13.0 TRANSPORTATION This chapter addresses the Hillsborough County School District Department of Transportation which is one of several offices within the Division of Business and Research reporting to the Assistant Superintendent for Business and Research. The Transportation Department transports approximately 75,000 students a day to school and home on regular runs, as well as special education runs, mid-day shuttle runs, late runs and special activity runs for athletic, educational and extra curricular programs. With a FY 1997 budget of almost $39.5 million, the Transportation Department uses approximately 1,024 buses per day, 890 regular school bus drivers, and 21 administrative supervisors for a combined travel distance of almost 19 million miles per year. This chapter contains eight major sections: 13.1 Transportation Overview 13.2 Management Policies 13.3 Organization and Staffing 13.4 School Bus Route Scheduling 13.5 Bus Fleet Management 13.6 Non-Bus Fleet Management 13.7 Alternative Fuels 13.8 Training It should be noted that throughout this chapter there will be some variation in the number of buses cited. This fluctuation is due to various databases supplied by the district and state with inconsistent numbers, the time when the data were recorded and reported, and the identified student population included in each database. 13.1 Transportation Overview The purpose of the overview is to develop a perspective of the size and complexity of the transportation operation in the Hillsborough County School District. National statistics are presented to show the significant size of the operation in relation to other large school systems. In addition to national comparisons, it is important to establish the framework of the state laws that govern the standards of operation for the Transportation Department within the Hillsborough County School District. School district levels of flexibility to manage the operation are governed by specific federal and state laws. Transportation operations are compared to several peer districts in an attempt to assess several key elements such as level of state funding, funding sources, percent of occupancy, rurality factors, transported miles by program and other relevant data that effect the management of the district s Transportation Department. The growth of the district is reflected in the number of schools built since 1975. Not only has the Hillsborough County School District experienced constant growth, but the district has faced numerous years of budgetary reductions which necessitated the use MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-1
of creative alternatives and strategies to deal with limited resources and increased demands. For example, during 1996, the Transportation Department made use of a community-based Budget Advisory Task Force to assist in its efforts to prioritize and develop alternatives for cost reductions and operational improvements. CURRENT SITUATION According to the December 1996 School Bus Fleet, a monthly professional transportation industry publication, the Hillsborough County School District operates the tenth largest bus fleet in the nation. Exhibit 13-1 compares the top 50 national school bus fleets utilizing the number of buses, the number of pupils transported daily, and size of fleet. In a December 1995 School Bus Fleet publication shown in Exhibit 13-2, the Hillsborough County School District ranked seventh in number of daily student riders and 12th in the nation in transportation productivity at 62 riders per bus. The Transportation Department in the Hillsborough County School District is faced with many challenges in planning, maintaining, and evaluating its operational needs and distribution of resources. National issues and local issues are reflective of the times and include such areas as: school choice charter schools double sessions modified school calendar activity busing alternative education magnet programs teen parent day care special education School districts attempt to maximize their productivity per bus by using fewer buses for multiple routes. Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland, for example, reported 114 riders per bus; Gwinnett County School District in Lawrenceville, Georgia reported 107; and East Baton Rouge, Louisiana reported 82 riders per bus. As displayed in Exhibit 13-2, the Hillsborough County School District ranked 12th with 62 riders per bus. Section 234, Florida Statutes, and State Board Rule 6A-3 mandates transportation for all students for the regular school year of 180 days. Florida law specifically states that students must be provided transportation to school if they reside two or more miles from school. The two-mile limit does not apply to students with special needs, prekindergarten children, or elementary students within a two-mile radius of the school, where walking conditions have been declared hazardous due to specifically defined traffic conditions. Exhibit 13-3 outlines the Florida Statutes and Department of Education State Board Rules that govern the transportation of school children in the State of Florida. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-2
Rank School District 1 New York City Public Schools, Long Island City, NY 2 Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles, CA 3 Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, IL 4 Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL 5 Milwaukee School District, Milwaukee, WI 6 Houston Independent School District, Houston, TX 7 Dallas County Schools, Dallas, TX 8 Fairfax County School District, Lorton, VA 9 Broward County School District, Oakland Park, FL 10 Hillsborough County Public Schools, Tampa, FL 11 Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, FL 12 School District of Philadelphia, PA 13 Prince George s County School District, Upper Marlboro, MD 14 Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD 15 Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY 16 Duval County School District, Jacksonville, FL 17 Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI 18 Charlotte Mecklenburg School District, Charlotte, NC 19 Cobb County School District, Marietta, GA 20 Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV 21 Gwinnett County Public Schools, Lawrenceville, GA EXHIBIT 13-1 LARGEST 50 NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS