more efficient throughout the process. I, you know, Liza touched on it, but the part partnership between different departments here in the district. Right. And the COSM story is really big and really huge because it's not just about your ability to drive a bus, right? You have to have that ability to communicate. You have to have that ability to communicate with the children that are on the bus with you and to communicate with dispatch. So partnering with Liza and bringing that ESL teacher in and working with that specific individual helped expedite that to continue his growth. And now he, you know, he's out on his own and he's openly communicating with dispatch on the radio, you know, and like Liza said, that's a huge success story. The human resources working with human resources to make the whole onboarding process more efficient, to get these members into the cohorts more quickly. And as far as the specific training, the first couple of cohorts where we had designated, okay, for the permit, it was going to be maybe two weeks. For the behind the wheel training, it was going to be four weeks. But we, we found ourselves going over that into eight, nine, maybe 10 weeks, ultimately making that more efficient that we can get these cohorts and these participants through and fully licensed at hopefully the end of six weeks. And that's ultimately our goal.
- [37:18]
John Brucato
You know, that's really impressive because a lot of the time in education we talk about multi tiered supports for our kids, but you're doing the exact same model for adult learners as well. So to know that it's not just isolated to a bus driver program, but you're now folding in adult education services and case management really speaks to your commitment to this program, your commitment to make sure that you're hiring the best drivers possible and maybe giving those an advantage that otherwise maybe wouldn't be successful in a program like this. So kudos to you guys in what you're doing. But you know, there's a lot of work obviously that goes into this behind the scenes. How were you able to manage this brand new program while still operating the transportation department and Liza, with your adult and community ed departments, how were you able to kind of balance those two things?
- [38:08]
Graham Violino
So one of the things that we did, you know, obviously we structured and scheduled the training between the majority of the morning and afternoon runs. Right? So everything was kind of structured between 9:30 and one, you know, designating specific instructors for, you know, the 19A certified examiners that were going to teach the class and prepare the participants to go get their permits. You know, and I think it's been something that they've adjusted from cohort to cohort because Liza touched on. Right. You had individuals that may have had that language barrier. You. You've had individuals or participants in the cohort that have come here with driving experience. We've had individuals that didn't know how many buses or wheels were on the bus.
- [38:58]
John Brucato
Right.
- [38:59]
Graham Violino
So, you know, it's about refining that process and understanding that. And, okay, how are we presenting this information so that the group as a whole is able to retain this and then the specific information that's gonna get them to pass their permit tests on the first, you know, and I think Liza could speak a little bit to the case managers, you know, as far as that goes.
- [39:26]
John Brucato
So Liza had mentioned that, you know, you had to implement differentiated instruction because, you know, some people didn't know there were four wheels on a bus. Some people drove tractor trailers. Was there, like, a train? The trainer program? Did you have to train those that were instructing the students to teach them how to differentiate instruction? What did that look like?
- [39:47]
Graham Violino
No, we did not. You know, we had a couple of preliminary meetings about how we were going to approach this going into the first cohort. But I think they have done a tremendous job on tailoring the information and how they're presenting it to the participants in the cohorts, you know, because before individuals would come in that would. That would have interest in being a bus driver, and we would say. Or the district would say, okay, well, go achieve your permit, and then when you get your permit, come back to us, and then we'll get you in for the behind the wheel training. Right. So it was really on that specific individual. Well, now, you know, we're taking eight to 10 individuals, and how do we present that information to them? So I think that's kind of been a learning process for them, and, you know, they've refined that from cohort to co hard.
- [40:45]
John Brucato
That's great. So talk to me about some of the lessons and key takeaways that you've learned from this program and implementing such a trailblazing opportunity for Canton. If other districts are facing similar shortages, how could they maybe benefit from something like this?
- [41:01]
Graham Violino
Well, I think that's what our ultimate goal was. Right. Because there was such a shortage of qualified individuals that could drive a school bus. Right. So you are always looking at trying to maybe make your district more appealing to other districts. Right. So we looked at it like, okay, how can we address this regionally? And it was all about creating a bigger pool to ultimately pull from.
- [41:34]
John Brucato
Right? Yeah. I think that's a broader point that you've made. It's challenging to find good people to hire, regardless of what profession they're in in the school district. So a lot of the times districts resort to really just poaching from one another. But it sounds like you've pivoted away from that mentality and you're really training for the greater good, not only to help can directly, but to help your region as a whole so you're not having to poach from one another.
