The Martin County School District has approved a consolidation of bus routes that officials say will save $255,000 without affecting students or eliminating any driver positions. The school board voted Tuesday unanimously to reduce the number of bus routes by 3, bringing the total from 58 to 55 ahead of the upcoming school year. District officials say all bus stops will remain the same and students will not be impacted by the change. Superintendent Michael Maine said the district now has 55 routes and roughly 56 drivers, so all routes are covered.
The $255,000 in savings reflects a reduced transportation budget and will not be redirected to a specific expense, according to the school district. Transportation Director Ruth Spires confirmed that no drivers were let go as part of the consolidation. She said the routes that were consolidated were already being covered by existing drivers due to a shortage last year. Drivers will be paid for any additional hours they work as a result of the consolidation, Spires explained.
Michael Skinner, the President of the local AFSCME labor union chapter, voiced concerns during public comment on behalf of the bus drivers, saying their feedback indicated buses are always full and cutting routes is not a good idea. Spires pushed back on that concern, noting that the buses hold a maximum of 77 passengers and are not operating at capacity. The district said it is confident it will maintain the same level of service with fewer buses on the road.