Get on Board’s Milestones

News Release from Hawaii DoE, 11-Dec-2017

The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) and TransPar have saved the state approximately $13 million annually through the Get on Board student transportation initiative.

From 2013 to 2017, Hawaii public schools' student bus transportation system underwent a comprehensive transformation, including the development of new procurement methods and contract models. Another key milestone for the four-year project involved incorporating new technology and the implementation of computerized routing software, GPS mapping and tracking, and the addition of video cameras to all school buses.

"We've successfully revamped our school bus transportation system during the four-year pilot program by using industry best practices to deliver economical, efficient and effective student transportation services," said Assistant Superintendent Dann Carlson. "Through this pilot program, we've substantially reduced the annual cost of public school bus transportation services statewide by approximately $13 million."

What started as a pilot project for 32 Central Oahu schools in 2013, has now grown and expanded statewide. During Phase 2, the program provided student bus transportation to all schools on Oahu, the Big Island and Molokai. Earlier this year, HIDOE successfully implemented the final phase of its Get on Board initiative with the awarding of new contracts on Maui and Kauai for the 2017-18 school year.

Now that the rollout has been completed, HIDOE and TransPar are focused on establishing the systems and process that support continuous improvement and sustainability. By using the technology acquired and process improvements implemented in the Get on Board initiative, the most efficient level of service continues to be provided to students.

"Despite the unexpected bus driver shortage that our bus contractors faced in August 2017, we worked with the schools and contractors to restore bus service as quickly as we could," said Carlson. "As we look ahead and plan for the future, we'll continue to assess the system on a daily basis, and improve service, safety and efficiency with TransPar's guidance. We're also exploring new ways to make our bus transportation system easier for students and their parents."

For more information about Get on Board, please click here.