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DFHV touts SchoolConnect on‑time performance; council asks for attendance analysis and budget clarity
Summary
DFHV said SchoolConnect serves up to 300 students and tracks on‑time arrival as a KPI (aiming for roughly 95% on‑time within a 10‑minute window); agency analysis showed only marginal year‑over‑year attendance changes for participants, and council members asked for additional performance data and budget explanations for recent reprogramming.
The Department of For Hire Vehicles defended recent changes to its SchoolConnect student transport program and described new performance metrics while acknowledging some budgetary questions.
Director Jonathan Rogers told the committee SchoolConnect continues to operate "with 0 safety incidents" this school year and that DFHV is now explicitly tracking on‑time school arrival as a KPI. "We're aiming for 95% within a 10 minute window of the school doors opening," Rogers said.
Rogers said SchoolConnect helps up to 300 students in Wards 7 and 8 and that principals can now rank students by priority to help allocate limited seats and emergency slots. He said DFHV has coordinated with the Deputy Mayor for Education and noted that emergency seats are short‑term (up to 45 days) and routed through DME for triage.
On attendance impact, DFHV said a simple comparison of school years before and after participation shows negligible average changes in attendance — often around a one‑percentage‑point difference — and that more rigorous analysis may be needed. Councilmembers also asked about reprogramming that moved $425,000 within FY26; Rogers said the transfers were internal adjustments between grants and contracts to support grant‑funded drivers and contracting needs.
