Privitizing Greenville County School Buses

[GSP Tiger]

School Buses Could Go Private

WSPA-TV 7 (CBS)

2006.01.09

With inadequate funding to repair and replace them, would it be a wise investment for a private company to come in and manage the county's school bus fleet?

[Greenville]

Yes! The government has proven that they are ill-equipped to manage the bus system, especiallly in Greenville County. I remember reading an article within the last year that discussed the sorry state of school buses in Greenville County (perhaps some of you read it as well). The article talked about how Greenville County purchased old buses from another state (TN or VA, if I remember correctly). The article also stated that some of the buses currently in use are really old.

Thus, it makes total sense to have a private company come in and do a good job. They would actually get paid (and evaluted) based on performance, and if they didn't do a good job, someone else could be brought in to do it. Greenville County, and the students who attend school there, deserve better than what they are getting.

[RestedTraveler]

Yes! The government has proven that they are ill-equipped to manage the bus system, especiallly in Greenville County. I remember reading an article within the last year that discussed the sorry state of school buses in Greenville County (perhaps some of you read it as well). The article talked about how Greenville County purchased old buses from another state (TN or VA, if I remember correctly). The article also stated that some of the buses currently in use are really old.

Thus, it makes total sense to have a private company come in and do a good job. They would actually get paid (and evaluted) based on performance, and if they didn't do a good job, someone else could be brought in to do it. Greenville County, and the students who attend school there, deserve better than what they are getting.

I remember that article as well. Those buses were from Kentucky and were 12 years old or so, but were still in MUCH BETTER condition and were MUCH YOUNGER than the buses they were replacing. I'm not sure I want my kids riding around on a school bus that is as old as I am.

At the same time, I have to wonder ... what's the South Carolina Education Lottery funding? I thought part of its original intent was to provide for newer fleets of school buses, too?

[GvilleSC]

At the same time, I have to wonder ... what's the South Carolina Education Lottery funding? I thought part of its original intent was to provide for newer fleets of school buses, too?

It makes me wonder too. Maybe the school districts that aren't performing like they should are taking all the money...

[btoy]

Why stop there, they should privatize the whole school system while they are at it.

[Greenville]

Sounds good to me, btoy.

Also, I don't see why Greenville schools would be penalized for performance. Isn't it one of the top school districts in the state? I thought it had been nationally recognized in several categories as well.

[Chickenwing]

I thought the buying of buses was under the control of the state, and it was the state who bought the older school buses.

Unfortunately, the Lottery money seems to go for scholarships, etc for college and tech schools. I have always thought this was pretty lame idea, and that more of it should go to primary education, where it is most needed.

Back on the buses though, generally privitizing most services is better than letting the government do it.

[btoy]

It isn't money that public education needs. It is parents who are involved, that care and are interested in their child's education. And, it needs students that have a drive and will to learn, students that realize what they do in school affects their whole life. We can spend billions of dollars and it isn't going to do squat as long as students could care less about learning.

[RestedTraveler]

^^

I agree with that 100% btoy. I'm the youngest of my siblings and, likewise, my kids are the youngest offspring of my sibling group. So, I watched their kids grow up before I had any of my own, essentially. Because of this (and no offense to my brother or sister), I've had a fear of my kids turning into video-game-playing, television-watching couch potato zombies ever since my daughter was born. I have worked very hard to keep her interested in reading and learning. As a result, she absolutely LOVES school and can't wait to go back every day to learn something new. We're definitely taking the same approach with our son, too.

If you, as a parent, are engaged and active in your child's education and if you keep your children interested and rewarded (and the reward doesn't have to be money or gifts or food - it can simply be a smile and a "GREAT JOB!" or some other form of praise) for their efforts, those chidren will want to learn because they will implictly realize just how important education is to the most significant people in their lives, their parents. And from a child's point of view: if it's important to my parents, then it must be important for me, the child.

Yea, I've been dipping into the "love and logic" a little bit

It hasn't let me down yet!

[gs3]

It isn't money that public education needs. It is parents who are involved, that care and are interested in their child's education. And, it needs students that have a drive and will to learn, students that realize what they do in school affects their whole life. We can spend billions of dollars and it isn't going to do squat as long as students could care less about learning.

You are right on btoy!! Agreed! Parental and personal responsibility can never be replaced with dollars.

[Greenville]

I totally agree about the importance of good parenting and a positive home environment (one that is supportive of kids learning). It truly does get down to the parents, especially as kids get older and teachers are expected to not only motivate kids to try but also have them succeed. That is nearly impossible for most teachers to do in the face of parents who don't care.

So in light of this discussion, are states ranked toward the bottom of school rankings dealing with a higher percentage of parents who don't provide the support, encouragement, and expectation we're talking about? Do you guys think it's largely a cultural problem in these states? Or are the standards too varied from state to state (e.g., who is tested, standards, etc.) that the rankings can't really be relied upon to begin with?

[upstate29650]

Speaking of school busses...can anyone decipher the mysterious code on the busses?

Most places number their busses (417, 35, 845, etc). In SC, they're numbered 895.4823 or some such. WTF is that??!!

[GSP Tiger]

Speaking of school busses...can anyone decipher the mysterious code on the busses?

Most places number their busses (417, 35, 845, etc). In SC, they're numbered 895.4823 or some such.

It is a way to identify school buses in their fleet. Like your planes and tractor-trailer have fleet ID numbers, school buses also have them.

[RestedTraveler]

I was wondering the same thing. I had come up with all sorts of explanations in my head...including that it was just the telephone number to reach the driver to tell them what you thought of their driving. But I knew that wasn't correct.