Bus route changes help district balance budget

CORPUS CHRISTI


“In a time when more families than ever before are considering bus transportation because of the high fuel costs, the district decides to cut back on transportation,” Benning said. “I’m lucky because I can take him to school, but what about those who can’t because they have to work or other reasons?”

The school district, which serves about 35,000 students, about a third of whom ride the bus, decided this year to cut the number of daily bus routes from 80 to 60, citing rising fuel and other costs, a need to improve efficiency and a shortage of bus drivers.

Consolidating bus routes, district officials said, helped balance a budget beset by high fuel, food and electricity costs, and it allowed the district to streamline routes with either too few or too many students on buses.

Caller-Times