By ETHAN HARTLEY A study commissioned last summer by the Warwick School Department and approved by the prior iteration of the Warwick School Committee for $12,900 to look into the efficiency of the district's bus scheduling and routing systems has been
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A study commissioned last summer by the Warwick School Department and approved by the prior iteration of the Warwick School Committee for $12,900 to look into the efficiency of the district’s bus scheduling and routing systems has been finalized and was reported publicly during the school committee meeting this past Thursday.
Although there is no bottom line dollar amount in the report regarding how much the district might be able to save, it concludes that there are certain inefficiencies within Warwick’s bus transportation system that could be better optimized, including how many buses are utilized and how many runs those buses make on an average school day.
The report revealed some overall numbers that data-loving readers would be interested in. For instance, the district provides transportation to approximately 6,100 students utilizing 93 buses that perform 438 runs per day. The annual cost per bus is over $96,000, which breaks down to a daily cost per bus of $534, and a nearly $9 million cost to the district in a year for student transportation.
That number equated to 5.4 percent of the school’s $166 million budget in FY18 (July 2017 to June 2018). The average cost of transporting a general education student, per year, is $746. The annual cost per student with special needs – who require more help getting onto buses, are provided with door-to-door service and require additional help from trained staff – is $9,503.
Of the total students transported via bus, 5,644 were classified as general education and cost about $4.2 million to transport in FY18. In total, 497 special needs students comprised $4.7 million of the cost associated with transportation.
The study, undertaken and completed by the School Bus Consultants (a subsidiary of the TransPar Group) and presented to the committee by Giovanni Cosentino, also revealed that some of what Warwick is doing in regards to its transportation plan was meeting or exceeding national averages.
For example, the average run time (meaning the time elapsed between the first student getting on the bus and the last student disembarking from the bus) in the general education population is 22 minutes in the morning and 23 minutes in the afternoon. In total, 75 percent of all ride times are less than 30 minutes in Warwick for general education students. However, there are 11 buses experiencing run times longer than 60 minutes, which Cosentino listed as an area of potential improvement.
In terms of other possible improvements, Warwick Public Schools provide the equivalent of 1.51 buses per 100 students, while the report indicates that an expected range is between 1.1 to 1.34 buses. Additionally, Warwick’s utilization of buses averages 51 percent utilization, while the report indicates an expected range is between 60 to 70 percent. While a slight majority of buses operate within this range, there are many outliers, including some buses that run at less than 10 percent full.
Cosentino mentioned in the report and its summary that the district could potentially save money by increasing the number of students per bus, increasing the number of rides per day per bus from 4.7 on average to 6, and redistributing routes so that there is less disparity - such as some routes going over 60 minutes in length while others are done in less than 20.
However, finance director Anthony Ferrucci commented on Tuesday that these numbers should be taken with a caveat. First, the number reflecting buses per student seemed to include the special education buses as well, which transport far fewer students than the general education buses, which would throw off the ratio.
Second, one of the only ways the report mentions that utilization of the buses could be improved would be to adjust the time students are dismissed from the various school levels, so that buses could more efficiently transition from one route to the next. However, adjusting bell times is significantly more complex than simply changing arrival and dismissal times. Ferrucci said the concern of later dismissal would be kids potentially arriving home much later than parents would find acceptable.
“If we did later bell times, there’s the possibility that students would be getting home at 4:30 [p.m.], or a little after 5 [if they hit traffic],” he said, adding that it would be especially problematic during the winter months when days are shorter.
Causing some discussion among the committee and members of the public was the recommendation that the district may be able to achieve some savings if they integrated some special needs students into the general education population for busing. One public commenter said this would need to be very carefully implemented if done and on a case-by-case basis.
Cosentino also said that it might be wise for the district to rethink the way that it plans for the utilization capacity of its buses. He said that he has seen districts elsewhere in the country plan for over 100 percent capacity on their buses to optimize the routes, as an expected percentage of kids that originally ride the bus will not ride it throughout the whole year as they find rides with fellow students or get their driving licenses.
Ferrucci said that if the district were to go that route, it would be important to communicate the strategy to the public, as parents would likely be concerned in the first couple weeks of school if buses were overcrowded or fully packed.
Cosentino also mentioned that the districts could potentially look into altering dismissal times at each school level, as the current bell times leave not enough room to fully optimize the bus routes. School committee member David Testa was in full support of looking into every avenue for potential cost savings.
