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DCSD TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SCHEDULE COST ANALYSIS January 25, 2008

DCSD TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SCHEDULE COST ANALYSIS January 25, 2008. BOE Transportation Presentation 1. History of transportation - DCSD 2. Insights learned from 20 years 3. Hypothesis and options for future 4. Test hypothesis Paul Balon CDPT 1/10/2008.

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DCSD TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SCHEDULE COST ANALYSIS January 25, 2008

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  1. DCSD TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SCHEDULE COST ANALYSISJanuary 25, 2008 BOE Transportation Presentation 1. History of transportation - DCSD 2. Insights learned from 20 years 3. Hypothesis and options for future 4. Test hypothesis Paul Balon CDPT 1/10/2008

  2. History of Transportation in DCSD • DCSD started transporting students in 1954 with one station wagon that was kept at a private residence. • The vehicle was maintained by the Ford dealership in Castle Rock • By 1956 the transportation of students had grown to three (3) vehicles • By 1960 the transportation of students had grown to seven (7) vehicles • All of these vehicles were owned by private families who received a stipend for transporting those students • In 1961 DCSD purchased the first school bus to transport students • By 1970 DCSD owned and operated 22 school buses • By 1976 DCSD owned and operated 35 school buses • Several were operated by husband & wife teams with only one receiving a wage • Buses were maintained by three mechanics at a garage behind the old middle school • By 1980 DCSD owned and operated 74 school buses • In 1985 transportation moved from the Grounds building on DCHS campus, into the current West Transportation facility in Castle Rock • DSCD owned 101 buses and approximately 30 support vehicles • With exception to buses parked at private residences, trips all originated and ended their in Castle Rock

  3. History of Transportation in DCSD • In 1993, DCSD, Parker Fire and the Town of Parker entered into an MOU to construct the East Parker Transportation Center • Parker Water and Sanitation provided the parcel of land for the facility • Joint use agreements and Maintenance Garage facilities are still in place • By 1995, DCSD owned and operated 156 school buses • DCSD transported 6907 students daily • In 2002, DCSD started using the North (Plum Creek) Transportation terminal • Douglas County and DCSD agreed to share the North Facility in 2003 • Douglas County has a salt & sand shed, and above ground fueling depot at the North Terminal • By 2006, DCSD owned and operated 277 school buses • DCSD transported 16,574 students daily • During the 2006 - 2007 SY, Transportation 6417 student field trips (including athletic contests) were completed • CURRENT YEAR: 2007-2008 school year, DCSD owns and operates 292 buses • DCSD transports 18,255 students daily • DCSD transports 459 special need students to center-based programs all over the district and to many nearby districts • DCSD now owns and operates 166 support (white fleet) vehicles

  4. History of Transportation in DCSD

  5. History of Transportation in DCSD

  6. History of Transportation in DCSD

  7. History of Transportation in DCSD

  8. History of Transportation in DCSD

  9. History of Transportation in DCSD • As illustrated in these graphs - many factors contribute to the overall cost of transportation • ISS Program locations are regional, which increases the number of miles driven over an entire school year • The 860 acre size of the district plays an important role in the number of miles driven • DCSD special needs cost is higher than the national average due to amount of students transported outside the District for services • Route optimization is used extensively as the standard (efficient use of vehicles) • DCSD’s favorable cost per mile comparison to neighboring metro area school Districts is due to: • 4-tier routing system (most districts use 3-tier) • Maintenance standards and upkeep are high • 1.4 miles per gallon more with Mercedes diesel engines (46 now in fleet) • Mercedes engines are no more expensive to conventional engines

  10. History of Transportation in DCSD • 1989, starting to use 4-track, year round calendar • DCSD Transportation employment practices changed • School bus drivers began being hired to work year round • Route optimization began being employed • Transportation transitioned from 3-tier busing schedule to a 4-tier system in 1990 • 3-tier busing is 3 routes per bus: one high school run, one middle school run, and one elementary run (early starting time for the elementary school) • Less buses were needed and less drivers were needed on 4-tier system • Made possible by both year round and conventional calendar schools • Current employee contract language guarantees year round work for 212 drivers • 109 are guaranteed at least 1680 hours a year • DCSD is an attractive place to work in Transportation due to year round work; BUT • DCSD has open routes for an entire school year that have not been filled. • Currently transportation has 9 open routes • Current employee contract is negotiated through 2009

