Orland High School District 230 will not renew its contract with Safeway Transportation Services Corp. after authorizing emergency funding for the service in early March due to the company threatening to end its contract and leave schools without bus services.
Jeff Eagan, assistant superintendent for business services, said the contract was ended due to cost and continuity of service.
The school board voted last week to instead extend existing contracts with other transportation companies, including RichLee Vans, owned by First Student Inc., along with Positive Connections Inc., for an additional two years.
“These recommendations are intended to maintain service reliability and operational efficiency across all transportation programs,” Superintendent Robert Nolting said in a memo.
Sandburg High School will continue with Positive Connections Inc., and Stagg High School with RichLee and First Student.
Andrew High School will transition all of its regular education and associated routes to RichLee Vans and First Student Transportation.
All three schools will also use ABC, First Student and Sunrise for special education transportation services
The district extended agreements with Five Star Taxi and Special Needs Chicago for two years for individual and small group transportation services.
The contract with RichLee Vans will cost the district $199.50 per route for Andrew and $160.65 per route for Stagg during the 2026-27 school year. The rates will increase to $206.28 for Andrew and $166.28 for Stagg in the 2027-28 school year.
Field trips under the RichLee Vans contract will cost $241.33 for the first three hours and would increase by around $20 per hour after that, among other specific fees. These prices will increase by 3.5% for the 2027-28 school year.
For contracts with American School Bus Company and Positive Connections, the rates will increase 5% during the 2026-27 school year. Positive Connections will increase by 5% and American School Bus by 3.5% the following year.
Rates with Sunrise Transportation, LLC will increase by 3% each year for two years. Rates for Five Star Taxi & Shuttle Service, Inc. will increase by 2.3% each year for two years.
Eagan said in March the new rates with Safeway increased from $354 per combined morning and evening routes to $506 per combined routes, which he said costed the district about $321,000 between February and May.
Representatives for Safeway would not comment on the action.
Safeway threatened to end its bus contract with District 230 in December, which would have left schools without student transportation in the middle of the year.
Board members debated in March whether to continue the contract with Safeway or find another transportation service.
Eagan said at the time the district could renew its contract with Safeway for one to two more years but said he anticipated rates would continue to increase in the renewed contracts.
Nolting also acknowledged concerns about Safeway in March.
“Safeway is, obviously we have some concerns based on where we’re at today, but we haven’t necessarily ended any future relationships at this point in time,” Nolting said at the time.
awright@chicagotribune.com
