July 1 kicked off the private bus contractor’s five-year contract with BPS with the launch of summer school service. The school district awarded Veolia a contract earlier this year. Before that, BPS had contracted with First Student.
“We are very pleased that the first two weeks of service have gone so smoothly,” said Carl Allen, director of transportation for Boston Public Schools.
During the first week, Veolia operated 80 BPS buses, transporting students to year-round schools, summer school and day camps throughout the city. The following week, service rose to 238 buses as more schools went into summer session.
Ken Westbrook, president for Veolia’s Transit Division, added that the launch was a real team effort among employees from both Veolia and BPS. They worked “around the clock” to ensure buses were ready for the launch.
Under this contract, Veolia manages operations and maintenance for the school district’s large fleet, and BPS maintains ownership of the yellow fleet. Veolia is responsible for all aspects of operations, including safety performance, training, hiring and management of employees.
Officials said the district’s 762 school buses would be operating in time for the beginning of the school year in September.
