In 2008, 5.5 percent of respondents (30 districts) were contracting for the management or operation of their transportation systems with private vendors. Per the definition of contracting listed in the methodology, this figure does not include special-education busing.
Though the privatization of transportation services is by far the least utilized method of privatization as compared to food and custodial services, it is a growing trend. Privatization of transportation services has grown 15.8 percent since 2007 and 36.6 percent since 2006.
Graphic 6: Districts Contracting Transportation Service
Graphic 7: Districts New to Transportation Contracting