- [42:01]
Liza Akinpura
Right. And I think we've learned a lot of lessons along the way, and it certainly hasn't been, you know, easy. But every cohort, we've gotten better and more efficient, and we're still learning. And I guess the beauty or curse really is every cohort is different too, because they have a totally a brand new set of participants. And so we have some folks. And this is one of the lessons that we learned in regards to a process is the first cohort, we did not have people do health work screening or state ed fingerprinting before entering. And so, unfortunately, like, one lesson that we learned or a challenge was we had all of these people come in on the first day of the first cohort, and they did not have 19A physical clearance, and they did not have state ed clearance.
- [42:52]
John Brucato
The issue is not only are you implementing a brand new program, but you still have your processes and procedures specific to your district and the state that you have to follow too.
- [43:02]
Liza Akinpura
Right, Right. But we lost a few people because they couldn't get health works clearance. And so we enrolled them. We paid for, you know, the fingerprinting and the health works fees. And, you know, they took a spot in the cohort, and then they couldn't actually get their. Their permit or their license because of either health works or fingerprint clearance. And so we've reversed that order. And that's when really talking to all of our different stakeholders has helped because we're able to, like, refine that process and the time frame so that that's not an issue anymore. Right. So every person that's entered or accepted into a cohort has an official application, a 19, a physical clearance, and state ed fingerprint clearance, too. Right.
- [43:44]
John Brucato
So the chances of success are much greater now because you're kind of getting those barriers out of the way first rather than having them in the program and finding out maybe midway through it, it may not work out.
- [43:52]
Liza Akinpura
Absolutely.
- [43:54]
John Brucato
What about, I mean, Eliza, you talked about the. The integration of your adult education program, which is just absolutely impressive and phenomenal to offer those supports to potential and Current drivers. But are there any other partnerships with local businesses or community groups that were instrumental in making this a success? I mean, I know you talked about getting the drivers and buses out there in parades and things like that, but what else has been really a success driver for you?
- [44:18]
Liza Akinpura
When we were actually writing the grant, we had support from the county executive, from the councilman of Kenton, we had support from the Kenton Chamber of Commerce, we had support from SUNY Erie Pathways Program and Catholic Charities Workforce Education as well. So we had a number of community partners that, when we were writing the grant, came together to say that, yep, this seems like a great training program. And so they've. We've been in communications with referring out. We also, one thing that is on the list of things to do is to reach out to the senior center, and so trying to figure out how we can have students stronger connections to the town as well. So we have a few things on the list of things to do as well. When it comes to community outreach, we haven't really needed to go really deep into outreach at this point because our cohorts are filled with people through word of mouth or social media. But we're looking at. Definitely looking at businesses and town agencies to support our programming. And we're very grateful for anybody that's able to, you know, reach out and spread the word about this training program, specifically right now, school districts. But I do see a point in time where we re. Where we reach out to other agencies.
- [45:35]
Graham Violino
I think that's. That's important too, though, right? Like what Liza was just touching on and saying that, you know, since we are at that point where we are fully staffed, we are absolutely supporting each and individual that goes through this and through the process and as they achieve their license, even willing to support them and direct them in other areas to where they can get employment.
- [46:03]
Liza Akinpura
Right.
- [46:03]
John Brucato
So you're out of that mode where you're scrambling, just trying to fill runs where you can do more value add services now.
- [46:11]
Liza Akinpura
Absolutely. So we recently just got approached by Jericho Road Community Health center, and they work with migrant resettled folks. And a lot of these folks that have come that they have in mind for the training program were actually bus drivers in their home countries. And so we. I anticipate, and I'm hopeful that we can have future cohorts that have some of these migrant resettled folks in these cohorts and then collaborate with our ESL teacher here and sort of combine efforts. So Jericho Road will be able to do some, like, do their supportive services. Transportation department will be able to train them and prepare them, and then adult and community education can come in and help with the language services as well. And so it's really a three or four tiered approach to helping unique populations because this whole, this whole training program and grant is geared towards underemployed or unemployed individuals. And so that is our target area with a few different populations that are core to the program, which were veterans and non native English speakers. So we're really trying to focus on some target populations. And now that we're not scrambling for employees and drivers, we can be really a little bit more intentional on recruiting from some of these populations that the grant prioritizes.
