Not in recent memory has there been a year with so many new transportation directors in North Carolina. At least sixteen counties and one city school district have new directors, largely due to the retirement of numerous transportation directors that served many years in pupil transportation. And what a time to start in this business!
On November 17-18, 2010 the annual New Directors and Cost Clerk training was held at the DPI building in Raleigh. The class is held once a year as a service to LEA transportation departments and covers a wide variety of topics including policies and regulations dealing with school bus transportation. This year, over 30 personnel attended, including SIXTEEN new transportation directors! The new directors pictured below – along with an equal number of cost clerks – received information intended to help them manage a safe and efficient transportation operation for their counties.
1-Keba Baldwin-Currituck, 2-Wesley Stokes-Washington , 3-Dan Lilly, Pasquotank, 4-Alan Justice-Transylvania, 5-Timothy Thompson-Cabarrus , 6-Herb Sanderson-Sampson,,-Travis Durham-Asheville City, 8-Gregg Foushee-Person, 9-Sue Tripp-Asheville City, 10-Harry Wilkins-Granville, 11-Brad Bass-Chowan, 12-Derek Clark-Randolph, 13-Jesse Keesee-Caswell, 14- Ronald Wilder-Hertford, 15-Frankie Floyd-Jones, 16-Gary Buie, Davidson. Attending but not pictured: Kevin Griffin-Harnett.
The class is taught by the DPI Transportation Services staff as well as guest speakers from other agencies involved with school bus transportation. Don Johnson (DMV School Bus and Traffic Safety), Stan Black (State Surplus Property) and Vivian Bridges (NC Operation Lifesaver) participated in this year’s event. A sample of topics include: Legal Issues & Public School Law, Vehicle Inventory, State Reporting Forms and Processes, Insurance and Reimbursements, State Transportation Funding, Vehicle Replacements, Bus Specifications, Preventive Maintenance, Vehicle Inspections, BSIP and Special Needs Transportation.
The next New Directors/Cost Clerk training is scheduled for November 16-17 2011 at the Education building in Raleigh.
