WPS turns to leasing to address bus shortage

Long-running Weston Public Schools transportation concerns boiled over on the first day of school as three buses broke down, leading the School Committee to take action to reinforce the fleet.

Daina Selvig, School Committee chair, said there are three issues facing the district’s transportation operations: an immediate shortage of functioning buses, a lack of town maintenance capacity due to a mechanic shortage, and a need for a long-term leasing and replacement strategy for the fleet. While all must be addressed, she said the shortage of buses is the key issue at this moment.

In response, the School Committee at a special meeting on Friday, Aug. 4, authorized the district to enter into a five-year lease agreement for five school buses.

The agreement is expected to cost about $750,000 over the term of the lease, with no obligation to purchase the buses at the end of the term. It allows the district to return the buses at any point. A single bus is estimated at $139,400, and five would cost $700,000, an amount the district does not have on hand.

In late August, however, town counsel informed the district that its lease-to-own plan required Town Meeting approval because it is considered municipal debt.

The district’s replacement schedule for buses estimates about 10 years of service for each vehicle, and it has replaced about three buses annually over the previous half-decade. Neil Trahan, assistant superintendent of technology and operations, said this “replacement plan is not working, and we have to expedite that.” He recommended budgeting five bus replacements each year to keep up with fleet attrition.

At full capacity, Weston Public Schools owns 29 buses and operates 24 simultaneous routes each morning and afternoon, with the remaining buses serving as spares. Trahan said the district currently has a single spare bus because four are out of service, and two of those are expected to be permanently out of service.

The School Committee’s vote also compels the school administration to present a comprehensive review of the district’s transportation plan during the FY28 budget development period, including reports on the condition of the fleet, a replacement schedule, cost estimates, options of purchasing or leasing and maintenance capacity.

“We have an operational issue right now, one that is an issue today, that could be an issue next week,” Selvig said. “I’m very hesitant to kick the can down the road.”

The vote was 3-2, with members Ken Newberg and Steve Dietz expressing concerns about making a decision under pressure and the town’s maintenance capacity. Newberg said the lack of mechanics in town is one of the root issues of the schools’ transportation problems.

“This lease seems to be the worst viable option, given the problem that’s been identified,” Newberg said. “Leasing the buses will not solve that mechanic issue, and will only buy us some time.”

Finance Committee Chair Maija Cirulis-Gooch, who said her committee did not have time to discuss the matter, advocated against the lease because it creates a “fiscal cliff” that will require the district to either renew the lease or purchase up to eight buses at once in 2031. This financial pressure, she added, will hit right as tax bills rise due to borrowing for the fire station, water tanks and, if approved, the school building projects.

“Our town can borrow on the bond market for a fraction of that,” she said. “This leasing commitment and this decision deserves more than a same-day vote.”

There was some discussion about potentially leasing fewer buses to reduce the cost or using some of the superintendent’s $246,000 contingency fund to purchase a bus. Superintendent Karen Zaleski said she wants to retain the fund, which was not used to fund a $257,000 grant shortfall, because of concerns about the future impacts of growing enrollment.

Selvig said she understands the frustrations with rushing to a vote, but the district needs buses to get students to school safely. The other issues, she said, can be discussed and resolved over time.

“We don’t make good decisions when we make them quickly,” Selvig said, agreeing with Newberg. “In my view, we should recognize the operational realities of needing buses now.”