FLEETS Small Buses Large Buses Lift- Equipped Small Buses Lift- Equipped Large Buses Contractor Buses Pupils Daily Fleet 96 Fleet 95 Change vs. 95 2,256 1,744 0 320 4,000 160,000 4,000 3,838 162 1,278 1,176 240 35 1,050 70,000 2,454 2,577-123 543 1,820 140 210 2,363 50,000 2,363 2,340-23 456 1,263 140 311 144 65,105 1,719 1,428 291 500 1,000 75 0 1,500 55,500 1,500 1,440 60 481 861 219 15 0 41,762 1,342 1,041 301 381 888 35 0 0 50,000 1,269 1,323-54 23 1,209 10 167 0 101,327 1,232 1,232 0 10 1,215 0 185 0 63,587 1,225 1,051 174 4 1,208 12 170 0 78,009 1,212 1,223-11 10 1,157 4 157 0 59,700 1,167 1,024 143 121 906 1 144 427 31,350 1,127 1,080 47 0 1,065 0 85 3 91,150 1,065 1,044 21 0 995 0 0 6 92,000 995 989 6 41 948 1 60 232 71,476 989 998-10 54 933 14 122 987 53,097 987 975 12 10 951 5 193 347 16,528 961 N/A N/A 0 836 0 51 0 57,613 836 896-60 81 721 34 23 0 62,900 802 770 32 272 502 154 10 0 69,294 774 699 75 38 721 30 79 0 68,000 759 759 0 22 Baltimore County Public Schools, Timonium, MD 0 757 0 159 706 65,000 757 752 5 MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-3
Rank School District 23 Palm Beach School District, West Palm Beach FL 24 Wake County Schools, Raleigh, NC 25 Pinellas County School District, Largo, FL 26 Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis, MN 27 East Baton Rouge School District, Baton Rouge, LA 28 Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Virginia Beach, VA 29 Columbus Public Schools, Columbus OH 30 Cleveland Public Schools, Cleveland, OH 31 School District of Lee County, Fort Myers, FL 32 Anne Arundel County School District, Annapolis, MD 33 San Diego Unified School District, San Diego, CA 34 Rochester City School District, Rochester, NY 35 St. Louis Public Schools, St. Louis, MO 36 Brevard County School District, Cocoa, FL 37t Buffalo City School District, Buffalo, NY 38 Prince William County Public Schools, Bristow, VA 39 Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, NE 40 Austin Independent School District, Austin, TX 41 Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville, TN 42 Polk County Public Schools, Bartow, FL 43 Seattle Public Schools, Seattle, WA 44 Boston Public Schools, Boston, MA EXHIBIT 13-1 (Continued) LARGEST 50 NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS FLEETS Small Buses Large Buses Lift- Equipped Small Buses Lift- Equipped Large Buses Contractor Buses Pupils Daily Fleet 96 Fleet 95 147 583 56 64 0 57,000 730 680 50 106 609 30 20 0 50,000 715 688 27 Change vs. 95 30 594 10 83 0 39,500 624 N/A N/A 105 505 28 11 430 53,000 610 550 60 100 508 0 25 0 45,000 608 626-18 25 581 2 86 0 67,070 606 622-16 144 445 20 0 82 30,316 589 643-54 0 585 0 22 0 22,200 585 588-3 0 578 0 97 0 35,000 578 538 40 80 490 45 20 490 51,500 570 555 15 0 559 0 110 113 21,600 559 515 44 232 311 22 6 446 26,000 543 639-96 0 525 0 0 525 21,000 525 540-15 0 508 0 57 0 26,000 508 528-20 250 250 40 5 470 37,000 500 450 50 57 443 14 46 0 33,500 500 490 10 285 210 46 0 213 14,900 495 518-23 200 270 27 11 0 23,000 470 487-17 0 468 0 31 0 48,150 468 460 8 179 278 25 39 0 41,039 457 524-67 139 311 23 0 450 20,627 450 460-10 224 225 48 0 0 35,400 449 642-193 MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-4
Rank School District 45 Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Houston, TX 46 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District, Winston-Salem, NC 47 Northside Independent School District, Helotes, TX EXHIBIT 13-1 (Continued) LARGEST 50 NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS FLEETS Small Buses Large Buses Lift- Equipped Small Buses Lift- Equipped Large Buses Contractor Buses Pupils Daily Fleet 96 Fleet 95 53 384 0 47 0 41,950 437 437 0 Change vs. 95 0 417 0 30 0 25,100 417 400 17 152 248 32 5 0 27,500 400 370 30 48 Yonkers Public School District, Yonkers, NY 105 295 40 0 400 20,000 400 N/A N/A 49 Albuquerque Public Schools, Albuquerque, NM 148 252 0 32 400 33,370 400 399 1 50 Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO 112 274 0 50 0 28,000 386 390-4 Source: School Bus Fleet, December 1996. The funding of transportation is provided by both the state and local tax revenues. The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) has never fully funded transportation costs of school districts. State funding has been less than 60 percent for many years until the 1995 legislative session which enacted a revised student transportation funding formula designed to redistribute state funds among the 67 school districts. The current state funding percentage is approximately 80 percent. The old formula distributed money to each county based on a density index determined by dividing the number of students transported by one-half of the number of miles traveled. No additional funding was given for transporting disabled students. The new formula applies three indices to the number of students transported to determine the school district s total full-time-equivalent (FTE) students. The three indexes are: a rurality index which indicates the percent of rural residents in the county; the average bus occupancy which is intended to promote efficient utilization of buses; and a Florida price level index which indicates the differences in the cost of living among the 67 counties in the state. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-5
EXHIBIT 13-2 COMPARISON OF STUDENT RIDERS FOR 25 LARGEST SCHOOL BUS FLEETS IN THE COUNTRY DECEMBER 1995 Rank Largest 25 School Bus Fleets Number of Student Riders Daily Number of Buses Riders Per Bus 1 New York City Public Schools, NY 148,000 (1) 3,838 39 2 Fairfax County (Alexandria), VA 98,715 (8) 1,232 (5) 80 3 Baltimore County Public Schools, MD 85,413 752 (1) 114 4 Prince George's (Upper Marlboro), MD 84,500 (12) 1,044 (4) 81 5 Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville), GA 81,000 759 (2) 107 6 Montgomery County (Rockville), MD 79,000 989 (6) 80 7 Hillsborough County (Tampa), FL 75,655 (9) 1,223 (12) 62 8 Los Angeles Unified, CA 67,900 (2) 2,577 26 9 Jefferson County (Louisville), KY 67,000 998 (9) 67 10 Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale), FL 66,731 (11) 1,051 (10) 63 11 Dade County (Miami), FL 64,219 (5) 1,428 45 12 De Kalb County (Tucker), GA 61,890 800 (8) 77 13 Cobb County (Marietta), GA 61,000 770 (7) 79 14 East Baton Rouge, LA 59,800 725 (3) 82 15 Orange County (Orlando), FL 58,962 1,024 58 16 Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, NC 56,300 896 (11) 63 17 Duval County (Jacksonville), FL 54,700 975 56 18 Milwaukee Public Schools, IL 54,000 (4) 1,440 38 19 Chicago Public Schools, IL 50,000 (3) 2,340 21 20 Dallas County Schools, TX 48,000 (7) 1,323 36 21 Clark County (Las Vegas), NV 43,542 699 (13) 62 22 Houston ISD, TX 41,665 (6) 1,422 40 23 Hawaii Department of Education, HI 37,500 873 43 24 Philadelphia, PA 30,000 (10) 1,080 28 25 Department of Education (St. Louis) 14,000 700 20 26 National Average of 25 Largest Districts 63,580 1,223 18 Source: School Bus Fleet Magazine, December 1995. Note: (#) represents the numerical ranking for number of buses and riders per bus. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-6
