School districts are still searching for new ways to save money on transportation costs, and get access to buses despite the ongoing bus driver shortage. One option gaining popularity are shared transportation services. That is, making partnerships with other schools in the city, other districts, or even other transportation companies, to maintain a shared pool of buses and other vehicles.
While there are pros and cons to this system, one area where it can really shine is dealing with special-needs transportation situations. For example, what if only one student rider in your district uses a wheelchair? Having a specialty bus just for them would be wasteful, but perhaps some nearby schools could share a wheelchair-ready bus.
In cases like these, shared transportation can make a lot of sense.
Reduce Transportation Costs
The obvious benefit is that you won't be solely responsible for owning and maintaining the special-needs vehicles. The costs would be split across everyone making use of the vehicle.
Ensure Compliance With Legal Regulations
Broadly speaking, schools are expected to provide transportation services to every student that requires them. If you're in a tough spot trying to find ways to properly serve special-needs children, this makes it possible to satisfy all your legal responsibilities without breaking the budget.
Access To Equipment As Needed
If districts are already sharing one or more vehicles for special-needs students, that means you're less likely to be disrupted if a new student with special needs enters the district. A vehicle may already be in the shared pool ready to meet their needs, without you having to source a new vehicle.
More Users Means Better Maintenance
It's vital to maintain all equipment associated with transporting special needs students. When several schools are sharing the vehicle, that means multiple maintenance crews all keeping an eye on the equipment to ensure it's safe for use.
Improved Inter-District Relationships
Right now, districts should be working with each other to provide for students, rather than competing. A shared vehicle pool is a great way to build ties with other schools or districts, and open up other opportunities for helpful or cost-cutting collaboration.
Shared transportation services can work - when implemented properly. BusBoss can help! Our DISTRICTpatrol software suite is an easy-to-use accounting dashboard specifically designed for the needs of schools implementing shared services in-district or intra-district. Gather data, understand your costs, and produce reports detailed instantly.
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PRESIDENT
Sonia has been involved with BusBoss since the late 1990’s, and has personally overseen many projects for various customers ranging from large urban and suburban districts to smaller rural school districts from all over the country. In all cases, her primary goal was to improve their transportation operations by reducing their operating expenses while simultaneously improving student safety and parent satisfaction.