The School District of Lee County is proud to announce a historic turnaround in its transportation system, achieving an unprecedented 98% morning on-time arrival rate during the 2025-2026 school year. This milestone represents a massive 15-percentage-point increase from the previous year and the near-elimination of students missing valuable morning instructional time.
The district finished the academic year on a high note, with buses averaging a remarkable 99% morning on-time arrival rate during the final month of May. Under district criteria, buses are counted as on-time if they arrive 30 minutes before the morning bell rings or 30 minutes before afternoon dismissal.
The overhaul yielded equally dramatic results at the end of the school day. Afternoon arrivals to pick up students for their return home jumped by 28 percentage points over last year’s baselines, climbing to an average of 85%.
Making the accomplishment even more impressive, the transportation department absorbed a massive influx of students this year. Total daily ridership surged by 31%, with the district safely transporting an additional 14,000 students per day, bringing the total to 61,416 daily riders.
District leaders attribute the dramatic improvement to the implementation of the Safe Start Initiative at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. The initiative strategically overhauled and staggered school start times into distinct tiers: one for high schools and K-8s, one for elementary schools, and one for middle schools. This modern tiered routing system allowed bus drivers the necessary time to cleanly finish one route before beginning the next, maximizing fleet efficiency.
“When a bus runs on time, a child walks into the classroom ready to learn,” said David Newlan, Chief of Safety, Security, and Fleet Operations. “Moving from 83% to 98% in the morning, while absorbing 14,000 additional riders, means that it is now the reality for nearly every student in Lee County. Through school-by-school problem-solving and tireless route optimization, the entire transportation team didn't just improve statistics; they directly set our students up for academic success.”
The work does not stop here. The School District of Lee County remains committed to continuous improvement until every student arrives on time, every day - because every minute in the classroom counts.