Just as there's no one-size-fits-all way to educate students, perhaps there is no one-size-fits-all-way to get them to school either. That is the argument behind HopSkipDrive, a startup that is seeking to complement and redefine the traditional bus model of taking students to school. Instead of kids making their way to the pre-determined route of…

In suburban-rural Albemarle County (Virginia), computer assistance in evaluating manually-designed school bus routes helped increase efficiency in pupil transportation and reduce the number of routes, buses, and vacant seats. (RW)

The computerization of school bus maintenance records by the Niskayuna (New York) Central School District enabled the district's transportation department to engage in management practices resulting in significant savings. The district obtains computer analyses of the work performed on all vehicles, including time spent, parts, labor, costs,…

A review of significant activities in the area of computerized school bus routing is conducted. The various factors which contribute to the complexity of transporting students to and from school are first surveyed and, following this, the overall problem is formalized in terms of a system of nodes and links. An analysis of several routing systems…

Divided into four major sections, this collection of articles addresses the sharing of services in California by school districts or by districts and other agencies. The section on advertising and recruitment makes a case for districts to share in the purchase of employment ads or in the hiring of a recruiter. A reprint of an article about a…

The San Diego Unified School District (California) began operating a computerized routing and scheduling system for its pupil transportation services at the beginning of the 1985-86 academic school year. The computerized system, provided by Ecotran Systems, Inc. (ECO) of Cleveland, Ohio experienced an inordinate number of difficulties. A…

Traces efforts to develop a statewide plan for computerized school bus fleet operation by means of questionnaires distributed to all 58 county education offices, 7 regional data processing centers, and selected private school bus contractors and school districts. Findings indicate significant potential savings for fleets of 20 or more busses. (JBM)

This document shows how computer technology can aid educators in meeting demands for improved class scheduling and more efficient use of transportation resources. The first section surveys literature on operational systems that provide individualized scheduling for students, varied class structures, and maximum use of space and staff skills.…

The school bus alert monitor is a computerized school bus alert and warning sytem that notifies parents of school bus arrival via radio frequency technology. The system also has been shown to enhance the self esteem of disabled transportation users. (CL)

The twelve items in this annotated bibliography on energy use in the schools are entries in the ERIC system. Most of the publications and articles cited highlight techniques for conserving energy in existing school buildings. Some publications center on building energy efficient schools. Other topics touched on include economy in school…

THIS TECHNICAL NOTE, ONE OF A SERIES PUBLISHED ON THE URBAN EDUCATION MODEL, PRESENTS A MODEL FOR DETERMINING REQUIRED SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREAS WHEN RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE RACIAL AND/OR SOCIAL COMPOSITION OF EACH SCHOOL PLANT. THESE ATTENDANCE AREAS ARE GENERATED IN A MANNER INSURING THE ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS WHICH MINIMIZES THE…

A computer was used to produce a cost effective redistricting plan for Fall River (Massachusetts) that eliminated nine rental and three city-owned school buildings, and reduced transportation costs. (Author/MLF)

Less than five percent of the pupils in northeastern Rhode Island Region I are transported to schools or educational centers outside of their districts. However, about 20 percent of the total transportation costs are expended for out-of-district transportation of nonpublic school, vocational, and special education students. The purpose of the…

Microcomputers have many cost- and time-saving uses in school transportation management. Applications include routing and scheduling, demographic analysis, fleet maintenance, and personnel and contract management. Word processing is especially promising for storing and updating documents like specifications. Enrollment forecasting and inventory…

School systems will soon be using microcomputers to design their school bus routes and aid in the management of transportation programs. Offers guidelines to bring microcomputer bus management to school systems. (MLF)