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MCPS transportation overhaul cuts permissive-levy costs by about $781,000, district says
Summary
District transportation staff told trustees that route consolidations, a redesign to increase state reimbursements and in‑district operation of smaller hybrid buses produced an estimated $781,000 savings on the permissive transportation levy and outlined next steps including purchasing additional Type E buses.
Missoula — Missoula County Public Schools officials on Wednesday told the Board of Trustees that a yearlong efficiency review of bus routes and operations has produced an estimated $781,000 savings for the district’s permissive transportation levy.
Burley, the district representative who presented the update, said the work combined route consolidation, a redesign to make more trips eligible for state reimbursement and a partial shift to district‑operated Type E hybrid buses. “We were able to reduce 6 total routes, so that would be less, and we stayed within our standards for student ride time,” Burley said, summarizing the approach.
Assistant routing coordinator Annie Dulin described the review in three phases. She said small schedule shifts eliminated three general education AM/PM routes, a later reconfiguration moved non‑reimbursable stops onto reimbursable routes and a third phase reduced bus‑aide staffing where feasible. Dulin said the district also redesigned some routes into a “wagon wheel” pattern that extends to the furthest stops and returns, which increased the number of miles eligible for reimbursement under recent legislation and the district’s capacity categories.
Officials gave specific figures: the district estimated approximately $355,000 of savings tied to consolidation and schedule adjustments and an additional $63,000 tied to changes in bus‑aide deployment; combined with reimbursement improvements and other operational adjustments, district staff reported $781,000 in total savings this year.
The presentation also described steps the district has taken to operate some routes in‑house with Type E hybrid vehicles. “We reduced 5 mini buses off the roads, put on our hybrid vehicles, and…we were able to provide the same service that we’ve been providing for years,” Burley said. He added that the district is averaging about 35 miles per gallon on the hybrid vehicles and plans to buy five additional Type E buses in the coming budget cycle.
Trustees asked about ride time and emissions. Burley said the consolidated routes meet student‑ride‑time standards and that eliminating six routes reduces overall vehicle miles. The district said it receives about $250,000 annually in state and county reimbursements but did not provide a full split between levy and reimbursement during the presentation; officials said they would supply that breakdown on request.
District staff outlined additional next steps, including continued analysis to identify more routes suitable for district operation, possible investments in student‑tracking technology (for example RFID cards) and consideration of yellow (Type C) buses if the board chooses to expand in‑house operations. Burley noted that some federal and state grants for electric buses require disposal of older buses, which the district and its contractor do not currently own, complicating direct grant eligibility.
The board received the report as information only; staff said they will return with further budget details and procurement plans.
