Yellow Bus Transportation Bid Report Dr. Kriner Cash, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Buffalo Public Schools Yellow Bus Transportation Bid Report January 8, 2020

• Dr. Kriner Cash, Superintendent

James G. Weimer, Chief Operating Officer

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BPS Yellow Bus Transportation Program

• BPS provides yellow bus transportation for 28,998 students daily
• 92 % of City Elementary School students ride yellow buses to/from school
• 618 yellow bus routes
• Transportation to/from 122 school sites
• These sites include BPS, Charter, Non-Public and Agency Schools
• 10,439,280 student “rides” each school year

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), yellow school buses are the safest form of transportation to and from school. School buses are the first class of each day. Academic programs rely on students being transported to and from school each and every day safely and in a timely manner.

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Bid Process for Yellow Bus Transportation Services

• In March, 2019, the District hired an independent consultant firm, Transportation Advisory Services, to

assist in the development and issuance of Transportation Bid specifications

• Request for Bid (RFB) Specifications were placed on the District’s website on August 28, 2019

– Email notifications were sent to 30 + regional and national busing contractors – Transportation Bid Specifications were advertised per District Policy

• Pre-Bid meeting was held on September 19, 2019

– Representatives from 7 busing companies attended the pre-bid meeting

• Bid Submission date was October 10, 2019

– 4 bids were submitted on time

• First Student was the lowest bidder for all 10 Yellow Bus Transportation Contracts after a 7.0% discount

was applied – The District was able to negotiate an additional 0.5% percent discount on all contracts in the first year

Over 5 years, First Student’s discounted bid was $21 Million less than the next lowest contractors’ bids, and $12 Million less than if the District awarded each individual contract to the lowest bid and didn’t take advantage of First Student’s 7.0% discount offer

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5 Year Estimated Cost of 10 New Recommended Yellow Bus Contracts

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NB - Approximately 87% of student transportation expenses are reimbursed by New York State in the year following the expenditure.

Projected annual spend Change from prior year Net fiscal impact after

• Trans. Aid

estimated year 1 cost (2020-21) * 46,949,498 6,186,741 6,186,741 Original bid less 7.5% discount estimated year 2 cost (2021-22) 48,029,337 1,079,838 944,655 2.3% escalation estimated year 3 cost (2022-23) 48,893,865 864,528 1,057,044 1.8% escalation estimated year 4 cost (2023-24) 49,773,954 880,090 1,171,456 1.8% escalation estimated year 5 cost (2024-25) 50,669,885 895,931 1,287,927 1.8% escalation 244,316,539 9,907,129 10,647,823 *Note: the year 1 cost is an approximate 15% increase from the current expiring bid

Benefits in the Proposed Contracts

• Increase in driver wages

– Starting wage for inexperienced drivers will rise to $20.50 over the course of the contract – Experienced drivers will rise to $24.19 in the first year of the contract – Improve hiring and retention

• Driver tablets installed on buses

– Provides turn-by-turn directions and real-time traffic information

• Strong managements rights

– Enhanced reporting mandates

• Improved staffing mandates

– Increase telephone coverage requirements per terminal location – Increase Dispatcher requirements per terminal location – Dedicated training team to improve driver retention

• Improved camera system

– New Wi-Fi accessibilities for expedited video download

• First Feedback

– Provides parents, community members and school personnel the opportunity to submit feedback about a driver, bus or experience via a simple, easy-to-use online tool.

• Maintain benefits from previous contracts

– Integrated child safety seats – 3 point lap/shoulder seat belts – GPS tracking via Firstview – Student conduct reporting via FirstActs

• Discussion

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Sharon M. Belton-Cottman, President and West Ferry District Board Member

• Dr. Ann R. Rivera, Vice President of Student Achievement and Board Member-at-Large

Jennifer L. Mecozzi, Vice President of Executive Affairs and West District Board Member

• Dr. Kathy Evans - Brown, East District Board Member

Terrance L. Heard, Board Member-at-Large Hope R. Jay, North District Board Member Louis J. Petrucci, Park District Board Member Lawrence L. Scott, Board Member-at-Large Paulette Woods, Central District Board Member Danny Dac Minh Tran, Student Representative

• Dr. Kriner Cash, Superintendent

James G. Weimer, Chief Operating Officer

Albert Diamico, Director of Transportation Cheryl Kennedy, Assistant Director of Transportation

BOARD OF EDUCATION

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