Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is set to implement significant changes to its student transportation system for the upcoming 2024-25 school year. These adjustments are designed to enhance the efficiency of bus routes and improve on-time arrivals, addressing current challenges within the division’s transportation services.
In light of ongoing difficulties with school bus transportation, PWCS engaged a third-party consultant specializing in transportation to conduct an in-depth review of the existing bus routes. This independent study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the current system and identify areas for improvement.
Data collected during this review process revealed some key insights into the PWCS transportation system. The school division transports just under 73,000 students daily. Interestingly, a large majority of these students, approximately 57,000, reside within 0.2 miles or less of their designated bus stop. According to Vernon Bock, Chief Operating Officer for PWCS, this distance is notably shorter compared to neighboring school districts.
Furthermore, the review highlighted that school buses are operating at an average of only half capacity. Bock informed the School Board that a significant number of bus routes exhibit very low density, with over 1,000 trips per day carrying nine or fewer students. He described this as a “very inefficient” use of resources, contributing to broader transportation issues.
These inefficiencies have collectively resulted in a concerning statistic: 37% of PWCS school buses are arriving late to schools. To combat this issue and improve punctuality, the school division is introducing several key initiatives aimed at streamlining transportation.
Key Changes to PWCS Transportation for 2024-25
One of the primary strategies to improve on-time arrivals is the strategic elimination of certain bus stops and a modest increase in the walking distances for some students to reach their stops.
Robbin Marshall, Director of Transportation for PWCS, explained the rationale behind this change: “Raising that median up a little bit, allowing kids to walk maybe four or five houses farther from 0.1 to 0.25 will allow us to get in and out of neighborhoods a lot quicker.” By reducing the overall number of stops per route, buses can operate more efficiently and reduce travel time.
The new target walking distances for students will be:
- Pre-K to Grade 5 Students: 0.25 miles
- Middle School Students: 0.5 miles
- High School Students: 0.75 miles
In addition to adjusting bus stop distances, PWCS will be implementing a proactive approach to route planning by requesting families to confirm their student’s need for bus transportation for the upcoming school year through ParentVUE.
Currently, bus routes are planned and stops are established for every student eligible for transportation, regardless of whether they utilize the service. This practice has led to inefficiencies due to a considerable number of eligible students not using the bus system.
Starting June 3, parents and guardians will be prompted to complete a questionnaire in ParentVUE to indicate if their student will require bus transportation for the 2024-25 school year. The deadline for completing this questionnaire is June 28. PWCS emphasizes that these decisions are not permanent. Should circumstances change and transportation needs arise later, parents and guardians will have the opportunity to update their provided information.
Further enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of the transportation system, PWCS will be integrating a diverse fleet of vehicles into its routes next year. “Adding district-owned vans to our mix next year will allow us to route low-density routes more efficiently and potentially eliminate 63 of those low-density routes that we have on buses,” Marshall informed the School Board. Utilizing vans for routes with fewer students will free up larger buses for denser routes, optimizing resource allocation.
Safety and Community Engagement
Before any route adjustments are finalized, PWCS is committed to ensuring student safety. Bock affirmed that a dedicated team from the school division will meticulously review each stop and proposed walking route to guarantee the safety of students traveling to their potential new bus stops, as well as the safety of the bus routes themselves.
The School Board has expressed broad support for these transportation changes. Erica Tredinnick, Brentsville District member, remarked, “I think having those babies walk a little bit farther is good for everybody. You know, zip the coats up, put the tennis shoes on, walk to school, you’ll be just fine.”
Richard Jessie, Occoquan School Board member, while endorsing the plan, raised a concern regarding student drop-offs at schools. He suggested that these changes could potentially lead to an increase in parents opting to drop off their children, exacerbating existing traffic congestion at schools. “What I’m concerned about is that this is going to increase and some of the kids are going to be lazy, don’t want to walk three houses up, and we’re going to have more cars and stuff, and it’s becoming a major problem,” Jessie stated. Bock responded that PWCS is actively working with schools to refine drop-off procedures and will closely monitor this aspect during the initial stages of implementation.
Jennifer Wall, Gainesville District School Board member, voiced optimism that the improvements to the bus system might encourage more parents to utilize it. “I think more parents will trust the bus system and put their kids on the bus. Hopefully that will alleviate the long kiss-and-rides that we have,” Wall noted.
To provide the community with detailed information and address any questions, PWCS will be hosting webinars. These webinars will offer a platform to delve deeper into the transportation changes and allow community members to seek clarification.
Parents and guardians will be able to access their student’s finalized bus stop information in ParentVUE no later than August 12 of this year, ensuring ample time for planning before the start of the fall semester. These comprehensive changes reflect Prince William County Public Schools’ commitment to providing efficient, safe, and reliable transportation for its students.
