RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Rio Rancho Public Schools operates on a four-tier bus system. Buses head out in the morning to pick up and drop off high schoolers, then make three more runs with middle and elementary school students.

“The same process is repeated in the afternoon, so four tiers in the morning and four tiers in the afternoon,” said Michael Baker, the Chief Operations Officer for RRPS.

Baker said the problem with the bus system is some elementary students get to school late and pick-up time isn’t much better.

“So, they don’t leave school until 3:50 which means they don’t get home until very late in the afternoon,” Baker said.

He said the problem only gets worse when bus drivers call out or a bus breaks down.

“We want to get our students to school on time, so they can experience a full day of education,” Baker said.

That’s why the district is asking the New Mexico Public Education Department for more buses to move them to a three-tier system. A recent study, done at the request of NMPED, showed that RRPS has 95-percent efficient system, but Baker said it doesn’t take much for problems to arise.

“The problem with having such an efficient system, or a tight system, is when we have school bus drivers, for example call in sick, that results in an additional driver having to run double routes,” said the Chief Operations Officer.

Here is what NMPED told KOB 4 about the district’s request: 

PED has provided on-going technical assistance to Rio Rancho Public Schools (RRPS) to support the district’s efforts to improve their transportation system. PED recommended that RRPS conduct a transportation study including a review of bus capacity and routes to inform potential changes. PED has reviewed the transportation study and has provided feedback to RRPS. The department will continue to collaborate with the district as they work to make changes to their system.