AgendaAgenda

• Define Efficiency.

• Where do we start?– Expenditures– Revenue

• Establish Performance Indicators.

• Cost savings measures.

• Things to think about.

• Bottom line

Define Efficiency

• Webster defines efficiency as:– Acting effectively with a minimum of waste or

effort. – Exhibiting a high ratio of output to input.

Where do we start?

• Expenditures: what is the total cost (expenditures) to run your transportation department?– Salary including benefits, fuel, tires, parts, utilities, contracted

services, overhead costs, everything.

• Revenue: how much money (revenue) do you generate in a school year?– State FTE funds, Warranty claims, used oil, scrap metal, field

trips, fuel sales tax refund, Outside program billings, auction equipment .

Where do we start?

• Establish a common set of key performance indicators in a range of acceptable parameters.

• Benchmark the key performance indicators• Document effective management practices• Record the performance data to improve

resource deployment and decision making over time.

• Develop standards of excellence for each of the indicators

Where do we start?

• Gather your data:– Total miles traveled (all buses)– Total gallons of fuel dispensed (all buses)– Total cost for fuel purchased – Total cost of oil, tires and parts– Total buses in fleet– Total route buses in fleet– Number of students transported– Organizational chart – number of bus operators, bus

attendants, mechanics and office staff

Establish Performance IndicatorsEstablish Performance Indicators

• What do you want to measure?• Operations:

– Percentage of district budget spent on transportation– Cost per student– Percentage of students riding the school bus– Cost to operate a school bus– Cost per mile traveled– Average Bus Occupancy– Managers span of control– Established bus stops– Cost of HSH– Cost of Summer School– Cost to transport Charter Schools– Fully allocated costs

Establish Performance IndicatorsEstablish Performance Indicators

• Fleet:– Spare Bus Ratio– Average age of buses (Years/Miles)– Average Maintenance and repair cost per vehicle– Technician – vehicle ratio– Annual parts consumption per vehicle– Average parts inventory value– Parts inventory turnover rate– Span of control– Number of breakdowns for the year– Labor Costs

Cost saving measuresCost saving measures

• Consolidated bus stops• Depot stops• Bell times• Bus route to attendant ratio• Out of zone transportation• Eliminate alternative bus stops• Remove non-eligible bus riders• Reduced idling policy• Fully utilize buses in a three tier system• No return to school procedure for unsafe

behavior• Reduce overtime

Things to think aboutThings to think about

• Employee turnover rate: Recruitment /Retention• Training costs• Absenteeism rate• Vehicle accidents tracking and trend analysis• Student Behavior Management/referals• Projected growth or decline in ridership• Collective Bargaining / Union Dialogue• Timely and accurate Billing process

Things to think aboutThings to think about

• On-time delivery• Efficiency and Effectiveness

– Per school – percentage of bus riders– Breakdown per bus the number of riders– Number of buses servicing the school– Cost to run the route

• Annual bus stop review• Bus utilization / pairings (3-tier system)• Deadhead miles• Employee overtime reports• Bi-annual Compliance review of records• Vandalism on buses / Break-ins at facilities or buses

Bottom Line

• Expenditures versus Revenue• Would you run the department any different if it

was your checkbook?• Can you do the job any better?• Continue to monitor the operations and look for

ways to improve the process• Make decisions based on your data!• Balancing Act:

– Quality of Service (Customer Focus)– Political Presure

Reports to read

• Council of the Greater City Schools

• Transpar reports of school districts

• Q-link reports

Questions?Questions?