Far too long travel times, bad drivers and illogical routes. Student transport for special education in the Bollenstreek leaves a lot to be desired, say parents of students. There are mainly complaints about Noot Personenvervoer, the company that provides student transport for the entire Bollenstreek. Staff shortages are believed to be at the root of the problems, something that affects the entire sector. Municipal councilors of the municipality of Teylingen are also concerned about student transport. This was revealed during a meeting of the Council's Welfare Committee on Monday.
illogical routes
The ever-changing situation in education as a result of the corona pandemic, among other things, has an impact on student transport. On top of that, there is a lack of staff, which forced the carrier to rearrange the routes. Make it longer to save drivers. The concern of the councilors was shared by alderman Arno van Kempen. He understood that the carrier had made the journeys longer, so that although the children are on the road longer, fewer drivers are needed. He admitted that communication about the problems left something to be desired.
race to the bottom
Perhaps the main question is what is really at the root of these problems. It has been raining complaints about student transport in the Duin- en Bollenstreek for months. Meanwhile, a citizens' initiative started by a mother from Noordwijk about the decline in student transport. If 40.000 signatures are thus collected, the initiative can be brought to the attention of the House of Representatives. The biggest source of annoyance is the constant changes of drivers, being late too often and the lack of coordination with the parents.
Now that all municipalities have to design the tender for student transport themselves, there has been a very serious loss in the quality and safety of the implementation. Municipalities structurally forget that they are the principal and send the parents of these vulnerable children back to the failing carrier. According to the initiators of the petition, the most basic elements cannot be guaranteed. The development of its vulnerable users cannot resist the changes of drivers, being late for school, not being introduced to the driver.
"The lack of coordination with parents, supervisors and schools, the long routes, the proliferation of incapable drivers due to a shortage in this branch of sport, the lack of skills to be able to connect to the problems, the lack of matching between the children in the taxi, the unfeasible planning and the fact that children remain without being picked up at all or the unavailability of the carrier. Without communication she is nowhere at all."
According to some parents, it is really dramatically bad, with little knowledge about the problems of the child that travels along in student transport. The use of good planning systems and route generators cannot solve all problems. Algorithms determine combinations, travel times and routes. Other factors become more difficult to take into account, because they often have to be solved with 'common common sense'.
Student transport is often used for a child who cannot go to school independently, for example in the event of illness, a disability or behavioral problems. The municipality looks at whether student transport is necessary for each student, but too often forgets that 'customization' and 'fixed patterns' are the basis of a successful tender for such forms of transport.
respect for drivers
The taxi driver is often the first person parents see when something went wrong in transportation. In most cases, the driver is the person who comes to solve the problem and did not cause it. Perhaps it is nice that parents or carers of students pause for a moment. Instead of giving the driver the full brunt this time in an often 'overheated' discussion, understanding each other can work wonders.
KNV looks for solutions to the problem together with the entrepreneurs in various ways. Unfortunately, the staff shortage will not be solved overnight, as it also occurs in other sectors such as healthcare and the catering industry. The industry therefore mainly asks for understanding of the situation.
Bertho Eckhardt about this: 'It is not ill-will that the companies cannot always meet the transport demand when customers want it. Healthcare carriers are part of the healthcare chain and constantly monitor the interests of the customer. However, we have now ended up in a situation where we are sometimes no longer able to meet the customer's wishes. That really bothers the entrepreneurs.'
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