FortBendNow.com

The Fort Bend Independent School District is considering several strategies that could trim as much as $2.2 million off of next school year’s transportation costs. Ben Copeland, the district’s Chief Auxiliary Services Officer presented the board with cost-cutting measures at Monday’s budget workshop.

Cost-saving strategies presented include shifting bell schedules to improve routing efficiency between bus runs. The elementary start/stop time would change to 8:10 a.m. – 3:10 p.m., from the current 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The middle school start/stop time would change to 8:55 a.m. – 3:55 p.m. from the current 8:50 a.m. – 3:50 p.m. and, there would be no changes to the current high school start/stop time.

The district will also consider increasing the number of students per bus run with a target average bus load of 50 students per run for high school and middle school and 60 students per run for elementary.

Also on the table is increasing the distance students have to walk to get to their bus stop, which would reduce the number of stops for the buses. As a result, students may walk up to ½ mile for secondary students and up to 1,000 feet for elementary students.

The district will also review areas that currently receive “hazardous area” bus service. For example, at one time, a particular neighborhood may have been granted bus service because of road construction in the area.  However, once the road construction is complete, transportation should no longer be provided if students live within the campus walk zone.

Copeland also suggested eliminating after school general activity bus runs, other than for student tutorials, at middle and high schools.

“This bus service receives no reimbursement from the state and is too costly to maintain in this financial climate,” said district representatives.

Trustees will consider the cost-reducing changes presented by transportation along with several other budget considerations before adopting a final 2010-2011 school year budget in June.