Framingham Schools Looking To Change Bus Companies

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FRAMINGHAM – After a rocky relationship with Durham School Services, the Framingham Public Schools is eying a new bus company for the 2021-2022 school season,

The public school district recently requested bids for a 5-year bus contract through June 30, 2026.

There were just two bidders – Durham and NRT Bus Inc.

Durham submitted a bid of $37.137 million with new buses and $35.356 million with used buses.

But the lowest bidder was NRT Bus with new buses and a contract of $30.499 million

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“After review of NRT Bus, Inc’s references and partners over the past ten years, I am confident that NRT Bus, Inc can provide the services our District requires. My recommendation is to award NRT Bus Inc. a five year contract worth $30,499,970 that would begin July 1, 2021 and end June 30, 2026,” wrote Framingham Public Schools Executive Director of Finance and Operations Lincoln Lynch IV in a memo to the School Committee.

“The year one contract price NRT Bus Inc. proposed would result in a savings in the transportation budget of $115,184 planned for FY22. NRT Bus Inc. will provide the District with 78 school buses with drivers that will transport students to and from school. NRT Bus Inc. will also provide transportation for late bus runs and extracurricular runs (athletics and field trips). I look forward to a collaborative and effective partnership with NRT Bus Inc,” wrote Lynch.

The District currently contracts with Van Pool, which is now part of NRT Bus Inc., for its Special Education transportation needs.

” The experience we have had with VanPool for the last two years has been nothing short of excellent,” wrote Lynch.

The School Committee will take up this issue at its meeting on Wednesday,. January 20.

NRT currently services the following school districts or collaborative: Andover Public Schools, Chelmsford Public Schools, Dracut Public Schools, Georgetown School Dept, Greater Lawrence Technical School, Greater Lowell Vocational, Lawrence Public Schools, Lowell Public Schools, Lynn Public Schools, Marlborough Public Schools, Masconomet Regional School District, Methuen Public Schools, North Andover Public Schools, Salem Public Schools, SEEM Collaborative, Triton Regional School District, Tri-Town School Union, Wakefield Public Schools and Wilmington Public Schools.

“Pending School Committee approval, I will move to request the contract to be added to a February City Council agenda and seek their approval. Per M.G.L c. 30B, a contract for supplies or services with a term of more than three years, including the term of any renewal, extension or option, is permissible only if a longer contract has been authorized by a majority vote of the governing body of your local jurisdiction before you award the contract,” wrote Lynch to the School Committee.

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