Boston Councilors Fault $125 Million Transdev School Bus Contract

Boston city councilors criticized the school district's bus operations at an education committee hearing on November 2, questioning the value of a transportation budget of $200 million, of which $125 million goes to contractor Transdev, Boston.com reported.

Parents testified about children dropped at the wrong stops, late buses and a tracking app that drivers sometimes fail to log into. Several said they had bought Apple AirTags to follow their children, and others described arranging carpools or paying for Uber rides to reach school. Councilor Ed Flynn said he would end the Transdev arrangement and called an investigation of that option worthwhile. Councilor Erin Murphy framed the delays as a question of equity, since some families cannot arrange alternatives.

Transdev has held the Boston Public Schools contract since 2013 and began a five-year renewal in 2023, serving more than 18,000 students on 609 routes, according to the district.

Dan Rosengard, the district's transportation director, said 94 trips have gone uncovered so far in the current school year, a drop of more than 80% from the same stretch a year earlier. The district fined Transdev more than $400,000 between March and June for late or missing buses under a $500-per-trip penalty, and $10,500 so far this school year. On-time arrivals were 86% in the morning and 83% in the afternoon in September, below the 95% target, and rose to 91% in October, Rosengard said.

This story was first reported by Boston.com.