Schools

Pat-Med Re-Bidding For Bus Company

One or two technicalities opened the contract up for re-bid, may be awarded at Monday special meting.

The Patchogue-Medford School District Board of Education recently rescinded their decision to use Montauk Bus Lines at the July 18 Special Board of Education meeting, and may be choosing a different or the same bus company at Monday’s scheduled Board of Education meeting at South Ocean Middle School, 225 South Ocean Avenue in Patchogue at 8 p.m.

Board president Brett Houdek told Patch that there were one or two technicalities in the previous contract with Montauk Bus Lines, bringing the district to open the contract up for re-bid.

“We will have a provider in effect for the Fall, that’s why we called the special meeting to make sure we have all issues addressed and we can provide safe transportation for the district,” Houdek told Patch. Houdek and district attorney Gregory J. Guercio emphasized that nothing is wrong with Montauk Bus Lines and that its simply a technicality.

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“We are issuing another RFP just to ensure that we cover all of the technical requirements of the statute,” Guercio said.

Montauk Bus Lines, as well as any other school bus company, are eligible to take over transportation for the district. Some parents in June previously voiced complaints that the previously used Suffolk Bus Company was not chosen, but assistant superintendent of business Donna Jones said in June that Montauk Bus Lines met the district’s rubric which heavily weighted cost and also included factors such as safety, accident history and driver records.

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Houdek said that the Board plans on having a bus company chosen from the re-bid during an August meeting, which if it’s not at tonight’s meeting could possibly be at the next Business Meeting scheduled for Aug. 26 during a 7:30 p.m. public session also at South Ocean Middle School.


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