1. Transportation Study
Newark BOE
5/6/2019

2. The Problems Dismissal takes too long at Elementary
Loss of instructional time
Restless children
Need to reduce number of waves from 4 to 1-2
Teachers at Kelley unable to leave by 3:40
Pay to stay
Can drop off in auditorium
Driver shortage
Can’t add more runs
Condensing bus runs make them take longer
Village Construction

3. The Recommendations
Option One: To minimize problems at dismissal, make the length of the student day similar at all schools – HS/MS 7:30-2:30 and IS/ES 8:30-3:30 (presently 8:40-3:15). Some possible alternatives may include 8:25-3:25 at Perkins, 8:35-3:35 at Kelley, and 8:50-3:50 at Lincoln. This Option may also be combined with Option Three.
Option Two: Buy several smaller buses and hire Drivers for the sole purpose of picking up and dropping off those students that live in the outlying areas of the District. (This could exacerbate the driver shortage.) 
Option Three: Concentrate the Pre-K and Elementary grades at one building. For example, have all Pre-K and K at Lincoln, and all 1st and 2nd grades at Perkins. Then have Perkins and Kelley bell times approximately minutes earlier than Lincoln, allowing the buses to drop off and pick up students at those schools before heading to Lincoln. The front and back loops would be used at Perkins, while Kelley buses would continue in the park behind with some out front.
Option Four: Change from the two tiered bell schedule to a three tiered bell schedule, with the HS on the first tier, the MS/Kelley on the second tier, and the two Primary on the third tier. Bells times may look something like 7:30-2:30, 8:30-3:30 and 9:30-4:30. Spreading the ridership out in this manner may require fewer buses and Drivers with the remaining Drivers having a longer work day, with any excess Drivers being assigned to the Pre-K runs.
Option Five: Establish walking parameters around each school campus. Use the routing software to calculate the impact on eligible ridership with a walking distance of ½ mile and 1 mile at each campus.

6. Next steps Meet with ad-hoc committee, mid-may
Plan time changes for / consider other changes
Shared staffing implications
Practice bus location for reduced waves
Communicate changes asap