When school districts talk about closing buildings, redistricting and changing routes, transportation is often expected to “just make it work.” For Clara Bisaillon, transportation supervisor at Scotia Glenville CSD in upstate New York, that was no longer acceptable without better tools in place.
“There’s a difference between want and need,” Clara said. “And getting everybody else to understand that… those tablets, the Wayfinder tablets, are really a need.”
Her urgency came from what she sees coming next year: school closures, major route changes, and drivers being sent into unfamiliar territory.
“If I don’t get them up and running and make sure that we have our system set, we’re in the water next year when we make those changes of closing an elementary school and throwing my drivers into areas they’ve not been,” she said. “They don’t know those kiddos yet, they don’t know those areas.”
For Clara, this isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about protecting her people. “The one thing I want to do is give my staff tools to make sure that those challenges are minimized as much as possible,” she said.
She knows how close many drivers already are to the breaking point. “We ask a lot of our drivers,” Clara explained. “We’re adding extra routes to cover for their co-workers… and just people who are frustrated with student behavior. Those are the things that really tip the scale for those drivers to say this isn’t worth it anymore.”
That’s why she changed her message to district leadership. This was no longer a “nice to have.”
“It’s the only tool that I can offer my staff to kind of make them… feel like it’s going to be OK,” she said. “We’re going to be in uncertain environments and uncertain times with uncertain kids, but these are the tools that I’m going to provide you.”
The start of a new year always come with some jitters, she said. “We’re going to minimize that with these tablets.”
What finally sealed the decision was data. After testing Wayfinder for two weeks, Clara saw its impact. “The stats that get provided, the ridership, the times, the updating, the stops, the drivers being able to give me feedback on the routes — what was working, what wasn’t working — that two-week time frame gave me so much fighting power,” she said. “That really sealed the deal.”
For transportation leaders waiting on the sidelines, Clara had a warning: delays may cost more than time. With chip shortages and districts adopting tablets at once, supply is tightening. If people hold on their decision and wait on their decisions, they might find themselves not being able to get up and running, she said.
And the mindset has shifted across the industry. “A lot of us are saying now that it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Clara said. “This has definitely shifted in our mindset.”
Ultimately, her argument came back to value — of the drivers and the operation. “It’s an extra tool not only for your driver for working, but you want them to feel valued,” she said. “It’s going to make my drivers know that they are valued even more.”
For school transportation leaders facing route upheaval, staffing shortages and rising scrutiny, Clara’s message is clear: waiting carries its own risk. “You gotta fight for every little tool that you give,” she said. “You gotta be willing to fight for them.”
To learn more about how Transfinder technology can help your operation navigating challenges, email [email protected], visit transfinder.com/solutions or call 800-373-3609.
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