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This chapter reviews the Transportation Services Department of the Killeen Independent School District (KISD) in five sections:

A. Privatization
B. Organization and Staffing
C. Safety
D. Routing and Scheduling
E. Fleet Maintenance

BACKGROUND

The Texas Education Code authorizes, but does not require, Texas school districts to provide transportation for students in the general population between home and school, from school to career and technology training locations, and for extracurricular activities. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires a school district to provide transportation for students with disabilities if the district also provides transportation for students in the general population, or if students with disabilities require transportation to receive special education services.

Texas school districts are eligible to receive state funding reimbursement for transporting regular, special education, and career and technology program students. State funding rules are set by the Texas Legislature and administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). State funding for regular education transportation is limited to transportation for students living two or more miles from the school they attend. The state does not reimburse districts for students living within two miles of the school they attend unless they face hazardous walking conditions on the way to school, such as the need to cross a four-lane roadway without a traffic signal or crossing guard. A school district must use local funds to pay for transportation costs the state allotment does not cover.

For regular education, the state reimburses districts for qualifying transportation expense based on linear density, which is the ratio of the average number of regular education students transported daily to the number of miles traveled daily for those students. TEA uses this ratio to assign each school district to one of seven linear density groups. Each group is eligible to receive a maximum per-mile reimbursement that differs from group to group. TEA evaluates these group assignments every two years by recalculating linear densities with data from the first of the previous two school years.

In 1995-96 and 1996-97, KISD was in the sixth highest linear density group, which entitled the district to a reimbursement of $1.25 per mile for regular education transportation. In 1997-98, KISD moved to the fifth linear density group, which entitles the district to $1.11 per mile; the district's actual cost was $1.81 per mile in 1997-98. KISD operated 1,275,768 reimbursable regular education transportation miles in 1997-98. Reimbursable miles are the miles driven on routes (with students on board) and do not include deadhead (miles driven to or from a route) or maintenance miles (miles driven for maintenance purposes).

Reimbursement for special education transportation is not based on linear density. The per mile reimbursement rate for special education is set by the Texas Legislature. All transportation for special education, except certain field trips, is eligible for state reimbursement at $1.08 per mile. In 1997-98, the district's actual cost for special education was $2.73 per mile. KISD operated 560,280 reimbursable special education transportation miles in 1997-98.

In addition to operating special education routes, KISD operates many "special needs" routes. These routes transport students attending alternative schools and magnet programs for bilingual education and dyslexia education. Alternative, bilingual, and dyslexia program miles are not reported to TEA as special education transportation but are reported and reimbursed as regular education miles. In this chapter, "special education" refers to students in the special education program only. References to "special needs" include special education programs and also include students attending alternative schools, bilingual and dyslexia programs.

The reimbursement per mile for the career and technology program is based on the costs for regular education program miles for the previous fiscal year as reported by the district in the TEA School Transportation Operation Report. In 1997-98, KISD received $1.79 reimbursement per mile for 35,640 reimbursable career and technology transportation miles.

In 1997-98, TEA provided a total of almost $2.1 million in transportation funding to KISD.

Exhibit 10-1 shows the general characteristics of KISD compared to a group of peer districts. The peer districts used for Transportation Services are different than the peers used in other chapters of this report. The school districts chosen as peers for transportation are similar to KISD in size, operating environment, number of student riders, annual miles operated, or linear density group.

Exhibit 10-1
KISD and Peer ISD Statistics
1997-98
  Regular Education Special Education Linear Density
  Annual Riders* Annual Miles Operation Costs** Annual Riders* Annual Miles Operation Costs**  
Plano 1,540,440 1,651,481 $3,268,903 84,060 492,148 $773,822 1.649
Round Rock 1,332,900 1,195,100 $2,040,907 54,360 610,080 $919,672 1.803
Ector County 1,194,480 2,005,931 $2,288,677 72,360 491,087 $934,810 2.294
Corpus Christi 829,260 1,463,850 $3,078,046 312,300 1,170,320 $1,822,006 1.809
Temple 500,040 352,329 $972,029 46,980 135,740 $483,406 1.377
Peer Average 1,079,424 1,333,738 $2,329,712 114,012 597,875 $986,743 1.786
Killeen 1,581,480 1,897,723 $3,426,257 123,480 588,438 $1,603,702 1.326
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Report, 1997-98; TEA School Transportation Route Services Report 1997-98. * Average annual riders calculated by multiplying daily riders by 180 school days.
**Costs exclude capital costs and debt service.