- [47:36]
John Brucato
So what are your long term goals for this program? It seems like it's been, been a huge success for you in the district. Do you plan on sustaining it, expanding it? What do you see as the future of this training program?
- [47:48]
Liza Akinpura
So right now this grant currently goes until March and we, Connie and I have been in discussions with the Department of Labor to seek other funding opportunities to continue this programming. We really want it to be a regional training center in western New York and a place where private and public school districts and businesses can come to us with for reliable training and in a quick and efficient fashion. So right now, our goal for the first year was 72 licensed bus drivers. So we're hoping to get to 72 by the end of March and then anticipate, you know, duplicating this for another contract year. And I'm sure as we go it's going to, you know, grow and change and modify and adjust to the needs in our school district and our community. But right now we really want to focus on becoming a regional training center. So we want to make sure we have, you know, the, we're looking at opportunities to make sure the facilities, the training facility is, you know, nice, nicer, and the technology is up to date and really giving the participants the best experience that they can in a professional and efficient manner.
- [48:57]
John Brucato
Well, I have to ask too. I mean, this is obviously grant funded, but have there been any intentional or unintentional general fund implications? I mean, have you had to modify your operational budget to accommodate a program like this?
- [49:11]
Liza Akinpura
Well, I do know that the cost savings right now to the district even last year was they spent about $810,000 in the 2324 school year in contracted runs. And so that's a general fund, you know, implication or impact already, you know, Graham can speak to the overall budget piece of it. But right now this training program does not have an impact on the general fund, meaning our taxpayers are not paying for this training program out of their taxpayer dollars, which I think is really important to communicate, too.
- [49:44]
Graham Violino
Yeah, I think that's an important point that Liza just made, you know, to the taxpayers in the community. But as far as the transportation budget, you know, Risa was dead on. You know, we spent over $810,000 on contracting runs out last year. You know, the cost savings for the transportation department just in one calendar school year has been huge.
- [50:09]
John Brucato
And so with this podcast, our audience is wide reaching worldwide. Do you see this program being able to be replicated? I mean, I know you're heavily dependent on a state's Department of Labor grant, but do you see something like this being able to be replicated elsewhere?
- [50:25]
Liza Akinpura
Elsewhere, absolutely. I think the training model in itself is ever changing and ever growing, but really the foundations are all the same because each state has its own regulations that they need to meet to be as, like a CDL class B bus driver. Right. Or a CDL class B driver. And Graham may be able to obviously speak on that a little bit more. But coming from it from a workforce development perspective, my goal and my hope is that we can help other school districts, districts not tap into this pot of money, but also just use their own resources to create something that is similar to this. It may not have department of labor funds attached to it, but really, the time and energy that it has taken to put this program together has paid off tremendously when it comes to culture, climate, staffing, relationships with the schools, relationships with the parents and our families, the optics of the community. And so, really, I think for any school district locally or, you know, internationally, is trying to think about the cost that this may have, but also the benefit. Right. And the reward on that. And so I think we're really excited to see what we can do and how we can grow this program, but also are willing to help other programs or departments or districts kind of create something like this, too, you know, and.
- [51:54]
Graham Violino
I think that Liza just touched on something there as well, is the partnership. Right. Like, we're a school district. We obviously want to partner with our surrounding school districts, and we want to work together to make it easier for all of us. But including other businesses. Right? The growth, the employment opportunities for individuals regionally, that's huge, you know, and just developing that partnership and taking maybe the strain, the stress of, you know, having to do this on your own, where when you're working together, you know, you can ultimately create individuals that have, like, qualified CDLB drivers.
- [52:41]
Liza Akinpura
And really, I think it's almost like, you know, have a model in place and a process in place, but also be flexible with that process. And what it may look like, which is, I think is something that we've really had to do, is we have the framework and we have the end goal in mind, but that process has not been linear. And that's okay, right? That's okay.
- [53:01]
John Brucato
Yeah. This is something brand new that no one has done. So there obviously are going to be some opportunities to course correct and learn. So, yeah, if you're going to be implementing something like this brand new, you need to be flexible.
