Committee approves new multi‑town bus contract as transportation costs rise 16%
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Summary
The committee approved a new bus contract that increases district transportation costs roughly 16% and reduces the number of buses from 19 to 17. The district will partner with nearby towns to share routes for certain special‑education transports as a cost‑mitigation strategy.
The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee on April 21 approved a new student‑transportation contract that district staff said will cost about 16% more than current rates.
"We partnered with Tiverton and Little Compton, and then Middletown came in later," said district staff member Carrie (last name not specified). She said Barrington later joined discussions and that some partner towns will run shared or cohort routes for specialized placements.
District presenters said the contract would cost about $2,573,000 for 2026, compared with a budgeted figure of $2,423,000 — a difference of roughly $150,000. The district also said it reduced its fleet count from 19 to 17 buses under the new contract. Two vendors who had provided service in the past, Ocean State and Whaling City, declined to bid on the latest contract.
School Committee members asked whether partnering towns would all use the same vendor; district staff said First Student would operate specified shared runs for in‑district and some out‑of‑district special‑education transports.
"We did eliminate two buses, so we went from 19 to 17, and that cost does include that as well," Carrie said in response to a committee question about fleet size.
Committee members voted to approve the contract by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
