MASD, PA Coach Lines battle over 2019-20 payments
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
McKeesport Area School District and Pennsylvania Coach Lines are in the midst of a legal battle over a transportation services bill from last school year.
In its complaint filed Aug. 12, the district stated it has reason to worry if it will be able to provide busing at the beginning of the school year as a result of the dispute.
However, PA Coach Lines, in an Aug. 18 response to the lawsuit, said it plans to honor its transportation agreement with the district.
MASD, represented by Krisha DiMascio and Joseph R. Dalfonso, filed a lawsuit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court against the McKeesport-based bus company.
MASD’s complaint states that PA Coach Lines is demanding the district pay for contracted service for the last 52 days of school. The company did not provide transportation services after March 13 as a result of schools being ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf to close for in-person learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
The complaint states the district received a letter Aug. 4 from the company’s attorney, Ray Middleman, claiming it was in breach of contract for failing to pay the 2019-20 contract in full.
PA Coach Lines counsel “further explained that should payment not be received, (the) defendant will not provide transportation services for the 2020-2021 school year,” MASD’s complaint states.
The district transportation contract with PA Coach Lines expires Aug. 30, 2025. MASD is required to pay the bus company a yearly bulk rate that is billed over 10 equal monthly invoices between September and June. That rate for the 2019-20 school year was $2,223,487.67, based on a 180-day school year, the complaint states, adding that PA Coach Lines only provided transportation service for 128 days last school year.
The lawsuit states the district’s estimated daily transportation cost for 2019-20 was $12,352.71.
“Based on the number of days for which service was provided, the district, using the daily rate calculation, compensated defendant $1,581,146.79,” the complaint states, adding that PA Coach Lines “now demands payment of the remainder of the bulk rate for the 2019-2020 school year.”
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