The district provided an update on a March 25 bus-rail crossing incident and said federal and state investigators found that rail systems met relevant federal requirements and that the bus driver made decisions intended to protect students.

Why it matters: The incident raised safety concerns because commuter-rail trains now pass through parts of the district. The district said it has committed to ongoing monitoring, additional driver training and new partnerships to reduce risk and improve communication with families.

Investigations and findings: District staff reported that the Federal Railroad Administration interviewed involved parties, reviewed bus video and MBTA video, and found the MBTA and railroad systems functioned as expected under federal regulations. The district said the bus driver acted to protect student safety.

Actions taken: The district said it has increased oversight and training: First Student (the bus contractor) will provide additional training for drivers through its trainer Kilios Commuter Services; the district plans periodic administrative ride-alongs with drivers; the district also receives a daily call from First Student about route performance.

Crossing sightlines and responsibilities: District staff raised clearing of sightlines at crossings as a shared responsibility; the MBTA and MassDOT representatives told the group they met obligations for clearing areas they are responsible for, and the district asked property owners and towns to help keep sightlines clear where allowed.

Route delays and parent communications: The administration presented route efficiency work by First Student that identified potential time savings on multiple routes. After reviewing routes with district staff and principals, the district said changes will require careful, door‑by‑door evaluation because removing or consolidating stops can increase student walk distances by up to half or three‑quarters of a mile for some students. The district said it will not adopt disruptive stop changes immediately and will continue to monitor daily, but staff will revisit routes and consider an app or communications tool to notify parents of delays. Principals currently communicate when buses are late and the district will follow up to ensure consistent messaging.

Driver shortages and start times: The district cited driver shortages, substitute drivers and school start times among the main contributors to delays. A discussion noted that start times may be covered by collective bargaining provisions and cannot be changed unilaterally; the district will explore options but made no immediate route or start‑time changes.

Ending: The district committed to continued monitoring, additional driver training in partnership with MBTA and First Student, and follow-up work on parent communication tools and route refinements; no immediate service changes were implemented at the meeting.