Framingham schools report driver shortfall and high elementary afternoon bus lateness

Lincoln Lynch, executive director of finance and operations for Framingham Public Schools, told the committee the Dec. 18 transportation report covers a 32‑day window (Oct. 23–Dec. 11) and shows an average of 52.59 buses on the road daily compared with a contract expectation of 77 buses. "It's 24 short from what the contract reads," Lynch said, noting that when buses are unavailable staff must combine routes, which delays students' arrival and dismissal.

Lynch provided punctuality metrics: during the reporting window 5.52% of elementary buses were late in the morning (defined as one minute after the first bell) and 38.06% were late in the afternoon (defined as 10 minutes after the last bell). Middle‑school morning lateness was about 1% and middle‑school afternoon lateness 38.91%; high‑school buses registered no morning lateness.

Why it matters: The shortage and high elementary afternoon lateness affect younger students' pickup conditions (Lynch noted many are now being dropped off in darkness) and require operational adjustments such as combining routes and working with contractor NRT to accommodate trips.

Lynch said the trend is improving as drivers become more familiar with routes, but the district continues to coordinate with vendor NRT and monitor driver counts and run efficiency. He encouraged patience from families while operations stabilize and said staff will continue refining projections and collaborating with principals and directors to address service gaps.

Next steps: Lynch will finalize year‑end projections and continue work with NRT; committee members asked clarifying questions during the update.