BALTIMORE — Over the past 15 years, Maryland’s school busing expenditures have more than doubled, to $438 million. A new report links the increase to poorly managed development in communities statewide.

Yellow School Bus Blues, released by “smart growth” advocacy group 100 Friends of Maryland, shows that the state’s school buses are now traveling more than 117 million miles per year — a 23 million mile increase from 1992.

The group contends that a significant factor in the increase is that many schools have not been built close enough to where students live.

“Smart growth better supports schools and makes communities stronger,” the report states. “School budgets are too tight to have scarce dollars disappear out of school bus tailpipes.” The report acknowledges that other factors — such as inflation, wages increases and rising fuel prices — contribute to the increased school transportation spending. But to address the bus mileage aspect, the group recommends maintaining existing neighborhood schools and locating new schools where more students can walk or bike to school.

To view the full report, go to www.friendsofmd.org.