EXHIBIT 13-3 FLORIDA STATUTES AND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RULES GOVERNING THE TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN SECTION CHAPTER 234, FLORIDA STATUTES: 234.01 Purpose: Transportation When Provided 234.02 Safety and Health of Pupils 234.051 School Buses 234.0515 Transportation of Public School Students by Private Transportation Companies 234.061 Designation of Routes and Nontransportation Zones 234.091 General Qualifications 234.112 School Bus Stops 234.211 Use of School Buses for Public Transportation 234.212 Contract for Transportation Services 234.301 Pool Purchase of School Buses 234.021 Hazardous Walking Conditions RULE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RULES -- 6A-3 SERIES 6A-3.001 6A-3.003 6A-3.004 6A-3.005 6A-3.006 6A-3.007 Basic Principles for Transportation of Students Certification as to Specifications of School Buses Procedures for Bids for School Buses Awarding Contracts for Purchase of School Buses Pool Purchase Plan for Purchase of Equipment and Contractual needs; Department of Management Services, Division of Purchasing Authorized to Negotiate Contracts Purchase of Used School Buses 6A-30121 Responsibility of School District and Parents for Students with Special Transportation needs who are Transported at Public Expense 6A-3.0141 Employment of School Bus Drivers 6A-3.0151 School Bus Driver Physical Examination and Medical Examiners Certificate 6A-3.016 Responsibilities of Deputy Commissioner for Educational Programs for Student Transportation 6A-3.017 Responsibilities of School Districts for Student Transportation 6A-3.018 Responsibilities of Superintendent 6A-3.029 Specifications for New School Buses 6A-3.0311 Specific Requirements for Transit Authority Buses Used as School Buses 6A-3.034 Use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas as a Motor Fuel in School Buses 6A-3.036 School Bus Driver s License Check for Suspensions and Revocations 6A-3.307 Alternate Engine Fuels for School Buses Source: State of Florida Laws and Rules, 1996. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-7
In addition, funding was added for exceptional students. Exhibit 13-4 shows a comparison of similar Florida school districts and the amount of state funding for transportation. The Hillsborough County School District has the second highest exceptional student (ESE) population in 1995-96 at approximately 3,479 full time equivalent (FTE) students which generated $3.35 million. The district received a total of $27,505,317 in state funds for transportation. Based on the state funding formula providing additional funding for ESE students, the district received $3.35 million or approximately 12 percent, in funding related to the high number of ESE transported students. As noted in Exhibit 13-4, the Hillsborough County School District received the largest overall distribution of state funding among the comparison districts. A contributing factor is the large ESE student populations. Of particular interest is the impact of the old versus new formula on local level of funding requirements. Under the old funding formula, the total transportation expense for 1994-95 reflected a local contribution of approximately $17.7 million compared to the estimated 1995-96 local funding requirements of only $13 million. With the increase in total state percentage contribution and reduced local requirement, the Hillsborough County School District transportation operational funding gained a positive net effect for the district. The population rurality as reflected in the funding formula is indicated in Exhibit 13-5 for the comparison school districts. Of the school districts compared, the Hillsborough County School District had the highest rural population percentage. The rural population percentage helps determine the distance and potential ridership when developing bus routes. EXHIBIT 13-4 STUDENT TRANSPORTATION COMPARISONS STATE FUNDING ALLOCATION 1995-96 STATE FUNDS DISTRICT EARNED Broward $23,869,459 Duval $19,228,706 Orange $21,158,538 Palm Beach $21,236,040 Pinellas $15,403,751 Hillsborough $27,505,317 State (67 Districts) $354,395,290 Source: Florida Department of Education, Second Transportation Note: Calculation, 1997. The Hillsborough County School District receives highest state base funding allocation factor ($74,506); the second highest exceptional student allocation ($3.35 million for 3,479 students); and the 11th lowest percent of rural residents (10.77%). MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-8
EXHIBIT 13-5 STUDENT TRANSPORTATION COMPARISON DISTRICT RURAL POPULATION PERCENT 1996-97 DISTRICT URBAN RESIDENTS RURAL RESIDENTS TOTAL RESIDENTS PERCENT RURALITY Broward 1,241,667 13,821 1,255,488 1.10% Duval 664,899 8,072 672,971 1.20% Orange 630,908 46,583 677,491 6.88% Palm Beach 817,947 45,571 863,518 5.28% Pinellas 848,230 3,429 851,659 0.40% Hillsborough 744,209 89,845 834,054 10.77% Source: Florida Department of Education. Second Transportation Calculation, 1997. Although Exhibit 13-2 shows the Hillsborough County School District as the 12th largest school district in the nation in terms of bus occupancy, based on updated 1996-97 Florida Department of Education transportation figures illustrated in Exhibit 13-6, the Hillsborough County School District became the second highest in percentage of bus occupancy among comparison districts in Florida, and 7.7 percent above the statewide average. The district is also the third largest in terms of average number of buses on the road within the state of Florida. The district is 17th overall in the state of