In Manteca Unified, getting our students to and from school safely is a top priority.

In MUSD, more than 1,900 students from Manteca, French Camp, Weston Ranch, and Lathrop receive transportation services. Despite the national bus driver shortage affecting 81% of all school districts, Manteca Unified continues to identify new mobility solutions for its diverse student populations, such as supplemental routes and pick-up zones for students living in migrant camps. This year, MUSD proposed a new Transportation Plan which will help the District effectively use funds to continue to provide safe and dependable transportation services.

“We want to offer transportation services to as many students who need it,” explained Julie Fannin, MUSD’s Director of Transportation. “The goal of this new plan is to increase the number of students attending school and decrease the amount of time students spend [on the bus].”

Manteca Unified is dedicated to tackling issues like accessibility and equity in school transportation and education. For example, to ensure more students are attending school, Manteca Unified has identified ways to make becoming a bus operator more feasible. The implementation of an updated, robust training program outlined in the new Transportation Plan will increase the number of driving instructors and make it possible for bus operators to complete their training sooner than ever before.

Back in January, the Department of Transportation invited the community to a meeting at the District Office to discuss the new Transportation Plan and its goals and receive feedback. Parents were able to speak directly with Ms. Fannin and Dr. Dante Alvarez, MUSD’s Senior Director, about their concerns.

“We met with families in an intimate setting,” Ms. Fannin shared, “and we received some great ideas on how to grow our programs.”