“One less bus is between $75,000 and $85,000 [in savings]…Anything to maximize the time the buses are on the road and how full they are makes perfect business sense to me,” he said. “There's some good points in here and I think we can do something with it.”
Committee chairwoman Karen Bachus agreed. “I think it's something to look into, I think we have to look into everything and leave no stone unturned in this situation,” she said Monday. “If we can find 10 cents in 1,000 places, that's $100.”
Ferrucci reiterated on Tuesday that the report was a good starting point to conduct further study. The report indicated a possibility of the district to operate more efficiently with 10 fewer buses – which would amount to a savings for the district in the range of $850,000.
“We’re going to look at that. I may have to go out and get somebody to come in here who can look at all the schedules and further show us how it's possible,” he said, adding that the report would provide good evidence to the school committee that a more targeted consultant could potentially be worth an additional investment.
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richardcorrente
The attitude from the School Committee has improved greatly and that is a major improvement.
Has anyone considered Uber or the buses that Warwick uses for our elderly. Can either of these ideas be put into action at a lower cost than $9,503 PER PERSON?
Just a thought.
Happy St. Patricks everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Thursday, February 21, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
51% utilization percentage is ridiculously low. It isn't cost effective to run a bus at 10% of capacity. Consolidate runs and and keep the surplus 10 buses for breakdowns. Don't continue to toss money out the window when you have a report that shows you where to start.
Thursday, February 21, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Well put Cat.
Well put.
Friday, February 22, 2019 Report this
bendover
Cat is correct, however, why are you surprised? This is the same school department that always was short of money while at the same time running Gorton and Aldrich, two obsolete, energy consuming monsters with a school census of less than 60%...costing the taxpayers 7 figures over the years to staff, maintain and heat...DUMB and DUMBER...and you wonder why this city is in the financial jackpot that its in....Just pathetic.
Looking at some of the students getting off the bus, a walk to school might be just what the Doctor ordered, no pun intended...
Friday, February 22, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Ben Dover,
You and I seldom agree but this time you said it 100% right. The "old" School Committee (SC) stepped over dollars to pick up pennies. In fact, there are many instances where Karen Bachus was the only voice of reason. For example: For MANY years the SC believed it was better to pump out the septic system at Warwick Vets (sometimes as often as every 6 days!) rather than hook up to sewers that were right in their backyard! Bachus finally won that battle saving the taxpayers a ton of money. Now that she is the head of the SC, and others are no longer there, things should run with considerable attention to the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab. At least, that is the way thing are looking today.
Stay tuned.
Happy St. Patricks Ben Dover.
Happy St. Patricks everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Saturday, February 23, 2019 Report this
Justanidiot
whats rong wit walking
Monday, February 25, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
Warwick is not the most pedestrian friendly city. There are plenty of students that do walk to school and it can be dangerous. In the winter the sidewalks aren't shoved and students are walking in busy streets like Post Road and West Shore Road. Distracted driving is a very real hazard. No offense but this isn't the days of when you all went to school. No one had a phone in one hand and a Starbucks in the other all while driving at high speeds and running lights.
As with all the city expenses, time to look at what we are doing wrong and fix it.
Monday, February 25, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Justanidiot,
Again, you show wisdom. When I was in first grade through eighth, I walked from my home at 44 Observatory Ave. in North Providence to St. Augustine's Grammer School at 635 Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Providence R.I. and obviously, I did it twice a day. The round trip was 1.4 miles (.7 miles each way). I believe that it increased my endurance and character. Todays' children are growing up with a sense of entitlement that a little walking-to-school would lessen, in my opinion. For those that are honestly unable, we should provide bus service but I agree, there are many who could walk and it would probably benefit the child if he/she did.
Happy St. Patrick old friend.
Happy St. Patrick everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Monday, February 25, 2019 Report this
Justanidiot
no bus service. if youse have kids and dont wants them walking, drive them yerself. or call an uber. or get them a bike.
Monday, February 25, 2019 Report this
perky4175
it seems if parents can sit at a bus stop with there kids waiting for a bus why dont the just drive them to school same thing after school they sit at the bus stop waiting for the bus if they were charged for the bus ride i bet they would
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Justanidiot
do it likes they do in providence, have ripta take the high skulers. anyting younger, walk.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
DannyHall82
Richard, that statement is false......
