City schools approve funds for specialized transportation program

A pilot specialized transportation program was launched on Oct. 21, serving the greater Nashua area.

Manchester officials say the initial goal is to establish four to six total routes (Nashua/South, Concord/North, Seacoast/East, Goffstown/West) to expand the service.

“Doing so will allow for a potential significant reduction in Specialized Transportation Expenditures for FY 25 and beyond,” school officials wrote in a memo to school board members. Vehicles and personnel need to be acquired to accomplish the goal, and the transportation department has issued an Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purchase of 14 passenger buses.

The district has four 30-passenger buses already in service in case a route exceeds the 14-passenger capacity. Delivery of vehicles is expected prior to or near Feb. 1.

The school district proposes hiring an additional 12 drivers (two have already been hired to support the initial pilot of the initiative).

For a new driver, the time frame from initial application to ready to work ranges from 1-3 months depending on the nature of the certifications and training needed.

An analysis of the program shows vehicle acquisition costs are “to be determined” based on RFP results.

Using a $100 per vehicle daily operation cost, district transportation officials say the total cost if all six routes run daily is $54,000.

Each additional driver increases the cost to the district by $350 per day, with a total cost of 12 additional drivers for the remainder of the school year (120 days) pegged at $504,000.

The total fiscal impact for the rest of the school year for the proposal is projected to be $558,000.

School officials say the average cost per Manchester student, per day for specialized transportation is $300, with an annual cost for each student around $52,500.

If the new program is launched for the second half of the 2024/25 school year, school officials project a cost reduction of $26,250 per student.

Serving 24 students, a new specialized transportation program is projected to cost $630,000, resulting in a net savings to the district of $72,000.

If 30 students participate, the net savings are $229,500; 40 students project a net savings of $492,000; and 50 students would result in an estimated $745,500.

“I don’t think the general public really understands the cost that’s associated with this part of our budget in terms of transportation,” said school board member and former Mayor Bob Baines. “I know one of the first conversations I had with Committeeman (Jim) O’Connell was this is just unsustainable, the direction we were going in. So I want to thank everybody that’s been involved in this entire effort and the reassurances that you’ve given us that we’re trying to meet the needs of all of our students.”