The Fredonia Central School District was hopeful that hiring a firm to facilitate the bid process for a new transportation contract would provide more bidders and, in turn, more competitive rates.

That didn’t happen.

Fredonia only received one bid — from its current provider, First Student — for transportation services in the district. The district contracted Transportation Advisory Services to assist with negotiating a new transportation contract, at a cost of $17,500. The district expects 74% reimbursement from the state on the cost.

“The issue is, in our area, you have to have a facility. If you’re a current contracting bus company, and you take on Fredonia, you have to have 25 buses available,” said Business Administrator John Forbes. “There was a large company from downstate that was looking to expand up this way, but apparently this wasn’t persuasive enough.” The district will still work with Transportation Advisory Services, with the hope of improving the efficiency of the current transportation system in place at the district.

Fredonia Superintendent Brad Zilliox previously stated upon hiring the firm, “We felt this group would allow us some expertise, to add some leverage, and just keeping the process reasonable, fair and legitimate.” Forbes said at the time of the hiring, “The net cost to the district will be about $4,500 … and I think it’s well worth that.”