Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Monroe Public Schools told it needs at least 10 buses now to stop 2.5-hour student rides
Summary
District transportation staff told the board that several outlying bus runs regularly keep students on board for up to 2.5–3 hours one way and recommended buying at least 10 buses immediately (or finding short-term rentals) to reduce ride times and avoid canceled routes.
Superintendent Shaw and transportation staff told the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education that long bus runs in outlying areas are causing students to spend as much as 2.5 hours on buses and that the district needs more vehicles to split routes.
"So the afternoon run is 3 hours. So about it's about kids are on the bus about 2.5 hours," a transportation official reported during the Jan. 12 work session, describing a single route that covers 101 miles and serves 53 assigned students. Staff said the district operates 33 routes with 33 drivers and a 42-bus fleet, but only a small pool of spare buses is available when vehicles break down.
Board members pressed staff for immediate solutions to reduce long ride times. Staff said replacing the 15 buses retired in 2023 would be ideal but that "minimally, 10" buses are needed now to shorten runs to roughly an hour. The business manager warned that financing 10 buses (staff estimated roughly $1.5 million) would require building annual payments into next year’s budget and could force roughly $600,000 of expenditure reductions per year across a three-year repayment plan.
Short-term stopgaps were discussed: leasing or renting coach buses, borrowing spares from nearby districts and prioritizing routes for relief. Staff said the district had asked a dealer (Midwest) about prebuilt units on its lot but that MSBO discount pricing expires Feb. 13, limiting how long the district can wait to secure available new diesel buses. Staff committed to return with concrete pricing, lease quotes, and a recommended purchase or rental timeline.
The board did not take a formal vote during the meeting; staff were asked to collect additional information and report back at the next board workshop or a special meeting if necessary.
