Transportation
General Information
The Transportation Department consists of 160 buses ranging from 20-passenger to 84-passenger capacity. We transport approximately 5,000 students twice a day, 180 days a year to 68 GGUSD schools and special learning centers utilizing our 100 regular assigned buses and routes. We also provide transportation for many educational field trips and sporting events encompassing the counties of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino.
Transportation Contact Information
Matthew Thomas
Director of Transportation
mthomas@ggusd.us
Jill Bender
Assistant Director of Transportation
jbender@ggusd.us
Gil Morales
School Bus Driver Instructor
jmoralesvega@ggusd.us
Val Arellano
School Bus Driver Instructor
vrellano@ggusd.us
Genie Laporte
Secretary III
elaporte@ggusd.us
Dispatch Supervisors:
Lorna Giles lgiles@ggusd.us
Lori Brito lbrito@ggusd.us
Mark Mateos mmateos@ggusd.us
Ryan Nguyen rnguyen2@ggusd.us
(714) 663-6434 or (714) 765-9884 After hours
Eric Lich
Bus Shop and Mechanic’s Supervisor
elich@ggusd.us
(714) 663-6306
Bus Driver Information
Our Transportation Department currently employs over 120 state certified school bus drivers. Each of our drivers possess and maintain commercial licensing and special certification through the California Dept. of Highway Patrol. They also possess and maintain first aid and CPR certification.
It takes a love of children and a desire to be dedicated to safety to be a good school bus driver. To become eligible, a perspective bus driver must go through and pass a rigorous driver training program. Our state instructors conduct annual bus driver classrooms and behind the wheel trainings with the assistance of several bus driver behind the wheel delegated instructors. The classes usually start in May. The successful candidates obtain their licenses by the start of the school year in September.
Board Guidance for Offering Transportation
Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 5130.16:
Home-to-school transportation may be provided to a K-6 student who resides within the attendance boundaries established for the school he/she attends and the travel mileage between his/her residence and the school exceeds the minimum transportation mileage established of the grade level. Mileage will be measured by the shortest feasible route.
Minimum transportation mileage is:
K - 3...........................3/4 mile
4 - 6............................1 mile
Home-to-school transportation may be provided to 7-12 students where administrative review determines that hazardous walking conditions or other factors of concern within the residential area significantly impact the safety of those students. No minimum mileage is established for grades 9-12.
Transportation FAQ's
We have compiled a list of FAQ's (frequently asked questions) which we hope will be helpful to you. If you don't find an answer to your question, call us at Ext. 6303. Or you may e-mail any of us in the Transportation Department if you don't need an immediate answer. We will continue to revise this page as needed so check back periodically.
Q. What is the cost for my child to ride on the school bus?
A. The cost is free and is limited to those students who meet the mileage criteria as stated above.
Q. How do I order a bus for a field trip or sporting event?
A. Contact your school principal. If the request is approved, the school will enter the request via the Transportation field trip system, TransTraks.
Q. How do I get a bus pass for my child?
A. Click on the “bus pass” link on this website and fill out the online request form.
Garage Maintenance
This department performs service on a total of 522 district vehicles, includes 140 buses, and 382 other vehicles consisting of trucks, vans, cars, tractors, and trailers. They handle major and minor repairs, transmissions, engines, electrical, smogging, tire changes, bus floor replacement, seat repair, vehicle glass repair, and mirror replacements. They maintain gasoline, diesel and new environment friendly CNG fueled vehicles.
This department employs the following positions:
• Automotive Trimmer
• Bus-Truck Mechanic
• Bus-Truck Mechanic-Swing
• Lead Bus-Truck Mechanic-Swing
• Maintenance Storekeeper
• Mechanical Helper
• Mechanical Helper-Swing