2. School Bus Transportation*
* Everything you wanted to know… and more…
Chris Ellison
Director of Transportation
Eugene School District 4J
Brock Dittus
Program Analyst
Oregon Dept. of Education

3. 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 (4) – Bus Reimbursement

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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)

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

12. QUESTIONS? Chris Ellison Director of Transportation
Eugene School District 4J
Brock Dittus
Program Analyst
Oregon Dept. of Education