A Thursday webinar went behind the scenes into how a Dallas-area school district transportation department utilized data and alternative transportation to support student attendance amid budgetary concerns.
Budget Pressure is Rising
“We know efficiency is going to be top of mind for every district,” declared Courtney Pallotta, chief marketing officer for EverDriven.
She said the sponsored webinar Thursday was meant to provide tools so districts can submit budget plans with the goal of “[making] sure every kiddo gets to school every day, safely.”
Timothy Logan, director of transportation for nearby Garland Independent School District, advised keeping an eye on data and trends, such as enrollment fluctuations, spiking fuel costs, staff overtime and legislative mandates without funding.
“Prepare and pivot,” he encouraged.
Alex Muirbrook, strategic sales director for EverDriven, noted that the student-centric mission stays the same no matter the cost increases or how much the budget shrinks.
“It’s a very interesting paradox in that, when you think about student transportation, there are elements of what has to be managed every day that are incredibly operational like fuel or drivers, but the flipside is that the outcome is incredibly human,” Pallotta said. “At the end it’s still about a student experience.”
Pallotta reviewed a recent survey sent to STN readers that indicated pressure on transportation leaders continues despite varying budget outlooks.
Logan and Garland ISD Operations Supervisor Jazmyn Ware agreed with the survey results, which found that the top reasons transportation departments expected a funding decrease were: District-wide budget cuts, state and federal funding reductions, declining enrollment and rising operational costs elsewhere.
It costs just as much to run the same scope of operations even if the school buses grow empty as more students move out of the area, Logan said.
Budgetary challenges aren’t going away soon. Logan said transportation leaders must reconsider vehicle choices, utilize third parties, or make hard decisions such as cutting field trips or overtime. Wared added it’s a tough conversation because “we have the overtime because we have the need” for sports or band trips.
Ware underscored the importance of intentionality to reduce idling and deadhead (miles travelled without cargo), consolidate routes, run fuller buses and overall be more efficient. That must be balanced with student welfare since “we want to get the students to and from in a timely manner but also a safe manner,” she said.
Muirbrook and Logan praised the student transportation industry for being a close-knit group whose members converse and brainstorm solutions to budget issues.
“Phone a friend,” Ware agreed.
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Three Practical Transportation Shifts
The first of three practical transportation shifts advised was to align transportation decisions with student access and attendance goals.
Serving special education, medically fragile, or McKinney-Vento eligible students is an important piece of the puzzle, Muirbrook said. He noted that adding these students to existing routes and buses is a different consideration than if they need new routes or vehicles.
Ware spoke to continuing economic hardships resulting in more McKinney-Vento eligible students. Logan reiterated the need for data, which shows a spike near the winter holiday season but indicates that the overall trend is increasing.
The second tip was to improve efficiency by matching student need with the right transportation mode, which Pallotta noted may not always be the yellow school bus.
“This is an outcome-driven approach,” she said. She advised considering enrollment data and planned routes then asking, “How do I plug this into the choices I have, or do I need to introduce a choice I don’t have to gain more efficiency and flexibility?”
For students with special needs, Ware noted that the many considerations include ride times, student disabilities, level of service needed and more. “We are very creative,” she confirmed.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of both art and science to how you do that,” Pallotta quipped.
Logan agreed, “Our goal is to get them there, and that’s what we do.”
Ware stated that the team first looks to put a student on a yellow school bus and, if that doesn’t fit, works with EverDriven for alternative transportation. Logan noted that this partnership helps fill a need where the district requires alternatives.
Having the flexibility to choose the most appropriate options lets transportation teams focus on safety, student support and affordability amid increased homelessness or school closures, Muirbrook noted.
Lastly, the panel advised connecting transportation outcomes to the district’s 2026 – 2027 budget request.
Clear communication and avoiding surprises, Logan said, have resulted in transportation having a seat at the table in Garland ISD and securing buy-in from administration.
Muirbrook noted that investing in student attendance is not only valuable for the children but often ends up cyclically paying off financially for the district.
“Have multiple tools in your kit so you have the flexibility to do the right thing for the right student within your budget,” Pallotta said.
