The deadline for applications is MAY 21, 2012 and the position is vacant as of July 1, 2012.

This is an opportunity to note that the position becomes available as a result of the recently announced retirement of long-time Director of Transportation, Cliff Berchtold…..we offer Cliff our hearty congratulations on his retirement….and all will miss his strong, diligent, intuitive and reliable presence in our industry. Good luck, Cliff!

CLICK HERE to view a copy of the job announcement.

This budget season will mean serious cuts and changes for our schools and for school transportation.  An expanding topic of discussion within our association will be about where these cuts take us in terms of transportation quality and access.  NYAPT’s Board of Directors will expand its discussion of ways to increase the direct involvement and relevance of transportation to the learning enterprise and how to promote the benefits of transportation services to the school community overall.  These kinds of discussions will be started at the state level but the most important will occur back in the district and chapter levels.

School transportation is an integral part of our schools, we share in the successes, we experience the difficulties and stresses, we provide for the children as much as any other discipline in the school. 

This press release and the related report are important for all in school transportation to read.

To view the press release: CLICK HERE 

 To view the published report: CLICK HERE

SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR

The East Syracuse Minoa CSD has an  opening for a School Transportation Director starting in August, 2012.  Civil Service competitive.

Interested candidates should apply by completing the on-line application at www.esmschools.org.  Click “Our District” and “Employment Opportunities.”

Complete the Instructional Application and at the Administrator drop-down menu click “Non-Instructional Supervisor.” 

View Civil Service job description at http://www.ongov.net/employment/jobs/specs/sp62080.htm

During the meeting, NYAPT Executive Director, Peter Mannella, presented local Senator John Bonacic (R,C,I-Mt Hope) with its 2011 Legislator of the Year award.  This award was presented to Bonacic and to Assemblyman Gary Pretlow of Westchester County, for their work in enacting legislation that greatly expands the list of crimes for which an individual can be disqualified from driving a school bus.  That important legislation, long supported by NYAPT, was enacted in 2011.  Mannella noted that the Bonacic/Pretlow legislation “ensures that our children are  being driven by men and women we can all trust to transport them to school safely.”

The Chapter also highlighted two bills for which NYAPT is advocating –the Gantt/Parker bill (A1178/S5741) that creates an education fund from 1174 penalties and the Rivera/Young bill (A4416/S4062) that, among other things, allows for photographic evidence to be used in prosecuting illegal passers. NYAPT is also supporting Bonacic’s bill S3099-A and its companion A8191 by Assemblyman Rivera which would allow for license suspensions for repeat offenders of Section 1174.

Pictured here (L to R): Louise Stewart, Safety Supervisor Monroe Woodbury CSD/Vice-President, Tri-County Assoc. for Pupil Transportation, Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt, Delos Luther, Transportation Director, Minisink Valley CSD/President, Tri-County APT., Senator John Bonacic, Dawn Russell, Director of Transportation, Warwick Valley CSD/Treasurer, Tri-County APT, Debra Weissman, Dispatcher, Warwick Valley CSD/Secretary, Tri-County APT, Peter Mannella, Executive Director, NY Association for Pupil Transportation.

Specifically, only Active Members (as defined in Section 211-a of the NYAPT By Laws) are eligible to vote in person or via an absentee ballot. 

Those active members who plan to vote via absentee ballot must send their request to the NYAPT office no later than 45 days prior to the date of the vote which will be conducted on July 16th.  That means that the requests must be received at NYAPT by June 2, 2012, to be eligible to cast a vote.

If members are not certain whether they will attend the Annual Conference to vote in person, it is wise tthey should consider requesting an absentee ballot to ensure they get to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Ballots will be mailed out not later than 30 days prior to the vote—meaning that they will be in the mail no later than June 15th.  They must also be returned to the NYAPT office no later than 10 days prior to the vote, or Friday, July 6th.

Remember ONLY ACTIVE Members are eligible to vote.  If you have any questions as to your status, please contact me via email at peter@nyapt.org.

The partnership has yielded a new informational website about school bus safety.  That site can be found at www.schoolbusfacts.com . 

The ASBC is a partnership among the three major national pupil transportation associations (NAPT, NSTA and NASDPTS) and the three major school bus manufacturing corporations (Bluebird, IC and ThomasBuilt).

To view a copy of the Job Posting CLICK HERE. 

The deadline for applications is MAY 11, 2012.

NYAPT has scheduled two press events that will underscore the importance of the OPERATION SAFE STOP campaign.

The first event will be held on Tuesday, April 17th, in Western New York at the Starpoint Middle School at 4363 Mapleton Road in Lockport.  This event will highlight the history of Operation Safe Stop, which began in 1993, and trace its relevance in today’s world where illegal passing continues at high levels.  The press conference will start promptly at 9:30 PM in the Middle School Auditorium.

The second event will be held on Wednesday, April 18th, at the AAA headquarters at 618 Delaware Avenue in Albany.  This event, which is slated to include the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner – Barbara Fiala – will focus on the depth of the illegal passing problem in our state and share what we and others have done to reduce the incidence of illegal passing.

NYAPT has been very involved over the years in developing educational programs and materials in our efforts to reduce and eliminate illegal passing.  We have also been stalwarts in supporting the tenets of OPERATION SAFE STOP and coordinate local school/law enforcement days every year.  NYAPT has also been in the forefront of testing the effectiveness of Stop Arm cameras on school buses, having piloted their use in four school districts with the support of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.  In addition, NYAPT is aggressively supporting a package of legislation that would make it easier to prosecute violators of Section 1174 (illegal passing) and would impose more stringent and appropriate penalties on those who pass stopped school buses.

All NYAPT members and colleagues are urged to participate in some way on OPERATION SAFE STOP DAY—April 18th!!

School Transportation officials should be aware of this  program and work with their local school boards and school administrations to consider whether to submit for funding. Note that the funding is in recognition of steps that have been taken to streamline functions and costs over the past two years or the current school year.  The awards are given for each year that savings are maintained. The grants ‘reward’ districts for financial savings to their local taxpayers as well as to the state-level taxpayers.

It is important to read the entire application package and conditions as a part of your considerations regarding submittal to the State for this funding.

The Governor’s press release can be viewed HERE.

The link to the Education Department webpage for the Efficiency program can be viewed HERE.