Hillsborough County is the 8th largest school district in the nation, the county's largest employer with more than 26,000 employees, and each day transports almost 90,000 students to and from school.  Close collaboration between schools and transportation is important in Hillsborough County.  In 2015, the Hillsborough MPO added a Hillsborough County School Board member, Cindy Stuart, as a voting member of the MPO, to enhance the lines of communication.

On February 2, 2016, the Metropolitan Planning for Transportation (MPO) Chair created the School Transportation Working Group (STWG) to support the needed coordination at many levels that did not currently exist.  Monthly meetings of transportation-focused professionals representing local governments, transit agencies, public safety organizations, and several functional groups within the School District began in April.  The STWG provides interagency partnerships vital for problem-solving on a host of topics, from traffic circulation to walk/bike safety to school-pools and transit.

Lisa Silva, MPO staff member, will provide an overview of the working group's background, history, purpose and expected outcomes.  In addition, Ms. Silva will share challenges, studies and successes that have occurred since the group formed.