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District, Hunterdon Central explore new joint transportation arrangement; subscription bussing and cost savings under review
Summary
Board heard that Hunterdon Central terminated the long-standing joint transportation agreement effective at school-year end; both districts are negotiating a replacement and exploring subscription bussing and other cost-saving models.
The Flemington-Raritan Regional School District announced that Hunterdon Central has terminated the existing long-standing joint transportation agreement, effective at the end of this school year, and district and county leaders are negotiating a new arrangement to continue shared services into the 2025-26 school year.
Superintendent Dr. McGahn told the board the two districts have cooperated for decades to provide transportation and that current leadership from both sides "has agreed to explore a new arrangement" to maintain services while minimizing taxpayer cost. Administrators said a proposed agreement will be presented to both boards "in the very near future." No formal agreement was on the agenda at the meeting.
Operations committee members said the district hired a new transportation supervisor and is evaluating several options, including replacing courtesy bussing with a subscription-based service modeled on arrangements used by Hunterdon Central and other districts. Officials said the transportation supervisor will examine potential savings and impacts before a recommendation.
Board members and staff also discussed the financial context: transportation was listed among areas targeted for budget reductions and the district is preparing a five-year budget forecast to inform long-term planning. Administrators emphasized both cost pressures and a commitment to ensure "all eligible students receive transportation" at the lowest possible cost to taxpayers.
At the public-comment portion of the meeting, a district bus driver, Kim Tilly of Flemington Borough, told the board she was "excited and relieved" to hear about the potential shared service and urged voters to support the district budget increase on March 11, saying school quality supports local property values.
No votes on transportation agreements were taken at the meeting. Board members said they expect more details and a proposed contract at a future meeting and that the Operations Committee will report back.
