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Board approves transportation cooperative but removes HopSkipDrive after safety concerns
Summary
Peoria Unified approved a transportation cooperative contract list but voted to exclude HopSkipDrive and require vendors to meet stricter background, drug‑testing and vehicle camera standards following board discussion of a prior safety incident.
The Peoria Unified Governing Board on July 9 approved a cooperative purchasing agreement for contracted transportation services but amended the award to exclude HopSkipDrive Inc. and to require higher safety standards for any vendor the district uses.
The board voted to add MOHRFP24N‑1203 for contracted transportation services for up to five years, then explicitly removed HopSkipDrive from the district’s approved vendor list and required participating vendors to provide door‑to‑door service, in‑vehicle cameras, fingerprint clearance cards, and random background and drug testing for drivers. The motion passed on a 5‑0 voice vote.
The measure followed an extended discussion about contractor oversight and student safety. Board member Missus Bowles urged stronger protections for special‑needs and McKinney‑Vento (homeless) students, citing a high‑profile incident in a nearby district and saying the district should require contractors to install cameras, perform regular background checks and provide door‑to‑door pickup. “I’m not willing to take that chance,” Bowles said of continuing with providers she described as having problematic histories. The board directed staff to seek written assurances and compliance language in vendor contracts and to report back to the board.
Transportation staff said the district currently uses several vendors for student transport and that HopSkipDrive and CareTransit were among firms in active use; the cooperative list includes additional firms the district can call on. Transportation Director Molino told the board that it would be possible to pursue in‑house staffing for some services over time but that contractors remain necessary today to meet needs such as McKinney‑Vento transports and private placement runs.
Clerk Toby asked for contractual language and follow‑up steps; officials said they would return with specific draft contract language and a monitoring plan and would contact other vendors about capacity in case HopSkipDrive was removed. Staff also noted the district is recruiting additional van and CDL drivers and that some McKinney‑Vento transports historically have been handled by outside providers.
The board’s action was framed both as a near‑term response to safety concerns and as an effort to set clearer district standards for any outside transportation provider. Staff will seek vendor confirmations, incorporate the new requirements into procurement documents and return to the board with contract language and options for bringing additional routes in house.
