Video: Bus Contract Awarded To Ecco Ride

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) -After tabling the issue two weeks ago, the Board voted 3 to 1 to award the Columbus School District bus contract to Eco Ride.

Ecco-ride is a national company, that is looking to expand to Mississippi.
Their bid came in more than a million dollars lower than current contract holder, Columbus-based, Waters Truck and Tractor. How was their bid so much lower? Board Member Jason Spears is worried that it will come at the expense of driver pay and benefits. He was the lone dissenting vote. Ecco-ride representatives say driver pay will not be cut and their benefits will be just as good.

At 7:30 tonight the board went into executive session discussing several issues. They included: a personnel matter, which we believe to be the recent firing of Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Hughes, the potential sale of real estate and an issue regarding a student.