Bus vandalism a frequent problem

Vandalism perpetrated by students on school buses has been a perennial problem for the Public School System, forcing the PSS to spend up to $60,000 every year just to replace the torn upholstery and clean up the buses.

According to PSS bus supervisor Herman Santos, vandalism on the school buses has been a recurring problem in their bus operations. He said he has been with the bus operation for 18 years now and the same problem occurs year in and year out.

Together with the other public school bus drivers, Santos called on parents and guardians Friday to help them fix the buses. He said they hope the parents would also talk to their kids and tell them to respect the buses.

Thirteen bus drivers were reprimanded Friday by PSS associate commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja after discovering last week the unhealthy and unsanitary condition of the buses.

During an inspection of the buses, Borja had found out that eight of the nine 66-capacity buses have been vandalized, with the upholstery either torn apart or riddled with students’ writings. He said he got the shock of his life when he saw the condition of the school buses. Santos said their meeting last Friday focused on the bus situation and they have tried to remedy the situation by patching up the seats with duct tape. “Buses are back in operation but we tried our best to clean them up,” he said.

He said most of the cushions had to be removed and thrown out because of the betel nut stains. He said the temporary fix would have to do until they get the money to have the upholstery replaced.

Santos said the bus fleet spends $56,000 to $60,000 every year for bus upholstery alone. “That’s a lot of money to spend for PSS every year.” He said they are obliged to have the seats re-upholstered; otherwise, they will fail the safety inspections.

“As for now, we just put cover and tape it around for temporary relief until they are upholstered,” he said.

Santos also appealed to students to help them keep the pristine conditions of the buses. If they see somebody cutting the chair, “please inform the drivers.”

The condition of the buses prompted public school student Erisha Borja to write the Saipan Tribune yesterday, saying that, as a bus rider, she feels that she should help the bus drivers.

“It really shouldn’t be the bus drivers cleaning [the buses] since they are not the ones making all those mess,” she said.

She said has been trying to convince other students to stop tearing the upholstery on the seats. Also, she said she has been trying to tell her friends to stop chewing betel nut on the bus and stop spitting on the floor. “So I just hope that everything gets better and that none of the bus drivers get fired.”

Borja said earlier he could put some drivers in suspension or recommend immediate dismissal but he said that that would be the last recourse for PSS.

Santos said it is very hard for the drivers to watch the children when they are driving. The only time they find out that the seats have already been damaged is when they park the bus at the Lower Base depot. He conceded, though, that, as drivers, it is still their job to clean it up.

Ramon Salas, one of the 13 bus drivers who has been with PSS for 13 years, said they do warn the children when they board the bus against chewing betel nut and spitting on the floor. He also appealed to parents and families to talk to their children not to do it anymore, to respect the school buses.

“If the students say they clean their houses every day, respect the buses too because that’s the buses [they ride on] every day,” he said.

Roman Agulto, another bus driver with 18 years of service, also said that parents really need to inculcate a positive attitude among their children and teach them to respect the buses.