Use of Bus Routing Software in Idaho S hool Districts

Transcription

1 Use of Bus Routing Software in Idaho S hool Districts May 199 f t t

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3 Use of Bus Routing Software in Idah Shoal Districts M 1 9

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5 15, 1996

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7 Table of Contents Use of Bus Software Idaho School Districts vii-xv xv and Reimbursement District Use of.l.,-u,ultju.i~software and Benefits Received Reasons Use The Potential Benefits of Idaho Statewide.I.'-U'UltJlU~ 27

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9 List of Tables and Figures 6 8 3

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11 Use of Bus Routing Software in Idaho School Districts mary

12 ... "b'... "b'j... routes, to change or routes at own expense. Committee members also asked that we evaluate the potential for developing a statewide system. Methods state h s or--"-"'~"'~~""-"'i districts a $1-Jllr-- m r f r " School

13 configurations. 3 Idaho, about one-quarter ofthe school districts enroll more than 2,500 students and about one-third of the districts operate more than 20 buses. All ten ofthe school districts that have received reimbursement for routing software meet both,."la"1i...,,.,.la"1i.no be reimbu with

14 Currently, no Idaho school districts use routing 5 ftware t optim To determine what districts had hoped to accomplish through use ofrouting software, we asked the ten districts that have been reimbursed why they purchased it originally. Approximately two-thirds ofthe districts told us they had purchased software to '-'_...JL>.J or use

15 districts efforts to "'~t.::lil-rn-ta software and intend to use it at some future date. One ofthe four districts has claimed reimbursement of $1,200 annually for three years for an annual license fee, even though its..."'......lr'r software is not fully operational. We Board Ed III f... AI""'III'III"III~~ discontin bu districts

16 A statewide system in Idaho could Vendors have estimated that developing a Idaho could take up to five years. Seven vendors responded to a 1994 departmental Request for Information on the development ofa statewide routing system. In their responses, vendors also estimated that costs would range from $500,000 to $3.4.&..&..&..&...c.&..&.'-J'... a was on

17 conclude that, Idaho, a successful statewide system may provide one way to monitor district route efficiency. However, the system would not account for other components in the efficiency ofdistrict transportation programs, such as the ability to obtain supplies and services at the lowestpossible cost, local..., RJ'... L...'..LL..',..., conditions, and oftransportation a IS state resources to IIJ''''''..I!..I..'''''.L..I!.II. a

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19 Summary of Report Recommendations 1. 3.

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21 Routing Software Operation, Costs, and Reimbursement pter 1 districts 1It..11I_ $300,000 n ng

22 use we Which costs associated with routing software may be reimbursed by the Department ofeducation? use

23 this report. this we limited our analysis to the ten districts that have already... ".",... T",roII reimbursement. 1 Software Operation di""~-...-""'''sr'oo-'''-- a 1. 3.

24 nn ov...u " uaa....u aa...n. Figure 1 1: School Districts That Have Purchased Routing Software... District No School District Meridian Joint Pocatello Snake River Blackfoot a Blaine Bonner Idaho Falls Bonneville Joint Jefferson Coeur d'alene Minidoka Twin Falls Joint a Joint a Purchased received "'"'... V",!"'rt."'~1 Reimbursement nt::l.i""l"'iunn was

25 software may improve transportation management by reducing the time it takes a district to accomplish its administrative responsibilities. With routing software, any change in the database riders is reflected on the computerized map, routes to to 1IJ...a...a..a.""'u SOT1tWc:ll " School

26 Figure 1 B Potential Benefits of Routing Software Efficiency Administration Service to Parents and Riders Determines routes that minimize Ir'lf"\I 1/,,,\...,.1"1 1"'\. determines number of students bus. Provides route "'V"\'I I"'I"'I......,.,...r'I"'\tf'r<llnl"l to district Produces such as parent notification letters, passes, or regulation Ir'r=,\It:::]>lnTIIrI,., bus Allows for easy lc't'n... ont'c' to limit student ride time. Lltf'II"'I.II"'\,...TC"" time nof"'oc'c""~i,,",! ""1"'\6"'V'\lf'\ll"'\t'l"'\ selected routes. Can be linked notf'c'i"'u''''noi cost information. Provides visual the interaction Determines shortest '1I8~II.,.r,1"I distance for students within boundaries.