Florida for bus occupancy. Exhibit 13-7 indicates that the Hillsborough County School District drove its buses approximately 19,000,000 miles in 1995-96 using approximately 970 buses of which 632 were used for regular transportation runs, 238 buses used for exceptional student education (ESE), and 101 buses used for the many magnet programs in place within the school district. The use of magnet programs has helped address a long standing desegregation court order as well as provide educational options for children. EXHIBIT 13-6 AVERAGE BUS OCCUPANCY IN COMPARISON DISTRICTS DISTRICT AVERAGE BUSES AVERAGE BUS OCCUPANCY Broward 1,065 60.69% Duval 909 60.11% Orange 859 64.28% Palm Beach 568 100.46% Pinella 563 72.64% Hillsborough 971 77.74% State (67 Districts) 13,613 69.98% Source: Florida Department of Education, Second Transportation Calculation, 1997. Note: The Hillsborough County School District has the 3rd largest statewide average buses on the road and 17th statewide in average occupancy. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-9
EXHIBIT 13-7 MILES PER PROGRAM REGULAR EDUCATION, ESE, AND MAGNET PROGRAMS* 1995-96 Program Miles Buses Regular 10,959,000 632 ESE 4,625,000 238 Magnet 3,416,000 101 TOTAL 19,000,000 971 Source: Transportation Department, 1997. *Does not include alternative education. Some state funding formulas provide dollars to support the replacement of school buses. The state of Florida funding formula does not have any factor that considers the replacement of buses and generates dollars to support these costs. School districts in Florida must rely on local funding options to implement any type of bus replacement program. Given state funding for transportation operational costs has never been funded at 100 percent, it is even more difficult to fund capital expenditures for a bus replacement program. Funding for transportation within the school district comes from several sources as outlined in Exhibit 13-8. The significant change in local and state support is a direct result of the revised state funding formula in 1995-96. In 1995-96, the transportation costs were 3.04 percent of the district s total appropriation (i.e., full costs including all cost categories). This compared to a 4.2 percent state average and a 4.3 percent national average as reported by Transportation Department statistics. EXHIBIT 13-8 COMPARISON OF FUNDING SOURCES 1994-95 AND 1995-96 SOURCE FUNDED BY 1994-95 1995-96 Formula (FTE) State $17,700,000 $26,891,000 District Funding Local $24,263,900 $10,339,800 ESE (IDEA) Federal $354,500 $345,500 Service Reimbursements Local $1,100,000 $947,100 Recycling Revenue Local $78,600 $84,100 Medicaid Federal $0 $315,000 Total $43,497,000 $38,922,500 Source: Transportation Department, 1997. In addition, the Medicaid (a revenue estimate) in Exhibit 13-8 was approved for federal reimbursement, but has not materialized due to state legal issues being finalized through the legislative process. Medicaid revenue represents federal funds flowing through states to individual agencies such as the Hillsborough County School District. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-10
The Medicaid revenue is based on the district s estimate that approximately 460 students qualify based on selected types of services provided monthly and transported by the Transportation Department. In addition to Medicaid dollars, the exceptional student education IDEA funds represent another federal funding source. These federal funds have been used to purchase five buses for the past several years and represent an alternative funding source to help support the bus replacement program, even if on a very limited and restricted basis. Exhibit 13-9 reflects the federal ESE level of bus purchase support for the school district. EXHIBIT 13-9 FEDERALLY FUNDED ESE BUSES IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT FY NUMBER COST TOTAL FUNDED 1997-98 5 $52,257 $261,285 1996-97 5 $47,506 $237,530 1995-96 5 $47,506 $237,530 1994-95 5 $45,680 $228,400 1993-94 5 $39,175 $195,875 Source: Transportation Department, 1997. In January 1996, a Transportation Budget Advisory Task Force was formed in an effort to assist the district s Transportation Department find potential budget savings/cost reductions in three levels--a five percent, a 10 percent, and 15 percent reduction level. In addition, the Task Force was asked to critique the operation of the Transportation Department. The Task Force recommended the adoption of the following principles for use in constructing future transportation budgets by the district: Safety: No change in operation that adversely affects the safety of children should be taken simply due to budgetary reasons. Responsibility: The district is governed by law. Parents bear primary responsibility for safe passage to and from the school or bus stop. Field Trips and Special Programs: The costs of these programs should be billed back entirely to the requesting or benefiting program. Courtesy Riders: Students who fail to meet requirements and are transported should be billed the full cost of providing the transportation. Outsourcing: he district should continue to outsource any maintenance, service, supply or other activity meeting the following criteria: MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-11
there is no decrease in safety; all federal, state, and district requirements are met; a significant savings is demonstrated by cost comparisons including all direct and indirect savings; savings are of a long-term nature; and the district is not dependent upon a sole source provider. Staff and Drivers: The department should continue high standards for drivers; the district should find ways to increase the attractiveness of driving and staff positions. Public Transportation: Computer-assisted Routing: The Transportation Department should explore every reasonable opportunity to work cooperatively with existing public transportation. The district should avail itself of state-of-the-art computer programs for routing. Bus Replacement: The district should adopt an ongoing 12-year life expectancy bus replacement program and incorporate program into the annual budget. Vandalism: Vandalism should be recognized as an ongoing and significant concern; the district should consider expanding video monitoring to all buses and set a significant punitive fine above the actual cost of repairs to be paid by vandals. In addition, the Transportation Budget Task Force recommended two legislative actions: Full FTE Funding: The State should fully fund those transportation mandates it places upon the counties. Currently, the FTE formula funds only approximately 80 percent of required transportation effort. The effect is to place transportation needs in competition with academic needs at the district level. Hazardous Conditions Criteria: The criteria used by the State to determine whether hazardous conditions exist (thereby affecting eligibility for FTE funding) are in serious need of revision. The criteria appear to be written with a rural setting in mind, whereas the vast majority of students bused in the state live in urban settings. The definition of hazards should speak to environment factors (e.g. high crime areas) in addition to traffic speed of sidewalks. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-12
