Northampton subcommittee advances school bus in-housing

School Committee · Meeting of October 5, 2026

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Public Schools Budget and Property Subcommittee voted 3-0 to approve its minutes and heard an update on a plan to bring more bus routes in-house. Superintendent Anna Maria Azarloza told the panel three new vans arrive in January, starting with Bridge Street pre-K routes and select high school and middle school routes, with two more vans and a replacement bus sought in next year's capital budget. Member Martyn pressed for driver training on bullying awareness and immigration protection policy, saying "Tammy felt like she and her staff could do a better job training drivers than the training that happens with the outside vendor." Azarloza said the district has hired drivers from as far as New York amid a regional shortage.

The subcommittee adjourned 3-0 without acting on a separate, unresolved push to schedule a fuller capital-projects and elevator discussion.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,587 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of October 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.