Lake Stevens transportation reports rising mileage, stable routes and new routing system

The Lake Stevens School District transportation department reported operational gains and increased mileage at the Jan. 14 board meeting, while noting steps to improve routing and service.

Transportation Supervisor Robert Thueringer told the board the district serves about 10,400 students with a ridership-to-eligibility rate of 58 percent (Granite Falls: ~2,300 students; 51 percent). Thueringer said the department employs 91 contracted drivers and 17 substitutes, operates 60 general-education routes and 31 special-education routes, and maintains a fleet of 94 buses with 12 additional buses on order. Lake Stevens logged 938,865 total miles last year, an increase of 73,098 miles from the prior year.

Thueringer attributed improved day-one operations to use of shadow buses, shorter routes that serve more schools, enhancements to driver training, and adoption of a web-based routing system. He also reported that fewer than 4 percent of vehicles were out of service due to Washington State Patrol inspections and that no routes have been canceled in the past 26 months.

The transportation update was presented as an informational report; it did not require board action at the meeting.