Case Study: Detroit Public Schools delivers meals to 50,000 students efficiently with Tyler Technologies' Versatrans

Detroit Public Schools - Customer Case Study

Detroit Public Schools Community District, a 50,000‑student district in Detroit serving a predominantly low‑income population, faced an urgent challenge when COVID‑19 closures required rapid delivery of meals and learning materials. The district needed an efficient way to provide daily breakfasts and lunches — especially to about 2,800 special‑needs students — while avoiding overwhelmed school kitchens and minimizing service disruption.

Using Tyler’s Versatrans routing technology, transportation, Special Education, and School Nutrition staff created door‑to‑door routes and custom reports within days, streamlined meal and homework packet assembly, and printed labels for efficient delivery. The program ensured daily meals and materials for high‑need students, increased meal counts (and related federal reimbursements), preserved contractor relationships and driver jobs, and received strong appreciation from families.

Detroit Public Schools

Aaron Walter

Executive Director of Transportation