Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Yakima School District transportation director outlines 4‑bell option after cutting charter spending
Summary
Director of transportation Art Rodriguez told the Yakima School District board the department is operating near capacity with 66 drivers on 61 routes; he proposed shifting from a two‑bell to a four‑bell system to reduce costs, increase driver hours and restore service to students currently on transit zones.
Art Rodriguez, director of transportation for the Yakima School District, told the board on Feb. 18 that the transportation department is operating near capacity and is exploring a move from a two‑bell schedule to a four‑bell schedule to save money and expand service.
Rodriguez said the district currently has 66 drivers of 69 allocated positions and is running 60–61 routes that cover general education, special education and preschool (including ECAP). "We have 66 drivers out of 69 allocated for our department," he said, and added that morning and afternoon runs follow a two‑bell model with high schools and middle schools running together and elementary schools on a later bell.
The director highlighted a recent operational change that cut charter bus use substantially: "Last year at this time, we had 88 charters used up to this point from September to February. This year... we are…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
