In an effort to offset high transportation costs and provide better tracking of students, the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) will launch a parent-pay bus pass program for the 2009-2010 school year.
‘Parent-pay for bus service is a common practice throughout California,’ explained Nanette Rondeau, TTUSD director of transportation. ‘We surveyed the neighboring school districts with similar programs, including South Lake Tahoe and Yuba City, to find out what they were charging. In the end, the school board opted for the plan with the least financial impact to Tahoe-Truckee families. Our fee schedule includes discounts for siblings, as well as free and reduced passes for eligible families.’
Here’s how the system will operate: The TTUSD bus fleet is equipped with GPS units and card readers. Students will carry plastic cards that will be scanned by the reader – similar to ski passes that are used at several Tahoe resorts. The bus drivers will ask all students to show their pass and listen for a beep from the reader acknowledging that the card has been scanned. The GPS tracker then posts the card number, time and location as the card is scanned.
‘With this technology we can determine in real time when and where that student got on and off the bus,’ Rondeau said.
When purchasing the pass, students will be issued a plastic card and a plastic loop strap (similar to a luggage tag) that can attach to a backpack. Students may also carry the passes in a purse or wallet. Printed on the card will be the student’s name, picture, and assigned morning and afternoon bus stops. For infrequent riders a 20-ride pass is available.
All passes must be purchased in advance and bus drivers will not accept cash at the time of boarding. No students will be denied transportation at any bus stop in the morning unless they have lost their transportation privileges.
Where to Buy Bus Passes
• Purchase By Mail: To purchase pass by mail, send the application (downloadable at ttusd.org) and fee to TTUSD, Transportation Maintenance & Operations (TMO), 12485 Joerger Dr., Truckee, CA 96161. Upon receipt, passes will be distributed to students on campus days at schools prior to the start of school (see dates and locations below). Students will be required to have their photo taken before distribution.
• Purchase At TMO: Visit the district’s Transportation Management Office at 12485 Joerger Dr. in Truckee on Aug. 18 and Aug. 25 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to process pass, including student photo.
• Purchase At School Sites: Transportation staff will be at the following schools to process bus pass applications and take student photos: Truckee High School Wolverine Days – Aug. 19 and 20; Alder Creek Middle School Cougar Days – Aug. 19 and 20; North Tahoe Middle School & North Tahoe High School Laker Day – Aug. 24. In addition students are welcome to purchase bus passes at the Truckee Elementary School gym on Aug. 12, from 1 to 4 p.m.; Kings Beach Elementary School gym on Aug. 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Free and Discounted Passes: For a free or reduced pass, a family must be verified through the Food Service Department. Food Service staff will be at schools on the dates listed above to process the free and reduced application. To determine eligibility, call Rose Wolterbeek at 530-582-2528.
Questions? 530-550-0745, ttusd.org.
~ Press Release
