Denver Public Schools Saved $500K Through Multimodal Transportation Optimization

Denver Public Schools (DPS), Colorado’s largest school district, faced the dual challenge of a persistent bus driver shortage and fluctuating student enrollment, which was impacting transportation efficiency and budget. To address these issues, DPS embraced a multimodal transportation strategy, strategically integrating small vehicles alongside traditional buses. This approach resulted in significant cost savings and improved service delivery.

The Challenge: Balancing Growth and Efficiency

With 90,000 students, 30,000 of which are transportation-eligible, DPS needed a flexible and cost-effective solution. The district anticipated a surge in students requiring specialized transportation, particularly those who qualify for transportation under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, whose needs often arise mid-school year. Budget constraints demanded a dynamic and efficient transportation system.

The Solution: Multimodal Optimization with Small Vehicle Integration

DPS implemented a multimodal transportation system to provide students with the most suitable ride by pairing them with the optimal route. This integrated approach included using a mix of transportation options including buses driven by district drivers with CDLs, smaller vehicles driven by non-CDL drivers, and supplemental transportation partners like HopSkipDrive, and public transportation. The strategic onboarding and optimization of small vehicles was key to achieving substantial cost savings for the district.

The Results: Multimodal Cost Savings 

HopSkipDrive’s RouteWise AI™ played a pivotal role in optimizing DPS’s multimodal system. RouteWise AI developed a personalized routing model that incorporated all district constraints and allowed for seamless integration of existing bus and small-vehicle routes. This resulted in: 

• Cost Reduction: This enhanced efficiency directly translated to a significant cost saving of over $500,000 in the 2023–2024 school year.

• Increased Small Vehicle Utilization: By optimizing small vehicle routes, DPS achieved an 11% increase in student pooling for these vehicles.

• Enhanced Safety: The district also found a reduction in school zone congestion, improving safety and traffic flow.

• Streamlined Student Integration: RouteWise AI enabled DPS to integrate new students into existing small vehicle routes with a single click, dramatically reducing manual planning time. “For my routers to be able to evaluate and pool a new rider with the click of a button, it both saves our team time and also saves the district money,” said Earl Kent III, a Route Planning Manager at DPS. 

Impact and Future Outlook

DPS’s success highlights the power of multimodal optimization — particularly the strategic integration of small vehicles — in achieving significant cost savings and improving transportation efficiency. By embracing innovative solutions like HopSkipDrive, DPS is committed to providing equitable and sustainable transportation for all students.

Key Takeaways

• Multimodal transportation systems, when optimized, can yield substantial cost savings.

• Small vehicle integration offers flexibility and efficiency in student transportation.

• AI-driven optimization tools are essential for maximizing the benefits of multimodal strategies.

• DPS saved over $500,000 with the support of RouteWise AI.

• An increase of 11% of student pooling for small vehicles was a significant driver for these results.

Interested in implementing a multimodal transportation strategy to save your school district money? Reach out to the HopSkipDrive team today.