By Kim Hilsenbeck.
Jennifer Fischer arrives at work before most people wake up; on weekday mornings, she is in the office by 5:30 a.m. She generally leaves by about 5 p.m. Fischer said she and her colleagues definitely don’t keep bankers hours.
“It’s a long day,” Fischer said.
But as the route coordinator for Hays CISD, she also knows her job is extremely important.
Each weekday, Fischer helps ensure that her 135 drivers safely transport more than 9,000 school children to and from their destination. Those drivers travel nearly two million miles a year.
Jennifer Fischer talks to bus drivers at the Hays CISD transportation department. (photo by Kim Hilsenbeck) |
“It’s like running a small city,” she said.
Fischer, who started as a driver more than eight years ago, oversees more than 100 regular bus routes, along with more than 35 special routes, plus career and technology routes and field trips. She wears many hats.
“I drove a bus the other day because we were short staffed,” she said. “I work dispatch when needed.”
But her most common role is to orchestrate the comings and goings of a fleet of more than 188 buses. While she has fun with her colleagues and said the transportation group is like family, Fischer takes her job very seriously.
“I miss driving and being around the kids, because that’s why we’re here,” she said.
Some Hays CISD drivers have been with the district for more than 20 years, frequently on the same routes. Yet there is a 30 percent turnover rate for drivers – Fischer said it’s high but not uncommon for school districts.
“Sometimes the job is not what they expected,” Fischer said. “The pay is not very high, the hours are long. Many arrive between 5 and 6 a.m., they are off by 9 a.m., and they have to back by 2 p.m. and they get off at 5 or 6 p.m.”
In between the hours they drive, some go home, others work the mid-day pre-Kindergarten. And the special needs routes run all day long, according to Fischer.
“And then there are the routes for career and technology students, plus field trips,” she said.
In Hays CISD, more than 55 percent of students are bus riders – with a sizeable portion facing socio-economic issues that allow them to be on a bus route.
The Texas Education Agency sets the limit for how far from a school students must live before receiving bus service. It’s two miles, unless there is a qualifying safety hazard. The district has several, according to Fischer.
For example, in east Kyle, there are housing developments across the street from Hemphill Elementary and Simon Middle School. That street happens to be FM 150; there is no stop light, crossing zone or footbridge allowing safe passage from the houses, even though they are far less than the two-mile limit.
“Out on Highway 21,” Fischer said, “we pick up students door-to-door because it’s dangerous for them to walk.”
At any given time, Fischer knows where every bus is located, thanks to a GPS system. The dispatch center tracks issues and hiccups while Fischer deals with covering all the routes and staying on schedule.
Some days are easier than others. A number of drivers have multiple routes, so getting off schedule on one can have a Domino effect.
Other issues arise occasionally, as well. Fischer said probably the scariest incident she’s experienced was when she was working in dispatch.
A special education bus with students on board was on its end of school day route. She said it exited Interstate 35 in Kyle on what she referred to as one of the “suicide ramps” and was hit by a car.
“Everyone was OK, but it was terrifying for a few minutes,” Fischer said. “I can’t wait until those access roads become one-way.”
As one might expect when transporting more than 9,000 students daily, situations happen, Fischer said. Kids getting on bus they shouldn’t, or getting off at stops where they shouldn’t. Some kids get off at an earlier stop.
“Most of where we get into trouble is when kids get ingenious on their own; they decide they want to go home with a friend,” Fischer said.
“Probably 90 percent of time with misplaced students, this is the reason why.”
Fischer said Hays CISD is lucky.
“We have a lot of really good drivers with common sense,” she said.
