JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and Randolph Field Independent School District officials are exploring options to ensure the safe passage of children to and from Randolph Elementary School following the discontinuation of bus service by JBSA-Randolph's vehicle operations element.
The service, which is not a mission requirement by the Air Force but is allowed under provisions of Air Force Instruction 24-301, is being terminated starting with the 2013-14 school year due to the effects of sequestration and a very resource constrained environment, Randolph officials said.
"Sequestration has driven contract reductions, manning cuts and reduced funding for logistics readiness squadrons throughout Joint Base San Antonio, eliminating the excess resources and capacity previously used to provide the school bus service," Col. Christine Erlewine, 902nd Mission Support Group commander, said.
Erlewine said the consolidation of JBSA logistics readiness squadrons' vehicle fleets means Randolph's excess resources, including vehicles and drivers, are now required to support missions across the joint base.
"We empathize and fully understand the impacts and risks involved in this decision," Brig. Gen. Bob LaBrutta, 502nd Air Base Wing commander, said. "However, in this very difficult resource-constrained environment, exacerbated by the late reductions that amounted to a $50 million reduction of our operations and maintenance funds across all of our installation support accounts JBSA-wide, we are having to make some very difficult, but necessary decisions on how to make our very limited resources cover our core mission requirements."
Randolph's vehicle operations element, which most recently provided three buses and drivers every morning, and seven buses and drivers every afternoon for Randolph Elementary School, has provided the service for years.
"We were able to do it because the logistics readiness squadron at Randolph had excess capacity," Brian Roush, 902nd MSG deputy commander, said. "We can no longer assure those resources will be available."
The most recent numbers showed two buses provided service to 105 students in base housing in the morning and afternoon, one bus transported 50 students from Randolph Youth Programs to the elementary school in the morning and five buses moved 155 students from the school to youth programs in the afternoon.
Randolph Field ISD does not provide bus service for its elementary school students, except for those with special needs, because Texas Education Code Title 2 stipulates that students living within two miles of a school are not entitled to district-provided transportation.
However, the Texas Education Code does allow the school district to provide bus services for children living within two miles of the school if there is a hazard such as children having to cross a major highway to get to school.
"The active runway between base housing and the middle and high schools meets the Texas Education Code definition of a hazard," Linda Howlett, Randolph ground safety manager, said. "Therefore, the district does provide bus service for students who attend Randolph Middle School and Randolph High School."
The Traffic Engineering Committee, which includes representatives from the 902nd MSG, 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron, 902nd Security Forces Squadron and other organizations, is exploring options for the safe passage of children. Randolph ISD officials and several parents have been invited to join the working group.
"Understanding the risks at JBSA-Randolph, we are working diligently on ways to mitigate the safety concerns and provide options to Randolph parents," LaBrutta said. "You have my commitment to provide the safest possible environment as our children walk or ride with their parents to school next year."
Options include routing traffic around the school to reduce congestion on Harmon Drive, establishing "safe routes" utilizing parents as volunteer crossing guards and changing speed limits on main traffic routes during the school morning and afternoon rush hours.
Other possibilities being discussed are additional sidewalks with markings and flashing solar-powered light-emitting diode pedestrian warning signs, additional sidewalks and speed humps at strategic locations.
Randolph Field ISD officials are also exploring options and seeking a plan by July 1, according to a statement by Lance Johnson, superintendent.
"In response to the JBSA decision to not continue the transportation services to our students, we will evaluate the resources we have available to ensure that we continue to provide the best education possible, in the safest environment possible," he said. "We are reviewing data, and considering all options, to develop a plan that the district will move forward with."
A town hall meeting with parents will be scheduled after a plan is developed, Johnson said.