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Committee discusses bus‑safety technology, who should buy it and timing before Lamers contract expires
Summary
District staff described student ID badges, GPS and multi‑camera bus systems that can notify parents, guide drivers and improve seat‑level visibility; the committee discussed whether the district should buy equipment or require it in a future contractor RFP and noted the current extension with Lamers runs through the middle‑school opening.
District transportation and finance staff briefed the Waunakee budget committee on recent bus‑safety and routing technologies and asked the board for initial guidance on whether the district should own such equipment, require it in a future contractor bid, or continue to negotiate contractor investments.
Ali, district finance staff member, outlined three options: wait until the current contract is rebid and write equipment expectations into the RFP; purchase and own the technology so it is transferable between contractors; or ask the current contractor, Lamers, to add equipment and reflect that cost in route charges. "That also triggers on the driver's tablet an image of the student and an indication that yes, the student's in the right spot," Ali said while describing a badge‑scan system that can also send a text message to a parent when a student boards a bus.
Staff cited examples and early adopters in other districts. "Green Bay Public Schools is an example of a district that's using all of this," Ali said; Baraboo and Sauk County districts are using parts of the systems. The proposed technology includes student ID badges tied to parents' smartphone apps, GPS routing guidance for drivers and a four‑camera interior system designed to look down into seats rather than only front and rear views.
Board members raised practical concerns. One member said owning the equipment could create maintenance and obsolescence burdens: "I guess I'm not sure that we wanna own the equipment because...the technology changes quickly," the committee member said, urging that the district consider specifying requirements in a future RFP instead. Others noted parent demand; one board member referenced a vendor app used elsewhere, saying it "went over really, really well" with parents. Committee members also discussed how the tech could support shuttle services and integrate with food‑service or library systems that already use individual IDs.
Timing and procurement: staff reminded the committee that the board previously approved an extension with Lamers through the opening of the new middle school (contract term through 2026–27). Staff estimated an RFP process for transportation could take about six months and advised starting the procurement planning well in advance (staff suggested beginning more than six months before the June 2027 target to allow time for terminal, fleet and service considerations).
Next steps: staff said they will continue consulting with the cabinet and bring a more developed recommendation to the committee next month. They will also continue to scan for grant opportunities in safety and security that could offset equipment costs.
Ending: Administration will return with a proposal and cost scenarios; the committee flagged the issues for deeper review at a future meeting and directed staff to continue conversations with Lamers and the district cabinet.
