photo by: Mike Yoder

A Lawrence Transit System bus stops just south of Seventh and Vermont streets, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016.

Lawrence city commissioners will soon decide whether to begin using a new transportation company to operate city buses.

At its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider approving a new contract with First Transit Inc. to provide public transportation services from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2023, according to a city staff memo to the commission. The memo states that the cost of the new contract will be within the approximately $6.7 million budgeted for 2019 to operate the bus service.

If approved, the contract with First Transit will replace the city’s contract with MV Transportation, the company the city has worked with for the past 18 years. Regarding the decision to end that contract, Public Transit Administrator Bob Nugent told the Journal-World last month that the vendor is re-evaluated every five years and noted that MV Transportation recently lost some of its experience with the departure of its longtime general manager.

The Lawrence City Commission will convene at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.