Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-04-12

In advocating the car pool, Nc
Kinsey claims assigned vehicles
often stand wastefully idle when
their drivers are in the office or
home sick. Mr.. Ream, however,
says drivers not assigned cars
often borrow idle assigned We.
hicleS.
Drivers of assigned cars keep
no mileage or gas records, but
Mr.. Ream plans to ask them to do
so soon. They have been ordered
to use their vehicles for school
business only.
Mileage Money Cut
Drivers who use their own cars
for school business have been
reimbursed in the past at either
Z cents per mile, $45 per month,
or $3.50 per month. McKinsey
charges that the list of en-
ployees reimbursed for private
car use has never been reviewed
to determine if each individual
continues to qualify for REIN
bursement and at what rate"
Last month the School Board
voted to reimburse all private car
users from now on at 7 cents
per mile to a maximum of $50
per month. All payments over
$50 per month will have to be
okayed by the superintendent.
Travel reimbursement criteria
was set in 1853. All employees
who drove more than ST. miles
per month were paid $40. Those
who drove between 285 and ST.
miles per month were paid 500.
Those who drove less than 285
miles monthly got Z cents per
mile. Eventually the flat fee was
upped to a straight $45 monthly.
Three officials, who asked that
they not be named, are paid $3.50
a month for travel. One says,
Some months / lose money,
some months l make money"
School Board members are paid
$50 a month for travel and ex-
penses.
Approve Bus Supervisors
McKinsey asks that seven bus
driver supervisors be hired to re-
lieve the director of transporta.
ton of some routine daily re-
sponsibility" and to provide di-
rection "as close to the point of
operation as possible"
The School Board approved
funds four bus driver supervisors
at annual salaries of $4,000. Nc
kinsey saw the supervisors as
regular drivers with added super
Wsory duties. Mr.. Ream hopes
to hire full-time, non-driving SUI
pervisors. He has not yet estab.
lished the areas over which they
will have authority.
In his memo to DR.. Norris, Mr..
Ream commented on the plan to
hire bus driver supervisors: 81
am sure we can design enough
worthwhile work for these po-
sitions to make them a full-time
job. The public and the schools
will feel the effect of this recon-
mendation by receiving better
service with less red tape"
The bus driver supervisors and
another McKinsey idea-the bus
storage areas-will probably be
combined. The supervisors may
have their offices in the storage
yards.
Vandalism Cut Hoped
McKinsey proposes the bus
storage areas because equipment
and gasoline have been stolen,
vandals have damaged the We
hicles, and citizens have COM
planned about BUSES parked on
the street. Several bus drivers
have been charged with illegal
parking.
Many school bus drivers will
quit if storage yards are estab-
lished, thinks Mr.. Ream. because
the drivers will have no way to
get TO the storage areas. How
ever, the transportation director
calls the idea Worthwhile" and
says, 1T should be done"
Mr.. Ream doesn't like the Nc
Kinsey proposal that locks be put
on school bus doors. Some driv.
er is bound to forget to unlock
the emergency door," he states.
About $4,000 was spent on gas
and oil for school vehicles last
year. McKinsey hits at the fact
that almost half the fuel and oil
was purchased at retail service
stations, either at a slight dis.
count or at the full price. CThe
I