Cyr low bid for SAD 53 bus contract

PITTSFIELD — It is likely a different bus company will take children to school in SAD 53 over the next three years.

John T. Cyr and Sons of Old Town was the low bidder in this year’s bidding competition, according to Superintendent Terry McCannell, who added that Champion of Maine did an “admirable job” managing its school bus contract for SAD 53 for the past year.

The school board accepted McCannell’s recommendation Monday night to award the new contract to Cyr and Sons pending a meeting next week with the transportation committee.

The busing contract for the next three years was put out to bid this year over the objections of Champion. The Alton bus company bought out longtime local bus contractor Wally Raymond, and completed the final year of his contract. By assuming the final year of the contract, the company expected to be awarded the next contract.

The school board made other plans.

Champion, Cyr and the local division of the nationally owned Laidlaw busing firm submitted bids. In what appeared to be an obvious effort to undercut the competition, Cyr’s bid was more than $30,000 less than Champion’s, and will remain less for the full three years of the contract.

Cyr bid $284,000, not including gas costs, for the first year, and added $2,000 in each year thereafter. Champion bid $315,133 for each of the three years of the contract, with no increases except in extracurricular busing. Laidlaw was just $1,600 more at $316,750 for the first year.

The board’s transportation committee will meet with Cyr representatives next week to review the details of the contract and plans for operation. Individual board members expressed interest in knowing the age of Cyr’s fleet, the number of buses in the plan, and whether local bus drivers would be considered for employment.

If the current bus drivers agree with Lynne Bomes, a five-year veteran driver from Pittsfield, there will be new drivers on the rounds in the fall. Bomes told the board, “I’m not willing to change jobs for a $2 pay cut.”

Bomes was referring to a rumor that Cyr drivers are paid less. She also believed that working for Cyr she could not be assured of the same bus each day.

She pointed out that Champion not only pleased the drivers with the takeover of Raymond’s operation, but added new, roomier and safer buses on the runs.

“I was driving a 1987 bus that was overloaded almost every day. Since Champion took over, I’m driving a 1993 bus with plenty of room. The kids are now sitting two to a seat instead of three,” she said.

Bomes’ concerns and those of board members are expected to be discussed with Cyr next week. The decision of the transportation committee will be reported to the board in June.