Poughkeepsie City School District (PCSD) in New York and BusRight are celebrating two major wins at the start of the new school year. Not only has the district saved nearly $1 million in transportation-related expenses, but it's also expanded school bus access to approximately 1,200 students who previously lacked service.

According to a recent news release, district leaders worked hand-in-hand with the technology solution provider to develop a customized student transit program tailored to Poughkeepsie’s unique needs, allowing PCSD to operate without the complexities associated with maintaining a robust, dedicated transportation department.

“School transportation is one of the most important services a district provides, but many schools across the country lack the resources and expertise needed to maximize the effectiveness and impact of scholastic transit,” said Marissa Blankenship, director of BusRight Solutions. “In Poughkeepsie, that challenge was addressed by shifting from reactive routing to a fully data-driven transportation model, allowing us to create a stronger foundation for daily operations and help the district uncover opportunities that support long-term growth.”

With an incomplete transportation department, PCSD tapped BusRight to establish and implement a bus service system from scratch. BusRight leveraged its transportation management platform and collaborated with school leaders to map routes, reconfigure school boundaries, refine bus stop placement, manage daily operations, improve safety and optimize communication with families. Through real-time visibility and communication tools, the district was able to better account for students, keep parents informed, and support drivers with the information they needed to navigate routes safely and efficiently.

Through the partnership, PCSD avoided nine projected routes from the original plan, reducing its total routes from 26 to 17 without compromising service, BusRight said.

Improved student attendance and overall student success were central to PCSD's partnership with BusRight. As the district faced chronic absenteeism, leaders recognized that reliable transportation was critical to ensuring students could get to school and learn. By making transportation more accessible and efficient, PCSD strengthened a broader campaign to improve attendance and remove educational barriers. Alongside other district-wide initiatives, those efforts contributed to improved attendance outcomes, with the district’s analysis finding that 41% of assessed elementary students improved their attendance levels compared with the previous school year.

“When we set out to expand transportation access for our students, we knew we needed more than technology, we needed a hands-on partner to help us navigate the additional challenges along the way,” said Gregory Mott, superintendent of Poughkeepsie City School District. “BusRight’s recommendations made all the difference, and the results speak for themselves: nearly $1 million in first-year savings, a safer and more sustainable operating model and new opportunities to grow service in the years ahead.”

PCSD plans to continue leveraging data-driven transportation planning to support evolving student needs and identify future opportunities to enhance service.