School system’s new bus plan would require 50 fewer buses

Officials with the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, which is legally required to provide bus service to Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge schools, have previously said the system could save $2 million next year by changing the start time of the Catholic schools’ day. But now that the Catholic schools appear on board with the change—which will push up the start time from 8:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.—precisely how will it save money for the system? According to officials with the EBRSS, this is how: The system currently makes two runs each morning. The first run uses 450 buses to transport public middle and high school students to school by 7:10 a.m. The second run brings in 50 more buses—for a total of 500—to transport public elementary school students and all Catholic school students to school by 8:25 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively. Under the proposed new system, 450 buses would make three runs each morning, transporting public middle and high school students first, followed by Catholic school students and, lastly, public elementary school students, whose start time will remain at 8:25 a.m. Such changes will eliminate the need for 50 of the buses currently make the second run, officials say. The average cost of operating a school bus is about $56,000, with fuel accounting for the biggest chunk of that cost, according to EBRSS spokesman Chris Trahan. The average driver’s salary is about $18,000 a year, though Trahan says drivers can make as much as $35,000 if they drive extra routes for special events during the day. —Stephanie Riegel