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Rising bus wages and late out-of-district bills squeeze Glocester transportation budget
Summary
Officials told the council that a prevailing-wage increase for drivers and late-arriving out-of-district transportation bills have driven unexpected overages; the district faces limited immediate options beyond rebidding, regional cost-sharing and possible vehicle purchase.
Town and school officials described rising transportation costs as a major budget pressure at the July 29 special meeting. Staff said a newly enacted prevailing wage for bus drivers has pushed local rates higher; a local contractor, Hopkins, told the district the change could threaten their viability. Officials estimated total transportation reimbursement is about $670,000 and said unknown out-of-district vendor bills produced an overage this year of roughly $180,000.
Discussion covered options to reduce costs: rebidding, pursuing regionalized cost-sharing under a RIDE plan for 2027–28, or purchasing a district-owned van (which requires upfront purchase and equipment). "They sent us an estimate of what our overall cost will do for the year," the superintendent noted, describing late RIDE estimates. Auditor General Bergantino said transportation is one of several structural pressures that statewide municipalities are addressing through rebids and regional strategies.
