Assist students in succeeding in their educational endeavors by providing them with safe, economical transportation to Butte College.
Butte College Student Transportation consists of 10.28 FTE bus operators and 1.25 FTE mechanics, and runs one of the largest student funded transportation services in California. Transportation is provided to all students who wish to use the service from most of the population centers in Butte County to the main campus. Additionally, service is provided to Glenn County students to the main campus and the Chico campus by connecting with the Glenn Ride bus service. The group also supports travel for educational, off-site field trips.
The following are Administrative Unit Outcome for Student Transportation Department:
Outcome: Meet advertised schedule
Metrics: Survey (student)Outcome: Maintain safe bus operations for our students
Metrics: CHP annual inspections and Keenan and Associates’ Fleet Assessment report.
The following strategies supports on Future Development Strategies in the unit plan:
• Evaluate bus routing to provide maximum student accessibility and promote employee wellness.
• Optimize fuel usage.
o Reduce idle time.
• Reduce overtime whenever possible.
• Track student ridership on a monthly basis.
• Provide driver and mechanic training programs to promote the safety and efficiency of the fleet.
• Increase preventive maintenance program.
• Follow established bus replacement program.
• Develop and implement programs to reduce the carbon footprint of the bus fleet.
• Evaluate shop equipment for replacement or upgrade needs.
• Work with Human Resources to fill the three evening bus operator positions.
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Assist students in succeeding in their educational endeavors by providing them with safe, economical transportation to Butte College.
Transportation Department supports all of the Strategic Direction and Priorities by ensuring the busing system is operated efficiently and maintained to assure safe transportation for our students.
The following are goals from the previous strategic plan and program review and the current status:
• Evaluate bus routing to provide maximum student accessibility and promote employee wellness. Ongoing.
• Optimize fuel usage. Ongoing.
o Reduce idle time. Ongoing. Driver training to reduce idle time.
• Reduce overtime whenever possible. Ongoing.
• Track student ridership on a monthly basis. Ongoing.
• Provide driver and mechanic training programs to promote the safety and efficiency of the fleet. Ongoing.
• Increase preventive maintenance program. Ongoing.
• Follow established bus replacement program. Ongoing.
• Develop and implement programs to reduce the carbon footprint of the bus fleet. Ongoing.
o Evaluate the use of biodiesel. Ongoing.
• Evaluate shop equipment for replacement or upgrade needs. Ongoing.
• Work with Human Resources to fill the five evening bus operator positions. Working with Human Resources.
Assist students in succeeding in their educational endeavors by providing them with safe, economical transportation to Butte College.
Strategy 1 - Training
Provide driver and mechanic training programs to promote the safety and efficiency of the fleet.
Enhanced driver and mechanic training enables the Student Transportation employees to provide and maintain a safe and efficient vehicle fleet for transporting the students to and from the campuses.
Strategy 2 - Bus Route Analysis
Evaluate bus routing each semester to provide maximum student accessibility and to promote employee wellness.
Ridership levels and timing may vary by semester, depending on class scheduling. The bus schedule needs to provide time to accommodate employee breaks and personal needs.
Strategy 3 - Preventive Maintenance Program
Improve preventive maintenance program to optimize vehicle and equipment longevity.
Preventive maintenance is more cost effective than corrective maintenance. Preventive maintenance extends the life of vehicles and equipment.
Strategy 4 - Equipment Replacement
Develop and implement equipment replacement plan.
All equipment has a finite life and will eventually need to be replaced. Proactive planning for this replacement will allow better decision making and an orderly process. Current replacement value of equipment is approximately $150K and the average expected life is 15 years. This will replace the bus lift, diesel particulate filter cleaning machines, engine rebuild stand, transmission jacks, electronic diagnostic equipment and other bus related tools and equipment.
Strategy 5 - Employee Cost
Minimize overtime costs.
Overtime is expensive for the District.
Strategy 6 - Fuel Usage Analysis
Continue to analyze fuel usage.
Analysis may provide direction for optimization of fuel usage.
Strategy 7 - Bus Replacement
Continue to implement bus replacement plan.
A forward looking replacement plan has enabled budgeting priorities to be established in advance of the needs.
Strategy 8 - Carbon Footprint
Develop and implement programs to reduce the carbon footprint of the bus fleet.
Although the bus fleet assists with reducing the District's carbon footprint, it still is a significant user of carbon based fuel. Reduction of fuel usage or using renewable fuel will contribute to reducing the District's carbon footprint.
Strategy 9 - Evaluation Position Classifications
Evaluate position classifications to ensure staff levels match student transportation needs.
The current classifications are old and in need of updating.
Strategy 10 - Increase Budget Due to Decreased Student Fee Revenue
Due to low enrollment, student fee revenue has decreased but the requirement to support student transportation has not changed. The budget must be funded to cover for increases in COLA, steps and fuel tax.
Funding is needed to meet current student transportation needs.
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| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | Student Transportation | Operating Expenses | 123042101699001 | $0.00 | $26,722.00 | |
| Estimated Budget Increase at 3% | Increase payroll and benefit budget to cover for COLA and step increases. Due to low enrollment, student fee revenue has decreased but the requirement to support student transportation has not changed. The budget must be funded at the 16/17 level plus the current year COLA and step increases. |
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| 2 | Student Transportation | Operating Expenses | 123042101699001 | 54520 | $0.00 | $15,000.00 |
| Bus Repair Budget | Fund Student Transportation repair budget to the 16/17 level. Due to low enrollment, student fee revenue has decreased but the requirement to support student transportation has not changed. |
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| 3 | Student Transportation | Personnel | 123042101699001 | 52170 | $0.00 | $32,621.00 |
| Upgrade Two Mechanics II and One Mechanics Senior/Lead to the New Classification | Upgrade Two Mechanics II and One Mechanics Senior/Lead to the New Classification. |
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| 4 | Student Transportation | Equipment | 123042101699001 | 56410 | $35,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Portable Power Bus Washing Machine | The purchase of this equipment will improve the level of service, aesthetics and help keep the buses maintained in a clean and safe condition. It will also help reduce the employee labor time required to manually wash the buses, and may reduce repetitive motion injuries. |
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| 5 | Student Transportation | Equipment | 123042101699001 | 55100 | $20,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Retain engineer to analyze replacement of underground storage tank system | Current underground tanks are aging and repairs are very expensive. Above ground tanks are more efficient and less costly to maintain. Removal of the current underground system becomes more expensive each year. Investigating the cost for installing an above ground tank system and decommissioning the underground tanks. |
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