District cuts back school bus stops

As part of its belt-tightening efforts, the Sisters School District has reduced the number of stops its buses make.

"To use time wisely and resources smartly, we decided that we needed go with fewer stops," said Angie Gardinier, Sisters School District Transportation Supervisor.

With more than 28 years in the transportation department, Gardinier has seen a lot of changes. When district budgets were flush and pavement shoulders and sidewalks were few and far between, the yellow school buses ran a nearly door-to-door service picking up kids for school and dropping them off after school.

As the bus system and Sisters Country has matured, sidewalks, pathways and "safe routes to schools" have been developed. At the same time that school budgets were crashing, there was an increased emphasis on "healthy alternatives" to riding in a car (or a bus). These considerations have resulted in fewer bus stops.

The Tollgate subdivision west of Sisters is a prime example of the changes. Tollgate has dedicated walkways and a well-established three-quarter-mile pathway from the southeast corner of the subdivision to both Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School.

Last year there were 23 bus stops in Tollgate; this year started with 11 stops. Several stops have been added and/or adjusted since the beginning of school based on parent input and bus drivers' recommendations.

"I would like to assure parents that the decision on bus stops was not made without great consideration. It was considered and evaluated at length - and is still malleable," said Gardinier. "I'm surprised that I haven't gotten more phone calls."

Safety of the kids, especially the little ones, is the primary concern in setting routes and stops, reports Gardinier. Other considerations include keeping the total amount of time kids spend on the bus balanced between routes, and they include reducing the amount of fuel and driver time consumed by each route. Some residents have complained about the negative effect on the atmosphere from very frequent bus stops and starts.

If you have concerns about the current bus stops or schedules, Gardinier can be reached at 541-549-9681, or [email protected]