By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – Unit 5 is strongly considering not renewing transportation provider First Student’s contract after this school year.
The Board of Education voted Wednesday night to give the company until Nov. 1 to show the current transportation problems are fixed or it will be notifying First Student the contract will not be renewed for next year. The original contract stated either party could opt out of the 2017-2018 school year by giving notification as of Oct. 1
Superintendent Mark Daniel had recommended not giving First Student the extra month.
“First and foremost, today learning is being impacted and it’s impacting each student on a late bus,” said Daniel. “Public trust needs to be earned. I think we live by that motto. Therefore, improving the transportation system means safely getting our students to school and home on time.”
Late buses have been a problem for the district since school began. Board member Joseph Cleary had been in agreement with Daniel.
“The matter of the fact is that we still today are having late buses,” Cleary said.
First Student representatives said the primary problem is they do not have enough drivers. They added they are in the process of hiring more drivers.
The board also voted Wednesday to approve the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget and approved a new two-year contract with the Unit 5 teacher’s union.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
