In an emotional Monday meeting, members of the Akron Board of Education questioned who should be responsible for transporting some of Akron’s most vulnerable students this fall.
Van drivers hired by the district transport unhoused students, children with special needs and sports teams. The district contracted with 143 independent contractors during the 2023-24 school year, said Brandy Vickers, who serves as a spokesperson for the group. The district also worked with at least two companies.
The first APS students who may be in need of special transportation services return to classrooms on July 29, according to the school district. Board members on Monday declined to approve the contract for a company, Templeton Transportation, that the administration suggested supplant the independent contractors.
Here are five things we learned during and after Monday’s five-hour meeting.
APS staffers, van drivers at odds regarding work history
In outlining the request for proposals process to school board members, Chief of Staff Angela Carter said the decision to seek private van companies was necessary to ensure fiscal responsibility and limit the district’s liability.
“Due to a dramatic increase in the number of scholars needing van transportation and ongoing discussions with the Ohio Department of Education,” Carter said, “we found that our ICOs — independent contract operators — were not able to handle the capacity and meet best practices.”
After the meeting, Vickers, who has served as a van driver for 17 years, said she strongly disagreed with Carter’s assessment, stating their decades of work includes very few mishaps.
Vickers also disputed that the school district would be liable for incidents with the van drivers.
“We carry our own insurance,” she said. “Akron Public Schools is endorsed on our policy for that very reason. If they are to be held liable, our insurance carries over to Akron Public Schools. They’re listed as additional insured on the commercial, half-a-million-dollar policy that we carry, for that very reason, to protect their liability in this.”
A passage in the RFP states:
“The following shall be required from the successful Vendor at his/her expense: The driver and his/her vehicle shall be insured with a company licensed to do business in the State of Ohio. This policy shall insure the driver against property damage for a minimum sum of $100,000 each occurrence. The driver shall also obtain liability insurance against bodily injury to each person of $250,000 to an aggregate of $500,000 for each occurrence. Also included shall be medical expenses in the minimum amount of $5,000 per occurrence. A School Van Rider/Student Transport endorsement shall be attached to the policy on file.”
Board member angered during debate with APS staffers
Following Akron Public Schools’ transportation presentation, board member Barbara Sykes pressed Transportation Coordinator Justin Miller on an administration claim that the Ohio Department of Education mandated it work with companies that operate with a higher level of insurance.
When Miller clarified the alleged mandate was in fact a recommendation, Sykes announced she would vote to reject the measure.
“I do not believe you have told us the truth,” Sykes said to Miller. “I am absolutely appalled that you would come before this body and do this.”
The moment highlighted a tense debate led by Sykes. Sykes also criticized Business Affairs Executive Director Debra Foulk on the administration’s decision to not survey parents about a potential change in district drivers during the 2024-25 school year.
“I find it amazing that you would not ask special needs parents how their children would react to such a significant change,” Sykes said to Foulk, “when we hear that these drivers have driven their children for years and know their processes and know their triggers.”
Special needs parent speaks after Monday’s meeting
Tonti Lewis, the mother of an APS student, watched Monday’s meeting from the audience. Her son, Dreyson, who has Down syndrome, uses APS van services to reach school.
Lewis said she received surveys regarding student uniform policies but would have preferred updates regarding potential van transportation personnel changes.
“I don’t want to be last to know [at the] last minute,” Lewis said.
Now what? Van drivers spokesperson said group will attempt to start company; school board will seek legal advice
Vickers, one of the van drivers’ spokespersons, said after Monday’s meeting that van drivers will attempt to form their own company and submit a request for proposal.
It may be too late. With the school board rejecting the administration’s top recommendation for a transportation provider, it’s unclear if APS will start the process over, move on to another company that bid or make another decision.
Meanwhile, Vickers said she was not aware of the district’s RFP process until days before it ended, adding she didn’t have enough time to create a company. (The RFP was released to the public on May 3 and had a May 23 deadline.)
As board members debated next steps before the final vote, Superintendent Michael Robinson recommended they seek legal advice.
About APS’ transportation recommendation
APS staffers presented a 15-slide presentation detailing their RFP process. They recommended board members approve a contract with Templeton Transportation, according to the document, for the following reasons:
- Operational Efficiency: Increasing efficiency in APS Transportation Services with a full-service provider.
- Support for Staff: Enhances customer service and communication, allowing better service for families.
- Lowest, most responsive/responsible bid:
- Competitive rate
- Federal statute highly recommends local area service
providers - Offering comprehensive services: qualified drivers, insured
vehicles, state-required processing, student routing, monthly
invoicing - Met one of the district’s supplier diversity goals (Woman-Based Enterprise)
Templeton Transportation, according to the company’s website, was founded by Dara Templeton, a former APS van driver who drove for the district for 10 years. The company contracts state-certified, independent drivers who are insured and passed Bureau of Criminal Investigation background checks. The company was founded as an active LLC on Oct. 17, 2023.
The website does not list how many drivers the company currently employs or its contract history.
“On behalf of Templeton Transportation I would like to say, we are truly grateful for the opportunity to take part in this process,” Dara Templeton wrote in a statement sent to Signal Akron. “We are choosing to use this as a learning experience to help our company and the community in any future endeavors that we might be blessed with.”
