The Unified School District of Antigo Board of Education approved Lamers to serve as the district’s transportation contractor, following staff review of three competitive bids and a discussion of pricing, local resources and technology features that would support routing and parent communication. The board voted to approve Lamers; the motion carried as recorded in the meeting minutes.

District staff said three qualified contractors submitted bids after the district reached out broadly: Lamers, Malliotts (the incumbent contractor), and a third large operator. Transportation director remarks at the meeting highlighted several reasons Lamers was recommended: proximity of Lamers’ depots to the district, an expanded roster of spare buses and parts close by, and software features that include a parent app and electronic on/off swiping for students. Those technology features would allow families to see bus location and would let drivers and dispatchers track riders more precisely.

Staff also discussed industrywide cost pressures. The presenter noted that the price of school buses and parts has increased substantially in recent years and insurance costs have risen; those market changes contributed to higher bids than would have been expected a few years ago.

Lamers’ bid included an offer to provide motor-coach upgrades for athletic and activity trips at approximately half the usual market cost, a benefit board members said could lower travel costs for district booster clubs and extracurricular programs.

Board members who spoke praised Malliotts’ long service to the district and thanked its owners and drivers for years of service. The administration said Malliotts had decided to exit or scale back operations and that industry consolidation and purchasing power among larger companies were factors in the district’s bidder pool.

The motion: approve Lamers as the district’s transportation contractor. Outcome: approved (vote reported as passing; exact tally not specified in the meeting transcript).