Board hears activity‑bus MOU rates and usage; district and contractors debate per‑mile vs. flat rates
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Summary
Deming staff presented activity‑bus trip counts, a proposed MOU preserving current per‑mile and per‑hour rates for 2025‑26, and contractors described operational constraints — driver shortages, snub‑nose buses and out‑of‑town trips that sometimes use flat hourly rates.
Deming — On returning from a brief recess, the board on July 15 reviewed activity‑bus operations, trip counts and the memorandum‑of‑understanding rates the district will present for board consideration.
Patty Treviso, transportation staff, presented year‑to‑year trip totals and the activity MOU rates. For 2023‑24 the district logged 468 activity trips (71 taken by M and T, 51 by Hanes). For 2024‑25 the district logged roughly 513 trips with a change in the distribution: 54 by M and T and 20 by Hanes, Treviso said. The district operates five activity buses and two spares, she said.
The proposed MOU for 2025‑26 keeps the same structure used last year: when a district‑owned (DPS) activity bus is used, the district pays a per‑mile rate to cover fuel and a per‑hour driver rate for contractor drivers; when a contractor bus is used, the district pays the contractor per‑mile and per‑hour driver costs. For the coming year the draft keeps the DPS bus per‑mile figure at $1.89 and driver pay at $19 per hour; the contractor bus rate remains at about $3.05 per mile and $19 per hour for the driver.
Contractors described why they sometimes decline to use district buses and why a contractor bus or an out‑of‑district flat‑hourly quote can cost more. M and T and Hanes representatives told the board that several of the district’s “snub‑nose” activity buses differ from standard route buses, have different handling characteristics and that some drivers are not certified or comfortable driving those models. "They just don't feel comfortable in that style of a bus," one contractor said when discussing snub‑nose units.
Contractors also explained that multi‑hour tournaments can create long standby obligations for drivers, and out‑of‑town vendors sometimes charge a flat hourly fee that includes travel to and from Deming. Staff ran a sample calculation for a typical Las Cruces round trip (about 120 miles each way): at roughly 8 miles per gallon and a fuel price around $3.39 per gallon, district staff estimated fuel for the round trip at about $51; the remaining portion of the district’s calculated per‑trip $226.80 figure goes to driver pay and contractor administrative overhead, Treviso said.
Board members raised questions about consistency and transparency. Superintendent Nick and Member Kroll asked why some prior years show no per‑mile charge when a contractor drove a district bus, and Treviso said historical practice varied: in some years the district used DPS buses without charging the contractor a per‑mile fee; in other years a per‑mile administrative/fuel fee was applied.
Staff emphasized that the district has tried to use its own activity‑bus fleet first and that higher contractor usage tends to occur when the district is short‑staffed or when specialized buses are required. Treviso told the board that last year, improving staffing in the district’s activity fleet reduced reliance on contractors.
Next steps and board direction: the board will consider the activity MOUs at an upcoming meeting. Staff said they will continue to track usage and discuss alternative pricing methods with contractors (including possible flat‑hourly quotes for some out‑of‑town work) so the board can compare approaches and better understand trade‑offs between district‑owned and contractor‑provided buses.
Why it matters: activity trips — sports, band, field trips — are operationally complex and can require long driver standby times, specialized buses and driver certifications. Those operational realities shape costs and staffing needs that the board must weigh against budget constraints and service expectations.
