RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Rutherford County parents and students got a major update in the ongoing saga with respect to area bus contractors.

Last month, Rutherford County Schools had approved a new bus contract for the upcoming school year. The Rutherford County Bus Contractors Organization, which represents about 70% of the county's contracted drivers, had threatened to strike about the contract. The RCBCO ultimately pumped the brakes on the strike, but the bus plans had remained up in the air as the number of contractors who agreed to the new terms remained to be seen.

Dr. James Sullivan, director of Rutherford County Schools, provided an update before the Budget & Investment Committee at their Thursday meeting. Sullivan told committee members that the district was in "really good shape" when it comes to the number of contractors who signed the updated contract.

Sullivan told members that as of about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, 317 of the 333 contracts from the previous year had signed the new bus contract for the upcoming school year. The school board had previously established a threshold — if more than 35 bus routes had been unstaffed for the upcoming school year, the district would have considered buying buses.

Though Sullivan said he expects some attrition, he added that the threshold had not been met.

"Luckily, we will not be going into the bus business," Sullivan told committee members. "Happy to report that."

The next Rutherford County Budget & Investment Committee meeting will be June 5.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/rcs-bus-contractor-update/