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AmTranIntFE01
Senior Member
USA
84 Posts |
 Posted - 06/15/2001 : 06:39:10 AM
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Currently, my school district owns all buses and operates them. A local city nearby, however, just made the switch and went with Laidlaw. I have always wanted to know one thing: Are contractors better in your opinions or is a District Owned Fleet? Are there even any differences at all?
The guy formerly known as "International110"
(Hey, I have to change my name for a new school year) |
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wagonmaster
Top Member
USA
2298 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2001 : 07:20:12 AM
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Usually the contractors have to cut corners to save the district any money IF your district is running an efficient operation. If they aren't efficient, many contractors can save the districts money without cutting corners. The key for everyone is to be efficient!
Joe
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Bus Boy 39
Top Member
USA
1315 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2001 : 07:22:52 AM
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Is it true that district owened buses are older because the district sometimes doesn't put out the money to buy new buses?
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wagonmaster
Top Member
USA
2298 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2001 : 07:27:56 AM
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Depends on the district. Many have money problems and don't buy as many new buses as they need to. We have been fortunate to replace our buses as we have needed to.It could just be a question of priorities.
Joe
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AmTranIntFE01
Senior Member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 06/15/2001 : 07:30:57 AM
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Our district usually buys about five new buses every school year. I would say that the fleet is adequate, although, I am surprised that a few of our oldest buses are being used as regulars for routes, though. I think the district cuts corners only when it has to, but for the most part, we do just fine. Our operation seems to be efficient.
The guy formerly known as "International110"
(Hey, I have to change my name for a new school year) |
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2001 : 8:07:39 PM
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A typical contracted operation will spend up to 35% less on salaries and benefits than a school district. The drivers, dispatchers, supervisors, mechanics simply get paid less.
Most of that 35% reduction becomes their profit. Not a bad deal---for them.
WagonMaster is right. The best "shark repellent" is to keep your efficiency up and costs down by having good attendance, keeping the buses full, etc.. Also, districts look at contractors if there are constant employee problems/complaints/ whining from the drivers. Get together and work your problems out as a team!
It all sounds so simple.
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AmTranIntFE01
Senior Member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2001 : 07:43:56 AM
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Thanks! :)
The guy formerly known as "International110"
(Hey, I have to change my name for a new school year) |
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cowlitzcoach
Advanced Member
USA
325 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2001 : 07:01:11 AM
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Contractor vs. district owned is a discussion that can go on ad nauseum, mostly because it is so difficult to compare.
In order to make a realistic comparison, all of the apples and all of the oranges need to be compared. In many cases, in order to appear as if the district is saving money on transportation when they go to a contractor they do not include as a part of the contract the heat, light, and rent of the bus garage.
On the surface, it isn't logical a contractor who must make a profit to stay in business can operate at a lower cost than a district.
But as it has been pointed out above, most district run operations are inefficient and the system is so innured in doing things the same way, until a contractor comes in, changes are never made.
The bottom line is usually acheived by contractors on the backs of their employees. Most contractor operations locally pay a lot less than 35% than similar operations in district owned fleets.
The ugly little story that is rarely told is once a school district relinquishes control over their buses they rarely are able to afford to go back to owning their own buses.
Depending on the contract, contractor fleets do tend to be newer. They have to be because they are so cheap they would never be able to go the long haul.
In most cases, when a district has gone from doing their own transportation to contractor run operations, the decision had more to do with not having to deal with difficult bus drivers than it did with the overall cost. Although the reasons put out publicily may never reflect that fact, most districts would keep their transportation in house if it wasn't always a problem area for employer/employee relations.
Mark O.
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AmTranIntFE01
Senior Member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2001 : 12:32:02 PM
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Well, for right now, our driver/district relationship is very good. We have few problems in that sense and the district almost always backs its employees. They are great. Thanks for all the info, Mark.
Will
aka International110
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thomasvista2012
Top Member
USA
747 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2001 : 5:53:40 PM
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In my district, the district owned fleet is decidedly much better than the contractor fleet, in terms of buses. My district owns and operates all 1,686 of their buses but they contract one or two routes. And those contractor routes and buses are under jurisdiction of our district. They must be maintained with the district owned buses. So while district vs. contractor here might not be that different, most of our contractors operate a lot of our retired district owned buses, so their buses are older but that's about as far as it goes.
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largebus
Advanced Member
USA
468 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2001 : 6:18:42 PM
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My Grandmother once drove for many years in the Brighton School District in western New York. After working there for several years Laidlaw (which had been the third local contractor to control the Rochester city trasnportation) won a bid to contract out the transportation. They did NOT take Brighton's buses or facilities, as they already had their own. All the Brighton drivers were offered to be taken aboard with Laidlaw. My grandma opted to retire. She was paid much better and got better benefits with the district by far than she could have gotten with Laidlaw. Recently she said she would never work for Laidlaw, but she would also never go back to Brighton, as things just aren't the way they used to be. The moral? I guess each way has it's problems.
"Getting them there is half the battle" |
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District Owned Fleet vs Contractor
