IPS drivers scan roads for delay decisions

Every morning when winter weather moves in, Indianapolis Public Schools sends out five drivers to scan the roads and check conditions to make a decision whether to delay or cancel school. On Tuesday, 24-Hour News 8 rode along with Scott Martin, the IPS Deputy Superintendent for Operations, to get an inside look at how the decision is made.Starting at 3:30 a.m. the five drivers each take a designated part of the city to see how the roads are holding up in the snow. Each driver will put their vehicle in two-wheel drive to experience the roads how parents will, if they do not have four-wheel drive vehicles. They’re also considering how a bus would move through the snow, because buses start to slow down in 4 inches of snow.“The thing about this business is that it’s never the same. It depends on what time the snow comes in, how long it lasts and when the heaviest snow hits,” said Martin.Martin even got out of the car to walk around in the snow and feel it, because the type of snow can also make a big difference for buses. Heavier snow is more difficult for buses to navigate. One of the key factors in making a decision is the side streets, because buses are driving on so many side streets to pick up children. Four of the five drivers have experience driving school buses so they know exactly what to look for.At 4:45 a.m. the drivers each make a recommendation to the superintendent, and at 5 a.m. he will make a final decision. Before 4:30 a.m. Martin said he already had a good feeling that IPS classes would start on time Tuesday morning, and he was right. IPS schools did not delay or cancel classes.“We can just tell by the amount of snow that our buses would not have a problem going. It will slow them down, but it would not prevent them from safely picking up students and staff,” said Martin.Martin said the top priority is the safety of students, and that doesn’t always mean having a snow day.“Our goal is to go to school. We need kids in school. for a lot of reason, first of all is the education. Second of all, is it’s a good, warm place for them to be and there’s food. It’s just so much of a better place for them to be than out sledding,” said Martin.