By Terry James
NORMAL – Unit 5 will not be dropping First Student as its transportation provider.
The Ohio-based school bus company has reportedly agreed to terms set forth by school board members. First Student will pay $30,000 to the district for violating terms of the original contract which expires in 2018. There have been numerous reports of late buses and students being dropped off at the wrong locations.
Tuesday was the deadline for First Student to accept the terms that had been announced at a recent school board meeting. If the terms were not met, U\nit 5 superintendent Mark Daniel said the contract would be canceled at the end of the school year.
First Student has agreed to increase the number of drivers by 15 percent.
First Student had explained the poor service on a lack of drivers with many calling and sick. That meant there weren’t enough drivers to handle all of the routes.
Terry James can be reached at terry@wjbc.com.
