Farmington board says bus vendor must fix service after year of late, overcrowded routes

The Farmington Board of Education pressed its contracted student-transportation provider on June 2 after a year of repeated late runs, parent complaints and reports of overcrowded buses.

Board members said the vendor’s failures disrupted families and threatened student safety and demanded stronger accountability and a clear improvement plan ahead of the 2025–26 school year.

Board Chair William Beckert told the vendor’s absence from the meeting had limits. “They don't have any more room for error. Full stop,” he said, adding that the board’s patience was exhausted and that the district might pursue legal options if problems persist. A district staff speaker summarized the scale of the problems as an implementation failure: “I confidently can say ... we hit that trench right there,” referring to the year’s service decline and the effort to recover.

Board members and parents described repeated late buses, drivers shortages, routes that diverted buses onto highways and what they characterized as overcrowding that in some cases left students seated two or more to a seat or standing. Several board members said they had received persistent contact from families and recounted personal incidents involving their own children. “Overcrowding on buses ... is a safety concern for me, and that's not acceptable,” one board member said during public remarks.

District staff and members said some operational problems stemmed from driver shortages and from the vendor losing a local contract that had provided drivers and spare vehicles; staff said the vendor expects some relief if those drivers and vehicles become available next year. The district also reported some offsetting budget improvements — lower fuel spending and other efficiencies — but emphasized service quality remained the priority.

The board discussed specific corrective expectations for the vendor: improved driver recruitment and retention, completed route testing before the start of school, timely communications to families when runs are delayed or canceled, and clearer traffic and safety practices during drop-off and pick-up. Several board members asked that the vendor be required to make regular reports to the district and suggested requiring company representation at board meetings until performance improves.

No formal disciplinary motion or termination vote occurred at the June 2 meeting; the board framed its comments as a directive to district staff to press the vendor for a measurable improvement plan over the summer. Superintendent Kathleen C. Greeter and district staff said they would communicate the board’s expectations and continue negotiating operational changes with the vendor.

Board members asked staff to confirm route testing and driver staffing well before the start of the next school year, and to provide clear, documented communication to families this summer about what the district will expect from the vendor and what corrective steps families can expect to see. The board scheduled a special meeting for June 17 to review ongoing operational and staffing matters.

The board’s comments came after a year in which the district switched vendors and entered a roughly $25 million transportation contract; however, the board stopped short of declaring a formal contract breach at the June 2 meeting.

District staff said they share the board’s expectations and reiterated that buses should never leave schools with students standing in aisles. The board said the vendor’s performance next year will determine whether further legal or contract actions are required.