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District proposes modest bell‑time shifts and bus consolidation to save transit costs
Summary
Pawtucket officials presented a transportation routing analysis recommending modest start‑time shifts (some elementary schools to 9:00 a.m., JMW to 8:00 a.m.) to improve routing and reduce buses; the district says consolidation could cut about seven bus runs (roughly $800,000) while continuing monthly ridership monitoring in vendor contracts.
District transportation staff and outside contractors told the school committee on May 12 that modest bell‑time adjustments could yield operational efficiencies without compromising safety.
Administration described a targeted proposal to move the Agnes Little cluster (McCabe and Potter Burns) from an 8:30–2:40 schedule to 9:00–3:10, and to shift Jacqueline M. Walsh (JMW) from a 7:50 start to 8:00. That change, administrators said, would expand the window between dismissal tiers and allow buses to complete more runs.
Transportation analysis from the statewide review and district vendor First Student identified a potential consolidation of seven bus runs—equivalent to roughly $800,000 in annual costs—after district staff tested routes against Pawtucket’s geography, parochial obligations and special‑education curb‑to‑curb requirements. The district’s internal review aimed for a realistic reduction without compromising programs and said it had already identified an eight‑bus consolidation as feasible in an initial internal test.
Officials emphasized stakeholder engagement. A committee member asked whether parents, principals, after‑school providers and unions had been consulted; the administration said it intended to begin early engagement and to give impacted families advance notice if the committee moves forward. The vendor request for proposals (RFP) will include a monthly ridership analysis requirement so the district can monitor underutilized runs.
Committee members raised questions about family impact (childcare costs and working‑family schedules) and safety (bus monitors and supervision for fuller runs). Transportation staff said bus monitors are provided and that route changes would eliminate some near‑empty buses rather than mix students from different schools on the same run.
Next steps: the district will release the transportation RFP, open vendor bids (bid opening scheduled for Friday morning at 10:01), and bring a recommendation to the May 26 meeting. Administration said it will also provide further community engagement and monthly ridership monitoring in the contract language.
