Lincoln School Committee approves Doherty's bus contract amendment supporting electric fleet

LINCOLN -- March 20, 2025, Lincoln School Committee approves Doherty's bus contract amendment to clear path for first electric school bus. The committee voted unanimously to set transportation costs at $642,840 in FY27 and $666,947 in FY28, a 3.75 percent annual increase that Business Manager Angela said saves more than $80,000 against the original bid, in exchange for Doherty's ordering at least one electric bus by Oct. 31, 2025. Member Kenneth Lepage pressed on equity given that Eastern Bus and CASE serve METCO and special-education routes, saying the district is "not operating from an equitable space in terms of transportation." Superintendent Perry said moving Doherty's first will "put some pressure on" other operators. The committee also unanimously approved a four-day Washington, D.C., trip for 56 of 64 eighth graders and held a farewell for departing member Kim Rajdev, who led the recent superintendent search, the Collins Center financial review, and a multi-year policy rewrite.