An internal audit of Dayton Public Schools’ operations department in Dayton, Ohio, revealed that employees are misusing district vehicles and taking inappropriately long lunches.
Internal Auditor Randall Harper reported Wednesday that seven of 18 bus drivers checked had taken their bus off-route for personal use, three of them 20 times or more in 2015-16.
Harper said once when the transportation director was out, he decided to randomly check and within 30 minutes, found five buses parked at drivers’ homes or other places they weren’t supposed to be.
“Because it is difficult to monitor the vast fleet of DPS vehicles throughout the district with limited supervision resources, it is recommended that GPS units be installed on all DPS vehicles,” Harper said.
Harper also recommended the district hire more bus drivers, so supervisors could handle their regular responsibilities rather than driving buses. And he called for clear communication that personal use of DPS vehicles is prohibited and will lead to disciplinary actions.
Harper said in a five-week period, he did 44 observations at the maintenance division, where work rules call for employees to take a 30-minute lunch. He said in 22 of those 44 cases, employees took lunches of 43 minutes or more, up to a maximum of 87 minutes.
School board President Adil Baguirov said while Harper’s reports reveal unpleasant things, it’s a good thing that the district finds them, addresses them promptly, and is transparent with taxpayer money.
About the Author
