Transportation directors are heading into the 2026/27 budget cycle with a familiar mandate: hold service levels steady, or improve them, with the same or fewer resources. Many districts are meeting that mandate by finding savings inside their own operations, planning yellow bus routes and Alternative Student Transportation as one coordinated fleet. Use this guide to see where those savings come from, how a consolidated routing strategy protects service for students with additional needs, and how to present the case to a superintendent, chief business officer, or finance committee.
Key Takeaways:
- Sixty-five percent of transportation directors name controlling costs while maintaining service levels as their top priority for 2026/27, and 46% are already consolidating or adjusting routes as enrollment shifts.
- Districts that bring buses, vans, and Alternative Student Transportation under a single routing strategy have seen route costs decrease by up to 15%, along with measurable improvements in on-time performance.
- Grouping compatible trips and matching the right vehicle to each route frees up bus capacity and reduces the number of drivers a district needs to recruit and retain.
- Efficiency and consistency can grow together. More than 80% of EverDriven rides for students with disabilities are completed by the same driver, and 69% of caregivers say a reliable ride leaves their child noticeably calmer.
