Marlborough School Committee approves NRT bus contract raising driver pay to $34

MARLBOROUGH -- December 13, 2022, Marlborough schools raise bus driver pay to $34 an hour in new NRT deal. The School Committee on Dec. 13 approved a large yellow bus contract with North Reading Transportation running Jan. 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025, after only one vendor bid on the district's targeted Invitation for Bids. Director of Finance and Operations Doug Dias said the rate would be the highest in the region and called retention "a daily battle," noting the district had lost another driver in the previous two weeks. Member Daniel Caruso recused and left the room before the vote. The committee also approved a $122,000 transfer to cover McKinney-Vento, collaborative and private day tuition overages, adopted seven policy revisions under a suspension of the rules, and accepted more than $19,000 in donations, including $5,000 from the Frigham Family Trust for Whitcomb Engineering.