DOE's neglect led to issues of cost, safety

The department lacks basic data and fails to check on bus operators, the report says

By Mary Vorsino

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 01, 2012

~~<p>Poor state planning and oversight allowed the costs of providing school bus service to skyrocket in recent years, contributed to potentially unsafe conditions at bus stops, and failed to ensure bus operators were meeting contract terms, a scathing audit concluded.</p>
<p>The audit, released Friday, also raises questions about "highly suspicious anti-competitive practices" among bus contract bidders, and notes the Department of Education does not systematically review bus routes for cost efficiency or have readily available even basic information on its school bus system — such as daily ridership statistics — that would lead to informed decisions.</p>
~~

Poor state planning and oversight allowed the costs of providing school bus service to skyrocket in recent years, contributed to potentially unsafe conditions at bus stops, and failed to ensure bus operators were meeting contract terms, a scathing audit concluded.

The audit, released Friday, also raises questions about "highly suspicious anti-competitive practices" among bus contract bidders, and notes the Department of Education does not systematically review bus routes for cost efficiency or have readily available even basic information on its school bus system — such as daily ridership statistics — that would lead to informed decisions. Login for more...