柯普利廣場在波士頓馬拉松賽期間將部分開放

          (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 宣佈，柯普利廣場公園的部分區域已重新開放，以迎接即將到來的2025年波士頓馬拉松賽。

          重新開放的區域包括已於2025年4月10日啟用的廣場和高架樹叢區域，以及在2025年元旦為慶祝新年而開放的東北三角區域。柯普利廣場公園自2023年7月起進行耗資1890萬美元的整修，旨在提升公園的無障礙性、功能性和社區使用率。

         吳弭市長表示，柯普利廣場公園一直是波士頓的重要地標和聚會場所，她感謝相關團隊努力在波士頓馬拉松賽前重新開放部分區域。波士頓體育協會（B.A.A.）將在馬拉松週末利用這些新整修的區域作為運動員服務、志工運營和醫療帳篷的所在地。不過，公園在比賽日將不對觀眾開放。

      柯普利廣場公園多年來一直是波士頓馬拉松的重要場地。整修工程包括翻新標誌性的噴泉、增加帶遮蔭座位的樹木、更新步道和照明，以及創建新的彈性活動空間。噴泉、草坪和周邊人行道預計將在2025年9月完工。

        波士頓體育會 (B.A.A.)總裁兼執行長Jack Fleming感謝波士頓市在馬拉松賽週末重新開放一部分份的科普利廣場公園。波士頓公園局臨時專員Liza Meyer則強調，新的廣場和高架樹叢區域將使這個歷史悠久的空間更易於使用和更具功能性。該項目由Sasaki設計，W.E.S. Construction Corporation負責施工。

        查詢最新資訊，可上網boston.gov/copley-improvements。

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES COPLEY SQUARE PARK TO PARTIALLY REOPEN IN TIME FOR 2025 BOSTON MARATHON

BOSTON - Friday, April 18, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department today announced the partial re-opening of Copley Square Park in time for the 2025 Boston Marathon presented by Bank Of America being held on Monday, April 21. The newly completed part of the park includes the Plaza and Raised Grove areas, which reopened on April 10. This follows the reopening of the northeast triangle of the park on New Years Day 2025 for the City’s annual First Night celebration. The fountain, lawn areas, and perimeter sidewalks are scheduled for completion by September 2025. The partial reopening is in time for the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) to utilize the space for the weekend of the Boston Marathon, like in years past.   “Copley Square Park will forever be an important landmark and gathering space that invites everyone in to enjoy our city,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m thankful to our Parks and Rec team and all who helped to renovate this beloved community space for the next generation, and in time to reopen a key portion for the Boston Marathon.” Copley Square Park has been under renovation since July 2023. The $18.9 million renovations will enhance accessibility, functionality, and community use. Key improvements include the renovation of the iconic fountain, increasing the existing tree canopy through a raised grove with shaded seating, updated pathways and lighting, and new flexible event spaces to accommodate events including the Boston Marathon and the Copley Square Farmers Market, as well as daily public use.

Copley Square Park will not be open to spectators on race day, but will be partially reopened over the weekend for the public to enjoy. The B.A.A. will utilize the newly renovated space as a home for their athlete services, volunteer operations, and medical tents.  “Copley Square Park makes its triumphant return on Marathon Weekend, and what is one of Boston’s signature weekends. Copley Square Park has been ‘home’ to the Boston Marathon, presented by Bank of America, for decades, and we look forward to welcoming visitors and those who live locally as they make their way down Boylston Street,” said Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the Boston Athletic Association. “Copley Square Park is a centerpiece of the running world this weekend, and we thank the City of Boston and Parks & Recreation for having it available for everyone to enjoy. While Copley Square Park supports the operations of this year’s Boston Marathon, the refurbished features have made the park come alive.” Improvements to Copley Square Park were designed by Sasaki and construction is being completed by W.E.S. Construction Corporation. The project budget is $18.9 million including design and construction. “We’re proud to welcome runners and spectators back to the improved Copley Square Park in time for the 2025 Boston Marathon,” said Boston Parks Interim Commissioner Liza Meyer. “The new plaza and raised grove areas help make this historic space more accessible, welcoming, and functional for both everyday use and major events. We can’t wait to unveil the full improvements later this year.”  For updates and inquiries, visit the project website at boston.gov/copley-improvements.

