Manchester School Committee approves rider-registration plan for 2025-26 to reduce inefficient routes

The Manchester School Committee on June 9 approved a Transportation Ridership Management Plan that will require eligible students to register for home-to-school bus service for the 2025–26 school year.

Supporters said the change is intended to reduce unnecessary route miles, better balance bus loads and cut costs while keeping existing eligibility rules in place. The district’s presentation said eligibility remains based on residential address and the district’s Transportation 100 policy; implementation is slated to begin with notices in June and registration in July, route assignments in August, and the plan to take effect on the first day of school (September 4, 2025). "We're asking that ... the Manchester School District approve implementation of this Manchester School District Transportation Ridership Management Plan for the 2025–26 school year," a district presenter said during the meeting.

Why it matters: district staff said inaccurate rostering and unfinalized lists have led to extra stops and longer routes, increasing fuel, maintenance and labor costs. The presentation described the district’s legal framework and…