Exhibit 10-2 compares KISD transportation operating statistics and costs for 1997-98 with those of a peer group of Texas school districts. Miles used for calculating the cost per mile are taken from the TEA School Transportation Operation Report and are derived from odometer readings. These miles include deadhead, maintenance runs, and other sources of added miles.

Exhibit 10-2
KISD and Peer ISD Cost Statistics
1997-98
  Regular Education Special Education
District Cost/Mile Cost/Rider Cost/Mile Cost/Rider
Ector County $1.14 $1.92 $1.90 $12.92
Round Rock $1.71 $1.53 $1.51 $16.92
Plano $1.98 $2.12 $1.57 $9.21
Corpus Christi $2.10 $3.71 $1.56 $5.83
Temple $2.76 $1.94 $3.56 $10.29
Peer Average $1.94 $2.24 $2.02 $11.03
Killeen $1.81 $2.17 $2.73 $12.99
% Different from Average -7% -3% 35% 18%
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Report, 1997-98; TEA School Transportation Route Services Report 1997-98.

KISD's cost per mile and cost per rider for regular transportation are lower than the peer average. Special education costs are higher than the peer average. The special education cost per mile is the second highest after Temple ISD, and the cost per rider is second highest after Round Rock ISD.

Exhibit 10-3 compares the transportation costs of the peer districts with KISD as a percentage of total district expenditures.

Exhibit 10-3
Peer Transportation Costs as a Percent of Total Expenditures
1997-98
District Total District Expenditures Transportation Operation Costs Percent of Total Expenditures
Temple $49,613,454 $2,030,788 4%
Round Rock $153,756,825 $3,183,212 2%
Plano $313,076,197 $4,266,879 1%
Ector County $143,047,128 $4,315,594 3%
Corpus Christi $217,737,208 $5,557,254 3%
Peer Average $175,446,162 $3,870,745 3%
Killeen $150,939,980 $5,540,693 4%
Source: Total expenditures from PEIMS data, 1997-98. Transportation operation costs from TEA School Transportation Operation Report FY 1997-98.

Peer districts allocate between 1 and 4 percent of their total expenditures for student transportation. KISD is at the top end of this range, allocating 4 percent of total expenditures, or $5,540,693, for student transportation.

Exhibit 10-4 includes service indicators for KISD and the peer districts.

Exhibit 10-4
KISD and Peer ISD Service Indicators
1997-98
  Regular Education Special Education
District Riders/Mile Riders/Bus Riders/Mile Riders/Bus
Corpus Christi 0.57 39 0.27 19
Ector County 0.60 51 0.15 10
Plano 0.93 65 0.17 10
Temple 1.42 56 0.35 14
Round Rock 1.12 76 0.09 8
Peer Average 0.93 57 0.20 12
Killeen 0.83 49 0.21 14
% Different from Average -11% -14% 5% 17%
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Report, 1997-98; TEA School Transportation Route Services Report 1997-98; average annual riders calculated by multiplying daily riders by 180 school days.

KISD is less productive than the average peer district for transporting regular students. For the special education program, KISD transports slightly more students per mile and more riders per bus than the average peer district. Buses include all school buses in each district fleet, including buses dedicated to extracurricular trips and spare buses.

TEA's transportation reports provide a five-year history for KISD's transportation service. Since 1993-94, the total miles of transportation have decreased 5 percent, while transportation costs have increased 24 percent. (Exhibit 10-5).

Exhibit 10-5
KISD Regular and Special Education Transportation Operation Costs
1993-94 through 1997-98
Item 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percent Change
Operation Costs            
Regular Education $3,001,911 $3,073,075 $2,403,690 $3,258,935 $3,426,257 14%
Special Education $1,068,241 $1,232,949 $1,646,538 $1,744,829 $1,603,702 50%
Total $4,070,152 $4,306,024 $4,050,228 $5,003,764 $5,029,959 24%
Annual Miles            
Regular Education 2,018,816 2,154,529 2,524,952 2,151,328 1,897,723 -6%
Special Education 586,697 653,807 778,744 785,970 588,438 <1%
Total 2,605,513 2,808,336 3,303,696 2,937,298 2,486,161 -5%
Cost Per Mile            
Regular Education $1.49 $1.43 $0.95 $1.51 $1.81 21%
Special Education $1.82 $1.89 $2.11 $2.22 $2.73 50%
Annual Riders            
Regular Education 2,874,600 3,018,600 1,598,940 1,629,180 1,581,480 -45%
Special Education 152,100 156,600 156,600 187,380 123,480 -19%
Cost per Rider            
Regular Education $1.04 $1.02 $1.50 $2.00 $2.17 109%
Special Education $7.02 $7.78 $10.51 $9.31 $12.99 85%
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Report, 1993-98; TEA School Transportation Route Services Report 1993-98; costs exclude capital outlay and debt service.

