Sachem board hears detailed bus-routing plan; staff aims to finalize routes by Aug. 28

District staff told the Sachem Central School District Board of Education on Aug. 14 that they are holding regular meetings with transportation contractors Orange County Transit and We Transport to finalize routes and staffing before the start of the school year.

Staff reported they reallocated van routes between the contractors so Orange County will have about 60 van routes and We Transport roughly 30. The Office of Student Services provided route lists to contractors and staff said about 650 students will be transported via Orange County routes. Staff said buses ordered for Orange County are at the Department of Transportation and are having cameras installed.

Staff also described contractor hiring efforts: roughly 52 drivers have been hired so far and about 45 monitors; contractors continue to run job fairs and may draw from a wider pool if needed. Staff said they will begin dry runs once drivers are assigned and that the district will mail postcards and make phone calls to families with route information.

Key timing and contact points posted by staff: Aug. 26 is the last day for any route changes for the first day of school; staff expect all routes and driver assignments to be in place by Aug. 28. The district will use distinct route-number prefixes to indicate which contractor provides a route (the transcript records the plan to mirror last year’s system, e.g., an 800-series beginning indicating one contractor and a 300-series for the other). Staff encouraged families who have not received route information after the first conferences to contact the district transportation office and said routing details will be placed on the main district website and the transportation site.

The board did not take formal action on transportation at this meeting; staff were directed to continue coordination with contractors and to post clear contact information for families.