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ConVal board approves new transportation contract amid concerns about costs and routes
Summary
Board approved a new transportation contract that includes a substantial cost increase; members asked staff to run route‑optimization analysis and consider single‑tier busing options while noting the increase is included in the proposed budget.
District administration presented a recommended transportation contract, noting the increase in contractor costs seen across districts since the pandemic. Staff said the contractor and other districts reported higher overhead and driver costs that made competitive bids difficult to obtain.
Neil said the proposed increase is already included in the draft budget and recommended accepting the bid so contract work can be finalized. Stacy Emerson, regional director for SDA for Vermont and New Hampshire, was present for questions about the RFP and contractor capacity.
Board members asked about route optimization and single‑tier busing. Several members urged commissioning independent software analysis (estimated in the transcript at about $12,000–$15,000) to determine whether routes could be made more efficient and whether a single‑tier schedule was feasible. One board member called routes “ridiculous” and urged $12,000 in the budget for an independent analysis to assess efficiencies and student ride times.
After discussion, a motion to accept the transportation contract was moved and approved by voice vote. Board members asked staff to begin work on ridership and routing data and to return with analysis to inform future contracts and any changes to start times or route structure.