- [53:11]
Liza Akinpura
Well, and one thing that I think is really important and exciting is to look at, like, the goals of the Transportation Department. And so because we're fully staffed now and that that's growing, maybe we'll be able to expand our offerings into providing transportation for UPK kids. And right now, that's not something that we do. And so I'm looking at it from an outside perspective, and I'm glad I can't see Graham's face right now. But really now, because we're fully staffed and we have the capabilities, and we have this continuous and continual training cycle, there's no limit to what we can do for our community. And I think that is important. And when we're looking at it, like, from a PR perspective, the optics of the Transportation Department are improving because the. The employees of the Transportation Department itself have higher morale. Right. They're happier, they're less stressed, and so they're more willing to take on other. Other roles or other. Or look at other training models or be willing to transport UPK kids. And so, really, like, that's something that I foresee is now that, like, the staffing issue is relatively solved, how do we keep growing and keep moving Kenton forward? And so, you know, Kenton has this tagline of Kenton forward. And I think Graham is doing a great job of leading the transportation. And what could that next step be? Right. So.
- [54:41]
Graham Violino
And I think those are goals that we do have. Right. Like providing the UPK transportation. But it goes back to providing these. Providing these things for members and stakeholders throughout the community. Right. Saying that here your child's going to attend Pre K, we, as the Kenmore Tonawanda School District, are going to provide transportation for your child.
- [55:08]
John Brucato
Right, Right. So really meeting those families as soon as they enter the education community of Kenton, That's. That's great.
- [55:15]
Liza Akinpura
Yep.
- [55:15]
John Brucato
So. So winding down here, as you reflect back on this program and all you've done for not just the Kenmore, Tonawanda District but the region. What are you most proud of and what has been the most rewarding part of doing something like this?
- [55:30]
Graham Violino
I think it's about seeing the participants that have gone through and how much they want to give back to the district, to this program. I think it's about seeing the shift in the culture of the Transportation Department. I think it's about, you know, members of the transportation department involving themselves in events and community events and getting them out there in the community and seeing how that engagement is bringing joy to them and having them walk through that door on a day to day basis being happy.
- [56:07]
Liza Akinpura
And I would say for me, the most rewarding piece of this journey so far has really been like looking at the buy in from all members of our school district and our community. I mean, our superintendent and our board of education, our assistant superintendents and the directors really have all been so supportive of our efforts. And I'm really proud of that because. Because it didn't have to be that way. Right. And so I think our superintendent has said multiple times that we identified a problem within our district and we came up with our own solution for it instead of waiting for somebody else to solve the problem. And I'm proud that we were able to do this and have the trust in the, you know, from the Department of Labor to support such a unique project because it's, it's not a tiny amount of money. I mean, it's almost $250,000, which isn't, you know, I understand in the grand scheme of things it's not millions of dollars, but for such a small investment, it's going to our district and our community is going to reap the benefits of that for years to come. And so, you know, that's one of the most rewarding parts. And then really like seeing our participants coming through and then staying as drivers. And Graham, I'm thinking about Andrew and you know, Andrew is a happy go lucky guy who got his, got his license through our program and is just the nicest guy. He takes his job so seriously. He enjoys talking to parents, he enjoys talking to the kids. He always has a smile on his face. He's willing to do the extra, go the extra mile for his students and families. And the energy that he brings to the Transportation department is so different than what has always been done in the past with people that just walked through the halls that were complaining about their jobs, right? Or oh, this student, whatever. But his, the whole Department of Labor training participants really are coming through with a brand new burst of energy. And that is going to be something that will reap the, reap the benefits of for years to come, for sure. And our students will have a better day because of it.
- [58:26]
Graham Violino
Oh, I was just going to say, you know, Liza is 100% correct. It's infectious, right? Like, you walk through the halls and, you know, now there's just not a reason for anybody to be angry. And if they are, then you see individuals like, you know, Liza just mentioned Andrew, Right. And then you realize that, why am I a upset, right? Like, there's no reason. So it has, it's brought that to the Transportation department as a whole. And it really, like I just said, it's been infectious throughout the department.
- [58:59]
John Brucato
That's great. Well, Liza and Graham, thank you both so much for joining me today. I'm School Business Insider. I'm really excited to get your story out and keep up the good work. It sounds really inspiring and encouraging.
- [59:10]
Liza Akinpura
Thank you for your time, John.
- [59:12]
Graham Violino
Yeah, thank you very much for having us. And we enjoy, enjoyed it.
- [59:16]
John Brucato
Thank you for tuning in to School Business Insider. Make sure to check back each week for your favorite topics on school business.