Contract Update

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support. Thanks to those of you who have taken the time and effort required to communicate your support of our business.

Over the last year, we've been working with the school district to make an agreement that works for both the school district and for us. Three times we thought we achieved that goal only to find that the school board didn't think the agreement was satisfactory.

The meetings we had weren't intense or antagonistic. Far from it! We met three or four times, talked about what we needed to achieve, and presented our offer.

In December we learned that the school board wanted to seek quotations.

The quotation process is tricky. The school board sends a notice. Transportation vendors attend a meeting to find out what the school really wants. Those same vendors opt to submit a quotation or not. The vendors follow a timeline managed by the school district.

Four vendors that attended the Monticello meeting opted to submit quotations. Those quotations were opened February 12th. Three vendors were in a similar ballpark. The fourth was not.

We presented our quotation based on what we do rather than on what the specs said. The specs, as I indicated many, many times to the people involved, were NOT about what we do. They were not based on what I think the school district needs or wants. So we presented our quotation based on what we do.

Since that time we have reduced our prices significantly. We can because the specs call for less service than we offer now. Example? The specs call for 25% additional buses for spares and trips. 25% means we have 8 spares - and those 8 spare mean 1 wheelchair-lift equipped vehicle, 1 van, 1 large capacity bus, etc. We currently have the 8 spares AND nine additional buses. The school district REGULARLY uses the nine additional spares. If we sell those nine additional spares, we can meet the pricing the school district needs. What does that mean for the school district? Higher - way higher - pricing for the extra buses they need to do what they do now.

Our appeal is to local business. All we ask is that people contact the school board members. The request is simple: now that we know what the market bears, stop talking to national and international business and work with the local vendor.

I guarantee that we will do what is best for OUR students, community, and school district.

Safe Driving!
Kari