Clients / Case Studies TransPar Group has aided school districts, large and small, in every region of the United States. Our professionals research every client's unique situation to provide solid solutions and implement responsible student transportation.
It doesn't matter whether your district is located in the sun-kissed regions of California or Florida, the grasslands and wind-swept plains of the Midwest or the blustery climate of the Northeastern region of the United States, TransPar can create a positive solution from any situation.
Here are a few of the districts we have worked with recently in Chicago, St. Louis SSD, Kansas City, St. Louis VICC, Oklahoma City, Mishawaka, IN, St. Lucie County, Lakota, Wake County, Denver, South Carolina, Des Moines, Reno Washoe County, and Clark County. Ongoing Management Contracts
Chicago Public Schools (IL) – TransPar has assisted CPS with their pupil transportation needs since 1995. We manage 30 private contractors who operate in excess of 1,500 buses, with goals of providing excellent service at the lowest possible cost. TransPar provides all routing services (Edulog) and route assignment. Over a 10-year period, TransPar has eliminated hundreds of buses and $10 million of annual cost from Chicago's pupil transportation system with aggressive route consolidation, policy development and implementation, proactive cost management, bell time changes and effective bid process management.
Special School District (St. Louis, MO, and surrounding counties) – TransPar manages 400 contractor and district-owned buses providing special needs pupil transportation across multiple St. Louis area school districts. We perform the routing (TransFinder), driver recruiting and qualification and all related services, thus providing the St. Louis metropolitan area a consolidated, responsive, and efficient service. TransPar also provides the management of the districts driver force and provides the fleet maintenance on the school-owned buses. See current Progress in Motion report >>
Kansas City School District (MO) – Since 1999, TransPar has managed the private contractors who provide all student bus service, now entailing two national contractors and about 300 buses. A decade ago, the district required nearly 800 buses; year after year we have counseled the district as to bell time scheduling and boundary planning intiatives to reduce the transportation needs. TransPar administers the bid process and assures contractual compliance thereafter. TransPar routes every qualifying student in TransFinder via interfacing with the student information system. We participate in student transportation policy design and adherence, cost control and state reimbursement submissions. TransPar sponsored bell time changes for the 2007/08 school year that eliminated 50 buses from the system, saving over $1,000,000 without a disruption in service. Over the years, the District has hired TransPar to do special project work in their Admissions and Accounts Payable departments. See current Progress in Motion report >>
Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (St. Louis MO) – TransPar Group has serviced VICC since 1999, assisting the corporation in meeting student transportation challenges. VICC is effectively a city-wide school choice program with transportation provided by multiple national school bus contractors and several local cab companies. TransPar directs the routing, customer service, safety and efficiency aspects of this operation, consisting of about 360 daily route buses and 100 cabs and sedans. We pursue a high level of service and safety throughout the system while painstakingly pursuing service consolidation opportunities that do not threaten service and safety objectives. See current Progress in Motion report >>
Oklahoma City Public Schools (OK) – In 2005 the District identified that opportunities existed for improvement in its pupil transportation management, fleet management and maintenance program, and in budgeting/cost controls. The District chose to outsource this responsibility, as transportation is not within its core competency - that of educating students. TransPar provides full-time, on-site transportation and maintenance management. Additionally, we provide specialized monthly budget report review and financial support. During the first year, 15 route buses were eliminated, vehicle repair costs slashed, fuel controls established, and fleet insurance costs reduced. In subsequent years, TransPar has relentlessly managed the expectations of adding route buses for more programs, more schools, etc. and has added buses only after every alternative was exhausted. See current Progress in Motion report >>
Penn-Harris-Madison (IN) School District – TransPar has provided transporation management services to the District since 2002 via an on-site, professional industry expert. The Districts 105 buses travel 1,000,000 miles annually, with an accident rate of only 0.2 per 100,000 miles traveled (far less than the national standard of 1.0), an on-time performance of 99.2%, and a school principal satisfaction rate of 93%. See current Progress in Motion report >> Other Ongoing Management
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St. Lucie County Public Schools (FL) – St. Lucie County serves its choice school system with some 400 buses. Budget pressures and a proposal to move bus stops off of busy streets led this Florida county-based school district to TransPar. The bus system was surveyed with a TransPar RouteYield and the bus stop dynamics were studied. Using this data, TransPar quantified the cost of the special education, choice, magnet and regular education transportation services, as well as the incremental costs that would arise from abandoning bus stops on the arterial streets.TransPar then partnered with school district officials to develop action plans and recommendations to reduce the number of route buses, reduce operating costs, and reduce bus deadhead. An addtional intiative was to institute service and routing changes to maximize the state reimbursement calculations without negatively impacting on-time service or safety. These efforts resulted in a 10% reduction in route buses in fiscal 2008 and another 5% in fiscal 2009. Annual student transportation cost reduction has exceeded $3 million.TransPar is providing its MENTOR program for the transportation team during this period of change and transportation system optimization.
