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North Bend Central board approves realignment of northern bus routes, sets new Dodge pickup point
Summary
After a detailed presentation on lopsided run times and out-of-district driving, the board approved a plan to reassign portions of the Rogers, Ames and Dodge routes and establish a new district pickup point at 'D' to cut mileage and even route lengths; the motion passed 6-0.
Rick, the district transportation presenter, outlined data showing three northern runs were markedly uneven in length and mileage and that the Dodge route required much more driver time and out-of-district driving than other routes. He proposed reassigning sections of the Rogers, Ames and Dodge routes and designating a new district pick-up point at a location referred to as “D” to reduce mileage and better align runs with board policy. "It's almost twice the bus time ... so that was kind of the first thing I'm like we got to look at this," Rick said during the presentation.
Board members probed practical impacts on families. Rick told the board he had contacted seven families who ride the Dodge run; most already drive to a pickup point on some days, and one teen expected to drive next year. He acknowledged some families would face longer drives to the new pickup but said the change would markedly reduce district time spent out of its boundaries and save fuel and miles. He said the proposal "gets us pretty close to being in our school policy" and that the change was driven by declining out-of-district ridership and fuel-cost considerations.
Board members discussed safety at possible turn-around points and asked staff to check whether private-property access would be needed for safe passenger transfer. The motion adopted by the board included a proviso that staff confirm permission to use the proposed turn-around/parking area and that the transportation director retain authority to adjust pickup points as student patterns change.
The board voted to accept the transportation director's proposal; the motion carried with six affirmative votes. The board asked staff to update bus routes and notify affected families of the change and timing.
What happens next: Staff will confirm property access for the proposed turn-around, finalize route maps and issue notices to families ahead of implementation. The board agreed the route might be revisited as student residency patterns evolve.