27 1.3 the location of across at least 2,500 students or have 20 or more buses. As shown, about one-quarter ofthe school districts enroll more than 2,500 students and about one-third ofthe districts operate more than 20 buses. All ten ofthe school districts that have ""'.cllf"cli>li'lt ::1>rI meet One-quarter of Idaho school districts enroll

28 Figure 1.3: School Districts Most kely Benefit From Routing Software ~ Enrollment than or ~ Number of buses than D School district boundaries. students. Note: All school districts with an enrollment at least students also have at least 20 buses. Source: Office Performance evcilu8ltiorls survey results.

29 1 B 1 B Total District Costs for Routi Software Through Blackfoot Blaine Bonner Bonneville Joint Coeur d' Idaho Falls Jefferson Meridian Joint Minidoka Pocatello Snake Joint Joint $ 1 1 3, 50 not include some ran,nrtcl>n the related as

30 In nine districts, expense.a..a..a.....a.""'""'.._""" hardware or an upgrade to existing hardware to run the routing software. On average, this accounted for $4,900 ofa district's total costs. Eight districts have paid license fees since purchasing the software. The license fee varied from $800 to $5,000 per rtt::\l-r"\t::\inrt1l1"'lilt on software package and, some cases, the u""_..._... ""u _~L... f-.... llj.&._ to as o

31 Table 1 District Routing Software Costs Claimed Through Reimbursement One-Time Total Costs Jefferson Joint $ $ 1994 Bonner Twin Falls 992 Blaine 1992 Bonneville Joint 1992 Coeur d' Alene a 1992 Idaho Falls 992 Minidoka 1992 Snake River Meridian Joint $ a This t"1-:lution reimbursement and will be reimbursed in b Year indicates when district reimbursement. We were unable to l'i,",tl""'\fi"'fi"'fi"'uin,", -:lnr\y"nu'':l1 for software costs. it

32 Figure 1 Statutes and Rules Governing the Software and Reimbursement Process Idaho Code Authorizes the state to reimburse 85 1V"'\"""'I"""IV"'\'i" of allowable tr""'u"'\c"in,nrt'''''.iitir\1n costs. IDAPA Allows administrative costs. software costs to be reimbursed as districts to submit and obtain to 1 of the school year in which the service is Declares that the state considers on a district district basis. Source: IDAHO 006 (1 and Idaho Hrifl'''V'\inlC'''trr'''tn"o October Vol., IS

33 Figure 1.5: Routing Software Approval and Reimbursement Process

34 Table 1.3- Total State Reimbursement of District Claimed Software Costs

35 to 1 reimbursement for database software as well as software with routing capabilities. 6 Two of the ten districts claimed alld received reimbursement for the costs ofdatabase software, totaling approximately $1,400. One of these districts received reimbursement for database software 1 it was The other mistal(enly 1 cases. at staff 1Ir"IIIII~'lIl,"JIr'lIt. appl

36 o... ""'f"'... n... "'" the a set criteria to apply in determining district reimbursements, practices have not been sufficient to ensure consistency and equal treatment ofdistrict As a result: avoid future inconsistendetermini

37 District Use of Routing Software and Benefits Received h pter routing software n Idaho Af"'I>H"IIt.IIIi"....r'IIIo..r'IIIo. d"'lii<c~"""'''''''''&lroo'''''''''-'' un

38 Nearly twothirds of the school districts they Four districts cited reasons more than one As shown in Table 2.1, approximately two-thirds ofthe districts told us they had purchased software to improve efficiency in their districts or reduce overall transportation costs. A similar number said they had purchased the software to improve their administrative us it routing software t efficiency red overall t n c... 'IL.JII... 1m II\"'V'\... I"'_"_ administrative functions Reasons Routing Software costs ILJI.,;)II.B ,;) could than 8

39 ure 1: District Use of Routing Software route Source: Office of Performance Evaluations survey results and interviews with district

40 graphics. Instead, transportation tj...,.a...,...,.a.~l.a..a...,.a. 'V'...,.~_.A..A..A...,... district's street network from another source and outlined each driver's route by hand. The district recently has converted to a competitor's software package and hopes to increase their...cl>i"1n1...'f'cl> on software. r

41 last ten years, the district has used its own routing software and could not point to resulting cost reductions. Because measurable changes would have occurred long ago, the data were not available to compare before and after transportation costs. able their soft are, are making efforts at current.

42 Figu m Reasons for District Delay in Software Use Date of 1991 Bonneville Joint No other staff New t'ff""""'.""t""~,""'ff"t""""'t'lr\n received training from the vendor. the software,...1i"\t"~ff"'""t'l,...n'""l 1991 Coeur d' Alene up with student census database due to and in attendance areas each year. Converted to new vendor in March under vendor. software poor fall of survey results and

43 assurances was $745 for it in 1995.

