Suffolk City Public Schools

Transportation AssessmentTransPro Consulting

July 9, 2015

Agenda

• Introduction and Overview of Work• Presentation of Core Findings • Recommendations (short and long term)• Summary – Next Steps and Challenges

Introduction

• Ten task areas– Covering every aspect of Transportation– People, Process and Tools

• Work spanned April-July 2015– More than seven site visits

• Three consultants– Expertize in Pupil Transportation, Bus Maintenance,

Public Sector Process, Technology, and People Assessment

Executive Summary

• A highly capable team of hard working performers

• Transportation is often perceived as an afterthought rather than a priority.

• Leads to a dynamic where the team develops innovative, creative, and sometimes ad hoc solutions to complex systemic problems facing operations and maintenance, which could lead to more serious challenges

Indicators

High rates of late buses or no busesHigh breakdown risksHigh disabled bus counts (down buses awaiting

disposal and/or parts)Stripping buses on auction block for partsKey staff turnover; voluntary separationCreative solution ideation to meet service

needs masks core issues to management

Findings - People

• Succession and leadership planning• Lower-than-market compensation in a

competitive region• Lack of sufficient headcount in several key

areas and positions• Insufficient training

Findings - Process

• “Wasted” time, material and movement– “Waste” is a Lean Six Sigma term

• wasted time ... "time working repairs that are avoidable”• wasted material ... "spending money on parts to fix quick fixes and aging fleet”• wasted movement ... "spending time driving around the district making field

fixes; and spending time back and forth between garages"

• District-wide decentralized garaging and storage, and gross lack of parts and bus storage and inventory management

• Split maintenance operations (“Blue Building” and “Old Building”)• Dependence on procedurally laden City parts procurement for

mission critical transportation service

Findings - Tools

• Frequent technology changes impacting efficient transportation (scheduling, vehicle location and maintenance)

• Aging fleet• Highly diverse and complex mixed fleet composition; • Bulge and binge low-bid bus procurement process (creates

highly expensive aged fleet bubbles and non-standardized non-common parts and maintenance processes);

• Lack of adequate maintenance facilities and tools; • Inadequate data-driven decision making

RecommendationsShort Term

• Hire a new Coordinator of Transportation; but take care to hire the right talent even if it takes longer; appoint interim leadership (internal or external) for continuity

• Complete the technology system procurement of the “GPS System”; again take the time to fully evaluate and select a long term partner solution that will work well for the District

• Prepare for Fall Service

RecommendationsLong Term

• Realignment of Staff – right people in the right places doing the right things

• Develop a strategic multi-year transportation departmental plan, and fund it

• Consolidation of Transportation operations; Facility replacement or upgrade

• Change bell times to optimize efficiency of Transportation• Procurement flattening to smooth fleet turnover and eliminate

aged bus clumping• Implement departmental scorecard process; including metric and

datasource development; and metric-based decision making

RecommendationsLong Term

• Realignment of Staff – right people in the right places doing the right things

• Develop a strategic multi-year transportation departmental plan, and fund it

• Consolidation of Transportation operations; Facility replacement or upgrade

• Change bell times to optimize efficiency of Transportation• Procurement flattening to smooth fleet turnover and eliminate

aged bus clumping• Implement departmental scorecard process; including metric and

datasource development; and metric-based decision making

Summary

• Challenges to progress– Staffing– Facility– Equipment– Funding