Lehighton Area School District approved a new transportation agreement at its school board meeting on Monday night.

Dated July 17, the agreement stipulates that “George’s Transportation will provide school buses for regular student transportation services, with the district set to pay $339.34 per bus per day for a double run during the 2024-25 school year. This rate will increase to $346.98 per bus per day for the 2025-26 school year.”

Additionally, the agreement includes provisions for single runs, with rates set at $269 and $275.05 per bus per day for the respective school years.

The contract features an adjustment for fuel prices.

The agreement states that if the price of diesel fuel falls below $3.709 per gallon, George’s will credit the district the difference.

Conversely, if the price exceeds $3.809 per gallon, the district will be charged for the difference. The fuel cost adjustment applies to all transports, including special and sports events.

Also included in the contract are a variety of conditions to “ensure the safety and reliability of the transportation services.”

For example, “no bus over 17 years old may be regularly used to transport students, and all drivers must meet specific licensing and background check requirements.”

The agreement further mandates that George’s must provide vehicles equipped with two-way radios and maintain the communication devices at their own expense.

The district will also implement a monthly payment schedule, with a $100,000 startup fee paid in August.

It will recover the amount over 10 months through deductions on the contractor’s invoices.