School bus company officials and employees vehemently opposed proposals to further reduce service to public school students to help reduce a $12 million shortfall.

About 100 people, most of whom were bus employees who also had children or grandchildren who could be affected by the bus changes, stressed to the school board's Budget Committee yesterday the safety of schoolchildren and emphasized the need for school bus service.

“;You're going to put our children in the lion cage,”; said Maryann Miner, 60, a former school bus driver for 21 years, Gomes School Bus Service employee and grandmother of five. “;My concern is not only for my grandchildren, but all children. When I drove bus, all those children were my babies.”;

Before the meeting, Randy Moore, assistant superintendent of the Office of School Facilities and Support Service, said that although the money to cover the $72 million cost to run the public school buses will run out in March, buses would continue running.

“;The whole department has to run out of money before we have to stop doing something,”; he said. The Department of Education would find the money internally to continue bus transportation, and one way is not filling vacancies created by attrition.

  Intense BOE Transportation Meeting

 

The school board heard an earful from bus drivers tonight.

[ Watch ]

 

Roy Pfund, vice president of investments for Roberts Hawaii, said two cost-cutting measures the Hawaii School Bus Association recommends are standardizing the school calendar, at least within complex-area schools, to be more efficient and cost-effective; and staggering school start times to maximize the use of buses.

School bus officials said the Department of Education has not been open to the ideas.

School bus companies are already taking a hit with 17 Furlough Fridays.

Lee Gomes, general manager of Gomes School Bus Service, said her company is suffering about 35 to 45 percent in losses.

Moore said staggering start times and standardizing the school calendar “;makes a lot of sense.”;

“;It's worthy of a discussion,”; he said.

Ken Vasseur, a bus employee, recommended the DOE turn over the school bus service to the Department of Transportation, which Karen Knudsen, vice chairwoman of the Budget Committee, said she agreed with.

Budget Chairwoman Janis Akuna said the committee is exploring all ways of reducing costs and being more efficient, as well as the possibility of seeking more funding, since the governor turned down the school board's recommendation to bring back seven furlough days.

Speaking on this issue, she said, “;If this is a safety issue for the children, we have to weigh that.”;