BOSTON —
New data shows Boston Public Schools continues to struggle with on-time bus service, leaving some families frustrated as students arrive late and morning routines are disrupted.
According to data reviewed by Boston 25, 80% of BPS buses arrived at school on time during the first seven days of the school year. That marks a three-percentage-point decline compared to the same period last year. On the first day of school alone, BPS reported that just 61% of buses arrived on time.
The latest numbers come as families say transportation issues have persisted for months.
One Boston family with three children attending three different schools said they first contacted officials in January about unreliable bus service and believe conditions have only worsened since then. A parent told Boston 25 that the repeated delays are taking a toll on students.
“In the morning, it’s horrid. She’s in her bedroom now because she’s tired,” the parent said.
The ongoing challenges have also drawn criticism from city leaders.
Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy said the city’s transportation performance is not meeting expectations and suggested officials may need to consider alternative contractors if service does not improve. Murphy pointed to the size of the district’s transportation budget, saying, “When we have a close to $200 million bus system, we need to do better than 80%.”
In a statement, Boston Public Schools said it remains focused on improving service and maintaining communication with families.
“We will continue to closely monitor OTP and push for continuous improvement, as we strive to provide every student with safe, reliable, and on-time transportation to and from school every day,” the district said.
Boston 25 reached out to Transdev for comment. They told us they plan to send us a statement.
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