Cash To Drive Students To School? Bernards Twp. Explores Transportation Options

BASKING RIDGE, NJ— School bus transportation remains a "pain point" in the Bernards Township Board of Education's budget, said Superintendent Nick Markarian on Monday night.

The Board of Education discussed significant increases in transportation costs, the impact on the school budget, and a possible incentive for parents to offset rising costs during the Monday night meeting.

Markarian noted that "transportation has been a driver in our budget." He then listed the costs and increases throughout the years.

Before COVID, the district paid $5.4 million in 2018-19 for transportation. Post-COVID, costs jumped to 5.8 million.

The cost for the 2022-23 school year was $7.2 million and the district is estimating $7.8 million by the end of this current 2023-24 school year.

"These increases are unsustainable for our budget," said Board Member Kristin Light, who sits on the Finance Committee. "At some point, if we don't address this we will have to address cutting services to the students, which is what we are trying to avoid."

Markarian and the Finance Committee have been brainstorming ideas to offset costs. One idea is to see if fewer students would ride the bus for a monetary incentive. He then suggested a survey be sent out to parents with students eligible for school busing to see if they would be interested in this plan.

"I think it's a great idea," said Board Member David Shaw. "It just depends on how many parents are going to accept it. If we don't get enough parents, it just doesn't make sense."

Markarian noted that the district tried this plan out a few years ago with a small group of students and parents when they struggled with finding bus drivers.

"When we did it, it was a just couple of high school routes. But I think you would have more takers if it was from elementary school parents or parents of multiple kids because that would be more money, you know, to drive several kids to school and maybe neighbors would carpool with each other if there is money," said Board Member Robin McKeon.

Some Board members questioned if this would impact pick up and drop off traffic or how reliable this plan would be if parents dropped out of the plan.

Markarian said many parents already drive their students to school which may not impact traffic greatly.

Additionally, Light suggested offering parents some freebie days that they could have students use the bus if they are in a bind without having to drop the program.

In the end, the Board agreed to send out the survey to parents. The survey would ask parents if they already drive their students to school and if they would be interested in driving their students to school for a $1,100 per student proposed incentive.

Once the Board gets the results they will look at how many students are interested, if the numbers are enough to eliminate buses and just do the math to see how much the district would have to pay out versus paying for buses.

"We will administer the survey and see what shakes out," said Board President Timothy Salmon.

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