The Boston Public Schools (BPS) and Mayor Michelle Wu announced to parents in the district on Tuesday night an agreement with the school bus drivers’ union that will allow them to deploy more transport vans to hopefully mitigate the closure of the Orange Line, and associated traffic delays, between Sept. 8 and 19.
The letter went out after 7 p.m. to parents on Tuesday night, Aug. 23, and detailed a plan that would allow 45 added transport vans (known as 7D models) to be used for out-of-district trips. It was signed by Mayor Wu, School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson, and incoming Supt. Mary Skipper.
“In partnership with the school bus drivers’ union, we have reached an agreement that will permit the district to retain up to 70 additional student transport vans, primarily for routes outside of the City of Boston,” read the letter. “These student transport vans will free up existing yellow school bus drivers to increase the number of buses available within city limits. Although the Orange Line shutdown will undoubtedly raise challenges for BPS transportation, we are hopeful that these student transport vans will lessen the additional strain on our yellow school bus system.”
The letter detailed several precautions that would be taken, including the fact that there would be district staff greeting students at every school – even if they are late.
“Students arriving late due to transportation issues will not be penalized,” the letter stated.
That was an important answered question and one many parents were concerned about particularly at the high school level where school starts just after 7 a.m. in most cases. Elementary schools typically start much later, sometimes as late as 9 a.m.
The letter indicated there is a BPS Transportation Helpline to call at 617-635-9520 for help, though if a child is lost, they and their parents should call 9-1-1.
During the summer vacation, up until Sept. 8, the hotline is open from 9a.m.-5p.m. When school is in session, the hotline will be open for students and families from 6a.m.-7p.m.
“We are excited to welcome you back to school in a few weeks, and we’re here to help you and your family find the transportation option that works best for you,” concluded the letter.
The following are bullet points outlined in the letter:
•MBTA and BPS staff will also plan to provide additional staff support to help guide students along the Orange Line shuttle route. Keep an eye out for MBTA Transit Ambassadors who wear bright red polo shirts, sweaters, or jackets with T logos and can be found at stations throughout the system.
•We understand that this will be a stressful time for our students. Our BPS school community is here to serve our students as they arrive at school, ensuring access to the care, education, and healthy breakfast and lunch “after the bell” regardless of travel delays. Students arriving late due to transportation issues will not be penalized.
•Students who usually take the Orange Line may choose to use free shuttle bus service from the MBTA along the Orange Line route. For more information on shuttle buses and transit hubs, visit the City’s Orange Line Shutdown guide.
•Students may also choose to take free Commuter Rail service by showing their CharlieCard or CharlieTicket – even if the passes have no value added. All Commuter Rail stops within Boston are ADA accessible. If this is your first time riding the Commuter rail, we encourage you to read the City’s transportation resource page. The City of Boston distributes free CharlieCards at all Boston Public Libraries.
•If your trip takes you on the Orange Line, you may consider alternate routes using the bus network or other rail lines. The MBTA Trip Planner can help you find other transit options that may work for you.
•We encourage students and families to practice traveling new routes before the first day of school. BPS has secured 5,000 free MBTA 7-Day Passes for families, which have been delivered to schools across the district. Families are encouraged to follow up with their respective schools to arrange times for pick up. Students are already equipped with summer passes and parents, or guardians can accompany them using these free MBTA 7-Day Passes.
•If your child needs wayfinding help, please encourage them to call the BPS Transportation Helpline at 617-635-9520. If your child becomes lost, they should call 9-1-1. The Boston Police Department’s school unit coordinates with Boston Public Schools to locate missing children and return them to their parents and/or guardians or school as quickly as possible.
Due to an error by Boston Public Schools, an earlier version of this article indicated 70 student transport vans would be added instead of 45 vans that are of the ‘7D’ vehicle model.
