DeKalb school bus company awarded 19% increase for driver retention, buses

DeKALB – DeKalb district’s school bus provider, First Student, will begin the next school year with a 19% budget increase, meant to better retain drivers and address aging buses.

The budget increase recently was approved by the DeKalb School District 428 board.

During the board meeting April 19, school board members unanimously approved a two-year contract with First Student, which has been the school district’s school bus contractor for more than 20 years.

The new contract will have budget increases for the next two school years, with a 19% increase for standard routes and services in 2022-23 and a 3% increase for standard routes and services in 2023-24, documents state. Both school years will have a 0% increase for charters and field trips.

The contract does not include the cost of fuel, which the district buys directly, and in turn receives a sales tax exemption.

Every five years, the district goes through a bid proposal process. The last time the district performed a big process was the 2018-19 school, according to documents. First Student was awarded the contract for three school years, from 2019 through 2022. Under the agreement, the contract can be extended for another two years.

According to the current contract, there was a 6% decrease in rates for 2019-20, a 2% increase in 2020-21, and a 2% increase in 2021-22.