Uxbridge faces bus capacity squeeze; administration says software, head counts and policy fixes underway

District officials told the committee that transportation demand has outpaced capacity this fall and that short‑term operational fixes and longer‑term policy work are underway.

Transportation staff reported 1,220 registrations and approximately 1,103 regular bus riders. "We have about 26 students that are currently wait‑listed," the transportation lead said, naming bus routes with constraints and noting several late registrants contributed to the pressure. Officials added Vendetti has implemented Travera routing software to optimize runs and that central office staff worked closely with the contractor during onboarding.

Administrators said the longest route currently runs 1 hour 26 minutes and has about 40 stops. To free seats for dependent riders, the district has begun daily driver head counts, instituted a visible bus‑pass requirement, and is contacting families who register but do not consistently use the bus. "Our longest bus route is 1 hour and 26 minutes," the transportation lead said, adding that some routes cover more than 30 square miles and narrow roads complicate routing.

Committee members suggested policy options including a nominal registration fee to discourage one‑time backup registrations, reassessing start times, improved communications and community ride‑share tools. Several members urged an in‑depth transportation summit to present options before FY‑27 budget decisions; the committee asked that Melanie (central office) be included in planning and that the administration return with ridership and cost scenarios.

Administration emphasized that the district’s current transportation policy is more generous than state minimums (which require free transportation only for students living two or more miles from school), and said it is exploring reassignments, better route optimization, and capacity management procedures rather than immediately adding buses.