Statement from Director of Education Katherine MacIver and Superintendent of Business Bryce Wilson regarding the student transportation procurement process.
HPEDSB is supportive and appreciative of the services provided by Tri-Board Transportation and the processes through which they have ensured safe and reliable transportation in the past, and for September 2026 and beyond.
There are three items we would like to clarify from an operational perspective:
- As a public entity, Tri-Board Transportation is required to and has followed the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive to secure transportation contracts. This is a highly legislated process that occurs at the operational level of an organization for good reason. The Tri-Board Transportation governance body, of which Superintendent Wilson is one of three members, was apprised of the procurement process last spring and had oversight, which is suitable for a governing body; however the clear parameters and process were enacted through the Tri-Board CEO in conjunction with a procurement specialist and legal support.
- Safety is and continues to be woven throughout the Tri-Board Transportation work. Seventy-five percent of the procurement was based on technical components and twenty-five percent on price. This was clearly outlined in the RFI (request for information) and RFP (request for proposal) documents. All four of the technical components have student safety included.
The following four categories make up the seventy-five percent of the evaluation:
- Drivers and Monitors
- Includes background and reference checking, safety training and professional development opportunities for drivers and monitors.
- Fleet Dependability
- Includes vehicle maintenance and preventative maintenance programs; and a process to ensure vehicles are properly maintained to provide uninterrupted service on cold weather days.
- Customer Service
- Includes communication and response procedures in emergency situations; and a description of staffing strategy, including managers/supervisors, administrative staff (including dispatchers), maintenance and drivers on operational days, specifically during route times when students are being transported to ensure service continuity.
- Student Safety and Wellbeing
- Includes a process for identifying safety concerns and resolving safety concerns identified by stakeholders (drivers and monitors, families, school administrators and Tri-Board); the experience and qualifications of the individual(s) assigned by the bus operator to manage student safety and wellbeing; process for ensuring students with specialized needs receive the care required; and a description of the processes or technology employed to ensure that routes run on time.
These are all important considerations related to student safety that are not reflected in a CVOR (Commercial Vehicle Operators Registration) rating of which all proponents are required to keep in good standing to be able to operate in Ontario.
3. At the time of procurement, there was a Procurement Restriction Policy in place which was designed to restrict United States businesses from accessing public sector procurements in Ontario. Not only was this followed, but the procurement also aligned with the Buy Ontario Act which came into effect six months after the procurement process was launched. For clarity, the five operators selected to provide transportation for Tri-Board Transportation all meet the broader public sector, and more specifically, the Buy Ontario Procurement Directive’s definition of an Ontario business.
We remain appreciative of the partnership with Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic DSB, and the Limestone DSB, in our transportation consortium and of the service provided by Tri-Board Transportation.
Katherine MacIver, Director of Education
Bryce Wilson, Superintendent of Business Services