Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-04-12
BY Ronald HI. NeSSen
Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter
(ThiS Is the sixth in a series
of articles on McKinSey and
Co.'S recommendation for inn
proving the administration of
the Montgomery County school
system, the background on, and
the reactions to those recon-.
mendatiOns. This weeks article
considers McKinsey's proposals
in the area of school transpor-
tatiOn. Eds Note)
In a memorandum written
March 2 and made public for the
first time in this article Richard
M. Ream, the Board of Educa.
tons director of transportation,
told school Superintendent Forbes
Norris, "As my general opinion
of the McKinsey report, so far as
this department is concerned,
would say they are not too far
off"
Mr.. Ream advised the superin.
tendent that the McKinsey re.
port contains "some good points"
However, the transportation d.
rector feels many McKinsey pro-
posals for improving school trans
portation were being considered
before the management consult.
ants made their survey.
The school systems fleet con.
sists of 156 busses, as trucks, and
918 automobiles. About 1900
children are transported to school
daily. The County Council is be-
ing asked for $612,694 to run the
transportation division during the
coming fiscal year, an increase
of $12,789 over this years trans.
portation budget.
McKinsey's recommendations
for improving the school trans
portation system are:
1. Establish a motor pool of all
school vehicles not absolutely nee
essary for the conduct of day-to-
day activities.
2. Centralize authority and re-
sponsibility for all transportation
functions in the manager of trans
portation.
3. Provide closer supervision of
bus drivers.
A. Establish bus storage areas.
5. Purchase as much gas and
oil as possible at wholesale prices
s. Establish preventative
maintenance program.
z. Provide more clearly defined
policies and procedures.
3. Investigate joint county.
school system vehicle service
shops.
The school board has quickly
implemented some of the pro-
posals. A subcommittee studying
the McKinsey report recommend.
ed the board direct the staff to
give the proposals careful study
with view to implementing the
suggestions beginning with the
school year 1861"
Silence on Pool
Reaction to McKinSey's pool
idea is silence. Mr.. Ream won't
comment. County Manager M. L.
Reese also says mo comment" to
the McKinsey idea that a Joint
county-school system car pool
may be desirable and economi-
cal"
Cars are permanently assigned
to Is school employees: DR.. James
L. Prince, assistant superintend-
ent for personnel and admins
tration; Lester ]. WEIGH, admins
trative assistant for site acquisi.
ton; Mr.. Ream; Leonard Multi
mex of the maintenance depart
ment; Mrs. Eileen Wilkinson, pu-
pill personnel; George Menke, di-
rector of maintenance and Gus.
todial services; DR.. Mary Grau,
elementary supervisor; James
Sheldon, director of construction;
c. G. Long of the transportation
division; Arthur Layman in the
custodial department; Jack Wise,
chief custodian; Crescent Bride,
physical education supervisor;
Ohio Hawke, assistant to Mr..
Menke; Jack Powell, assistant to
Mr.. Ream, and Superintendent
Norris.
In addition Charles Bigelow is
permitted to take home his mail
truck. Three other cars are per
manently assigned TO the main
tenance and custodial division.
Shopping