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A Review of South Carolina School Bus Operations
April 2001

REPORT (PDF)     SUMMARY (PDF)

Members of the General Assembly requested that we conduct an audit of South Carolina’s school bus operations. The requesters were primarily concerned about the cost of operations, safety, and service. South Carolina is the only state that owns and maintains the entire school bus fleet. The State Department of Education (SDE) shares responsibilities for student transportation with the 86 school districts. The school districts establish bus routes and also recruit, employ, and supervise bus drivers. Our findings are summarized below.

  • We found a significant difference between the cost per student as defined by SDE and the actual cost per student. SDE divides the average number of one-way trips students take each day into transportation operating expenditures. This results in a cost of $227. This is not the actual cost per student. Actual cost per student is based on a count of students and not a count of trips. Dividing the average number of students transported daily into operating expenditures results in a cost of $350 — a difference of $123 or 54%.  
  • In 1999, SDE stated that South Carolina had A. . . the lowest per pupil transportation cost in the country.@ SDE used unreliable data in reaching this conclusion. National school bus transportation data lacks uniformity, thereby preventing meaningful comparisons. Not only do states calculate the cost per student differently, but the types of costs included in their expenditures also vary.    
  • In our 1999 audit of school bus purchases, we found that South Carolina purchased buses with higher cost specifications than those selected by other states and communities. We also found that South Carolina had no formal replacement policy for school buses. SDE recently revised its bus specifications, which should result in lower bus prices. In addition, SDE has recommended implementation of a 15-year / 200,000 – 300,000 mile replacement schedule. 
  • SDE reports that school bus mechanics and bus drivers are underpaid, when compared with wages paid by other state agencies and other employers statewide, and that the turnover rate is high. In April 2000, a private consultant hired by SDE recommended a 10.2% increase in pay for bus mechanics costing $900,000 per year. The consultant also recommended a pay increase of 13.1% to 45% for bus drivers, costing between $4.6 million and $15.9 million per year. We reviewed only the transportation component of the state’s educational system. Therefore, we did not determine whether the additional funds needed are available from existing education resources or whether there is a need for additional funding. 
  • According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, school buses are “one of the safest forms of transportation.” We found that a statistically valid comparison of school bus accident and injury rates between states cannot be done with existing data. As a result, there is no basis for comparing the safety of South Carolina’s school bus system to systems in other states. 
  • SDE has not adequately monitored its school bus inspection program. We reviewed inspections performed at three bus shops during FY 99-00 and found that only 191 (68%) of the 280 required 6-week inspections had been performed. Also, only 32 (80%) of the 40 annual inspections had been performed. 
  • School bus drivers in South Carolina are required to undergo random drug and alcohol testing and possess a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). In a limited review of three school districts, we found that one district had not conducted random drug testing between October 1999 and September 2000. 
  • We found that SDE could improve its performance measures that relate to quality of service. For example, data on average ride times, morning pick-up times, and tardiness are not compiled or reported by SDE. If SDE were to report this data, parents, students, and administrators would be better able to assess school transportation services.