PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

March 27, 2023

Reinke Bus Company Retirement and the future of pupil transportation at Littlefork-Big Falls Public Schools

Reinke Bus Company has provided contracted bus services to Littlefork-Big Falls for the last ten years. In January 2023, the district was notified by owners Brian and Lisa Reinke of their intent to retire at the end of our contract June 30, 2023. Littlefork-Big Falls Public Schools would like to thank the Reinke family for the last decade of exceptional service they have provided to the district and our families. They have taken great pride in their work and have kept the safety of our students as their #1 priority. They have provided years of financial savings to the district while putting the students of our district first and foremost. L-BF congratulates Brian and Lisa Reinke on their retirement!

Thank you to Tyler Reinke who has been the dedicated transportation director for Littlefork-Big Falls Public Schools during the entirety of Reinke's services to our district. We all wish Tyler and his family the best of luck as they set out on new endeavors.

Thank you to Brandon Reinke, Brian Reinke, and Bruce Reinke for all your work and assistance in driving bus as substitutes and administrative support in our business relationship.

Thank you to the Reinke Bus Company’s team of bus drivers, past and present, who have been the “boots on the ground” representatives of Reinke Bus Company these last ten years. Your dedication to each student you transport has been appreciated more than you will ever know by all staff and parents of L-BF.

Littlefork-Big Falls Public Schools has sought Proposals for contracted services for next year and has not received any proposals at this time. To ensure we are able to provide transportation services to our students and families, the school board has approved the purchase of buses and other assets from Reinke Bus Company and are moving forward with bringing busing operations back in-house. We have posted a job opening for Transportation Director and will be posting job openings for bus drivers soon. We serve students across a large geographical range and have some students who are on the bus for many miles, we remain dedicated to their safety as we negotiate this transition.

Questions regarding the transition may be directed to Superintendent Jamie Wendt, Business Manager Heather Kennedy, or any member of our L-BF school board.

School Bus Stop Arm Camera Grant
stop arm

Littlefork-Big Falls Public Schools was a recipient of the School Bus Stop Arm Camera Grant during Phase 2. These grants are funded by the Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety. The grant is focused on enforcement of stop-arm laws for school buses to keep our students safe as we transport them to and from school each day.

Cameras were installed on our school buses in the fall of 2022 and have been used during this school year. Prior to installation of these bus cameras, it has been difficult for drivers to get complete and accurate driver and vehicle information of stop-arm violators and those individuals were rarely held accountable for their actions. These cameras have been instrumental in helping identify, locate, and hold individuals accountable for disregarding school bus stop arms and the safety of our students.

L-BF is thrilled with the benefits these cameras have provided to help keep our students safe each day.