Board hears transportation budget; directors highlight bus leasing, driver shortages and routing software upgrade
January 23, 2024 | CARMEL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The district’s transportation director (referred to in the meeting as Mike) presented the 2024–25 transportation budget, describing a fleet of 115 vehicles and 105 staff and asking for targeted increases in bus purchase, lease and routing software lines.
Mike said industry price increases have pushed the base price of a full‑size bus from roughly $105,000 to about $130,000 and that new state contract language allows quarterly price adjustments. The presentation requested $495,000 for four buses and described a lease program totaling roughly $1,011,000 across three years that covers payments for 40 buses; the committee said the lease program has reduced the age of the fleet but that parts and tire costs remain a pressure.
On staffing, Mike reported roughly 94 drivers and monitors (roughly 78–80 drivers and 15–16 monitors) with an expected need to hire six to eight additional drivers to stabilize operations. He said mechanics fell from eight to seven and that many repairs (around $71,000 in parts to date) are handled in‑house; auctioned vehicles are sometimes stripped for usable parts before sale.
The administration also proposed modernizing the routing program, with an initial upgrade estimate of about $51,000 plus training and hardware for in‑bus devices that could improve route efficiency and parent tracking. The director noted the existing ZoneAR card system costs about $3,700 per month and that a newer routing platform could integrate to a single card for building/bus use, automated student check‑in, and parent app tracking.
Why it matters: Transportation is a major budget driver, affects student ride times and safety, and ties into proposed technology investments. The board asked administration to supply more precise hardware and maintenance cost estimates before voting on any routing upgrade and to track projected part‑cost savings from newer buses.
What’s next: Administration will provide follow‑up data on parts and maintenance projections and detailed pricing for any proposed hardware that would accompany a routing software upgrade.
Mike said industry price increases have pushed the base price of a full‑size bus from roughly $105,000 to about $130,000 and that new state contract language allows quarterly price adjustments. The presentation requested $495,000 for four buses and described a lease program totaling roughly $1,011,000 across three years that covers payments for 40 buses; the committee said the lease program has reduced the age of the fleet but that parts and tire costs remain a pressure.
On staffing, Mike reported roughly 94 drivers and monitors (roughly 78–80 drivers and 15–16 monitors) with an expected need to hire six to eight additional drivers to stabilize operations. He said mechanics fell from eight to seven and that many repairs (around $71,000 in parts to date) are handled in‑house; auctioned vehicles are sometimes stripped for usable parts before sale.
The administration also proposed modernizing the routing program, with an initial upgrade estimate of about $51,000 plus training and hardware for in‑bus devices that could improve route efficiency and parent tracking. The director noted the existing ZoneAR card system costs about $3,700 per month and that a newer routing platform could integrate to a single card for building/bus use, automated student check‑in, and parent app tracking.
Why it matters: Transportation is a major budget driver, affects student ride times and safety, and ties into proposed technology investments. The board asked administration to supply more precise hardware and maintenance cost estimates before voting on any routing upgrade and to track projected part‑cost savings from newer buses.
What’s next: Administration will provide follow‑up data on parts and maintenance projections and detailed pricing for any proposed hardware that would accompany a routing software upgrade.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
