LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools' Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said the days of Kentucky's largest school district providing transportation to every student are likely coming to an end.

Pollio made the comment as part of a transportation update during a Jefferson County Board of Education meeting Tuesday evening.

The district laid out some options to reduce ridership, potentially for next school year, although final decisions will likely come by springtime.

The options put out by JCPS revolve around the district's magnet and traditional schools, which students apply and choose to attend. 

JCPS has four options it may consider when assessing ridership. The first option would require all magnet and traditional students to be dropped off at a "magnet hub," or central location, like a shopping center. From there, a bus would pick them up, take them to a depot and drop them off at school. JCPS estimates this plan could cut approximately 60 to 70 routes.

The second option would transport only free and reduced lunch magnet and traditional students. It would remain as the current system. This option is estimated to cut approximately 90 to 100 routes.

The third option is to, again, transport only free and reduced lunch magnet and traditional students, but use the "magnet hub" system. This is estimated to cut approximately 100-110 routes.

The fourth option would cut transportation for any student who attends a magnet or traditional school. This plan could cut the most amount of routes. JCPS estimates it could save 130-140 buses.

Currently, out of the nearly 65,000 students JCPS transports, nearly 16,000 students attend magnet or traditional schools.

"The days of all students being transported to all schools is at the end of that road, and so we're just gonna have to have some discussions about what that will look like," said Pollio. "We don't have that now, but I know it will have to be substantial."

Adding to the district's transportation issues is the fact that it still has more bus routes than it does drivers on most days.

JCPS said it currently has 568 routes, and 578 full time drivers. But, it averages 44 drivers a day calling out.

"I think, in my opinion, what we need to do with this is really have some conversations in the community," Pollio said. "We cannot continue through with the services we provide."

Pollio also added that it was essential to change start times from two to nine. With the new student assignment plan taking effect this school year, JCPS said it would require 850 bus routes.

The district also figured out how it will make up days it missed at the beginning of the school year. Students missed six days of school when JCPS closed to address transportation problems from the first day. Tuesday, the board approved forgiving four of the days, while the other two will now be made up Nov. 6 and Jan. 8.

Additionally, the board approved the stipend it will provide to parents of students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program. Parents who pick up and drop off their preschool student or students will get $5 a day. The district scaled back the amount of transportation it provides to those students, primarily only providing bus rides for students in the program who have disabilities.

Despite those changes, Pollio said JCPS saw about an 80% attendance rate for the Early Childhood Education program's first day of school on Monday.

The district also approved bonus pay for its bus drivers. JCPS classifies difficult routes, Early Childhood routes, and routes scheduled past 6 p.m. as challenging routes. If a driver takes on one challenging route, they would make an additional $5 an hour. If they take two challenging routes, its an additional $7.50 an hour. Three challenging routes would mean an extra $10 an hour.

JCPS also shared additional data based off its first 21 days of school. The district estimates the average number of students late per day because of a late buses, is 5,628. That is 8% of total bus riders.

It also estimates the average number of instructional minutes lost per late student, per day is 13.5 minutes per day.

And the average number of afternoon buses late per day is 42.

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