own a bus or purchase a contract?

[Barbara]

Fairfax is in a unique position in our district as far as meeting our students transportation needs.  We own our fleet of buses.  Two years ago the town was presented with the reality that in order to retain this resource Fairfax had to purchase a bus for 4 of the future 5 years.  The bus purchase article was defeated last town meeting by 5 votes so we are in the position of having to buy a bus for each of the next several years to maintain a safe fleet.  The school directors are asking for a financial assessment of the options; it is their fiscal duty to our community to investigate whether there is a substantial savings to the community.  Please attend the next board meeting, November 11th and be part of the discussion.  That evening the board is hosting a budget forum to kick off the process.   Help direct the board as to the priorities for our community.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

It would be useful, perhaps, to hear the perspective of Del Swett on all of this, as he has managed, driven, fixed, all the buses these many years.  Perhaps there is a history that would be helpful for everyone to hear.  The bottom line is not contract or buses, but the safety and well being of all our students.

[logical]

It might also be beneficial to obtain the perspective of towns that previously owned their own buses but now contract out.  Did they see significant savings?  Was the safety of students compromised?  How has this worked for them?  I believe that Fairfield used to own their own fleet but now contracts out.  I'm sure there are others as well.

[Stand Alone Defense]

It would be useful, perhaps, to hear the perspective of Del Swett on all of this, as he has managed, driven, fixed, all the buses these many years.  Perhaps there is a history that would be helpful for everyone to hear.  The bottom line is not contract or buses, but the safety and well being of all our students.

Agreed Rev. !!!  Having an actual insiders personal opinion on the subject is always best for helping to make an informed decision. 

[nhibbard]

Would current drivers be hired by the contracting group in that case or would bus staff be let go? I like knowing drivers personally and having more say in the process of capital funding the process. That said, every year the fiscal exercise should be carried out.

[al brodeur]

just a note of caution here. First Student, a English Co. is buying out their competition one by one-at least here in Pa they may be lowballing contract bids but when it thinks that the competion is gone guess what --no savings.
also down here the drivers get about $5 less an hour and what bennies

[sdogallen]

That's why in my opinion it would be a good idea to try to get a local in state contractor. Before my time at BFA I worked for a private contractor (Wildcat Busing) that serviced the Hardwick/ Hazen Union area. All of the drivers there were all born and raised in that area and all had children or grandchildren in the schools. I guess my point is that the word contractor doesn't have to sound like a monster. Good luck!

[Barbara]

Just to be clear.  If we decided to contract our bus services, it will be FWSU who will negotiate the deal.  They will look for a company that can provide the service to all schools in the district.  Fairfax will not have any say over the selection beyond our representation on the FWSU board.  The discussion really is whether we wish to have our own buses or not.

[ohhman]

