Every school day, Sedro-Woolley School District's Transportation Department helps thousands of students get where they need to go safely. At the October 26 school board meeting, Transportation Director Tracy Gugel shared an inside look at the people, vehicles and resources that keep the district moving.
Transportation by the Numbers
2,942 students transported daily, on average
47 school buses — 29 diesel and 18 propane
35 bus drivers, with three additional drivers currently in training
15 bus monitors who support students with specialized transportation needs
3 mechanics who maintain the district's buses and motor pool vehicles
524,987 bus miles traveled last year, including regular routes, athletic trips and field trips
65,703 additional miles traveled by the district's eight motor pool vehicles
Together, that's more than 590,000 miles traveled in a single year to support students and district programs!
More Than Just a Ride to School
While most students ride regular school bus routes, the Transportation Department also provides specialized services to help students access educational opportunities.
Of the nearly 3,000 students transported each day, approximately 2,702 are general education riders, 156 receive specialized transportation, 44 receive transportation through the McKinney-Vento program supporting students experiencing homelessness, and 20 are early education riders.
The department also transports approximately 20 multilingual learners participating in after-school bilingual programs at Central, Mary Purcell and Evergreen elementary schools.
Behind the scenes, two transportation secretaries coordinate route assignments and communicate information to families, while a driver trainer helps prepare new drivers to meet state requirements.
A Perfect Score for Safety
One of the department's accomplishments this year was earning a 100% rating from the Washington State Patrol during its bus and motor pool vehicle inspections in May.
The district's three mechanics are responsible for keeping the fleet safe and ready for daily use. Their work helps ensure buses and other transportation vehicles are maintained to the standards required to transport students.
Investing in Our Fleet
The district continues to maintain and update its fleet as older vehicles need replacement.
Two new diesel buses are currently on order:
An 84-passenger Thomas bus, expected in February 2027, will replace an older route bus.
A 60-passenger Thomas bus, expected in December 2026, will replace an older special needs bus.
The district also received a $15,000 rebate through a Blue Bird grant last year, reducing the purchase cost of two propane buses.
What Does It Cost to Keep the Buses Running?
Fuel is a significant expense for a transportation operation of this size. During the previous year, the district spent approximately:
$197,317 on diesel
$101,771 on propane
$35,781 on unleaded gasoline
That's approximately $334,869 in annual fuel expenses.
Gugel also shared the department's current average fuel prices:
Fuel type Average cost per gallon
Diesel $6.50
Propane $1.67
Unleaded gasoline $5.00
With buses traveling hundreds of thousands of miles annually, fuel costs and fleet management are important parts of the district's transportation budget.
Thank You to Our Transportation Team!
From early morning routes to afternoon drop-offs, athletic competitions, field trips and specialized transportation services, the district's transportation employees play an essential role in helping students access learning opportunities.
We appreciate our drivers, monitors, mechanics, secretaries, and driver trainer for the work they do to support students and families throughout the school year.