District defends bus adjustments; says transportation routes preserved despite consolidation to improve capacity

Superintendent Connor and district transportation director Dr. Little addressed parent and student concerns about long bus rides and route changes, saying transportation staffing was preserved and that route consolidation aimed to increase bus capacity while allowing the district to add routes if data shows the need.

Dr. Little said the district’s target is to get most students from home to school in less than an hour and that high‑school routes may be longer for countywide magnets. He described current staffing and routing: “We went from over 200 routes to, to less than 180. Last year we had 195 routes. This year we have 182.”

Dr. Little said the district is staffed for approximately 218 driver positions serving 182 routes and maintains roughly 30 utility drivers to cover absences. He said the district’s maximum target is about 51 students per high‑school bus and that the district will add routes or adjust assignments when data shows overcapacity on a run.

District and board responses: Superintendent Connor and board members told families transportation was not a result of the recent budget cuts; they said routing changes were made for capacity and FTE funding reasons and that pay increases for drivers earlier in the summer helped eliminate many vacancies.

Student and parent reports: Pine View students told the board that after‑school extracurricular bus service was disrupted early in the year, forcing parents to change schedules. One Pine View student said the bus disruption “affected all of my extracurriculars and made my mom and my dad ... change their schedules.”

Technology and next steps: district staff said a new bus‑tracking application is being implemented and is expected to provide full functionality next school year; initial work and training will begin sooner to prepare for launch.

What was not decided: no immediate addition of routes was announced, but transportation leaders said they will add routes or change assignments as soon as data indicates the need.