WORCESTER – Tuesday, August 12, 2025 – Worcester Public Schools (WPS) has announced that bus routes for the 2025–26 school year were shared with families on August 1, marking the second year in a row the district has released routes well ahead of the first day of school.
“Our goal is to make the start of the school year as smooth as possible for families,” said Mike Freeman, Acting Administrative Director of Transportation and Operations. “Early access to transportation details is key to helping families plan ahead.”
This year, WPS is proud to be fully staffed with bus drivers and ready to operate 104 bus routes, an increase from 101 last year, providing more options for students. The district transports nearly 12,000 students daily.
“I believe our success in being fully staffed comes down to a few key factors: a world-class training team, our strong partnership with MassHire, an employee-friendly facility with investments in new equipment, and most importantly, a strong, positive workplace culture that has led to a very low turnover rate,” said Freeman.
“Being fully staffed with bus drivers is a major achievement given national shortages,” Superintendent Brian E. Allen said. “It reflects our commitment to recruitment, training, and retention, which helps us ensure safe and reliable transportation for our students.”
The Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Transportation Department collaborates closely with the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board to address the district's school bus driver needs. This partnership facilitates the recruitment, hiring, and training of new drivers through programs like the Worcester Jobs Fund. Eligible residents can access free, six-week training sessions that include obtaining necessary endorsements such as airbrakes, passenger, and school bus certifications. Upon successful completion, participants are prepared for entry-level positions with competitive starting wages. This initiative not only supports WPS in maintaining a fully staffed fleet but also provides local residents with valuable career opportunities.
WPS will also begin onboarding 20 new electric buses later this fall — after the first day of school — as part of its commitment to sustainability and reducing the district’s carbon footprint.
Families can find their child’s bus stop and schedule on the WooEdu Parent/Caregiver Portal or the WooEdu Student Portal. Both portals are accessible at worcesterschools.org/buses, where parents can also find instructions on how to view their child bus schedule.
Worcester Public Schools is entering its fourth school year of operating all transportation in-house, no longer relying on third-party vendors. In the first year of in-house operation, parent complaints about on-time performance dropped 76%. The move also reduced the district’s transportation costs by more than $5 million a year and has resulted in local and national awards.