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UCPS transportation reports 28,228 assigned riders, 99.24% efficiency; department short seven drivers
Summary
Transportation staff told the committee Sept. 24 that routing showed 28,228 assigned riders and a 99.24% efficiency rating. The department has added four buses and is approximately seven drivers short of staffing 207 buses; officials said double runs will remain in some areas.
Union County Public Schools transportation staff told the committee Sept. 24 that routing data show 28,228 assigned riders, the department's efficiency rating is 99.24 percent and the system is roughly seven drivers short of fully staffing 207 buses.
Cole Moore introduced a transportation memo and said Brian Joyner was available to answer questions. "So the 28228 is what our routing department has assigned to buses at the time this memo was put out last week," Joyner said. He added that drivers performed a state-required student count the prior week and the department will finalize formatted numbers in about two to three weeks and share them with the board.
Joyner reported the efficiency rating as 99.24 percent and noted the district had added four buses this year. He said the department is "only seven drivers short of our 207 buses" and that several retirements later in the year will require planning. To reduce staffing stress, Joyner said he would like to add a few full-time floating substitute drivers in each area to cover outages and free office staff from covering routes.
Committee members asked about double routes and the effect of new traffic patterns. Joyner said some double runs are likely to remain because they improve efficiency on short, dense routes; he described an ideal double run as one stop that can be completed quickly and return to the school within 15 minutes. He also said the recently opened roundabout at Otter Road and Wesley Chapel was included in route planning and, so far, appears to help traffic flow; a possible additional roundabout near Potter Road and Highway 84 remains in planning and could require rerouting if constructed.
Joyner said finalized ridership and routing numbers should be ready by mid-October. The transportation update and memo will be provided to the full board for information. Committee members also heard an introduction of Charles Mompower, newly hired director of research, reporting and analytics for the district; Mompower said he is a lifelong Union County resident who previously worked in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
