New bus routing software could save Jasper Schools 25 – 50% on transportation costs

Greater Jasper Consolidated School Corporation is considering the purchase of software that plans bus routes.

The move was predicated from Assistant Superintendent Bob Hacker’s experience riding the buses on their current routes since school started. He has yet to finish all of the routes but has determined the school needs a new system to determine the best bus routes.

“I have been on 17 morning routes and have eight left to ride.” He told the board. “While riding the routes, I have seen several buses running the same routes and crossing over each other. The routes haven’t been examined in 19 years and it’s time we do so to determine if something needs to be done to save money.”

The company that provides the school with their student records system, PowerSchool, recommended two software programs that interface with the records system. Hacker contacted those companies and received a quote from one company to install VersaTrend VersaTrans for $28,000. The system also incurred an annual $5998 fee. The other recommended company would not supply a quote for their software after learning VersaTrend had supplied a quote.

Hacker then contacted two schools with similar student populations that used the VersaTrend system; one near Indianapolis and another in Columbus, IN. Both schools  stated they had a substantial savings using the computer-based system and highly recommended it for schools of their size and larger.

“They don’t recommend the system for schools under 2500 student enrollment,” Hacker said. “We have around 3100 students currently.”

Hacker also stated the system would allow parents and guardians to view bus route information online. This would alleviate the need for the numerous calls the school receives concerning school bus routes. The school corporation took over 400 calls about bus routes within the first two weeks of school and continues to receive calls about the routes on a regular basis.

The system would also look at the demographics of the corporation and could assist in relieving the crowding being felt at Ireland Elementary. “With the growth the student population at Ireland over the years,” he said, “we are running out of room at the building.”

The school contracts with the bus owners for a certain amount of mileage per contractor. Hacker said the school would work within those contracted mileage amounts in determining any route changes. The bus contracts were approved this year and will not be up for two years. Hacker said this is the best time to review the routes and determine what changes need to be made.

School board member Mike Braun is the CEO of Meyer Distributing and he requested a chance to review the software before approving the $28,000 purchase and the  recurring annual fee.

The board approved the purchase based on Braun’s recommendation. The money would come from the school corporation’s transportation fund which is currently $200,000 in the black.

If approved the system could be running by March of 2013.