FREEHOLD – The Freehold Borough K-8 School District has entered into a shared services agreement with the Howell K-8 School District through which Howell will provide bus transportation to Freehold Borough pupils.
On June 3, the Freehold Borough Board of Education approved the agreement with Howell for transportation department services. The deal will be in effect from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024.
Under the terms of the agreement, Howell will provide transportation department and director services to Freehold Borough, including providing mandated bus transportation for students in district routes.
Howell will provide preparation of the bus routes, including routing and a minimum of two dry runs prior to the start of the school year.
As stated in the agreement, Freehold Borough sought assistance because the district does not maintain and operate a full-service transportation department and fleet of buses.
Howell operates a full-service transportation department and has the capacity to manage Freehold Borough’s transportation department and provide mandated busing to Freehold Borough pupils, according to district administrators.
According to the agreement, Howell will provide transportation to an identified list of students who attend all three Freehold Borough schools: the Freehold Learning Center elementary school, the Park Avenue Elementary School and the Freehold Intermediate School.
The grade level of the students to be transported will be from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Nine routes or bus segments will be undertaken by Howell’s transportation department: two to the Freehold Intermediate School, two to the Park Avenue Elementary School and five to the Freehold Learning Center.
For providing the transportation services, Freehold Borough will pay Howell $410,000. The payment will be made in 10 equal monthly payments of $41,000 beginning Sept. 1, 2019, according to the agreement.