School Bus Transportation* * Everything you wanted to know… and more… Chris Ellison Director of Transportation Eugene School District 4J ellison@4j.lane.edu Brock Dittus Program Analyst Oregon Dept. of Education brock.dittus@state.or.us

A Little History: Prior to the passage of Ballot Measure 5 in 1990, school bus transportation was not mandated However… Fallout from massive budget cuts necessitated transportation to be mandated Funding formula/reimbursement was created 70/80/90% ORS 327.033 (4) – Bus Reimbursement

Oregon School Bus Driver Licensing Requirements Correct Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with proper endorsements Physical Examination Fingerprinted Driving Record Check 15 hours of Behind-The-Wheel training School Bus Skills Test Completion of Core Course (8 hrs.) Possess a valid First Aid Card Certified Competent

Oregon Transportation Statistics Currently 6,609 active school bus drivers 9,561 active activity vehicle drivers 7,812 school buses 266,000 students transported daily Over 76,000,000 miles travelled 5,200 School Bus Driver’s Certificates processed yearly 2,800 Activity Vehicle Driver’s Licenses processed yearly

Oregon Transportation Statistics School Bus Driver Age Category Breakdown: 18-20: 11 21-30: 273 31-40: 647 41-50: 1,060 51-60: 1,789 61-70: 1,846 71+: 639 Oldest active school bus driver is 86 years old

Oregon Transportation Statistics FY 2018 Total Approved Transportation Expenditures: $217,343,342 5% of total state education budget ($4.1B)

Oregon Transportation Statistics FY 2018 Accident Data: 504 total reported accidents (over $500) 339 reported preventable 147 reported non-preventable Of the total preventable (339): 128 fixed objects

What Types of Training Do Drivers Receive? Must average 8 hrs/year classroom instruction Core: 8 hrs First Aid: 4-6 hrs DDC: 6-8 hrs Core Advanced Classes: 2-3 hrs/ea. Other classes developed by transportation entities and approved by ODE Accident Prevention and Analysis Advanced Student Management

What Types of Training Do Drivers Receive? Other Training: Oregon Pupil Transportation Association (OPTA) SW Winter Workshop (850+ attendees) NW Winter Workshop (50+ attendees) NW Summer Workshop (300+ attendees) State Summer Conference (250+ attendees)

School Bus Driver Shortage Nationwide Very severe Here in Oregon Severe in metro areas predominantly Why? Tied to economy Pay/Benefits/Schedule Structure

QUESTIONS? Chris Ellison Director of Transportation Eugene School District 4J ellison@4j.lane.edu Brock Dittus Program Analyst Oregon Dept. of Education brock.dittus@state.or.us