The school district has negotiated a bus contract for the next five years with the city’s current supplier — All-Star Transportation.
The proposed contract price is about a 9 percent increase over the five-year period, according to James Gaskins, the business manager for the Ansonia Public Schools.
School officials said they negotiated a good deal that includes perks such as 10 free in-district field trips and the option to make three payments instead of a lump-sum payment each year.
“Absolutely (it was a good deal,)” Gaskins said. “We looked around at what other towns were paying, and we were at the low end.”
Contract Details
The contract leaves the prices the same in the first year, and then costs increase about 2 percent per year over the following four years, Gaskins said.
The proposed contract details include per-day rates for regular buses, wheelchair buses and athletic travel, and per-hour rates for mid-day Kindergarten trips and field trips (see document; story continued below).
All-Star proposal 2010 – 2015 2 – 2‑10
For 2010 – 2011, All-Star will charge the district $847,616 in per-day rates for school and athletic busing.
The cost for the same services goes to $924,684 in the fifth year of the contract, 2014 – 2015.
The hourly rate for kindergarten buses goes from $65 an hour in 2010-11 to $69.67 an hour in 2014 – 2015.
Field trip rates go from $53 an hour in 2010-11 to $57.09 an hour in 2014 – 2015.
Benefits Negotiated
The school district had negotiated All-Star Transportation down from a 12 percent increase it had initially proposed, according to minutes from the February Board of Education meeting.
At that meeting, the Board of Education voted to waive bidding for the contract. Board president John Lawlor said at the meeting he believed the negotiation was for the best possible price.
In addition to 10 free field trips, the contract includes increased liability coverage for bus accidents.
The payment plan was negotiated to three times a year from once a year, Gaskins said, to help the city feel less of a burden at payment time.
“We changed that because it puts a burden on the city in the month of September to come up with a payment,” Gaskins said.
