Youngstown City School District announces partnership with Petermann Bus
The Youngstown City School District (YCSD) Board of Education approved a partnership with Petermann Bus for student transportation services starting in the 2026–2027 school year during a special board meeting on Thursday, May 28.
Officials said the decision followed a thorough Request for Proposals (RFP) process to evaluate student transportation services. The review reinforced YCSD’s commitment to effective operations and cost efficiency, while ensuring safe and reliable transportation for students.
“Petermann’s proposal was financially competitive and delivered significant value to the district through its transportation experience, operational support, technology, and maintenance,” said Dr. Michael Rock, YCSD treasurer.
Petermann Bus partners with more than 30 schools across Ohio, not limited to Akron Public Schools, Twinsburg, Monroe, Tallmadge City Schools, and Nordonia Hills City Schools.
“This recommendation will help ensure that every student transported by the district has access to reliable and timely transportation to and from school,” said YCSD Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor. “School districts across Ohio and across the country continue to face transportation challenges, and this is the right time to strengthen the services of YCSD. We are confident that this partnership will strengthen reliability and better serve our students and families.”
The district said it acknowledges the dedication of current transportation employees who serve YCSD. During the process, the district said it prioritized opportunities for qualified drivers and aides to continue serving through the new vendor. Petermann intends to offer positions to current staff, so students can still see familiar faces and employees experience a smooth, stable transition.
Additionally, employees will still be able to maintain membership in the School Employees Retirement System of Ohio (SERS).
Under the proposed partnership, Petermann will support the district’s transportation operation, including:
- Daily home-to-school transportation
- Special Education transportation
- McKinney-Vento transportation
- Charter and Non-public transportation as required by law
- Preschool transportation
- Mid-day routes
- Field trips
- Athletic transportation, and other scholar transportation services
High school transportation will be a key focus during the transition. The district has asked Petermann to review transportation options for high school students, such as route design, hub stop locations, eligibility, schedules, and staffing. The final transportation model will be determined after further evaluation.
The district said it expects to offer at least targeted transportation for eligible students at the Youngstown High School campus for the 2026–2027 school year, while continuing to assess the possibility of restoring full high school transportation services.
“This is not just a vendor change; it is a partnership,” said Nancy Mikos, YCSD Business Manager. “One important factor was finding a company that understands school transportation, accepts operational ownership of the daily program, and can offer expertise, systems, and support in a complex transportation environment.”
The district emphasized that student transportation will remain a shared priority. Communication and more information will be forthcoming throughout the transition process.