Last week, the Manawa School district unanimously approved a seven-year agreement for its bussing operation.
The deal locks in the district with Kobussen Buses Ltd., scheduled to begin on July 1. The vote came at a special school board meeting and will allow the district to sell its current buses, which also assists in state aid formulations.
School officials say that by outsourcing transportation, it will benefit the district in many ways, including better kept maintenance records for buses, more training for drivers and the lack of a need to hire a transportation director.
The contract is valued for $483,289 for next year.