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Framingham committee backs five‑year lease‑to‑own buses as district readies in‑house transportation
Summary
In a unanimous vote Dec. 4 the school committee supported a five‑year lease‑to‑own contract with Anderson Motors to secure buses as Framingham moves toward an in‑house busing model; members and union representatives pressed for clear communication and better wages for monitors.
The Framingham School Committee voted unanimously Dec. 4 to support a five‑year lease‑to‑own agreement with Anderson Motors as part of the district’s planned transition to in‑house busing.
Superintendent Dr. Trembley/Tremblay said the committee has already decided to move to an in‑house model but that the current question is whether to lease buses through a vendor or pursue a lease‑to‑own purchase route. He noted the district is facing a driver shortage and emphasized the need to move quickly to secure vehicles so they are available for summer programming. "We do have a significant shortage of drivers," he said.
Jim Marks, the Teamsters business agent representing NRT drivers and monitors, urged clarity for drivers and monitors about the timeline and urged the committee to improve monitor pay. "There's a lot of anxiety, a lot of questions, and they're looking for a lot of answers," Marks said.
Tiffany Maskell sharply criticized last night’s city council meeting on the issue, saying councilors implied the school committee had not done its due diligence. "How dare they say that we haven't done our due diligence?" Maskell said, adding that more than 100 students had missed school this year because of transportation gaps.
Committee members asked that Lincoln Lynch provide city councilors with the financial backup materials used by the district; administration recommended an internal deadline of Dec. 15 for procurement decisions so buses could be obtained in time for a July 1 start. The committee recorded a roll‑call vote in support of the recommendation; the motion was moved by Tiffany Maskell and seconded by William LaBarge.
What happens next: Lincoln Lynch will present more detailed financial materials to the City Council ahead of that body's consideration next week; district leaders said they will continue outreach to drivers and monitors about transition details.