Regular education transportation operation costs increased 14 percent from 1993-94 to 1997-98. Costs decreased 22 percent from 1994-95 to 1995-96 and the number of student riders decreased 47 percent, although miles increased 17 percent during the same period. Costs then increased 43 percent from 1995-96 to 1997-98, although the number of riders remained steady, and miles decreased 25 percent.

The increase in costs is due, in part, to increases in wage rates and related benefits over the past five years. The director for Transportation Services said other factors affecting costs are additional staff positions for monitors, a mechanic, and a trainer; increased training hours for drivers; expenses for full-time assignments for drivers who also fuel buses during midday; an increase in miles for activity trips; and increases in overtime pay. The director for Transportation Services attributed fluctuations in riders and miles to the opening of four elementary schools, two ninth grade centers, and two middle schools, as well as attendance zone changes. The director could not identify a specific cause for the drop in student riders for regular education transportation by 47 percent from 1994-95 to 1995-96. The director said an increase in miles is due in part to the bilingual and dyslexia magnet programs.

Special education transportation costs increased 50 percent from 1993-94 to 1997-98, and miles increased less than 1 percent. The director for Transportation Services attributed the increase in costs to changes in the special education program. The Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee recommends to the Transportation Department which students should ride special education buses. From 1993-94 to 1997-98, the number of special education riders decreased by 19 percent and operation costs increased 50 percent.

Exhibit 10-6 summarizes KISD transportation operation costs for each of five years by object of expenditure.

Exhibit 10-6
KISD Transportation Operation Costs by Type of Expenditure
1993-94 through 1997-98
Object 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percent of Total 1997-98 Percent Change
Salaries and Benefits $2,193,570 $2,317,442 $2,426,682 $2,761,296 $3,204,000 64% 46%
Purchased/ Contracted Service $964,961 $1,034,794 $309,689 $309,689 $278,282 6% -71%
Supplies and Materials $814,732 $841,513 $1,311,071 $1,611,201 $1,306,400 26% 60%
Other Expenses $96,889 $112,275 $2,786 $321,578 $241,277 5% 149%
Total Costs $4,070,152 $4,306,024 $4,050,228 $5,003,764 $5,029,959   24%
Source: TEA School Transportation Route Services Reports, 1993-94 through1997-98.

Total KISD operation costs for student transportation increased 24 percent from 1993-94 to 1997-98. The salaries and benefits line item increased 46 percent. The rise in personnel costs is due, in part, to increases in personnel wage rates. From 1993-94 to 1997-98, driver and mechanic pay rates increased almost 17 percent, and monitor pay rates increased over 20 percent. Salaries and benefits make up 64 percent of all operation costs. An increase in supplies and materials is offset by a decrease of approximately the same amount in purchased and contracted services, indicating a move from using contracted services to performing work in-house.

As shown in Exhibit 10-7, KISD provides more extracurricular transportation than the average peer district. Extracurricular miles include student transportation for field trips and extracurricular activities such as athletics, band, and University Interscholastic League (UIL) events.

Exhibit 10-7
Peer Extracurricular Miles
1997-98
District Total
Miles		 Extracurricular
Miles		 Percent
Extracurricular
Temple 488,069 129,343 27%
Corpus Christi 2,634,170 528,722 20%
Round Rock 1,805,180 210,689 12%
Ector County 2,497,018 478,471 19%
Plano 2,143,629 208,317 10%
Peer Average 1,913,613 311,108 16%
Killeen 2,486,161 681,579 27%
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Report, 1997-98.

Twenty-seven percent of KISD miles in 1997-98 were extracurricular miles. For the past three years, extracurricular miles have represented between one-quarter and one-third of total miles driven

(Exhibit 10-8). The increase in the number of extracurricular miles is due to an increase in the number of field trips sponsored by the district.

Exhibit 10-8
KISD Total Miles of Service
1993-94 through 1997-98
Type of Miles 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Percent Change
Route Miles
(Including Deadhead)		 2,216,660 2,203,920 2,449,164 1,969,100 1,794,360 -20%
Extracurricular Miles 364,755 601,980 853,411 966,518 681,579 87%
Non-School Organization Miles 24,098 0 0 0 0 -100%
Other 0 2,436 1,121 1,680 10,222 319%
Gross Annual Miles 2,605,513 2,808,336 3,303,696 2,937,298 2,486,161 -5%
Source: TEA School Transportation Operation Reports, 1993-94 through 1997-98.