Contractor Profiles
Harlow’s School Bus Service Total Fleet: 491 Buses School District Customers/Contracts: 55 Number of Bus Drivers: 519 Students Transported: About 18,850 Per Day
Harlow’s School Bus Service, Inc. has been family
owned since it started in 1973. The current owners, Jason and Jeremy, are the sons of Harlow Hageness, who established the company in North Dakota. The compa- ny now operates in seven states, from North Dakota to Washington. Jason Hageness provided the following responses.
On Bids Submitted by School Districts: “[We] feel school districts are outsourcing student
transportation services, maintenance work and cafeteria services, so they can focus on the core service of education. Our mantra is, ‘Your Trans- portation Solution,’ and we focus on providing value vs. expense.”
On Going Green: “There has been and will continue to be a push
to reduce the carbon footprint. This can be accomplished in many ways. There are some geographical challenges with various fuels or electric [drives]. But the discussion is carbon footprint reduction. DERA, VW, as well as any other additional funding, is extremely important. Seeing all three playing a role is key to contractors, as well as school districts. Understanding an asset replacement plan is vital for success and additional revenue streams, to assist in achieving the asset replacement plan.”
Krapf Bus Total Fleet: 2,400 Buses School District Customers/Contracts: 45 Number of Bus Drivers: 1,950 Students Transported: 180,000 Per Day
In 1942, George and Eleanor Krapf started George
Krapf, Jr. & Sons, known today as Krapf School Bus. The company still maintains the “Krapf Way,” which focuses on the core values of customer service and safety. Blake Krapf, grandson of George and Eleanor, is the compa- ny’s president and CEO, and he completes his tenure as NSTA president this summer.
On the Driver Shortage: “We think school bus drivers are exceptional in the
conduct of their jobs. Our job is to provide them with the respect they deserve and the tools they need to succeed. That includes relevant and effective training, well-main- tained and comfortable vehicles, well-lit and secure parking lots, pleasant and accommodating facilities, competitive wages, and positive feedback and appreci- ation for the challenging work they do. But beyond that, we strive to generate an environment that recognizes we are all in this together. Drivers are an integral part of a team of technicians, dispatchers, safety personnel and administrative staff. [They are] all focused on providing
52 School Transportation News • JUNE 2019
dependable, high-quality service to students and their parents, site principals, school district administrators, the motoring public, our law enforcement partners and the community’s tax payers. When our drivers understand the signif- icant tasks they undertake every school day, and how they are part of an expanded team assembled
to accomplish that task, they see the larger mission and their crucial role in achieving that mission.”
On Bids Submitted by School Districts: “School districts have long been under intense fiscal
pressures. Nonacademic activities, such as transporta- tion and food service, are common areas where districts turn to private contractors for assistance. Sometimes, we have districts inquiring about outsourcing their in- house transportation operations. At other times, school districts approach us about switching from their exist- ing, private transportation contractor. In both cases, the motivation is usually about price, service or a combi- nation of the two. Saving money for districts without jeopardizing service is the primary objective we hear. And, it is not uncommon for districts to test the mar- ket for lower-priced alternatives. We have seen a slight uptick in bids for work being performed by ourselves or other contractors. We have not become aware of any in- creased frequency in districts seeking to outsource their existing, in-house transportation.”
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