The fact that so many districts struggle to provide adequate bus service is a clear indication that we must start thinking bigger about school transportation.

There are many strategies for making school transportation more effective and efficient:

  1. Investing in data and technology. Districts need more information about their transportation systems in order to improve service. Therefore, states should invest in technologies that enable districts to collect, analyze, and use information that informs operations and customer service to families.
  2. Providing financial incentives for efficient design and investments. Though districts face tightening transportation budgets, most actually have few incentives to make short-term investments that yield long-term efficiency gains. States should incentivize these types of investments in their funding models.
  3. Thinking more broadly about how school transportation intersects with other transit systems. In many districts, particularly those located in sizable metropolitan areas, a large transportation infrastructure likely already exists. This should be tapped by districts to spur new avenues for cooperation and collaboration with local and regional transit systems.

Read the full article on bringing down district transportation costs by Phillip Burgoyne-Allen at The 74