As noted in Chapter 2, according to Department of Education statistics, the Hillsborough County School District had about 190 total school sites in 1995-96 with eight exceptional student centers, four vocational centers, and 23 other type of schools in addition to the regular school sites. The school district was building approximately six schools per year in the early 1990s and currently averages two to three new schools per year. Exhibit 13-10 displays the number of schools built since 1975. EXHIBIT 13-10 NEW SCHOOLS OPENED SINCE 1975 IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL GRADE STARTED CONSTRUCTION YEAR OPENED 1. Knights K-5 1976 1977 2. McDonald K-6 1976 1977 3. Buckhorn K-5 1978 1979 4. Pinecrest K-6 1979 1980 5. Apollo Beach K-5 1982 1983 6. Claywell K-5 1982 1983 7. Lopez K-5 1983 1984 8. Armwood 10-12 1983 1985 9. Gaither 10-12 1983 1985 10. Hill 8-9 1985 1986 11. Bloomingdale 10-12 1985 1987 12. Burns 8-9 1985 1987 13. Caminiti Special ED 1985 1987 14. Essrig ESE 1986 1987 15. Lewis K-5 1986 1987 16. West Tampa K-6 1986 1987 17. Alafia K-5 1987 1988 18. Northwest K-5 1987 1988 19. Maniscalo K-5 1988 1989 20. Tampa Palms K-5 1988 1989 21. Bing K,6 1990 1991 22. Boyette Springs K-5 1990 1991 23. Cypress Creek K-5 1990 1991 24. Lithia Springs K-5 1990 1991 25. Mintz K-5 1990 1991 26. Summerford K-5 1990 1991 27. Walden Lake K-5 1990 1991 28. Cannella K-5 1991 1992 29. Colson K-5 1991 1992 30. Folson K-5 1991 1992 31. Hunters Green K-5 1991 1992 32. Lowry K-5 1991 1992 33. Schwarzkopf K-6 1991 1992 34. Durant 9-12 1994 1995 35. Lockhart K,6 1995 1996 Source: Public Relations Office, 1997. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-13
FINDING The Transportation Department formed the Transportation Budget Advisory Task Force in early 1996 to assist the department in identifying potential savings/cost reduction and to critique the operation of the Transportation Department. The 14-member Task Force was comprised of three citizens and 11 school system employees from throughout the district. The Task Force examined the Transportation Department in three sections: primary mission or FTE generating transportations; ancillary programs; and overhead --- administration, safety, and maintenance. The primary budget consideration for the Task Force was the sole transportation of children. The analysis work performed by the Task Force utilized the 1994-95 budget as a baseline. Based on the Task Force s budget reduction tasks of five percent, 10 percent, and 15 percent, the group made three separate budget restructuring recommendations of $2,886,000, $4,305,605 and $6,827,302 respectively. COMMENDATION The Hillsborough County School District Transportation Department and the Transportation Budget Advisory Task Force are commended for their comprehensive and thorough analysis of the transportation operation and potential cost savings/reductions. 13.2 Management Policies Without current policies and procedures to establish the management guidelines and directions for a school district to follow, district operations will become reactive and not proactive in their management practices. The Hillsborough County School District Transportation Department has relied on its internal Drivers Handbook, Accident Review Board, and department procedures to create the environment to foster safe driving records, secure a better than average claims history, and generate the ability to address numerous non-funded transportation programs without reducing overall levels of support. CURRENT SITUATION The existing School Board and Transportation Policies and Procedures have been in a state of under revision for several years. Numerous policies, management practices, and procedures are no longer relevant. For example, School Board Policy H-33 and procedure H-335 discuss charging of a fee for service within the two-mile required transportation limit. This practice has not been active for many years. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-14
Management practices related to the following areas are noted for further discussion: department management information indicators and performance tracking; accident and claim activities; new hire screening criteria and costs; types of student transportation; magnet schools process; non-fte programs utilizing transportation services; outsourcing; use of transit busing; use of forms, documents and reports; utilization of a State Driver Plan and Accident Review Board; and other management practices. The State of Florida collects key performance indicators and publishes an annual report by district comparing each school district and, in many instances, calculating a statewide average. Exhibit 13-11 identifies 21 of the statewide reported and tracked transportation data elements. Some key data elements include: percentage of hazardous walking ridership; buses in daily service; total annual miles; transportation expenses; transportation expenses per student; and average bus occupancy. The significance of the data elements is the ability to compare operational percents, ratios, expenditures, and other components in a continuing effort to improve operational efficiency. Elements such as percentage of hazardous walking ridership, buses in daily service, transportation expense per student, occupancy, and operating expense per student are only a few of the important data measures tracked by the district providing beneficial comparative analysis for improved decision making. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-15
