Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11), serves about 23,000 students in 58 schools, including 34 elementary schools. The district has had its share of challenges, with a shift in student population and a 40 percent drop in drivers since pre-Covid days.
The changes led Kevin McCafferty to seek a partner to come alongside him in addressing these and other issues. That partner is Transfinder and its suite of award-winning solutions, including Routefinder PLUS, Viewfinder, Infofinder i, GPS Connect, and more.
He looked at other vendors in the industry, and after a rigorous RFP process, the district picked Transfinder.
Two things made Transfinder stand out:
- Its ability to get the district implemented in time for the fall 2025 opening; and
- Transfinder’s flexibility. Another vendor just provided what McCafferty described as a “dissertation” on why a request to change stop times couldn’t be made.
“I thought, ‘Well, that’s odd. I’m a customer.”
He met with the other vendor many times and would ask for the ability to change stop times and he was continually rebuffed.
He asked: “Am I the only guy asking that question?”
The vendor responded: “No, we get that a lot.”
Transfinder delivered
After implementing Transfinder’s flagship Routefinder PLUS routing solution over the summer, McCafferty said school opening was smooth.
“I thought it was smooth,” he said. “I thought it was really good.”
After nearly two decades with Colorado Springs School District 11, McCafferty has seen it all—from driving buses to leading operations as the district’s Transportation Operations Manager. With a background in electrical engineering and a passion for problem-solving, McCafferty’s journey is one of adaptability, innovation, and a deep commitment to student success.
When Kevin first joined the district, it was a strategic move to settle in Colorado Springs.
“I needed a job and wanted to live in Colorado Springs,” he recalled. Starting as a bus driver, he quickly moved into technology support and eventually into operations management, where he has spent the last dozen or so years navigating the complex world of school transportation.
Over the years, the district has undergone significant changes. Once serving 35,000 students, enrollment has dropped to under 23,000. A demographic study revealed a common urban trend: an aging population and declining birth rates.
Transportation, naturally, has been deeply affected.
“One of the things we face is we do have less kids riding but we’re still covering the same ground,” said McCafferty. With about 115 buses and only 60 percent of the pre-COVID driver workforce, the department has had to become more efficient. This meant reducing stops, increasing walking distances, and combining routes—changes that haven’t always been popular but were necessary for survival.
In addition, the district’s new superintendent introduced “peak experiences,” including more field trips and specialized programs like cybersecurity and career technical education. These initiatives, while enriching, added midday transportation demands to an already stretched system.
“We’re just trying to survive getting kids to and from school,” McCafferty said, “and now we’re adding more requirements. “
To meet these demands, the district relies on three car service contractors. But McCafferty wanted a better way to manage transportation logistics. After years of using outdated or inflexible systems, the district made a pivotal switch to Transfinder in the summer of 2025.
The transition wasn’t without apprehension. McCafferty, who was officially retired, came out of retirement to help with the transition. He wasn’t onsite when the software was being launched, but he said the rollout exceeded expectations.
“It went very smooth—much smoother than I expected,” he said. “That doesn’t usually happen.” He likes the fact that all of Transfinder’s trainings with his team are recorded and can be easily accessed anytime.
McCafferty said Tripfinder also has helped the district manage field trips and he also likes Infofinder i, which allows parents and real estate agents to easily access school boundary and transportation information.
“I don’t know if I got any calls,” he said, a stark contrast to previous years. The ability to edit maps directly in Routefinder PLUS was another game-changer. McCafferty, who had previously made over 9,000 edits to a past map – yes, 9,000 edits – said he appreciates the control and immediacy Transfinder’s Routefinder PLUS offers.
Beyond praising Transfinder’s tools, he commended Transfinder’s customer service, calling it one of the company’s strongest assets.
McCafferty said he tried Transfinder’s Live Chat “to see how quick they really are. So. I found everything was very, very good. Everybody was very responsive. You can definitely use customer service as one of your high points.”
To learn more, visit www.transfinder.com/solutions, call 800-373-3609 or email solutions@transfinder.com.
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