New district bus service to provide updates at Columbia BOE meeting Wednesday
A fleet of Broward County School buses are parked in a lot on July 21
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Board of Education's Long Range Planning Committee will hear updates regarding the district's new bus service on Wednesday.
The board approved a contract with DS Bus Line to provide transportation for the district earlier this month, and now the bus line is providing an update on its transition. According to the meeting agenda, the bus service will present its timeline and some of the key services that will benefit students and families next fall.
DS Bus Line will go over some of the technology that its bus service will offer such as GPS tracking and an app for parents to track the bus in real-time. The service will also present its plans to increase pay for drivers and a new fleet of buses.
The district currently uses Student Transportation of America and narrowed down its list of potential candidates to DS Bus Lines, First Student and Student Transportation of America. In December, the board decided DS Bus Lines would be the best fit for the district after an interview process.
The contract will last from Aug. 1, 2025-July 31, 2028. There is also the option of two consecutive one-year renewal periods after the initial contract.
According to the meeting agenda, the annual cost of student transportation services is currently approximately $13 million and is covered by the transportation operating budget. The proposal provides for an estimated increase to the 2024-25 operating budget of $3 million and annual increases of about 4% during the term of the agreement, the agenda states.