Thornton: Warwick Vets Jr. High Septic Backup Puddle Cleaned, Dance Still On
by Rob Borkowski on March 24, 2017
WARWICK, RI — A puddle created by a septic system backup today at Warwick Veterans Jr. High School has been cleaned will not disrupt a dance scheduled tonight at the school, said Supt. Phil Thornton, though fixing the issue that caused it, tying the back half of the school into the city’s sewers and building a pumping station, may cost an estimated $250,000.
The school is one of a handful of school buildings that have not yet been tied into the city’s sewer system, Thornton said.
The other school buildings not yet tied into the city’s sewer system are Warwick Neck, Gorton, and Greene, which is half school administration/half West Bay.
Thornton said the septic system had not been operating normally for the past few weeks. “They had to pump it twice the past couple weeks and that’s not the norm,” Thornton said.
Today, Thornton said a janitor found a puddle of sewage from the septic system in an Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Room. The room is used for physical therapy sessions for the school’s medically fragile students, said Warwick Veterans Principal Dave Tober. No students were using the room or in the room at the time, he said.
The school followed a cleaning protocol, including wet-vacuuming and then treating the area with multiple-spectrum disinfectants, which kills all bacteria, Thornton said.
Councilman Ed Ladouceur was skeptical that the room has been adequately cleaned. “Sewage is bacteria. Bacteria gets inside these tiles,” he said.
Today at 1 p.m., the school department’s septic vendor, Diffley Septic, pumped out the system. On Monday, the company will use high pressure water through the system, “And that will rule out a clog,” Thornton said.
Since the building is half-tied into the city’s sewers, the original estimate to tie in the rest of the building may not be as high as anticipated, Thornton said.
Thornton said an $85 million bond referendum the School Department hopes to add to the Nov. 2017 ballot does not include tying the back half of Vets to the city sewers. Maybe something on the referendum can be replaced by the new repair, Thornton said.
Thornton noted the $85 million is only a fraction of the $196 million in repairs the RI Department of Education recommended for the districts schools. He said deferred maintenance on the buildings predating his time as superintendent has left many such issues lurking in wait. Thornton said the most worrisome needed repairs at the schools included outdated electrical wiring throughout the district, and aging roofs.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
R123456
YOU are NOT the MAYOR.
Stick to screwing people in your little office, not in the city
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear DannyHall82,
The article you presented is from 23 months ago, in March of 2017. That was long before the School Committee meeting that Bachus motioned for sewers and it was approved by the Committee. I believe it was a unanimous vote. I don't know if the sewers have been installed yet but that first step was done in the Summer if 2018, I think. You can check the minutes of the SC meetings if you like.
Dear "taxpayer",
You are right. I am NOT the Mayor. Whoever told you I was? It certainly wasn't me. I call myself "The Taxpayers Mayor". Big difference.
As far as my reputation as a mortgage loan originator, it's flawless. I don't "screw people in my little office". Or "the City" for that matter. You anonymous coward of a critic.
Fake news, Fake sources, Fake people with Fake names.
Happy St. Patricks everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Former User
richardcorrente, I pay taxes in Warwick, and I did not vote for you. You do not represent me, and according to the election results from last September, you don't represent anyone because you were not elected.
You say that calling yourself "the taxpayers mayor" is a "big difference" from calling yourself "mayor."
The big difference I see is that the title "mayor" is real and belongs to the person elected to that office, while your made-up title is fake and based on nothing but your imagination.
And then you have the nerve to call other people names when they challenge you.
I don't respect people who make things up and then act like their words are more credible than others'.
It's no wonder you lost last year. I can't imagine anyone voting for you except to protest Joe Solomon; it certainly was not because you have anything logical or credible to say.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
DannyHall82
They didn’t have the 250k in that current budget for a repair like that and bond money was being held hostage. That’s not the Current Administration fault or School Committee.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Hillsgrove Hal,
I only challenge people who accuse me of calling myself "Mayor" when I never did. I do appreciate you however. You know the difference.
One question:
You say "I don't like people who make things up". Isn't your name "made up". It certainly isn't a real one like mine is it. I mean, I'm being honest about who I am. You're not.