  11. History of Transportation in DCSD • Bus purchases can be paid for with Capital Reserve resources but cannot be paid for with bond monies • Current capital reserve funding limitations for additional buses has contributed to increased the age of the bus fleet • In 2007-08, the average age of DCSD bus is 9.3 years average age • Industry average age is 8.2 years • CDE recommends 15-years or 300,000 miles before a bus is replaced or significantly overhauled • DCSD’s currently operates 34 buses in the fleet beyond the suggested standards • Extensive maintenance of bus fleet and high maintenance standards allow for prolonged life • 2007-08, new bus costs approximately $86,000 • Safety inspections are conducted daily to insure buses are in excellent operational condition • DCSD grows by approximately 16 new bus routes per year • When elementary schools are on a conventional calendar, more buses and drivers are needed during peak transportation periods

  12. Transportation: Insights learned • Optimization of vehicle use is enhanced by 4-tier scheduling system • 4-tier busing allows the Transportation Department to run fewer buses for more student pickups each day • Some buses now serve more than one feeder area, but only serve those schools in close proximity • Transportation has been able to purchase fewer buses than would have been needed with a 3-tier system • Current estimate to return to a 3-tier system would require: • 36 buses at a capital cost of $3,096,000 • Additional driver plus operational costs = $56k per year x 36 = $2,016,000 • Driver retention improves when DSCD can offer full-time annual work schedules • Cost to train a new driver is approximately $2100 per driver • Transportation’s partnership with Parker Fire has shared the cost for a maintenance garage and one transportation depot

  13. Transportation: Insights learned • Student rider-ship numbers vary by which track is in session and time of year • Elementary parents prefer A or B tracks, so rider-ship is highest when these tracks are in session • Severe weather days increase rider-ship of high school students • Miles driven continue to rise annually but capacity loads are predictable for all levels • Bus standard capacity is 77 students per bus, at 3 to a seat • 77 students loads are not recommended because the bus is extremely cramped, but rarely do majority of assigned students ride on same day • Elementary students assigned per bus = 95 students per bus (based on rider-ship percentage tracking) • High school or middle school students assigned per bus = 115 (based on rider-ship percentage tracking) • Should all students assigned per bus show up on any given day, an emergency transportation plan would be activated • Additional buses are sent to overloaded area • Have not had to use extra buses since rider-ship percentage tracking implemented • Students being bused within an common area to three different elementary schools create varied starting and ending times in each feeder • “Grandfather” riders to existing schools when new schools open and boundaries change • Most of the Highlands Ranch “grandfather” clauses have run their course

  14. Transportation: Insights learned • DCSD parents expect activity buses and late buses for students • No fees are charged for these additional services • Dance night at the middle schools create a high usage on the activity bus those nights • Most Elementary schools built after 1992 have late starting/ending times • Many parents do not like the late starting/ending times because they interfere with parent employment schedules • Parents have stated late start/end times interfere with student activities and after-school appointments • Some parents restrict participation from after school music due to the late start/end time in 4-track schools • Open enrollment & Option School busing is constantly requested by parents • DCSD current policy is no open enrollment transportation is provided unless space available • Parents are responsible to bring their student to the closest bus stop • Those students would be removed first if the bus reached capacity (six students had to be removed in past year when space no longer was available)

