Some Remarks from the National Education Association!

"Laidlaw has made a conscious effort to give lousy service." (Morris Township, NJ School Superintendent on dumping Laidlaw, as quoted in The Morris Newsbee, 4/22/99).

Laidlaw, the lone contractor for the Boston (MA) School District, wants a 24% increase over last year. "[The chairperson] of the City Council's Committee on Education said Laidlaw charges $44 million to transport 37,000 students, and suggested that the city instead buy each student a car." (Boston Globe, 3/11/99) "A private company, like Laidlaw, should not be able to dictate public policy because of its monopoly on a city contract." (Hyde Park/Mattapan Tribune, Boston, MA 3/18/99)

"Outsourcing services is usually done to save money, but the [Portland, OR] district pays Laidlaw Transit 50 to 100 percent more per student for busing than it costs the district to do the same work. PPS transports general education students for an average cost of $506; Laidlaw spends $749. For special-ed students, the difference is even greater. PPS spends $1,983 per student; Laidlaw, $4,296. Laidlaw's purchase of new buses accounts for part of the difference; however, the audit found instances of poor spending practices in other areas." (Willamette Week, Portland, OR 9/9/98)

bullet Link to the National Education Association's HomePage - with their thoughts on privitization.


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