School fleet adds seven new buses

    School bus operations will remain the same as last year the start of the 2021-2022 school year next week, said school transportation director Dale Meeks.
    "Everything is basically the same as it was last year," said Meeks.
    He said not only will bus routes remain essentially the same but pick-up and drop-off times, also.
    However, as in every new school year, Meeks said that for the first week or so there may be some delays as routes and operations are resolved.
    "It takes a week or so to get all the routes straightened out," Meeks said.
    One of the issues that will be addressed in the early days of the new school year is assigning students to seats in the buses.
    Meeks said the choice of seat assignments originally was left up to individual bus drivers.
    He said that changed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and assigning seats became mandatory for the entire bus fleet.
    As well as regulating space between students, Meeks said the assigned seats also can resolve disciplinary problems.
    "We always recommend (assigning seats)," Meeks said. "It helps a lot on discipline."
    This year, the school system received seven new buses that will be in operation among the 47 in the fleet, Meeks said.
    Five of the new buses are full-sized and two are special education buses.
    Meeks said that there remains a need for drivers but that the need is not as acute as it has been in previous years.
    Meeks cautioned motorists to be alert for buses as the school year begins.
    The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 2 for pre-kindergarten students Tuesday, Aug. 3 is the first day for all grades except pre-kindergarten who rejoin the school calendar on Wednesday, Aug. 4.
    "I hope all the traffic will slow down and be patient with us," Meeks  said.
Motorists should watch for bus route stops and stop in each direction for students to be picked up or dropped off.
    "It's the same thing as a red light," Meeks said.
    School superintendent Daniel Oldham said the system is prepared for any increases in fuel prices.
    "We have budgeted for higher potential fuel prices in the current budget," Oldham said. "If prices were to go above our budgeted amount the board would have to amend the budget to accommodate the unforeseen price change."
    The school has budgeted $2,067,747 for student transportation this school year.
    A comprehensive list of bus routes can be found on the Stephens County school system's website at https://www.stephens.k12.ga.us.
    Meeks also invited those with questions about their route to call him at the transportation department at 706-886-1633.