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Tewksbury school buses short two drivers; district, contractor say they are covering routes and preparing RFP
Summary
The district reported the bus company lost two drivers just before school started, forcing office staff and occasional outside drivers to cover routes, causing phone and app problems. Officials say they are working with the vendor, adjusting billing and planning an RFP for a new contract this winter.
Tewksbury School Committee members spent a sizeable portion of their Sept. 17 meeting focused on transportation after the district’s bus contractor lost two drivers in the week before school started, leaving the company shorthanded for 23 buses.
The business manager, David Libby, told the committee the contractor has 21 full‑time drivers and two office staff who have been driving routes to fill gaps. Libby said the district has received occasional help from the contractor’s other locations in Hadley and Middleborough but that support has not been consistent.
Committee members described the situation as disruptive, especially for families with younger children, and pressed administration about how to avoid similar problems next year. Libby said the shortage required office staff to be on the road and produced phone‑coverage issues; he told the committee the district and company are working to stabilize service and make the contractor’s app more reliable for parents.
To reduce pressure on driver needs, Libby said staff are evaluating whether the fleet can be reduced by one bus to lower the number of required drivers. He also said the district will track daily bus counts and ensure billing reflects actual service, since the current contract bills the district per bus per day. Libby said the district is prepared to document days when 22 buses — not the full 23 — run and to reflect that in vendor invoicing.
Committee members asked whether the contractor is actively recruiting substitutes and training new drivers. Libby reported the contractor is recruiting and had a trainee preparing for testing; the district has also advertised locally for part‑time driver candidates and urged community members to apply.
Committee members and administration discussed contract remedies and timing: the current contract expires next June and the district plans to issue an RFP in December. Libby said the district will consider strengthening penalty/performance clauses in the next contract to reduce recurring service interruptions.
The committee discussed short‑term mitigation including increased communications with families and possible use of spare drivers who can cover some shifts. Libby also said van routes and out‑of‑district van services appear to be operating more smoothly under a revised PK schedule that aligns start and end times at two elementary schools.
Why this matters: inconsistent bus service can create hardship for families and affect student attendance; committee members pressed administration for both operational fixes this year and contract changes to prevent future recurrence.
Speakers quoted in this article are named in the meeting record and appear in the committee’s minutes.
Ending: The committee asked administration to continue pressing the vendor to stabilize routes, to track bus‑by‑day billing, and to return with updates. The district will put the transportation contract out to bid in December as the current agreement approaches its final year.
