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NRT Bus Contract

At a glance

  • What: Marlborough Public Schools' transportation contractor NRT has had a troubled 2026-27 start.
  • Where it stands: open, per auto-captions. Payment remains suspended, the city's legal team is involved, and a rebid is possible.
  • Next: follow-up with NRT; a possible rebid.

Timeline

  • 2026-08-25: the finance and operations director (Muhammad (Finance and Operations Director)) reported the Beacon Connect bus-tracking app and new routes posted August 17.
  • 2026-09-08: the superintendent reported eight driver call-outs and 11 late buses that day.
  • By 2026-09-22: the district counted 138 documented disruptions (about 170 per the operations director).
  • By 2026-10-13: disruptions were about 300, another kindergartner had been released without a parent present, a 51A report was filed October 2, and the district met NRT and its attorneys on October 7.

Actions and positions

  • The committee voted to withhold payment from NRT until service improves, with a 10-day letter and a face-to-face meeting requested.
  • Katherine Hennessy said even one child unsafely transported is unacceptable.

Status

  • Open, per auto-captions: payment remains suspended, the city's legal team is involved, and a rebid is possible.

Discussion time

About 38 minutes across 6 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting Minutes
2026-10-13 - School Committee 11
2026-09-22 - School Committee 13
2026-09-08 - School Committee 6
2026-08-25 - School Committee 4
2026-06-09 - School Committee 2
2026-05-26 - School Committee 2

Log

  • 2026-10-13 - School Committee - Disruptions up to about 300; payment still suspended; city legal team involved; rebid possible.
  • 2026-09-22 - School Committee - Motion to withhold payment carried by voice vote; letter to NRT with a 10-day window.
  • 2026-09-08 - School Committee - Bumpy bus start reported; members pressed for NRT reports and urged families to contact principals.
  • 2026-08-25 - School Committee - Beacon Connect bus-tracking app and new routes reported.
  • 2026-06-09 - School Committee - NRT-Teamsters negotiations still unresolved, buses running with substitute drivers and monitors; a consent order injunction on picketing and conduct was issued June 8; summer routes expected about June 22.
  • 2026-05-26 - School Committee - Finance and operations director said NRT's driver negotiations appeared close to settled; no strike that day and NRT had a work-stoppage coverage plan.