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Transportation director reports sharp ridership rise; district confronts driver and fleet pressure
Summary
At the October board meeting, Denny presented a transportation update showing an increase to about 1,878 students assigned to routes, 60 regular routes and 55 drivers (many substitutes). The district flagged overtime, ride times and rural routing as the main operational challenges and proposed fleet updates including minibuses.
Denny, presenting the transportation fall update, told the Clear Creek Amana Community School District board that assigned route ridership has jumped and the district is seeing fuller buses and added routes. "We've had a great start to the year," Denny said, then outlined operational pressures: 1,878 students assigned to routes, an increase to 60 regular routes from 57, and roughly 55 drivers on the roster — many of whom serve as substitutes rather than committing to regular routes.
Denny said the mix of larger buses and many vans is constraining flexibility. The fleet inventory includes 32 large buses (about 25 on routes daily) and 18 vans; the district also runs monitored, seat-belt-equipped buses for preschool routes transporting 62 Clipper Academy students. He said the district has two newly received buses in immediate service and is exploring minibuses as the next procurement priority to address corrosion, miles and spare-vehicle needs.
Board members asked about long ride times and activity shuttles. Denny said some magnet and off-site routes require 45-minute runs each way and that Wednesday afternoons are the busiest. He flagged overtime and route inefficiencies as top items on his to-do list and described the stop-finder app as an uptake success with more than 600 active subscribers.
Board members praised the transportation team for supporting student participation in extracurriculars and described the shuttles as an equity tool for students otherwise unable to attend activities. The board did not take action but accepted the report and directed staff to continue work on staffing, fleet replacement planning and ride-time efficiencies.
