The council approved awarding the public-transportation contract (Contract 22-24) to Davis Bus Lines LLC for 1,550 hours of service at $90 per hour, pending the end of a 10-business-day protest period that closes Dec. 12.

City staff explained the state Department of Transportation requires an RFP for such services. Two proposals were received; an evaluation committee scored Davis Bus Lines highest. The recommended service was reduced to a single Orange Route during the academic year (1,550 hours) after evaluating cost and hours; sustaining all existing routes would have required an additional $100,000 in local funding from UW–Platteville.

Staff noted the City of Platteville owns two buses (federally funded at 80% with a 20% local match provided by UW–Platteville). Under the lease arrangement, the contractor will operate, maintain, fuel, repair and insure the vehicles; the city leases the buses to the provider for $1 per year.

Councilmember Tom Noll moved to award the contract; a second was recorded and the motion passed. Staff reminded the council that operator and vehicle licenses will be considered at a future meeting before operations resume for the spring semester on Jan. 27, 2025.

If the awarded contractor must use the second bus for breakdowns or scheduled maintenance, staff said service continuity is expected because the contractor leases both vehicles and is responsible for their operation and maintenance.