Manhattan School District Explores Alternative Transportation Amid Lincoln-Way Bus Challenges

Manhattan School District 114 Meeting | February 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education is officially preparing to explore alternative busing options by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP), citing ongoing service struggles and union contract uncertainties with their current provider, Lincoln-Way District 210.

District Transportation Key Points:

• The board reached a consensus to draft and issue an RFP for student transportation services.

• Board members expressed frustration over consistent service issues with the current Lincoln-Way 210 transportation agreement.

• President John Burke raised concerns that Lincoln-Way bus drivers have been operating without a union contract since July.

• The district seeks to understand the available market options and potential costs, even if a transition for the upcoming fall semester is not feasible.

The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, held a strategic discussion regarding the ongoing challenges with the district’s bus transportation, signaling a strong willingness to explore private vendors.

During the “New/Old Business” segment of the meeting, the board addressed the current transportation agreement with Lincoln-Way School District 210. Board members indicated that despite promises of improvement, systemic issues persist.

“We’re kind of at that point where the frustrations haven’t [stopped]… there’s a lot of stuff from Lincoln-Way about improvements, but we’re still having struggles,” President John Burke stated.

Vice President Emily Wesel and President Burke previously attended a conference in November where they engaged with private bus companies to gauge the market.

“I personally think it might not be within our budget, but we should at least look at different companies,” Wesel told the board. “I just think it might take a little heat off the Lincoln-Way and we might have a little bit more… consistency, customer service, if you will, especially when things go wrong.”

Board member Chris Boswell raised concerns about whether private bus companies would be able to adequately service the district given its far southern location within the county, asking if there was a “concern of availability to our community… or flexibility to our community if something were to change.”

Wesel noted that the companies they spoke with did not view the district’s geography as an impediment. A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) would require vendors to specifically outline how they would service the district’s routes.

Beyond customer service issues, Burke highlighted a looming labor concern at Lincoln-Way that could potentially impact Manhattan students.

“My understanding is that the bus drivers are part of the non-certified union at Lincoln-Way and they’ve been without a contract since July, and there’s a lot of issues there just in terms of union and contract negotiation,” Burke explained. “I wouldn’t want to find our district caught in the middle of that.”

When asked if the district faced any financial penalties or out-clauses for terminating its arrangement with Lincoln-Way 210, Burke confirmed there were none. Board member Barbara Epps agreed that pursuing an RFP is a good idea, noting that it provides the district with vital information.

“Even if we didn’t make a change in the fall, it would be helpful to know what’s there,” Burke added. “More so a little more educated than where we are right now in terms of what our options might be, what the cost could be, because there could be cost differences.”

The board reached a general consensus to begin the RFP process to formally evaluate the private transportation market.