Massachusetts School Districts Face Ballooning Bus, Vendor Costs
Massachusetts schools face a systemic transportation crisis. The cost of bringing kids to school and back home each day has increased substantially, leaving some to wonder what can be done…
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Massachusetts schools face a systemic transportation crisis. The cost of bringing kids to school and back home each day has increased substantially, leaving some to wonder what can be done to address the transportation funding crisis.
According to a South Shore News report, the problem is driven by four cost-raising forces: severe labor shortages from COVID-19 and competition with logistics, reduced vendor competition from consolidation, high special-education transportation costs driven by 7D vehicle mandates, and a funding model that requires districts to front costs and wait for reimbursement.
Massachusetts has seen dramatic increases in school transportation costs. The South Shore News reported that districts like Fall River have experienced nearly double the costs, from $8 million in 2021 to $16 million in 2025. Dartmouth has shown a 26% increase in 2024, with only one company bidding for the work.
As bus contractor costs soar, some school districts are trying to rein in the spending. Brockton Public Schools, for example, chose to purchase 64 buses for $5.4 million in 2021 to create an in-house fleet, estimating it would save the city millions of dollars.
However, a 2024 internal audit showed a dysfunctional department overrun by a “stunning lack of mechanics” — only three mechanics for approximately 140 vehicles. The district also encountered chronic driver absenteeism and needed to hire private vendors at premium rates to cover shortfalls.
The South Shore News proposed that school districts consider several actions. These ideas include optimizing routing with software, adopting tiered bell times, forming regional collaboratives for OOD special education, demanding itemized invoicing, expanding regional transit authorities, and pursuing cost-sharing strategies.
While school transportation costs continue to threaten school budgets statewide, coordinated local and state reforms remain key to restoring transportation affordability and reliability.
