Dayton board weighs options as Ohio House Bill 96 could curb student transfers at downtown bus hubs

Dr. Jones, a district staff member, told the Dayton Board of Education on May 29 that pending state legislation could sharply reduce the district's ability to move students through downtown transfer hubs and that the district must plan now for several costly options. “If house bill 96 passes, again, our students will not be able to transfer, to another bus downtown,” Dr. Jones said.

The question matters because the district currently relies on transfers through downtown hubs and a combination of Dayton Public Schools (DPS) buses, RTA passes and contracted services to move high‑school students. The board heard staff estimates and tradeoffs: a one‑year limited RTA service (LS) would require negotiation and about a year to implement; expanding DPS-owned bus capacity could require buying about 73 buses at roughly $10.9 million plus hiring drivers; and a full internal option was estimated at roughly $16 million in year one when vehicle purchases are included. Dr. Jones said the district had discussed two broad paths: “Option 1 is to commit to a signed contract with RTA for LS routes” and “Option 2 is…