Board hears transportation report as contract costs and driver pay push local expenses higher

Lake Forest Board of Education members heard detailed transportation data May 14 as the district wrestles with rising contractor costs, driver hiring gaps and equipment upgrades.

Transportation presenter Mr. Weller told the board the district has 13 contractors operating 55 buses on 84 daily routes, with roughly 30 buses serving multiple schools and 25 serving a single school. "We have 55 buses that operate 84 routes daily," he said, adding that 30 buses provide multiple services across levels.

Weller highlighted a sample contract that illustrates the cost jump: "The bus in 2016 was $42,970 for the year. This year, it's $74,180," he said, citing higher maintenance and operational costs and a rise in driver pay. He said bus driver pay has increased from roughly $15 an hour several years ago to about $26 an hour now.

The presenter said the state pays about 90% of the formula for bus contracts, leaving the local share at roughly 10%. "So in a bus contract, the state covers 90% of it. We cover 10%," he said. Board members pressed on training and retention, noting contractors hire many applicants but only a fraction remain long term. Weller described the hiring pipeline: of 40 hires pursued by contractors since September, 20 attended training, 20 passed and 26 ultimately drove for the district this year; still, contractors reported difficulty retaining drivers.

Board members and staff also discussed safety and technology: Weller described recent investments in bus cameras, an app that lets families track bus locations and integration work with new state routing software. He said some districts are piloting swing‑arm cameras that photograph license plates of motorists who illegally pass stopped buses and that a similar pilot could come to the area in the next year or two.

The board did not take new action on contracts at the meeting; Mr. Weller said administrators will continue to work with contractors and the state routing vendor to ensure routes and equipment align with next school year needs.