Pupil Transportation
Services
The
State Education Department has oversight responsibility for school district
provision of pupil transportation services to resident pupils attending public
and nonpublic schools. Approximately 2.3 million pupils, or ten percent of
the nation’s pupils, are transported to school each day. One-third of these students are transported on district owned buses, one-third ride contracted buses, and one-third of our students utilize public transportation. The 2016-17 statewide
cost of services is approximately $2.8 billion with state aid of $1.7 billion.
The Department processes 5,000 contracts and extensions annually
for the delivery of services by private contractors to over 480 school districts.
The Department also has jurisdiction over the qualifications for hiring school
bus drivers, monitors and attendants for 50,000 buses statewide. It has established in regulation specific
safety training requirements which help insure safe transportation for all pupils.
The Department administers the School Bus Driver Safety Training Program which
uses 1,000 School Bus Driver Instructors to provide school bus drivers, monitors
and attendants with a comprehensive introduction to safety training and annual
refresher training.
