Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears plan to lease minibuses, aiming to bring student transportation in‑house and cut costs
Summary
District presenters proposed a lease‑to‑own plan for five minibuses and two minivans, hiring district drivers and separating fleets to reduce contractor route costs, shorten student ride times and generate revenue by selling excess seats to other districts.
The Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education heard a plan to bring some student transportation back in‑house by leasing minibuses and minivans and hiring district drivers.
The presenter outlined a lease‑to‑own arrangement for five minibuses and two minivans, saying the district would own the vehicles after a five‑year lease and projected initial first‑year savings of about $230,000. "With tonight's approval, with the board agenda items, we will be leasing to own 5 mini buses and 2 mini vans," the presenter said. The plan calls for district‑employed drivers and incremental implementation so routes are not canceled until the new vehicles and drivers are in place.
Why it matters: Transportation is a major line item in the district budget. The presenter gave examples of high contractor costs — citing a route that currently costs about $60,000 a year to transport a single out‑of‑district student — and said bringing services in‑house could reduce those recurring contractor fees and give the district more control over calendars and route times. "Being in house will give you more control over it, more control over the school calendars," the presenter said.
Board members asked practical questions about staffing and hours; the presenter said the district considers 29.5 hours to meet its definition of full‑time for new driver positions and noted that drivers could perform other daytime district tasks when not driving. The plan also contemplates soliciting empty seats to other districts to generate revenue.
The presenter emphasized operational prerequisites: having minibuses on site, enough trained drivers, maintenance plans, video camera purchases and drug‑testing per motor vehicle commission mandates. Implementation steps and timelines will proceed after board approval of related finance items and as vehicles and drivers are secured.
The board approved multiple finance motions later in the meeting that the presenter said would allow acquisition to proceed; board members praised the plan's fiscal intent and said they look forward to implementation. The district will report status updates through the finance committee as part of the board's stated goals on transportation oversight.
