Tiverton committee approves three-year student-transportation contract after questions on costs and monitors

The Tiverton School Committee unanimously approved a three-year transportation contract with First Student, with two one-year renewal options, during its April 8 meeting.

The vote followed a presentation from Daniel Andrade, the district's Director of Technology who led the district's transportation bidding process. Andrade told the committee the bid package had been distributed to 76 contacts representing 64 potential bidders; three bids were received. The low bidder for the consortium that included Tiverton was First Student. Andrade said the three-year base bid for Tiverton represented roughly a 3 percent increase in year one compared with current costs, with subsequent built-in increases of about 4 percent in year two and similar increases if the two optional years are exercised.

Committee members pressed staff for details about bus sizes, monitor coverage and how the district could control future costs. Andrade said the district removed 86-passenger buses from the specification and bid 71-to-77-passenger vehicles instead, and that special-education routes include required monitors as part of the daily rate rather than as separate variable charges. He also said the district currently uses 13 regular buses (12 in-district and one for an out-of-district route) and expects to reduce one regular bus if routing opportunities allow during contract negotiations.

On monitor staffing, committee members noted intermittent inconsistency in bus monitors reported this school year. Andrade said the issue was regional and that he has pushed bidders to address recruitment and staffing priorities; he said prior language in the bid includes a fixed cost for monitors on certain special-education buses.

Committee members also asked about a performance bond reference in the bid documents. Andrade explained it is standard financial language used in Rhode Island transportation bids and functions like a letter of credit; the district would only draw on it if a contractor defaulted on payment or service obligations.

Chair (name not specified) moved to accept the recommendation to award the transportation contract to First Student; the motion passed unanimously.

The district will enter contract negotiations with First Student where staff said they plan to seek additional concessions on pricing and service terms before final signature. Andrade said that vendor discussions were already underway following the bid opening and that contract details (including final vehicle counts and optional years) will be settled in the contracting phase.

All further contract changes will return to the committee as required by policy or if they change funding or service levels.

The committee voted on the bid recommendation by voice; the committee recorded the motion as approved unanimously.