44 Other District... V'.,..11r"'_~1"""... 1II:1II ~1Inl11''''~~ Software ith To determine whether other Idaho school districts had analyzed potential benefits ofrouting we own "'... 'la-"l...ojt-"'-'... "''la-..jl'-'...

45 Table Reasons Districts Had Considered But Not Purchased Routing Software LJ...,... _...1"_... reductions in f"'h''\l::h''':\1nnf'''i costs not sufficient to costs of software Lack of or state funds 6 Insufficient t'1,...v'.nll. h.o in local district 5 Excessive installation and conversion costs Other Had considered 8V",.,.h... C"uli"lf'"'i software 43 not as to ll...}''l&..i...'l&..i.lljliv.

46 Figure Summary outing Software and Benefits Meet Criteria for Greatest Use to Most Admini- Idaho Falls Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Snake River Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Minidoka Yes Yes Yes Yes No Joint Meridian Joint Yes Yes Yes No Not Bonneville Joint Yes Not Yes Not Not No a This district owns database software officials. results and!il'""\t=dr'\dlt=:ni'lv«::'"

47 The Potential Benefits of a Statewide Routing System in Idah pt r

48 unique circumstances ofeach Staffwould _ '.A.... certain statewide criteria, such as limits on the time students ride tile bus, and would reimburse each district's expenses to run the routes the system determined. Each district would be free to further adjust its routes to account at own...l"'-.j...a.~lu... could identify elementary students reasons or help establish and monitor regular According to over to

49 involved creating a state bureau to develop the statewide system and provide ongoing support to the districts. The vendor would provide any additional support directly to the state service bureau. The other option required the vendor, rather than a state agency, to develop the system and provide ongoing support to the cost for these two at JL.A..A..A.JL.A..A.'\J..LJL"I "1"'t::loC'l-r\/C:lo01"1I"iTt::loll"iT not A.A.A.VA.II.,.1I.'l",.lI.A.A.A.fC". 1I.,.1I.'l",.lI.,...A."'A.'JA.A..A-A. Further development of a statewide system was nh with totals

50 Figure 3.1: Characteristics of Statewide Routing Systems in Four States Goal Produce Reduce Ensure in district and bus of district transportation maintenance and hours driven. costs. costs. District DOE and all 29 of 66 DOE and all DOE districts have have districts have own same software. DOE has no role same districts submit in DOE contracts information to with to costs.

51 Figure State School District Size Characteristics 3 North Number of districts number of students per district Percent of districts with fewer than students 34% a State totals were based available data.

52 Department ofpublic official that statewide system will cost at least $555,000 once it is completely developed. The cost for vendor software, development, and training for the state and 19 districts will total $433,000. As September 1995, computer hardware costs in the department districts totaled $ amount once state

53 cost approximately $1 training cost approximately 1,000; and contracts with a firm to prepare a Request for Proposal to software vendors and oversee the training provided by tile software vendor cost $1 costs at LLL... L1lv1>-... _ II--' _... "-'''-J'L... _... costs e t a

54 specifically required officials to develop a comprehensive to establish and track districts' routing efficiency centrally. Utah's Office ofeducation began developing the statewide routing system in According to an agency official, the Office ofeducation set required ofefficiency for C1",{TCI,t-a~ IS to

55 software and its application to district circumstances. University's personnel continue to provide all ofthe training needed to district personnel at no cost to the district. Third, the state tied funding to routing efficiency. According to one state official, this gave districts the incentive to use the routing as a to costs. use.

56 According to a state official, the pilot projects resulted in sufficient success to allow other districts to participate statewide. Eight more districts chose to participate. Subsequently, however, district budget reductions limited district investment in the software development. state official told us that he was a

57 two cost savings as a result. These savings are unlmown, since neither the department nor the districts recorded savings when they may occurred. Four ofthe ten school districts do not use although each the at it Several factors indicate Idaho I a U''vo- '''' returns.

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59 Responses to the Evaluation

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63 Office ofperformance Evaluations Idaho State Legislature Capitol,

64 Ms. Nancy Van Maren Page 2 April 9, 1996 rec;orrlffi~~naat1()ns as "ll.... ll.... -

65 Ms. Nancy Van Maren Page 3 Apri19,1996 to the importance ofcomputers in each classroom and continue to provide training to teachers who need help learning about computers. Perhaps we should provide same level support training to transportation to Sincerely,

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