Orting transportation director reports new buses, digital radio upgrade and improving attendance

During the meeting Clyde Graves presented the district's transportation and vehicle operations, telling the board the district has roughly 35 buses and about 22 support and auxiliary vehicles. Graves said the district has purchased new buses this year and is reassessing routing models across the district’s roughly 45 square miles to improve efficiency as the fleet grows.

He explained the state changed depreciation assumptions—lengthening useful-life schedules from previous seven- to ten-year models toward as much as 12 years—affecting replacement planning and funding expectations. Graves said the transportation shop also acquired new lifts to improve vehicle maintenance safety and is transitioning from an analog radio system to a digital system in partnership with PSI to improve coverage across the district’s operating area.

Dr. Aaron Lee reported that district attendance is improving and highlighted Corning Elementary School, which he said has 85% of students with fewer than two absences per month. He linked the improvement to student‑voice initiatives and local attendance recognition efforts (weekly awards). The district also reported completing seismic assessments for all buildings, and staff said these data informed bond and capital planning.

The board asked questions about remote coverage and routing; Graves acknowledged some remote locations remain challenging for radio coverage and said the new digital system expands reach but does not yet cover all remote roads. No formal vote was required for the transportation update; the board moved and approved consent agenda items and business later in the meeting.

The transcript records these operational updates and the board’s direction to continue evaluating routing models and to report fleet and maintenance plans as part of capital planning.