Report: Guilford Opts for No-Bid Bus Contract; Extends Deal with 'Star'

At last week's Board of Education meeting, the board voted unanimously to extend Guilford Schools contract with bus company Star of America Inc, reports The New Haven Register. The contract is expanded to include another five years, and the board will not be seeking alternative bids. 

According to the Register, the deal will include a 1.5% annual increase. Instead of replacing the current seven buses, the town will allow the company to keep the vehicles, provided they meet all state inspection and maintenance requirements. 

Opting to vote for a no bid bus contract was discussed in a late February Board of Finance meeting, before voting on the contract took place. During that meeting, both Board of Ed Chairman Bill Bloss and School Superintendent Paul Freeman expressed their thoughts on accepting Star's offer. 

"We went out to bid five years ago on a new bus contract," Bill Bloss said the meeting. "That's when we found Star. We've had good experiences with them through the years."

"They approached us about a new contract without going to bidding," continued Bloss. "The contract they proposed is extraordinarily reasonable."

"The numbers on the contract are below what we budgeted for next year," added Superintendent Paul Freeman at that same meeting. "Our concern is that if we go out to bid, we are in danger of getting a worse deal. They have given us an aggressive offer, and this is an exceptional situation."

In addition to the offer, Freeman discussed that the company was also potentially offering some add-ons. "They've discussed a phone app where parents can see there their child's bus is, for convenience," Freeman explained. "From our understanding, we would be the first CT school district to have accessiblity to that technology and we would pilot it here in Guilford." 

For more details on the contract extension, check out The New Haven Register's full report.