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Transportation director outlines fleet, ridership and bus improvements; 25 replacement buses added
Summary
Executive Director of Transportation Nicholas Brook told the board that the district runs 81 vehicles (67 route buses), transports about 8,500 students daily, and has reduced late runs from roughly 8% to about 2%; the district received 25 replacement buses this year and has six electric buses on order with infrastructure work pending.
Nicholas Brook, executive director of transportation for Rio Rancho Public Schools, gave a detailed briefing to the school board on May 11 describing fleet size, staffing, ridership and operational improvements.
Brook reported the transportation operation includes 76 drivers, 29 attendants and 12 office personnel, serving 21 schools with a fleet of 81 vehicles (67 route buses and 14 spare buses). He said the district transports about 8,500 students twice a day and covers roughly 6,500 miles per day (about 1.2 million miles per year). "Just 3 years ago, we were at 8 little over 8% of runs that are 10 minutes or more late. Now we're just over 2%," Brook said, noting most late runs occur in the afternoon because of time and distance constraints.
Brook described training requirements and safety practices: drivers undergo 36 hours of combined classroom and behind‑the‑wheel training, a four‑hour behind‑the‑wheel exam, first aid and ongoing in‑service training. He said the district performs about 800 video reviews a year for incidents on buses and works closely with schools on referrals and behavior concerns.
Operational highlights and investments include Wi‑Fi installed at the depot to enable quicker camera video downloads, delivery of 25 replacement buses with air conditioning and updated warranties, and a legislative award for electric buses with six electric coaches on order; Brook said facilities and vendor design work for chargers is in progress and that electrical infrastructure remains a potential constraint. He cautioned that rising parts, lubricants and fuel costs and farm/dirt roads accelerate wear and add maintenance pressure.
Board members asked about recruitment and whether the limiting factor for service is drivers or buses. Brook said the current limiting factor is buses first (the district has people applying to drive) and that turnover has declined after pay and retention efforts. The board thanked Brook and his team for improvements in reliability and safety.