EXHIBIT 13-11 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION DATA IN COMPARATIVE DISTRICTS 1995-96 Broward Duval Orange Palm Beach Pinellas Hillsborough State 1. Population Per Square Mile 1,037 867 744 433 3,042 792 NA 2. District Road 4,660 3,887 3,510 3,719 3,962 4,879 112,499 Totals 3. Fall Membership 208,354 123,905 123,064 132,215 104,331 143,192 2,175,233 4. Percentage of District Membership Transported for 31.37% 43.93% 45.92% 41.35% 37.92% 51.39% 43.07% Oct/Feb. 1995-96 5. Percentage of Courtesy Ridership 5.07% 1.60% 4.82% 0% 9.15% 5.73% 6.96% 6. Percentage of Hazardous Walking Ridership 1.79% 4.19% 6.58% 2.26% 4.45% 9.24 3.60% 7. Percentage of Teen Parent 1.15% 0.20% 0.35% 0.09% 0.81% 0.03% 0.53% Ridership 8. Percentage of Ridership with Disabilities 3.63% 5.31% 6.01% 3.60% 8.69% 4.97% 4.83% 9. Buses in Daily Service 966 846 855 565 529 990 13,166 10. Total Annual Miles (Inc. Field Trips) 17,231,514 17,096,758 15,678,090 11,683,731 12,157,528 19,000,267 256,364,501 11. Percentage of Daily Route Miles to Annual Miles 97.94% 90.66% 95.66% 94.88% 93.43% 88.45% 89.77% 12. Average District Salary Including Benefits $26,035 $56,929 $18,099 $17,330 $23,011 $24,137 $16,547 13. Transportation Expenses $49,102,783 $30,540,861 $35,704,212 $21,061,958 $21,307,639 $39,285,441 $527,092,803 14. Bus Purchases $4,432,688 $0 $2,970,677 $448,090 $156,288 $490,663 $35,739,170 15. Transportation Expense Per Student $713 $548 $618 $377 $525 $516 $550 16. Operating Expenses Per $2.59 $1.79 $2.09 $1.76 $1.74 $2.04 $1.92 Annual Mile 17. Average Bus Occupancy 67.69 64.33 66.13 96.76 74.86 74.37 68.52 18. Median Bus Model Year 1991 1990 1989 1991 1989 1990 1988 19. Operating Expense as a Percent of Total District 4.40% 5.26% 5.57% 2.81% 3.75% 5.12% 4.59% Expense 20. Percent State 48.83% 63.19% 57.23% 93.46% 66.69% 64.88% 65.83% Funds 21. Percent Local 51.17% 36.81% 42.77% 6.54% 33.31% 35.12% 34.17% Funds Source: State Department of Education, Transportation, 1997. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-16
Section 234.01, Florida Statutes, address safety and health of pupils related to transportation of school children. Specifically, this section states: Maximum regard for safety and adequate protection of health shall be primary requirements which shall be observed by school boards in routing buses, appointing drivers, and providing and operating equipment, in accordance with all requirements of law and regulations of the state board in providing transportation pursuant to Section 234.01, Florida Statutes. The State Department of Education Transportation Division defines an accident as $500 in damage or any injury (complaint of injury included) to a student who is regularly transported. The Hillsborough County School District expands the State definition of an accident to include any contact made by a vehicle with a person, vehicle, or object (no matter how minor). All incidents are required to be reported immediately to the Transportation Department which, in turn, reports the accident to the proper law enforcement agency. The district has an active Accident Review Board that evaluates every reported accident. State Board Rule 6A-3 outlines a school district s responsibilities related to the use of transit busing. Within the Tampa area, there are at least eight additional private transportation firms available to support the needs of the school district. Exhibit 13-12 identifies several firms and their typical charges. Transportation policies include requirements for student ridership. State law indicates a 65-passenger maximum bus load capacity and Hillsborough County School District route coordinators review each transported FTE to determine if the number falls below a certain ridership ratio. EXHIBIT 13-12 PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY CHARGES COMPANY MINIMUM HOURS HOURLY RATE AVERAGE COST PER TRIP Ascot Bus Lines 3 $40.00 $180 Astro Bus Lines 3 $40.00 $160 First Class Coach Co. 4 $53.00 $212 Gulf Coast Motor Line 5 $48.00 $240 Haye's Transportation 4 $30.00 $120 Precision Charters, Inc 5 $47.00 $235 Unicorn Charter, Inc 5 $47.00 $235 Hillsborough County School District 3 $18.50 $116 (and $1.25 per mile) Source: Transportation Department, 1997. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-17
The district maintains a transportation policy related to the replacement standard for school buses. The standard has recently changed from a 10-year life cycle to a 12- year life cycle. It is the intent of the Transportation Department to maintain buses an additional three years, as a spare, beyond the 12-year life cycle for a total of 15 years. The Transportation Department Drivers Handbook outlines management practices for handling student misbehavior or vandalism on the bus. In addition, Transportation Department policies and procedures outline how to handle student/parent complaints. At the beginning of each school year, a letter is sent to all schools for distribution to parents. The letter must be signed and returned. This letter outlines the transportation policies and rules for both students and parents. During school hours, buses are available from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. for local educational field trips. As required by internal management practice, requested times out of this range are not guaranteed, and all buses must return by 1:30 p.m. Afterschool buses are normally available at 5:15 p.m. Buses are not provided during school hours, on site-based management early release dates, or secondary school exam dates. Special needs of students such as a wheel chair for field trips incur an additional cost of $11.00 per hour for the use of a bus rider. Total Quality Management is practiced within the department in an attempt to ensure public complaints are dealt with responsibly. In fact, in an effort to maintain open communication with staff and the community, the Transportation Department issues informative data in the form of commonly asked questions about the use of school buses on field trips to assist schools and other sites to become knowledgeable about the process and requirements. The district utilizes an aged automated maintenance monitoring system as well as an automated fuel management system. The