Mediation will be next step in S. Allegheny bus dispute
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
A judge brokered at least a temporary deal Tuesday that means Sun Coach Lines will continue to provide bus service to special-needs students in the South Allegheny School District.
Those students will be transported to schools on an agreed-upon list, such as Mon Valley School, Pace, Pathfinder and the Blind School among others.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge John McVay delayed ruling on South Allegheny’s motion for an injunction against Sun Coach Lines to stop the bus company from terminating bus service to the district as the two sides continue to work out their contract issues.
The district has paid roughly $250,000 of the $800,000 outlined in the Sun Coach contract and has explained that it is based on a pro-rated formula based on the actual number of bus runs the company conducted for the district since last year.
Sun Coach contends the district has no right to pro-rate its fees because the original rate was discounted as a bulk rate and the contract doesn’t provide a means to renegotiate due to fewer students using bus transportation, which has happened during the pandemic.
Sun Coach argues that it had to maintain its services to be ready to go at a moment’s notice whenever South Allegheny returned students to classrooms, and once in-person learning resumed it didn’t matter if there were fewer students on the buses. They still had to run, which costs the same whether there is one student aboard or 40. The district claims the bus company should negotiate for payment of work actually performed and argues that the contract allows for that.
McVay continually referred to the one mediation session held between the two parties throughout Tuesday’s more than two-and-a-half hour hearing. He repeatedly expressed optimism that the district and the bus line could come to a resolution without his intervention.
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