THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2008

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School Dist. Happy To Have Bus Company Along For Ride

By DWIGHT ESAU

Journal Reporter

For most of this decade, Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 has had an unusually good relationship with the company that transports thousands of its students all over the community five days a week.

This is unusual, because many surrounding districts have a steady number of issues with their bus transportation companies, and are repeatedly bidding out their transportation services year after year.

But District 64 has taken advantage of its excellent relationship with Cook County School, Bus Inc., to usually renew its contract with them annually at a modest increase; a process that educators say saves taxpayers money in the long run.

The district spends just over $1 million annually to transport public and private school students to and from school and home, and on occasional field trips. The 2007-08 contract, still in effect, is actually $1,048,931.

The administration recently recommended approval of a new bus contract for 2008-09 that is 1.5% higher than the current year, or an increase of about $15,000 to $1,064,000. The board of education will consider the recommendation next Monday night, Apr. 28.

"This leaves us the option of bidding the service again next year, or simply extending our contract for a small increase," said Jim Wuerffel, the district's facilities director. "We have been with this company for numerous years, and have had only a few minor service issues. We have always been happy with the service they provide. We have sampled the market with surveys, and we feel that we are getting a fair price for the service.

He said the recommendation was made to the board after consultation with the Spend Management sub-committee of the Community Finance Committee, a citizens group that monitors district financial operations.

The transportation cost represents less than 2% of the district's $55 million annual budget.