Rutherford County School Board approves new bus contract, adds protections for contractors and advance insurance payment

The Rutherford County School Board on Thursday approved a new multi-year bus services contract that raises contractor pay by 17% in year one and 2.5% in years two through four, and adopted amendments intended to protect local bus contractors and ensure continuity of student transportation.

Board members said the contract change aims to address contractor costs and attract drivers while preserving locally run routes. The board accepted an amendment to add a 45-day notice and a right of first refusal for a contractor when a route approved for a smaller bus later requires a 90-passenger bus. The board also authorized an advance insurance payment to contractors and a contingency plan to purchase buses if more than 35 contracted routes remain unfilled by the May 29 contract-signing deadline.

The board’s action matters to families and schools because contractors provide daily school transportation, special education runs and activity trips. Board members described the provisions as a balance between…