The Spring ISD transportation facility was built with more than vehicles in mind.
The facility includes a child care center that opened its doors on Oct. 1, 2009, to care for bus drivers’ pre- and elementary-school-aged children. The center was conceived by Brian Weisinger, director of Transportation, as a way to retain bus drivers. His hope is that the transportation department no longer loses employees because they are unable to find or afford child care that accommodates bus drivers’ work schedules.
The child care facility is open between the hours of 5 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. each school day. Children ages 3 to 12 are attended by three full-time employees who have prior child care experience. “The cost to drivers is less than half the rate they would typically pay at an outside facility,” states Weisinger.
While preschool children stay at the center when their parent is at work, care for elementary school children is provided before and after school and includes transportation to and from the two closest district elementary schools. The service is available to drivers that are residents of the district and who agree to transfer their child to one of the nearby schools.
The center has a 40-child capacity and 16 students were enrolled in January. “It is too early to determine what impact the new child care center has had on retention,” Weisinger notes. “It has improved morale and helped employees with young children. It’s a step in the right direction and removes barriers that interfere with a driver’s ability to work. I expect enrollment to increase.”
Weisinger and other Spring ISD staff are constantly striving to do more for drivers to improve morale and let them know that they are critical to the district’s mission. “I believe that improving morale increases the department’s ability to provide a greater service to the district,” Weisinger said.
The department’s staff recently hosted another noteworthy morale-boosting event, a pancake breakfast for bus drivers. Also, during the January cold snap, hot chocolate was waiting for drivers when they returned to the transportation facility after their morning run.
Through efforts large and small, Weisinger is finding ways to let his bus drivers know they are appreciated.
