Transportation study: afternoon bell times, not bus size, limit route capacity

A routing efficiency analysis presented to the Pleasant Valley School District Board of Education found the district’s bell schedule — especially the compressed afternoon window — is the main factor limiting how many students buses can carry and how many routes the district must run.

The study, delivered by Ronald Reek, a riding consultant with First Student, concluded the district’s bus network is operating near practical limits because afternoon runs must complete within a narrow time window. "The main takeaway is time, not seating capacity is the biggest limiting factor in terms of your school bus riding," Reek told the board during the working session.

Why it matters: Pleasant Valley runs 55 large buses for regular routes. Reek’s team found an average load of about 37 riders per run and nearly two runs per vehicle; with the current bell pairings, buses cannot be meaningfully consolidated without lengthening student ride time. The report traced the constraint to the district’s two-tier schedule: high school and middle school dismiss first, then intermediate and elementary schools follow within a tight span, which leaves little deadhead time that could be used to combine runs.

Details of the findings: The consultant described a typical afternoon operating time that leaves only roughly 33–43 minutes from when a bus leaves the second school to when it returns to redeploy for another run. Reek walked trustees through timeline graphics and run-group maps that show most buses are double-tiered (serving two runs per day) and that only small, geographically adjacent consolidations could reduce the total number of runs — and only at the cost of longer pickup or drop-off times for some students.

Local transportation staff said the district has already used routing software to trim route counts in recent years and continues to work with First Student on day-to-day adjustments. Board members pressed staff and the consultant on the district’s prior routing work, the $8,000 earlier analysis purchase, and the per-run operating cost the district attributes to each bus. Reek and district staff noted special-needs placements and rural mileage add variability to any consolidation plan.

What comes next: The presentation did not recommend immediate route cuts. Instead it outlined the practical steps required to consolidate runs (adjacent stop consolidation, reliable head-counts, and run-time tracking) and the trade-offs (longer ride times, reduced slack to handle absences, and weaker flexibility for new students). The board and staff said they will keep working with First Student and monitor enrollment and special-needs placements before pursuing major changes.

Ending: The study gave trustees a clearer explanation for why Pleasant Valley runs a high number of buses despite not filling every seat: the clock, not the seat, sets the limit.