There are about 17,000 students in St. Mary’s public schools and they all have to get to classes some way, some how. And at the July 30 board of education meeting in Leonardtown, members made sure that was taken care of when they approved bus contractor agreements for the 2025-2026 school year as detailed on the list provided by staff.
According to documents, St. Mary’s County Public Schools will use 41 independent contractors who own and operate a total of 241 school buses. “I can’t say enough about our fantastic contractors and drivers and attendants,” Superintendent Scott Smith said. “And so as we see other systems struggle, our relationship really is a strong one. And that’s why I’m confident that the first day of school kids will get on buses and at the end of the day kids will get off buses, and that’s not something every school system can feel comfortable about.” Of those school buses, 164 will be used for daily regular education routes, 29 for special education routes and 48 are spares.
This school year, there will be 12 school bus replacements and the contractor who owns them will receive a new six-year contract associated with the new school bus. In addition, 21 six-year bus contracts have come to the end of their original contract and those contractors will also be awarded an additional six-year contract. All spare buses will receive a one-year agreement.
Bus prices increased by 5% due in large part to uncertainty of future Environmental Protection Agency and electric vehicle mandates. The hourly rate for contractors is $30.10 while attendants earn $24.47, in addition to fixed costs “It encompasses things like the contractor’s overhead costs like Social Security,” Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services & Human Resources Tammy McCourt said. Operations increased by $140 per bus and maintenance increased by $0.03 per mile.
The board also approved a contribution of $499,500 to the St. Mary’s County School Bus Contractors Health and Welfare Trust for fiscal 2026. The amount covers $2,250 per contracted regular routed school bus and $4,500 for every contracted special needs routed school bus. In 2003, the school system, working with the St. Mary’s County School Bus Contractors Association, established the trust to provide health insurance for contracted school bus drivers and school bus attendants who otherwise did not have any life or health insurance.