School transportation improvements discussed in Whitefish after bus fire

Whitefish School District held a K-12 connect session last week to brainstorm solutions to improve student transportation after a Rocky Mountain Transportation activities bus caught fire Nov. 23 while at a speech and debate tournament in Ronan.

All of the students were inside the school still participating in the tournament when the fire consumed the bus. The bus driver suffered some injuries and was treated for smoke inhalation.   

The cause of the fire was determined to be a malfunction with the alternator, according to the Ronan fire marshal’s report. The fire started between the rear bathroom and seating area.  

Belongings lost in the fire will be replaced by Rocky Mountain Transportation, the company the school district contracts with to provide bus services. Phones, electronics, coats, key fobs, makeup and clothes added up to thousands of dollars. 

Parents and students said a lack of information following the bus fire was a major concern, with some suggesting recent breakdowns and dissatisfaction with school transportation has been mounting for decades. 

“Conversations over the years have not felt great, but looking forward, we all want the same thing,” Whitefish High School Principal Kerry Drown said at the meeting. “We want buses, safe, reliable and comfortable, and to understand that things happen from time to time, but what’s reasonable versus what’s excessive – that's the conversation, and we all have a seat at the table.” 

At the connect session, attendees broke into small groups to list questions, challenges and solutions.  

Providing a uniform and instantaneous communication platform was a top priority.  

“How do we know when the issue is fixed? How do we keep everyone on the same page?” were listed as questions to address. 

“One solution we proposed is a system where you can report an issue to [Rocky Mountain Transportation] directly, and then it can be accessible to the public, so everyone can see what is going on,” said Jake Dunker, School Board student representative and a speech and debate participant. “And one of our main questions is do we have a long-term plan? So that if there are more issues, we know how to solve them." 

Participants also suggested an electronic platform to keep track of students as they enter and leave the bus, which would be helpful for elementary students who are more prone to end up on the wrong bus.  

“Some questions that stood out to me involve chain of command and documentation,” said Superintendent Dave Means. “A computer system was a common solution – I think we can do something like that.”  

The goal of such a system would be to communicate mechanical or safety concerns on an activity bus that then generates electronic documentation that goes directly to school district administration and Rocky Mountain Transportation. 

It was suggested that the misinformation that spread following the bus fire in Ronan could have been prevented with a reporting system. 

Rocky Mountain Transportation’s new owner Seth Soley said improvements have been under way since he took over the longtime Flathead Valley business last summer. 

“Safety is in our blood,” Soley said. “One thing we did since taking over in August is to put into place 30-day inspections on every piece that we have, which is more detailed than any annual Department of Transportation test.” 

Since taking over in August, the company has brought in five new buses for both activities and school route buses. Each bus costs between $750,000 and $1.5 million.  

The company has 27 buses in its fleet, including the five new ones. Seventeen of those are designated for schools, including 14 school buses, two coaches and one activities bus.  

Prior to renewing Rocky Mountain Transportation’s contract for the 2024-25 school year, the district explored other options by putting out calls for bids to companies in Spokane and elsewhere. 

“When we went out for contract, Rocky Mountain Transportation was the only company. And I can tell you as a trustee, we don’t have the resources to buy buses,” commented Trustee Shannon Hanson.  

The trustees incorporated into this year’s renewed contract that the district would not be responsible for breakdowns. This was to serve as motivation to get older buses up to par. 

“Problems existed with the bus company when it was purchased in [August],” said Trustee Jerrie Boksich. “Whether or not they knew all of the problems that existed is doubtful.” 

Another proposed solution is to reserve the company’s newer buses for longer or more challenging trips.  

Scheduling buses is typically up to Rocky Mountain Transportation, said Activities Director Aric Harris, but he has to contribute to decisions based on certain requirements each activity needs – such as room to store band or football equipment on a bus.  

Another suggested solution was to equip coaches and bus drivers with better emergency training and supplies. 

However, this solution is countered by the challenge of driver retention. Bus drivers are in high demand and see high turnover. 

Moving forward, an Activities Transportation Advisory Task Force plans to meet at least twice in the next couple of months to bolster action. Thereafter, an Activities Transportation Advisory Committee will ongoingly meet once a month to continue to address transportation needs. 

School board trustees Elizabeth pitman and Shannon Hanson were appointed to the task force at the board meeting on Dec. 10.