  15. Hypothesis-Future Thinking • A three-tier transportation system would allow for all elementary schools to have early start & end times • Early start/end times for all elementary schools is preferred by elementary principals & parents • Preferred start time is 8:45 a.m. or earlier • Parents would reduce the need to check students out early for different activities and/or appointments • Equipment and operating cost estimates to ramp up for 3-tier system • 36 buses are needed at implementation - estimated capital cost of $3,096,000 • Additional driver plus operational costs = $56k per year x 36 = $2,016,000 • Additional buses would require additional FTE’s for mechanics, driver trainer supervisor and a scheduler at a cost of $231,000.00 • Initial cost of $5,343,000.00 for both capital and operational expenses (1st year) • Route time preparation for schedulers will be reduced with a 3-tier busing system, saving some time/money • Earliest implementation of total 3-tier system would be a year after election success to get all equipment and staff in place • DCSD would need additional parking spaces added at all terminals for extra buses • Plum Creek new facility will allow for transportation expansion • DCX building addition could be renovated to park white fleet & buses

  16. Hypothesis-Future Thinking • Majority of internal elementary stakeholders support a conventional calendar • Current survey data indicates 65-75% prefer conventional calendar • Reduction in 212,182 miles driven could be realized if all elementary schools were on conventional calendar • Estimated transportation savings of $836,000 annually • Extended School Year programs could be used to bus students to summer programs and maintain some full year drivers • Childcare programs utilize transportation which is a revenue generator that could be used to maintain some full year drivers • Drivers could work in maintenance or grounds for summer months to maintain full year employment • With new schools being proposed to first reduce and later eliminate 4-track year round, student walk distanceto new facilities will reduce the amount students being transported • Cost saving estimates will depend on location of new schools, but some transportation routes will be eliminated • Walking savings could be converted to regional busing to “option schools” for all students in a feeder or geographic area

  17. Hypothesis – Future Thinking • 6 new elementary schools in currently bussed neighborhoods would save the district the need of transportation for approximately 1850 students • This number equates to 25 less buses needed and the operational cost for each bus • 25 Buses X $86,000 = $2,150,000 savings (cost of a new bus) • 25 Buses X $56,000 = $1,400,000 savings (drivers wage plus operating cost of the bus for the entire year) • Total of $ 3,350,000 combined savings • There would be an additional savings with the school being on a conventional calendar once the true reduction in miles is calculated • Operational savings would be every year plus the normal allowance for projected increases due to growth

  18. Hypothesis-Future Thinking • Currently transportation provides “option school” transportation for Renaissance and the IB program • Magnet stops are located at different schools in each feeder area • One bus is used from each area & that bus makes an additional run to a school before or after drop off at IB or Renaissance for route optimization • To add Lone Tree Magnet school to transportation magnet route would cost approximately $56,000 per route plus $86,000 per vehicle • The addition of more “option schools” could include transportation being provided by the magnet - stop method • The approximate cost would be $56,000 per magnet bus route operationally • Transportation could use 4 existing buses from the fleet to save the additional cost of a new buses • If new buses are required, capital cost per vehicle estimated at $86,000

  19. Test of Hypothesis • Will taxpayers support additional capital and operational costs to return to a 3-tier routing system with common elementary start/end times? • Will taxpayers support “option school” transportation using a magnet route plan? • DCSD will need to work with the ATU union to renegotiate the contractual issues of the guarantee of year round work. Will ATU members support contract modification? • 212 drivers currently work year round • 109 of those are guaranteed a set number of hours for the entire year • This guaranteewas established in the first contract written in 1998 • Evaluate to determine if bus operator retention will be negatively impacted due to reduced hours to work during the day and the entire school year? • Bus operators currently invest about 10 hours of their time to receive 6 hours pay. Drivers work a split shift of 6:00AM to 9:00AM and 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM this keeps them from working a second job during the day • Reduction of summer work could lead to higher turnover

  20. Test Hypothesis • Eight current schools moving off of 4-track in 2008-09 will be evaluated as to cost of conventional school in capital and employee retention of drivers • Calendar changes created the need to immediately add 10 additional buses • 10 additional buses at a cost of $860,000 • 10 additional routes and bus operators at an annual cost of $560,000 • Total cost of $1,420,000 for the 2008-09 school due to conventional calendar changes • Increasing the walk boundary distance for a elementary and secondary students needs to be polled • Walk area is currently 2 miles for HS and MS students and 1 mile for Elementary students • Would stakeholders approve of an increased walk area radius if they are guaranteed an early start time?

  21. Questions • What additional questions about transportation does the BOE have?

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