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CPS reports steady on-time transportation metrics; 11,310 students use yellow bus service
Summary
Cincinnati Public Schools’ transportation update showed roughly 11,310 students on yellow buses, 12,756 Metro cards issued, 1,142 routes and a roughly 86–87% on‑time performance; administration flagged vehicle mix, payment‑in‑lieu counts and electric‑bus timing as items for follow-up.
Cincinnati Public Schools’ chief operating officer provided a transportation update March 3 showing steady on‑time performance and several operational figures district leaders said they are monitoring.
COO Chris Burkhart told the board the district is transporting about 11,310 students via yellow bus and vans; the district has issued 12,756 Metro cards (including CPS, charter and nonpublic students). The district operates approximately 1,142 routes with about 316 assigned vehicles, and reported a typical walk‑to‑stop distance of roughly 0.13 miles—well under the Ohio statutory half‑mile threshold.
On‑time performance (OTP) data for the 2023–24 school year was about 87% on time with GPS figures near 93.9%. This year’s numbers were similar: GPS-based reliability in the mid‑90s and OTP roughly 86–87%. Burkhart emphasized the on‑time metric accounts for varied causes (traffic, inclement weather, student delays) and that staff work daily with vendors to address recurring delays.
Transportation costs were presented in a per‑school breakdown; administration provided a districtwide total in the high‑$30‑million to low‑$40‑million range for yellow‑bus and associated services (the presentation noted additional facility and staff costs are also part of total transportation spending). Burkhart said some routes have low seat fill—about 52.5%—because of district magnet programs, charter and nonpublic routing and the need to meet school start‑time windows.
Board members asked several follow‑ups. Burkhart said electric‑bus deliveries (35 vehicles) were expected in roughly 16 months, but the district had not received an affirmative confirmation and the roll‑out could be paused; he said the vendor First Student was the intended recipient. He also confirmed that payment‑in‑lieu of transportation currently covered about 984 students and that the board had budgeted about $490,000 for payment‑in‑lieu this year. The district clarified some route cost nuances where two nearby schools share routes (e.g., Taft and Mount Auburn), which can reduce costs when routes are combined.
Burkhart said the transportation team is modeling the impacts of the district’s growth plan, school reconfigurations and possible shifts between Metro and yellow‑bus service for middle‑grade students; final routing and cost impacts will be clearer as selection and enrollment decisions are finalized.
The board asked for additional detail on specific high‑cost sites (for example, Odell Owens and the Promise Center) and asked administration to return with itemized analyses showing whether transport costs are charged to home schools or to program centers.
