Bay City Public Schools Sticking With In-House Bus Drivers

Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Bigelow and School Board President Gene Rademacher (Photo 5-9-2022, Ric Antonio; WSGW)

After five weeks of debate, Bay City public school bus drivers can breathe a sigh of relief.

Bay City Public Schools Bus driver and Union Vice President, Jennifer Irmen, says after the school board declined to approve any contract with one of four private transportation groups- the 24 drivers active with the district will be able to continue provide what she (and by an extension the BCPS school board) says is the best service the schools could ask for, while growing the bonds they have with the students on their routes.

After a unanimous vote against the choices of private transportation groups Auxilio, First Student, Dean transportation, and METS; the school board says that it just needs to work on forming better lines of communication to help make the great service done by bus drivers even more efficient.

Bay City Public Schools Bus driver and Union Vice President, Jennifer Irmen (Photo 5-9-2022, Ric Antonio; WSGW)

Debate on whether to privatize the district’s bussing had been brought up by board members after proposals for next year’s budget showed a transportation allocation around $3 million.

Superintendent Dr. Stephen Bigelow says while the discussion comes up from time to time, it’s only a matter of ensuring quality service and fiscal responsibility.

A new challenge for the district in regards to its busing services: finding a new transportation manager, after the resignation of the district’s previous manager yesterday.

The district plans to find a manager as soon as possible to handle the end of the school year, and will extend a longer term offer closer to July after summer school classes have finished.