Springfield board approves EverDriven contract to ease long bus rides, expand choice busing

The Springfield R‑XII Board of Education voted to approve a pay‑as‑you‑go contract for EverDriven not to exceed $750,000 for fiscal year 2026, using the Omnia cooperative purchasing agreement to avoid a separate bid process.

Director of Transportation Keith Adams framed the proposal as a way to address the district’s most inefficient route segments — long out‑of‑boundary McKinney‑Vento and foster placements, special‑needs trips with long ride times or inaccessible pickup points, and small midday runs — by using vetted, camera‑equipped smaller vehicles and drivers that meet safety and background requirements. Adams said the district identified 142 of 746 route segments that would be cheaper or more efficient with EverDriven; a conservative pilot target is about 50 AM/50 PM routes by the end of the year, serving roughly 75 students and yielding an estimated net savings versus bus transport.

Adams described safeguards: EverDriven provides vehicle cameras and driver background checks; the vendor’s liability insurance covers student trips in their vehicles; the district’s risk and legal teams reviewed contract language; and the district retains the option to move a student back onto a bus if vendor capacity lags. Board members asked about vendor experience (Adams reported positive references from Wichita, Columbia and Hickman Mills), contract renewal terms (3% renewal cap option), and how reimbursement to and from neighboring districts would be handled for out‑of‑district McKinney‑Vento students.

Board members and the superintendent emphasized that the move is intended to reallocate transportation resources to serve more students rather than to reduce district staff. The motion to approve the contract passed by a 7–0 vote.