Q&A
Challenges with legacy bus contracts and accommodating student relocation
0:52:35
·
136 sec
Council Member Julie Won inquires about how the Department of Education has been handling bus services for relocated students within the constraints of existing contracts. The discussion reveals challenges and limitations with current contracts.
- Risbrook clarifies that existing contracts were not modified or amended to accommodate student relocation.
- The importance of passing new legislation for Employee Protection Provisions (EPP) is emphasized to allow for rebidding of contracts.
- The conversation highlights the tension between the need for flexibility in routing and the constraints of existing contract provisions.
- Risbrook explains that while they can change routes within existing contracts, they cannot change contract provisions without rebidding.
Julie Won
0:52:35
So how are you doing that now?
0:52:36
Even within the last school year where when the 60 day rule was implemented for shelters.
0:52:43
How did you modify your bus contracts without amending the school bus contracts to be able to bus these kids to school from different
Glenn Risbrook
0:52:51
Well, we we did not thanks for the question.
0:52:54
We did not modify our contracts or amend the contracts.
0:52:57
That's why it's so important here that we that we get this legislation passed for EPP.
0:53:03
So we can actually rebid our contracts and have the contracts in a fashion that will better serve as not just as student temporary housing, but all odds.
0:53:11
Students.
Julie Won
0:53:12
So in my understanding correctly, but the legacy contracts could not be modified.
0:53:17
Therefore, how did the students get on the buses to go to school then?
0:53:21
Did they just did you just not give them bus service for those who are in temporary housing, or did you have to create a new contract for these students who were being transferred into different public housing every 60 days?
Glenn Risbrook
0:53:33
No, we comply with state and local laws pertaining to busing students.
0:53:39
So I mean, the students move from one shelter to the next once we get a new address, we we route these students as quickly as possible.
Julie Won
0:53:48
But you just said that you couldn't make amendments to the existing contract.
0:53:51
So
Glenn Risbrook
0:53:52
I don't I don't know if you're misunderstanding.
0:53:54
What I'm saying is is that we bus students when when students change one shelter to the next, then we've re react and reroute those students.
0:54:03
And then we bus students according to state and local law.
Julie Won
0:54:07
Yes.
0:54:08
The state and local law requires that we bus to students.
0:54:11
But what I'm trying to understand that knowledge gap is is you're saying that the legacy bus contracts can't be modified right now.
0:54:18
So how have you been busing these students without modifying the contracts?
Glenn Risbrook
0:54:22
There are there's provisions within the current contract that that requires the bus companies to bus students.
0:54:27
I'm not
Julie Won
0:54:27
So there's enough flexibility currently within the existing contracts to modify your bus routes quickly, to make sure that all these students within the existing contracts can get to school.
Glenn Risbrook
0:54:38
We can we can change routes, if that's what you're referring to.
Julie Won
0:54:41
Okay.
Glenn Risbrook
0:54:41
Yeah.
0:54:41
We can change routes, but that's that's something different than changing provisions in the contract.
Julie Won
0:54:47
Okay.
0:54:47
Thank you.
0:54:48
Okay.
Rita Joseph
0:54:50
Okay.
