Brockton Schools Projects $4-5 Million Transportation Gap, Plans City Council Request

BROCKTON — March 24, 2026 — Brockton Public Schools faces a projected $4 million to $5 million transportation budget shortfall for fiscal year 2026. At Tuesday's Security, Safety and Transportation Subcommittee meeting, Superintendent Dr. Taheliani told members the district received $14.9 million in non-net school spending for transportation against an anticipated total cost comparable to last year's $19.7 million, and said she plans to bring a formal supplemental funding request to the City Council. Director of Transportation Kamal Peterson and Assistant Director Andre Galen reported that overtime costs have dropped from roughly $200,000 to $181,000 year-over-year and total driver hours fell from 1.2 million to 1 million, crediting a newly ratified collective bargaining agreement approved by drivers 71 to 21 — described as the largest union turnout on record — that restructures hours to eliminate most future overtime. The department is awaiting a transportation services bid opening April 7 before committing to a planned expansion of lower-cost 7D-licensed drivers using district-owned Honda Odysseys, a move officials said could save hundreds of dollars per student per day compared with current private vendor rates. Members also raised unresolved safety concerns about school pickup and drop-off congestion, noting the district has only nine active school police officers against a state-recommended ratio of one per thousand students.