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San Angelo ISD transportation chief reports fleet additions, routing software upgrade and staffing gaps
Summary
Mitch Livingston, head of transportation for San Angelo ISD, told trustees the district transports about 3,900 eligible students, is upgrading routing and shop software, plans to add live GPS, and continues to recruit drivers and monitors.
Mitch Livingston, head of transportation for San Angelo Independent School District, reported to the board on April 21 that the district currently routes roughly 3,900 eligible students and averages about 1,400 daily riders on 35 general education buses and 17 specialized vehicles.
The report matters because transportation is the district's largest daily mass-movement operation and affects student safety, staffing needs and operating costs. Trustees heard details on fleet purchases, software upgrades and persistent driver vacancies.
Livingston said the district carries students on a two-tier system for general education routes and runs about 17 specialized vehicles for students with special needs, “I believe about 300 of them,” he said. He reported that from Aug. 1, 2024, through April 4, district vehicles traveled about 293,000 miles for sports and activities, separate from home-to-school runs.
Trustees were told the district has 6 open bus driver positions, four open monitor positions and about four people in training who may obtain licenses before school ends. Livingston reported two new 72-passenger general education buses and one new wheelchair-equipped special transportation bus arriving between now and June, two transit-style travel buses recently added, a Freightliner Ultra Coachliner purchased for out-of-town travel, and new Ford Expeditions for student travel expected next month.
On routing and communications, Livingston said the district is beginning an upgrade from RouteFinder Pro to TransFinder and related systems. The upgrade will include ServiceFinder (shop repair tracking) and StopFinder, a parent communication app. He said the district plans a TransFinder kickoff and routing staff training and hopes the parent app will improve notifications for late buses and route adjustments.
Livingston also told the board that SmartTag’s passive GPS will not be compatible with the TransFinder upgrade and that the district is exploring vendor recommendations for live GPS. He said the administration expects to return next month with a recommendation to purchase live GPS hardware and software as part of the TransFinder implementation.
Trustees asked about a bus that had been T-boned; Livingston said the vehicle is in Tulsa for repairs and that part fitment issues had delayed completion but that parts were now in place and he expected the bus back by August. He also described the operational challenge of simultaneous large events and the need for charter drivers or contracted buses to move entire teams or bands.
The transportation update closed with reminders of in-service dates and planned employee appreciation events for drivers and monitors.
Ending: Trustees did not take formal action on the transportation report; the presentation was informational and will inform future procurement and staffing items on the regular agenda.
