Companies left standing as new companies pull into town

By Laurie Watt Barrie Advance Oct 25, 2012 

SIMCOE COUNTY – A provincial tendering process is throwing long-time local school bus companies under the bus, says Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop.

“It’s mind-boggling that policies can be in place that allow someone to come in and undercut you knowing you have to get rid of your equipment and then after a few years from now these companies … can jack up the prices. It’s despicable. I’m really opposed to this,” said Dunlop.

This year, the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC) – a joint venture of both the Simcoe County District School Board and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – issued proposals. 

In the spring, it awarded contracts for buses in Midland and Penetanguishene and Orillia.

Late last week, it awarded proposals for Bradford and Alliston, Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, and Barrie and Elmvale. 

Long-time major service providers Sinton Transportation and First Student are losing a lot of business to companies based outside the region, such as Aurora-headquartered Landmark Student Transportation and Switzer-Carty and Attridge, both from Burlington. 

Sinton driver Lilly Ellerbrock said she’s concerned not just about her employer, but also about drivers who may not receive the support they need in an emergency. One winter’s day while driving students from Guthrie Public School, freezing rain forced her to stop at the bottom of a hill on the 9th Line of Oro-Medonte. A full-sized bus with 30 students was stuck at the top of the hill.

“It was dark by the time a farmer came to check on us. He offered food and shelter. After more than two hours, Floyd (Sinton) came to the rescue in his pick-up (truck) and a sander from the township,” Ellerbrock said.

“That would be hard to match from a company whose owner lives in London, Ontario.”

But Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium CEO Michael Kodama said he’d expect to hear similar stories from other companies’ employees. 

“Whether or not they’re headquartered locally, I’m not sure that matters,” he said. “I don’t think that should be an issue.”

The consortium said Ontario’s procurement regulations, followed in the tendering process, are meant to ensure “public funds are used properly through the procurement process, which must be open and transparent.” 

Dunlop said the problem is Ontario’s broader public sector procurement policies do not consider local community involvement or investment. 

“What do you do? Have a bus sale?” Dunlop said. 

“I would support anyone who takes this to court,” said Dunlop, who added a group of independent bus operators in the Belleville area challenged the Tri-Board Student Transportation’s in a similar situation. That consortium suddenly withdrew its awards amid the legal fight.

Nevertheless, Kodama looks to what he considers successes in Midland, Penetanguishene and Orillia.

A proposal for those communities was awarded in March and was implemented in September.

“Have you heard of safety issues in Midand? No,” he said. 

The new contracts awarded last week will hit the road next September.