Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Lee County outlines Safe Start gains but bus timing, driver shortages remain
Summary
District transportation staff reported improved on‑time arrivals and dismissals after a three‑tier Safe Start rollout but said persistent long high‑school routes, traffic and a very small substitute‑driver pool remain problems that limit afternoon performance and increase costs.
Deputy Superintendent Ken Savage on Tuesday said the district’s Safe Start initiative has produced measurable improvements in student arrival and dismissal times after a three‑tier rollout earlier this fall. Transportation director Jared McKinney and operations staff reported AM on‑time arrival rates that rose from about 71% last year to 91% this year districtwide; elementary on‑time arrivals improved from about 79% to 93%.
Those gains have translated to added instructional time at high schools, where McKinney said a two‑minute per‑period gain yields roughly 42 extra hours of instruction per school year for students. "Two minutes per period may not seem like a lot, but...that's 42…
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
