N. Bedford School District Sticks with Local Bus Service After Residents Speak Up

During the recent Northern Bedford County School Board of Directors meeting, many community members showed up to support Leidy Transportation in hopes that the district would choose to renew its contract with the bus company.

Community members Brittany Hall, Bill Imler, and Kassi Leidy voiced their opinions during the public comment session of the meeting.

The result was that the school board approved a five-year transportation contract with Leidy Transportation LLC, spanning the 2024-25 through 2028-29 school years.

The contract, with an 8-1 vote, with Boardmember Randy Wiand voting against, set the buses at 104 percent above state contract pricing.

Hall said she was concerned about a non-local contractor submitting a bid lower than Leidy and emphasized the importance of the quality and safety measures in place by the company.

“Being in business today with the ever-rising costs, I completely understand the need to cut costs from the budget wherever possible,” she said.

However, Hall said that opting for a cheaper option might not always be better, and highlighted Leidy’s attention to detail in maintaining buses for student safety.

She said the board should consider the effect that its decision will have on local businesses and that choosing a local contractor keeps money within the community.

“Every time you choose a local business to perform work for the district, money is kept right here in our community,” she said.

Imler spoke of the Leidy family’s contributions and emphasized their commitment to the well-being of drivers and quality equipment.

“They are good people — they are not trying to make a lot of money off of busing – they are just trying to take care of their drivers and have good equipment,” he said.

Leidy said the company has been serving the district since 2011.

She apologized for taking the story public but the family thinks that the public deserved to be made aware of what was happening.

“I was hoping, since transportation impacts so many in the district, it would be helpful if board members were able to gauge how the public is feeling,” Leidy said.

She said many members of the community had reached out to them to show their support and they were grateful.

“I hope that this could be a turning point — it is not always in the best interest of the district to pick the lowest figure — the best choice might be the local contractor with the highest bid,” Leidy said.

The school board retroactively approved a handicapped accessible van run by Snyder Transportation, initiated on Jan. 2, 2024.

Other business

Earlier last year it was announced that the 2024 calendar year would be athletic director Jeff Betzel’s last, and the board approved Ryan Cherry to be his successor effective Jan. 1, 2025, at a salary of $25,000, which will be pro-rated to start date in the 2024-25 school year.

The board retroactively approved a resolution not to raise taxes above the state index for the 2024-25 budget.

Repairs to the high school water pumps located under the band room per Mervac in the amount of $9,700 was approved by the board. This will require a transfer from budgetary reserve.

High school Principal Shawn Cerully said during his report that the Northern Bedford County Choral Department is now in full preparation for this year’s Spring musical Roald Dahl’s “Matilda.”

The production will showcase a cast of 50 students from the Middle and High School. Performance dates are March 14-16. Tickets will be on sale in the very near future.

Cerully also said that Diamond Lane Farm will be a new location for the 2024 prom.

This facility provides both indoor and outdoor space that includes tables and chairs, a dance floor, corn hole boards, and a fire pit.