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Single bid for Northbridge school buses would raise transportation costs by roughly $214,000 next year, business manager says
Summary
A single bid from Vendetti would increase annual transportation costs about 12.9%, prompting district staff to explore route consolidation and eligibility changes to mitigate the budget impact.
A business manager (staff member) presented the results of Northbridge’s transportation bidding process and warned that the lone bidder’s proposed rates would raise next year’s transportation budget by about $214,000, or roughly 12.9 percent, to maintain current service levels.
Why it matters: transportation is a significant recurring expense in the district budget. The proposed increase — driven by higher driver wages, equipment costs and industry-wide staffing shortages — will affect the district’s draft operating budget unless changes to service levels are adopted.
What the district reported: the district received one bid (Vendetti) after a pre-bid conference attended by two vendors. The bid lists per-bus daily rates and translates to roughly $1.66 million for the current year and an estimated $1.88 million next year if the district maintains the same number of buses and routes. The business manager described a unit-cost increase on regular buses (from $468/day to $536/day in the bid summary) and noted that the average daily rate among neighboring towns is similar to the bidder’s proposed rate for 2025–26.
Drivers of the increase: the presenter said higher costs reflect a 50 percent rise in vehicle prices compared with previous procurements, higher driver wages, expanded paid-leave provisions, signing/retention bonuses, and higher substitute-driver costs. The manager noted that other districts that recently re-bid reported increases ranging from about 10 percent to 43 percent.
Options under consideration: staff are discussing consolidating runs where feasible, shifting or combining middle- and high-school runs, reviewing eligibility policy for bus service, and reducing the number of contracted buses (the bid allows a limited decrease of up to four buses without penalty). The presenter cautioned that elementary routes largely determine the number of buses required and that reducing bus service could affect student attendance and family logistics.
Procurement status: because the district received a single bid, regulations allow negotiation. The business manager said the district will continue to seek competitive offers, explore route changes with the vendor, and bring a recommended contract award to the committee at a future meeting.
Ending: Committee members agreed the transportation increase requires close budget scrutiny; the district will present options that could reduce cost increases before approving a contract.
