The WACO school board is looking at potential changes in transportation for the district. At the last school board meeting the bus drivers employed by the WACO school district presented a plan to the board which would cut the operation costs for the district. WACO Superintendent Pat Coen commented on the school districts reasoning and also on the plan presented by the bus drivers.

Coen says that the bus drivers are governed by a contract that has been negotiated with the district over the years and school administration has a good idea of the amount of savings that is allowable with that agreement. The school district is looking to see if there is a fair market value for the driving needs of the district.

Coen also states that if those driving needs can be met in a less expensive manner from an outside source, the school district, being a good steward of the tax dollar, would be interested in the savings. The WACO School board has contacted several companies in the state about transportation services and has found the most compatible solution with Durham School Services and their Iowa City office.

Coen states that part of Durham’s proposal would be to not only save the school district money but also to hire the current group of bus drivers back to continue to perform the driving, receiving a raise in the process. Discussion resulted following both presentations but no action was taken at the meeting. Coen says the decision should come within the next month or two.

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