INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
OSBA’S DONALDSON RETIRES AFTER NEARLY TWO DECADES
RICHARD DONALDSON
When Richard Donaldson left his office for the last time on June 28, he took with him many good memories after 18 years at the helm of the province’s school-bus contractor association. Te Ontario School Bus Association (OSBA) won’t be replacing Donaldson but instead is implementing a new leadership direction by working with Michelle O’Bright, event director for the Ontario Transporta- tion Expo, to handle all day-to-day membership and administrative affairs. Tis spring, the association also recently elected Perry Ferguson as president. Fergu- son is also owner, president and CEO of Voyageur Transportation and has served as an OSBA board member for the past three years. While Donaldson called his 18-year tenure a “great
run,” he said he does regret stepping down while Ontario’s contractors are fragmented due to the rise of competitive procurement that the Ontario government implemented about five years ago. Tis ended the prac- tice of “evergreen contracts,” or agreements between school boards and contractor companies that were
automatically renewed year-after-year over little more than a handshake. An injunction filed by contractors who disagree with the province's new RFP rules is expected to be decided this fall. OSBA, meanwhile, worked to receive a grant to assist members with adhering to the new guidelines. Donaldson said he would continue to consult
OSBA on funding and regulatory affairs, issues he knows well beyond his more than 18 years with the association. From 1971 until 1994, he worked at Queen’s Park, the center of Ontario’s government in Toronto. During his political career, Donaldson served as chief of staff for the attorney general and the ministries of municipal affairs, labor and education. “(As chief of staff) you are dealing with dozens
and dozens of issues and associations, but I found with OSBA, the first thing that struck me was the commitment of the school bus industry,” he said. “Tey wore child safety on their sleeves. Te busing business is all about safety.”
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www.ewss.org | 10939B Reed Hartman Hwy. • Cincinnati, OH 45242 40 School Transportation News August 2013
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