Robbinsville explores paid subscription busing pilot as parents press for options

Robbinsville officials told the board they are exploring a paid subscription busing pilot after receiving interest from about 50 families, largely rising middle-school students from Town Center and nearby areas.

"If enough people sign up within a week or two and send me checks, yes," board secretary Mr. McCreese said, describing the tight timetable. Administrators cautioned the pilot is risky: contracting vendors requires a quick turnaround, and an August 1 bid deadline is possible to have buses in place for September.

Costs and logistics discussed: Business staff said a school bus costs roughly $55,000 to contract, which would translate into roughly $1,000 per child for a fully subscribed bus; officials noted per-child charges could rise to an estimated $1,200 if 50 children sign up for one bus or $2,400 if only 25 sign up. Board and staff emphasized corner stops rather than door-to-door service and first-come, first-served enrollment if vehicle capacity is limited.

Equity concerns surfaced: trustees noted that families who cannot afford paid busing could be left out, and the board discussed whether subsidized or tiered pricing for free/reduced families would be appropriate. Administrators said they will take equity into account and refer details to the business committee and transportation staff.

Next steps: the district plans to circulate a formal survey via ParentSquare/Genesis and provide signup instructions; preference will be given to families who already expressed interest. If enough families commit quickly and payments are received, the district will go to bid and attempt a rapid procurement to have service in place for the fall; if not, the pilot would be deferred. Officials said the pilot outcome will inform future offerings and the baseline for longer-term planning.