The Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board has hammered out an extended three year transportation rate agreement with its bus operators.
The agreement includes a .75% increase this year, another .75% increase next year and a zero percent increase in the third year.
Even with the rate increases the actual amount of money being spent on transportation between the shared transportation consortium of the separate and public school boards is down 147 thousand dollars.
This is due to declining enrolment numbers and the removal of 6 of the 351 bus routes.
Transportation costs have always been a sore point for the Catholic Board.
The 3.6 million dollar budget item represents almost 10 percent of the Boards total budget.
Superintendent of Business Cathy Colton is pleased with the new extended transportation agreement calling the rates quite favourable.
She adds the extended contract will give the Board some stability when budgeting for the next few years.
Because the transportation contract is a shared venture with the coterminous boards, the new contract is now awaiting approval from both the Bluewater and French Board as well.