My title is self-given. I consider myself "The Taxpayers Mayor". If you don't, that's fine with me. Some day I will get over the fact that HillsgroveHal, whoever the hell he or she is, didn't vote for me. It'll be tough but I will handle it somehow. After all, he only represents the Hillsgrove section. I get to serve the entire city.
Happy St. Patricks HillsgroveHal. You anonymous coward of a critic.
Happy St. Patricks everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers (except hillsgroveHal) Mayor
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Former User
richard corrente, you just proved exactly what I said: you don't represent anyone, you make things up, and then you call other people names and still think that you're more credible than them.
I never claimed to "represent Hillsgrove." I live there -- and so your claim that you "serve the entire city" is not a response to anything I wrote.
And you don't serve the city -- at all.
You're not an elected official, a city employee, a firefighter, or a police officer. You don't work for a nonprofit agency, you're not a teacher or principal, and you're not a school bus monitor.
Those are all examples of people who actually serve the city.
You just argue with other people on the Beacon website and call them names when they challenge you.
What you need to "get over" is the inflated and undeserved image you have of yourself.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
RC is having a hard time letting go. His dream of being the Mayor of Warwick was dashed twice. I am sure, given time, he will be able to come to terms with his reality. Until then, he will continue to use his self-appointed title as a nod to his political ambitions. Sometimes, we just have to let people grieve in their own way.
Its like watching reality TV. They call it reality but it is anything but!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Former User
Has richard corrente been at this awhile, Cat? You mention he's lost two elections -- has he really been behaving like this since 2016?
I admit I've only recently started reading this website (instead of paying for the print version), and I've only looked at the last week or so of past articles -- including where he told the Beacon that he isn't running again.
Since that's the case, I really can't understand what he thinks he's doing by acting like this.
You may be right that he is working out some kind of issue that he has -- in which case it's very inconsiderate of him to use this website for it.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
Hillsgrove Hal,
He has been using the self-appointed moniker of Taxpayers Mayor for a couple of years now. At first I was offended because he wasn't elected to any position and had no right to call himself mayor. Now I see it for what it really is - a desperate cry for attention. He is under the impression that because he chose to run two campaigns and spent his own money that he is a far superior citizen than those that chose not to run.
Don't waste your energy. I believe he feeds off of the comments. It fulfills his need for importance and recognition. Eventually, if you stop feeding the troll they starve and go on to better feeding grounds.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Report this
Former User
Cat, as a newcomer to this website, I appreciate the info you provide.
It's hard for me to believe that someone who ran for office would consider behavior like his to be acceptable in any forum, especially a newspaper website.
But since he's not running again, and seems to just want to draw negative attention to himself, I will take your advice and try not to give him any more bait.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Cat,
You're right...again.
I do use that title as a "nod to my political ambitions." You will note that those ambitions are to "Cut Taxes - Cut Spending". I challenged you to find just one other candidate in Warwick who has EVER said that. You didn't. I don't think there is one. There SHOULD BE, but there isn't. Maybe my campaign will stimulate a future candidate. Maybe. In either event since I invested $40,000+ of my own money, and over 1,000 days of my life, I feel that gives me the right to use that name. Don't you?
HillsgroveHal says that I "don't serve the City" because I am not an elected official, a city employee, firefighter, policeperson, etc." I totally agree with "Hal" that I am not EMPLOYED in any of those positions, but aren't those examples of the taxpayers serving the needs of those inside people? Those employees don't just "serve". They "charge", and in some cases they "charge" A LOT. Ask any of them to take a cut in pay or benefits or pension and you will see just who they really "serve". Most receive a fair amount of "taxpayers dollars" but some political insiders are costing taxpayers a fortune. I suspect HillsgroveHal is one of them. He complains about everything I say and says he has the right to use "HillsgroveHal" as his screen name just because he lives in the Hillsgrove area. Well, I live in the Warwick area. Plus, I am committed to serve (at no cost) the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab. Doesn't that give me just as much right as that anonymous coward of a critic? I think it does.
Hope you attend the "State-of-the-City" meeting tonight. (2/27/19) at 7 PM at Vets.
Happy "State-of-the-City-Day everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Report this
Former User
Your points about richard corrente stand, Cat. He's clearly working out some sort of personal issue without consideration for other people.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Report this
Cat2222
There are plenty of wonderful people on this site and we are usually up for a lively debate. Looking forward to hearing more from you.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Report this