automated maintenance system and electronic fuel management system provide numerous management reports to assist in the management of the operations of the department. FINDING The results of the MGT survey reported that 64 percent of the administrators indicated pupil transportation was adequate or outstanding while 50 percent of the principals indicated that pupil transportation needed some improvement or major improvement. Similar to principals, 43 percent of the teachers indicated pupil transportation was adequate while 36 percent stated transportation needed some improvement. When comparing to survey results in other school systems, the teachers were basically identical noting that 44 percent felt pupil transportation was adequate. When combining all administrators and comparing to other school systems, 37 percent of the Hillsborough County administrators stated that transportation needed some improvement while other systems gave this response only 29 percent. The district maintains a Safe Driver Plan established to prevent the hiring of an unqualified applicant and to manage the driving record of bus drivers. All bus drivers, mail carriers, garbage carriers, and all other personnel who have driving responsibilities have their personal driving record included in the Safe Driver Plan point system. The MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-18
plan is administered by a Safe Driver Plan Committee who has an annual review schedule of each driving record. Any violation accumulates points according to an established schedule of violation categories with assigned points. As a result of excessive points, a driver can receive a written warning, multiple day suspension, or termination. Accidents are reviewed by the District Accident Review Board for a determination as to whether an accident was preventable. Based on Department of Education criteria, the district had 20 accidents reported. Exhibit 13-13 displays the district s standards and reflects a total of 187 accidents for the 1995-96 school year. EXHIBIT 13-13 SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT INFORMATION School # of Buses on # of Miles # of Accidents Year the Road Driven Preventable Non- Undecided Total Preventable 1993-94 947 17,936,00 72 131 0 203 1994-95 967 18,061,165 74 143 0 217 1995-96 972 19,000,267 52 135 0 187 1996-97 971 N/A 29 52 2 83 School Year Total Accidents Per Bus Preventable Accidents Per Bus Mile Per Accident % of Preventable Accidents 1993-94.21.08 88,355 35% 1994-95.22.08 83,231 34% 1995-96.19.05 101,606 28% 1996-97 N/A N/A N/A N/A Source: Transportation Department, 1997. Based on the school bus accidents reported in Exhibit 13-14, the district had a total claim cost of approximately $373,000 for 1994-1995. Exhibit 13-14 indicates a fiveyear average cost of bus accident claims at approximately $264,000. The Hillsborough County School District is self-insured through a third-party administrator and utilizes an Internal Claims Committee to review all claims with legal council. Each year, the school district evaluates its self-insurance program to ensure it is cost effective. COMMENDATION The Transportation Department is commended for the long-term emphasis on bus accident awareness resulting in an exemplary accident record. The district has utilized its Accident Review Board and Safe Driver Plan to maintain an accident awareness program and to maintain a noteworthy bus accident record of no serious accidents in over 15 years of transporting students. The data contained in Exhibits 13-13 and 13-14 show fewer accidents and accident claims than in other large school systems which MGT has previously reviewed. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-19
EXHIBIT 13-14 SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT CLAIMS YEAR AMOUNT OF CLAIM 1995 $372,542.50 1994 105,024.88 1993 453,022.95 1992 139,700.00 1991 247,501.00 1990 32,960.00 1989 85,749.25 1988* $1,455,000.58 Average for Last Eight Years $181,875.07 Average for Last Five Years $263,558.27 Source: Transportation Department, 1997. Note: These claims are covered by the Self Insurance Fund administered by a third-party administrator called Alexis. *The $1.4 million figure noted for 1988 represents all prior year s claims combined. In several locations throughout the school district, legally mandated, safety-related communication is appropriately posted. The Hillsborough County School District has established an accident awareness program with the implementation of its Accident Review Board and State Driver Plan. In addition, the district has made use of manuals and procedures to communicate the expectations of the department. FINDING Florida law mandates that students be transported home-to-school-to-home for the regular school year --- a total of 180 days. Currently, the district provides busing for programs and activities beyond the regular bus requirements. Special programs include runs for the numerous magnet programs, alternative education programs, and additional programs that are non-fte generating programs. The district has also been transporting students for special activity runs related to the Board s good faith effort towards the desegregation court order. The district transports more than 75,000 students on approximately 2,200 transportation runs with almost 1,000 buses. Exhibit 13-15 indicates that the district transports 91.6 percent regular education students, 3.4 percent magnet program students, 4.8 percent exceptional student education students, and.13 percent alternative education students. The district is currently using nine buses, 21 transportation runs, and transporting 104 students for the alternative education program. The average count per run in Exhibit 13-15 represents the number of students transported and the average number of students per bus on each run. In addition, the district utilizes HART Line Transit System to transport secondary alternative education students who live outside the established boundaries. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-20