Agreed to get Del Sweatt involved with this topic as he knows the extent of what is involved here more than anyone else.  I asked @ the board mtg why/IF Del was even told of this topic, as it seems to me to find out what we actually spend on our total system is where he knows best.  I think the answer was this was just a discussion beginning to happen; I feel let's start at the source before we waste time/money exploring options. What many people do not see are the "extras" that are done with owning our own buses: all the extra trips, as in cases where kids are on IEP's & just aren't going to make it through the day or maybe their day looks much different than a regular school day, all it takes is a phone call to our bus garage & Del or another bring the student home & the only extra it costs is the gas rather than a private contractor (no matter who it is), would be a whole added run cost); all the extra trips for our school trips, sports trips, fan bus, etc. Another good example is this weekend our Historical Society will tour our town in our own school bus ~ ask Mike Cain! I have experienced times when kids in my care got on the wrong bus, I called school when they didn't get dropped off & our invaluable Val called the bus drivers, & got them picked up & brought safely as another driver was just around the corner; I have had this happen lots, our kids are taken care of by our bus drivers!  It was also stated at the board meeting that our administration spends more time than any other principals in FWSU;  well, they are our students so aren't they the responsibilities of our administration?  Job responsibility?? It needs to be brought to everyone's attention that the school equipment such as the lawn tractors, school truck, driver's ed car are all serviced by our bus supervisor/mechanics so when figuring the costs those need to be figured in also, along with the many times equipment at school (chairs. tables) needs to be repaired/welded ~ that also gets done in that garage.  So, ALL this needs to be figured in & how it can be done accurately is a challenge in itself.  Also, the cost of the fuel for the buses, as stated at the board mtg 10/14, yes has gone up, but they also need to remember the fuel for the school truck/tractors also is taken from the garage & with the tractor being on the fields EVERY day (mowing I am not sure what at this time of the year), all that fuel adds up & is not just bus fuel.  So, what I am saying is there are many extras that are not seen to most of us so in really considering to keep our buses we need to look at the whole picture.  I see every day what goes on, how needed our buses are, living right across from the field  I for  one feel, it's our best interest to keep our own buses as you can't put a price on the amount of what is done here every day.  I want to share with you the "superintendent report' given @ the board mtg 10/14:  "This year both Georgia & Fletcher are once again going out to bid for bus services for their districts. Two years ago we explored this issue in the name of efficiency. The message at the time from the community was to continue to own our busses and not to contract the service out. In addition, the school administration presented the idea of purchasing additional busses to keep out current fleet as modern as possible during that discussion. The first year the community passed a special article for our budget to purchase a new bus. Last year the article failed. I believe it is fiscally responsible to at least explore this topic again. School based administration spends more time on bussing than other principals within FWSU. And as mentioned above, our fleet is aging and will need several new busses in the next few years."  ( I took that word for word so from the superintendent report so any misspellings/inaccuracies are theirs & not mine.)     Let me say the new bus was defeated by FIVE votes; in my opinion, the wording in the article should have said to "replace" a bus rather than buy a new one.  Many people are under the assumption we were on a bus replacement schedule & were not expecting to vote on it.  I wonder why we can't add it to the budget so that it is not a separate article?  I was at the meetings on the buses  I do not remember the administration presenting the idea to purchase additional buses; I was under the impression it was to just keep on a replacement schedule to deal with our "fleet is aging".  Saying we need "several new busses in the next few years"......  yes, with not staying on a replacement schedule, we will need to buy 4 new buses over the next 5 years, but since our bus mechanics get 14 years out of these buses (ave other services get 10yrs), & these buses are maintained & are kept safe, that in itself is a savings.  I am hoping our community gets on board with this issue & supports to keep our buses; once gone we will never get them back, we will not have the freedom we do now with having our own & will be at the mercy of what contractors want to charge.  

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Thank you , Karen, for your impassioned defense of owning our own buses.  I understand the need for fiscal responsibility, but it is important to look at the whole picture; of why we have the buses, of why having our own fleet better serves students, coaches,, the community, than having contracted services that mightn't be willing or able to meet  those spontaneously arising needs that must be met.

[Margie]

I totally agree with Karen.  I also am concerned that this becomes a 'slippery slope".  If we contract out the buses, what comes next?  We already have the food program contracted out.  Will the custodial staff be next? As we get away from having our own staff who care about the school they work for, as opposed to the company they work for, the sense of community and the pride for the school will downgrade.

Just because something might be a "cheaper" option doesn't make it the right option.  If we own our buses, we can try to control the expenditures for the fleet.  We will be completely at the mercy of the contracted company for all expenses.   My $0.02. 

[CTD46]

Some years back the communities of the state of Minnesota watched as one school district after another sold their busses and contracted the service out because it was cheaper. In time one single contractor bought out his competitors and controlled the majority of the state's school busses. The cost for the service became more than many could afford. Because they had sold their busses..the cost to replace them (all at once) was prohibitive and the towns were caught between the proverbial "rock and a hard place".

Fairfax should very carefully study all of the uses the town has for the busses, the bus garage and the mechanics/drivers and establish what the actual/real cost to the town is for those services.  Then and only then after receiving a firm quote from an outside bus firm on "all of the actual services currently rendered" and doing a cost analysis comparing current cost versus quote can the town make a logical decision on this question.

[sdogallen]

Karen, I have to ask what other companies only get 10 yrs. out of there buses?

[7F24]

     A company that provides bus service for a fee must make a profit.  The contractor has to buy the buses, hire drivers, maintain the buses, buy replacement buses, and make a profit.  We now pay for everything but the profit, in the long run I can't see how we won't pay more. 
    If there is an emergency in our town that requires buses to move people in the middle of the night, I would guess that we could get 4-5 on the road within 15 mins.  That would never happen with a contractor.

[ohhman]

Scott,  I do not know that answer; that is what was stated at the board meeting by the administration on 10/14, so you would need to ask them.