More than 1,400 students spend from three to 115 minutes riding buses to Livingstone Range schools, and the same time coming home.
The school board heard last week the transportation department is working to address what has proven to be the No. 1 concern with parents.
Transportation co-ordinator Mike Cahoon, interim transportation co-ordinator Rick Visser and secretary Kristi Edwards appeared as a delegation at the Nov. 23 meeting at the G.R. Davis Administration Building in Fort Macleod.
Cahoon said Livingstone Range had a goal last year of adding five new buses, which it met.
The department also set a goal of recruiting 15 new drivers, which it exceeded by hiring 34 following an extensive campaign.
“Kristi did a great job with that program,” Cahoon said. “It’s been a real blessing for us that we have some spare drivers.”
Despite the successful recruiting drive, some communities are still short of drivers, particularly Pincher Creek and Lundbreck.
Livingstone Range school buses travel 7,559 kilometres each school day for a total of 151,180 kilometres a month and 1,511,800 kilometres a year.
Cahoon told trustees he fields numerous calls about the amount of time students spend riding the bus to and from school.
“That is the No. 1 complaint that I get from parents,” Cahoon said.
The delegation provided a breakdown of routes, students and ride times:
Nanton — 136 students on seven regular bus routes with an average ride time of 41 minutes.
Ride times range from three to 115 minutes in duration.
Stavely — 145 students on four regular routes with an average ride time of 37 minutes.
Ride times range from five to 95 minutes in duration.
Claresholm — 161 students on seven regular routes with an average ride time of 35 minutes.
Rides range from five to 80 minutes in duration.
Granum — 56 students of two regular routes with an average ride time of 36 minutes.
Rides range from five to 82 minutes in duration.
Fort Macleod —208 students on six regular routes with an average ride time of 35 minutes.
Rides range from seven to 91 minutes in duration.
Pincher Creek — 187 students on 10 regular routes with an average ride time of 45 minutes.
Rides range from 11 to 103 minutes.
Lundbreck — 123 students on four regular routes with an average ride time of 29 minutes.
Rides range from five to 78 minutes in duration.
Crowsnest Pass — 428 students on seven regular routes with an average ride time of 21 minutes.
Rides range in duration from three to 85 minutes.
Cahoon said routes, driver assignments and the fleet assignments are all being reviewed.
A discussion will be held with parents about the possibility of establishing central pick-up locations in an effort to shorten the length of time students spend on buses.