EXHIBIT 13-15 STUDENTS TRANSPORTED IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 1995-96 Alternative Education 0.13% ESE 4.83% Magnet Programs 3.41% Regular Education 91.63% TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS TRANSPORTED AVERAGE STUDENT COUNT PER RUN AVERAGE STUDENT COUNT PER BUS PERCENT OF TOTAL TRANSPORTED PROGRAM # OF BUSES # OF RUNS Alternative Education 9 21 104 4.95 11.56 0.13% Exceptional Student Education 238 499 3,736 7.49 15.70 4.83% Magnet Programs 103 100 2,640 26.40 25.63 3.41% Regular Education 643 1,549 70,919 44.49 110.29 91.63% TOTAL 993 2,169 77,399 34.96 77.94 100.00% Source: Transportation Department, 1997. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-21
On October 5, 1971, the Board approved the use of school buses for satellite areas for after-school activities. Busing students outside their regular attendance area to provide them a chance to participate in after-school activities was a good faith effort to support court-ordered desegregation. Exhibit 13-16 provides a representative sample of the square miles in the main attendance area zones. These data are presented to provide a picture of the variances of square miles traveled between attendance areas and factors to be considered when analyzing utilization of buses. EXHIBIT 13-16 ACTIVITY BUS UTILIZATION AND SQUARE MILES 1994-95 SQUARE MILES IN MAIN ATTENDANCE AREA HIGH SCHOOL MILES Plant 13.15 Robinson 18.85 Easy Bay 233.33 Tampa Bay Tech 1,265.31 JUNIOR HIGH MILES Adams 12.94 Burns 18.89 Hill 77.2 Turkey Creek 237.72 Source: Transportation Department, 1997. Based on figures provided by the Transportation Department, the average cost per activity bus per year is approximately $6,300 for 1995-96. It takes approximately 38 buses to support the program to allow for some schools requiring more than one activity bus and the need for back-up drivers. The cost of $6,300 for approximately 38 buses totals to almost $240,000 to maintain the activity buses. Activity runs represent just one of many non-fte funded state programs. Exhibit 13-17 displays approximately 35 non-fte funded programs which require expenditure of transportation resources. The efforts of the Transportation Budget Advisory Task Force recognized the opportunity for the Transportation Department to bill several activities for actual costs to at least cover expenditures. The lunch runs, space shuttle, field trips and courtesy riders were all areas that were subsequently adjusted by the Transportation Department based on the recommendations of the Transportation Budget Advisory Task Force. The six largest areas of continuing opportunity for changes to cover costs are in the areas of the activity runs, community-based training, courtesy riders, summer school, health clinics, and a modified school calendar at Boyette Springs. MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-22
EXHIBIT 13-17 NON-FTE FUNDED PROGRAMS EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE 1994-1995 (ADJUSTED FOR 1996 CHANGES) PROGRAM PURPOSE EXPENDITURE REVENUE COST TO TRANSPORTATION Activity Runs Transport students to satellite areas after athletic practice $208,942.99 $208,942.99 Boyette Springs Additional cost of transporting intercessions $16,896.38 $16,896.38 Modified Calendar School Camp Kaleidoscope Summer Program Camp Keystone Summer Program Center Excellence Summer Program Community-Based Training Courtesy Riders Under two-mile transportation Program provides career exploration to ESE and disadvantaged 7th grade students. Students are allowed to utilize Tampa Tech bus stops to attend program. Cost is associated with field trips to various local businesses. Funded by Federal Perkins Act. A service learning project which provides building and landscaping training to participants. Sponsored by the Hillsborough Education Foundation and funded by a state grant. Programs for under-privileged, at risk, pre-k, and honor students. Funded by a state grant. Transport ESE students to various sites for job training. Previously State FTE funded. Funding possibilities are being sought for next year. Additional requests for service for this year are being funded by other sources on a field trip basis. Transporting students who are not FTE funded due to distance from school. Some adjustments made for hazardous walking in 1995-96 fiscal year. $4,445.95 $4,445.95 $0.00 $2,121.00 $2,121.00 $0.00 $1,156.32 $1,156.32 $0.00 $256,259.32 $256,259.32 $286,969.00 $100,000.00 $168,969.00 Daycare Contracts Provide transportation to daycare centers. Reimbursed by daycare centers. $9,332.10 $9,332.10 $0.00 Daycare Swim Summer Program Instructional swim provided for participants in the Adult and Community Education s summer daycare program. Paid for by weekly tuition from parents. $9,593.10 $9,593.10 $0.00 MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-23
EXHIBIT 13-17 (Continued) NON-FTE FUNDED PROGRAMS EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE 1994-1995 (ADJUSTED FOR 1996 CHANGES) PROGRAM PURPOSE EXPENDITURE REVENUE COST TO TRANSPORTATION Daycare trips Field trips for children enrolled in the Adult and Community Education s daycare program. Paid for by weekly tuition from parents. $16,989.49 $16,989.49 $0.00 ESE Swim Summer Program Instructional swim for ESE students. Funded by district funds. $35,432.60 $35,432.60 $0.00 Extended Day After-school program for secondary students. Funded by state grants. $65,949.58 $65,949.58 $0.00 Extended Day Program Summer Program Field Trips Various schools who participated in the Extended Day Program. Funded by state grant. Field trips to various sites. Previously were reimbursed for school to school expenses only. Difference was calculated by determining time and miles traveled from school which is not charged to the school. Increased rate from $16.50 to $18.50 per hour plus $1.25 per mile in fiscal year 1995-96. $2,691.98 $2,691.98 $0.00 $709,686.55 $709,686.55 $0.00 Gifted Field Trips Summer Program Transportation for Aquatic Invertebrate, Marine Biology, Visual Arts, and Math and Science Camp students to visit various sites relative to their studies. $13,066.01 $13,066.01 $0.00 Health Clinics Transport nursing students for clinical training. $22,807.68 $22,807.68 IDEA Individual with Disabilities Education Act IDEA Individual with Disabilities Education Act IDEA Individual with Disabilities Education Act Federal funds to replace ESE buses. $251,000.00 $251,000.00 $0.00 Federal funds to purchase harnesses, wheelchair locks, etc. $5,000.00 $5,000.00 $0.00 Federal funds to cover the fringe benefits of individuals being paid by IDEA funds. $20,000.00 $20,000.00 $0.00 MGT of America, Inc. Hillsborough Page 13-24