Transportation in the SDMA

Transportation in the SDMA
Posted on 09/13/2018

One of the challenges that a new school year brings for most public schools is setting bus routes for school district transportation. Establishing routes that meet state regulations and local policies, while prioritizing student safety, the amount of time children spend on the bus, and managing costs to the district is a huge task that requires much thought and consideration. With school enrollments and family needs constantly in flux, the School District of the Menomonie Area (SDMA) is fortunate to partner with Menomonie Transportation, a local company that has provided children in our community with safe and efficient transportation for many years.

According to state statute, public school districts are required to provide transportation for students who reside two miles or more from the nearest public school they are entitled to attend. There are also provisions in state law that require public school districts to provide transportation to private schools when certain qualifications are met. In each case, the state provides some funding for the transportation of qualified students, with reimbursement rates scaled for how far beyond the two mile limit each student lives.

During the 2017-2018 school year, the School District of the Menomonie Area spent over $2 million transporting students to and from schools, field trips, and extracurricular events. While the district’s transportation budget can fluctuate greatly with the changing cost of fuel, it is anticipated that the cost of busing students will continue to increase.

Local school districts have been granted statutory authority with regard to the establishment, administration, and scheduling of bus routes. While the school district is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the health and safety of the child once students board the bus, it is up to families to provide the necessary care and supervision of children during times before bus pickups and after students are dropped off. In the SDMA, this responsibility for families might include a short walk to and from the bus stop which is usually capped at a quarter mile for children in grades K-5 and a half mile for children in grades 6-12.

The managers at Menomonie Transportation collaborate with families and the school district to establish safe bus pickups and efficient routes each year, and the bus drivers work hard to keep our children safe on the rides to and from school. It often takes a few days to fine tune the routes to best meet the needs of as many families as possible, but once routines have been established, the timing of the bus routes becomes pretty consistent.

From a community standpoint, please be sure to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit signs, and always stop for a bus when the red lights are flashing. It is imperative for the health and safety of our children that drivers are alert and aware that children might be walking to or from a school or bus stop, waiting near the road to be picked up by a bus, or possibly crossing lanes of traffic before boarding the bus or after being dropped off. This is especially important early in the morning during bus pickups and in the afternoon when school lets out.

Should families or other school district stakeholders have any questions or concerns about school district transportation, I invite you to contact Menomonie Transportation, or visit with me at the SDMA Administrative Service Center. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com), on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/menomonie.schools).