ADVANTAGES OF
USING A CONTRACTOR
Safety:
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Meet or exceed state and federal school bus licensing, safety and training standards
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Maintain new fleets, adhere to strict maintenance standards and make sure their buses are equipped with the latest safety features
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School districts can upgrade or completely replace aged fleets with no capital investment
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Leaders in safety and training programs and serve as the primary source of the latest education and training initiatives for school districts and contractors
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Drivers are the key to bus safety – during transitions from school district to contractor-provided fleets contractors will hire many of the district drivers
Savings:
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Save billions of dollars every year by utilizing school bus contractors. In many cases, as high as 20% district-run operations.
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Save schools and taxpayers millions of dollars every year.
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Budget for managing economic fluctuations.
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Hiring a contractor allows school districts to benefit financially from the contractor’s economies of scale that come with providing nothing but bus transportation services
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Contractors can easily shift resources to accommodate demand.
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In addition to savings, some districts actually witness an increase in revenue because contractors will often rent the existing facility or pay property taxes on new facilities
Satisfaction:
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Districts maintain control through a detailed RFP and contract process.
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Hiring a contractor can eliminate labor-management issues.
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Council of Great City Schools released a multiyear study that highlighted best practices in school operations — contractors scored very well by providing quality bus services for less money
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School districts all across the state are extremely satisfied with CBS school transportation services
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Contractors support school initiatives through scholarships, educational and safety programs
Local Boards in Control:
One of the most persistent and least true of the many myths about contracting of support services is that the school board loses control over the service when it outsources to a private company. The school board can have as much or as little control over contract services as they would prefer. The board and provider are able to draft a mutually beneficial contract. A sample contract and examples of these contracts can be provided by CBS for your review.