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District recommends renewing Reliance transportation contract after RFP shows large bid gaps
Summary
After a competitive RFP, administrators recommended renewing the district's transportation contract with Reliance, saying Reliance's five‑year scenario was materially less costly than Durham's bid and that Reliance modeled routes for the proposed realignment.
York Suburban School District staff told the board on Feb. 2 they plan to recommend extending the district’s contract with Reliance for pupil transportation after a competitive request for proposals.
The district received three responses to the RFP; one bidder offered only field‑trip and athletic transportation and was not comparable. Two full proposals came from Durham and Reliance. Administration reported Durham’s year‑one scenario would increase costs by roughly 41.5% (about $1.5 million) over current spending, while Reliance’s comparable year‑one proposal showed a roughly 12.5% increase (a little over $300,000).
‘‘My recommendation will be to go with Reliance, continue on with Reliance, and I will go back to them and have some conversations, and bring a contract back to the board for approval sometime before the end of the year,’’ the district presenter said.
Reliance offered an alternate that adjusted maximum bus age to 12 years and average fleet age to six years; administrators said the resulting change in subsidy is small (estimated at approximately $25,000) and that the Reliance scenario reduced five‑year cost exposure by roughly $3.9 million compared with Durham’s five‑year proposal. The district currently operates about 24 buses and several vans.
Board members asked whether the proposed grade‑level realignment would change routes or increase mileage; administration said Reliance had modeled the district’s potential realignment scenarios and that leaders do not expect a need for additional buses in the near term, though fuel costs would rise modestly. The presenter noted the district purchases its own fuel (participating in bulk purchases), which limits the contract vendor's influence on fuel expenses.
District staff said they will return to the board with a negotiated contract for consideration before the end of the school year.
