Caldwell firm wins school district's bus contract

Students from Hacker Middle School scramble to catch their respective buses following class on Monday. A Caldwell-based company will resume bus service in the Mountain Home School District when then new school year begins this fall.

For the first time in many years, a different company will transport local area students to and from school starting this fall.

The Caldwell Transportation Company submitted the bid accepted by the Mountain Home School District, which will provide bus service for approximately 1,000 students.

"Caldwell... was very responsive and looking forward to coming into the district and transporting our students," said Cliff Ogborn, director of fiscal operations and business manager for the Mountain Home School District. "I think they'll be an excellent company."

Every five years, the school district is required to put the bus contract out for bid, Ogborn said. Out of the 17 companies qualified to bid on the $1 million annual contract, the school district received just two bids.

The other came from First Student, which currently serves the Mountain Home community.

"We reviewed the bids, compared the elements of the bids and felt that Caldwell Transportation Company was a better company to provide the services to transport our kids," Ogborn said.

The contract has a one-year minimum obligation with the option to renew the deal for up to four additional years before it's required to go out for bid again.

"We're looking forward to the new arrangements with the Caldwell Transportation Company, Ogborn said. "We've heard raving reviews from the Caldwell School District. They're very easy to work with and student friendly with high safety standards and well respected across the state. I think they'll be a very solid partner with the school district."

According to Rick Vertrees, co-owner of the Caldwell-based company, Mountain Home will become its second-largest customer.

"We're very excited to get started" in Mountain Home, Vertrees said.

While the contract takes affect July 1, most people in Mountain Home won't see any changes until the first buses start running when the new school year begins, Ogborn said. The transition from one company to the other should remain fairly seamless for students and parents with the Treasure Valley company expected to "mirror the same services" that First Student provided, he added.

"What they'll see are newer, cleaner and safer buses," Vertrees said.

During each school day, the district runs 34 designated routes, including four specifically geared for special-needs children. While a few routes may have some minor alterations following the changeover, they're not expected to be significant, according to Ogborn.

As part of the new contract, the Caldwell Transportation Company will provide its own buses and is expected to hire the same drivers that First Student employed -- people that are already familiar with the routes and the city.

"We intend to keep everybody in place that qualifies," Vertrees said.

Representatives from the Caldwell organization expect to meet later this week with drivers from the local school district as part of this hiring process. It's also possible that the company could move its operations into the existing First Student building on Airbase Road.