The Davis School District Transportation Department is preparing for the first day of school by conducting practice routes and verifying stops. According to a notice on the district's website, these efforts are part of a Back-to-School Boot Camp for Buses designed to ensure safe and reliable transportation for more than 21,000 bus-eligible students.
The department serves more than 20,000 student riders, including nearly 1,300 special education students. Transportation leaders stated that more than one-third of department resources are invested in serving special education transportation needs. To support this work, a team of 332 employees manages the district's transportation services.
A team of 13 mechanics maintains approximately 700 district vehicles, including school buses, maintenance trucks, and snowplows. This maintenance work has received statewide recognition, including consistent Gold Awards in Utah Highway Patrol inspections and a 0.05% out-of-service rate.
The district is also deploying Tyler Drive tablets throughout its bus fleet to replace traditional paper route sheets. These digital tools provide drivers with turn-by-turn navigation, real-time route updates, and student information. Transportation leaders noted that the technology is particularly helpful for substitute and newer drivers. The rollout began with pilot programs on complex and special education routes and is moving toward full fleet implementation.
Families can continue to use the MyRide K-12 app to track buses and receive transportation updates. Future tablet integration aims to add features such as student ridership tracking and notifications for when students board or exit the bus.
The Transportation Department's primary goal is providing safe, reliable transportation to help students arrive ready to learn. The department's motto is We carry the most precious cargo.