Lakota Local Schools (OH) – Lakota is an affuent district operating 250 contracted buses outside of Cincinnati. The District grew rapidly over the last decade, adding pupils, schools, buses, and costs. The economic decline caused Lakota to ask TransPar in 2008 to assess their transportation program. A RouteYield bus survey, review of routing practices and policies, and audits of the service agreement and invoices resulted in several recommendations for bus and cost reduction. A few school bell times were altered, routing and eligibility processes were tightened up, and single run buses were carefully scrutinized. In fiscal 2010 Lakota was operating 20 fewer buses and had reduced annual operating costs by $1 million. TransPar is further assisting the District by consulting on a new transportation service RFP, including document and contract drafting and bid evaluation.
Wake County Public Schools (NC) – TransPar was engaged to assess almost every aspect of this 700-bus, county-managed operation. This system was challenged by significant growth and had recently been rocked with a scandal resulting in the dismissal of several key employees. TransPar assessed areas including management practices, staffing structure, routing efficiency, special education transportation services, purchasing, maintenance, budget/cost control, and driver recruiting and retention. The County subsequently engaged TransPar to mentor its transportation management team wherein we participate in biweekly conference calls and have implemented operational management tools and techniques.
Denver Public Schools (CO) – Denver recently moved all high-school students onto its local public transit system, and constructed a new, state-of-the-art bus and maintenance terminal. Student ridership has been declining, and there is pressure on driving down transportation costs without impacting service. TransPar was engaged to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the current system as to number of buses, routes, ridership, finance and programs. Specific focus was placed on bus capacity utilization, the trip/charter system, special needs services and costs and the state reimbursement formula.
State of South Carolina – South Carolina is the only state in the nation that owns, manages and maintains its own buses and its own facilities. The pupil transportation program is under-funded, and the state has been unable to regularly purchase new buses. Thus, the fleet is aging and the pupil transportation system costs are constantly scrutinized. The state retained TransPar to explore the viability of privatizing certain aspects of its operation and address the current organization structure and position responsibilities.
Des Moines Public Schools (IA) – The district utilizes the local transit authority to transport high and middle school children. Also, the district is considering changing bell times to accommodate high school children starting school later in the day. TransPar was retained to assess the viability of transporting students via public transit, determine whether buses are routed appropriately (Edulog), propose new bell time scenarios, and quantify the costs of certain programs, including special needs transportation costs. TransPar continues providing the district scheduled consulting services targeting improving efficiency and cost conservation.
Reno Washoe County School District (NV) – TransPar completed a comprehensive assessment of the county’s 300-bus operation to address certain service delivery shortfalls, such as late buses and student routing. We performed TransPar’s homegrown “Brown Paper Process” to visually document the system’s paper and process flow. This practical approach pinpoints process bottlenecks, weaknesses and duplicative steps - and it highlights why the results have not been satisfactory. The sources of the county’s transportation system problems were quickly identified and targeted for resolution.
Clark County School District (NV) – With more than 1,300 school buses and 300 schools in the Las Vegas area, CCSD is one of the top 10 largest and fastest-growing fleets. CCSD continues exploring alternatives for controlling costs, such as utilizing the Las Vegas transit bus system, changing school bell times, adopting a four-tiered transportation system, and moving to year-round schools. Additionally, CCSD is researching a later start for high-school students. TransPar was retained to study the current pupil transportation system, then assess the impact of various bell time scenarios involving the shuffling of the high, middle, and elementary school start times. Other Ongoing Consulting
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As specialists in the unique nuances of student transportation,
TransPar has provided its objective research and expert consultation to
other districts throughout the years, as well.
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