District reports improved bus on-time arrivals; plans shuttle pilot to expand access to choice schools

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System officials reported measurable improvements in student transportation punctuality and described a shuttle pilot to improve family access to school choice programs, Sheila Blanco, the district's public information manager, said during the board's November informal meeting.

Blanco said on-time arrivals rose to 77.4% last school year from a starting metric of 68%. She added that in the week ending Oct. 7 this year, the on-time-or-early arrival percentage was 83%. "That's a key performance indicator for the department," she said.

To increase access to choice programs, the district outlined a pilot shuttle program that would establish designated pickup and drop-off locations at local businesses and school sites to give families a consistent, safe place to meet buses. The pilot would initially serve just over 1,100 students using about 20 buses and would be run at Charles Ellis Montessori and Garrison School for the Arts because of their wide grade spans, which include younger students with limited transportation options. The district said the pilot is planned for the fall semester of the next school year.

The transcript did not include operational details such as funding source, start date beyond "fall semester next school year," performance targets beyond on-time percentages, or metrics for evaluating pilot success. Those details will likely appear in subsequent board materials or procurement documents.