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Bastrop ISD approves contract amendment with Gold Star Transit to expand seat‑belted fleet and routes
Summary
Board approved a multi‑year amendment to Gold Star Transit that adds seat belts to the remaining buses, expands the fleet and routes, and raises driver pay 3 percent.
Trustees approved Amendment No. 6 to the district’s contract with Gold Star Transit, a five‑year extension the administration said will move the district to a fully seat‑belted bus fleet, add new routes and increase pay for drivers.
Dr. Christie Lee presented the amendment and described the changes: the district would receive as many as 36 buses in the first year (replacing 23 buses that currently lack seat belts and adding additional units), five additional white transit buses for extracurricular travel, and four further buses in the 2026–27 school year. The contract amendment also allows the district to open 12 new routes (eight in the first year and four the following year) and includes a 3% pay increase for bus drivers.
Lee said the additional routes will reduce ride times for students and that district leaders consider seat belts a meaningful safety upgrade for the younger fleet. The district praised Gold Star Transit’s responsiveness during prior challenges, including staffing and weather disruptions.
A motion to approve Amendment No. 6 passed; the board announced the motion carried. Trustees thanked Gold Star leadership and district staff for the negotiations and said the expansion supports athletics and extracurricular transportation needs.
