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Board Reviews $20.25M Transportation Budget, Director Seeks Four New Buses and Spare Mini
Summary
Director of transportation Patrick Signiglia outlined a $20,252,026 transportation budget that funds a student-tracking app rollout, safety training and requests four passenger buses (two replacements, two spares) plus a mini spare bus; board members praised the app and discussed parent outreach and staffing.
Patrick Signiglia, the district’s director of transportation, presented the proposed $20,252,026 transportation budget and described operational changes the district says have reduced past service problems.
Signiglia told the board the district purchased five large buses, two mini buses and a wheelchair-accessible bus last year and has moved all regular routes in-house. He recommended buying four passenger buses this year — two replacements and two spares — plus one mini spare. Signiglia said the spares are needed to maintain service when drivers are out and to avoid outsourcing that previously caused lost and late runs.
A central part of the presentation was the Where’s the Bus student-tracking app the district adopted after rejecting a higher-cost option. Signiglia described the app’s checks (swipe-in photos, address confirmation and alerts when a child boards or exits) and said the district is addressing early “bugs” with the vendor. He noted the district tracks over 5,000 students four times a day and that data-entry and training remain a work in progress.
Board members and parents who spoke during the discussion said the app improved transparency and peace of mind. “For my family, I get the notifications when my daughter gets on and off the bus. It’s fantastic,” one board member said. Several members urged the district to provide clear, step‑by‑step instructions for parents who have been frustrated by the app’s initial rollout.
Signiglia also reviewed staffing: the district aims for 67 drivers plus two substitutes and said it has nearly reached that staffing level; bus-aide hiring remains below the target. He described safety and driver-training programs the district uses to recruit and retain homegrown drivers.
The board did not take a final vote on the transportation budget in this session; the presentation was positioned as a public review linked to the district’s overall budget process.
