More changes are coming to Decatur City Schools’ new bus routes, and they start Monday.

The changes focus on the two high schools and three middle schools.

The school board approved buying five additional buses in December due to an overwhelming response to the bus service expansion.

It took almost two months to get those buses delivered and ready to put on the streets while Transportation Director Bonnie Cowan prepared the route changes and additions.

The bus changes are listed on Page B4 and the newspaper’s Web site, www.decaturdaily.com.

Cowan said more than 2,100 are riding buses. Two surveys in spring 2008 projected about 1,600 students would ride when the school board expanded the service to include students in kindergarten through ninth grades who live two or more miles from school.

Overcrowding

The new routes relieve overcrowding on the middle school buses and provide transportation for high school students. After the August expansion, school officials found a demand for service from high school sophomores and juniors.

The demand required the school buses to carry more students than school officials preferred or run several double routes.

Often, bus drivers delivered a load and returned to pick up a second load.

The five new buses cost $377,489, but the state will reimburse an estimated $293,200. This is based on the current annual reimbursement of $5,864 per bus for 10 years. However, reimbursement is subject to change with each year’s state education budget.

The reimbursement was $6,600 last year, but Gov. Bob Riley has already declared proration in the fiscal 2009 budget.

Transportation is usually one of the areas hardest hit with budget cuts because personnel salaries usually consume an average of 85 percent of the budget. and returned to pick up a second load.

The five new buses cost $377,489, but the state will reimburse an estimated $293,200. This is based on the current annual reimbursement of $5,864 per bus for 10 years. However, reimbursement is subject to change with each year’s state education budget.

The reimbursement was $6,600 last year, but Gov. Bob Riley has already declared proration in the fiscal 2009 budget.

Transportation is usually one of the areas hardest hit with budget cuts because personnel salaries usually consume an average of 85 percent of the budget.

See Also:
Bus route changes