HERstory Exhibit Opening Fridays for Public Viewing Starting April 18

 HERstory Exhibit Opening Fridays for Public Viewing Starting April 18

Photo display honoring Massachusetts women will welcome visitors every Friday

 

(BOSTON—4/17/2025) HERstory: Volume III, a photo exhibit honoring 91 trailblazing women who have shaped the history of Massachusetts and the nation, will open its doors to the public every Friday, beginning April 18, 2025.

 

The exhibit will be open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on Fridays, in Senate President Karen Spilka’s ceremonial office on the third floor of the Massachusetts State House, directly outside the Senate Chamber.

 

In the State House, where there are a number of paintings, sculptures and murals depicting men throughout history, HERstory was conceived to commemorate the often-forgotten stories of the bold and influential women and women of color who shaped Massachusetts. Each photo in the HERstory display covers a portrait of a past Senate President, who were all men until 2007.

 

“Massachusetts residents have always been dynamic and diverse, but our State House art has failed to fully represent them,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “It is our responsibility to make sure every resident can see themselves in the halls of power, regardless of their background. I hope that when women walk into this office, they know that they have a place in this building—and in shaping Massachusetts’ future. I’m so excited to be able to share this with residents, visitors, and staff who come to the State House.”

 

About HERstory: Volume III

 

HERstory Volume III: Trailblazers and Disruptors honors women who either hail from Massachusetts or have had a profound impact on the state by shattering glass ceilings and seeing beyond accepted limits. The exhibit stands as a powerful and long-overdue expansion of representation—a space where every visitor can see themselves reflected. 

The exhibit highlights 91 women through original photographs displayed in the Senate President’s ceremonial office. Among these distinguished figures are:

 

• Phillis Wheatley, the first African American author of a published book of poetry and a strong supporter of America's fight for independence.
• Frances Perkins, workers' rights advocate and first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet.
• Elberta Futrelle Copeland, first woman publisher of the State House News Service and first woman to step foot on the floor of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
• Kitty Dukakis, longest-serving First Lady of Massachusetts and advocate for mental health and Holocaust awareness.
• Margaret H. Marshall, anti-apartheid activist and first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

 

This installation, following last year’s addition of Frederick Douglass’ bust in the Senate chamber and the portrait of Abigail Adams in the Senate lobby, is the latest step in Senate President Spilka’s ongoing effort to expand representation in the State House.

「波士頓250」 4月18日晚老北教堂開步

              (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)和麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 明日 (4月18) 晚上7點，將在老北教堂舉行點燈儀式，在保羅里維爾 (Paul Revere)廣場提燈遊行，安排無人機在波士頓上空表演，啟動為期一年的「波士頓250」慶祝。

1775年的4月18日傍晚，在麻州省議會這革命團體組織中擔任公安委員會主席的Joseph Warren博士獲悉情報，英軍要從波士頓碼頭上岸，直奔勒星頓鎮，逮捕為逃避英軍，那時住在牧師Jonas Clarke家的約翰漢考克 (John Hancock) 和Samuel Adams，同時到康可鎮 (Concord) 掃蕩軍火庫時，立即派遣保羅里維爾騎馬狂奔，趕去通知。

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow在1860年出版的名詩，”保羅里維爾騎行 (Paul Revere's Ride)”，「閃一下，從陸地來，閃兩下，從海面來 (One by land, two by sea)」，更是讓美國人從此把這"其刑”當成了革命起點。

「波士頓250」因此選定4月18日，來到北教堂，以及保羅里維爾廣場，啟動為期一年的美國獨立250週年慶祝，也標榜波士頓在美國獨立上的歷史地位。

4月18日晚7:00，「波士頓250」將在老北教堂舉行點燈儀式，市長吳弭、歷史學教授Heather Cox Richardson和其他民選官員將出席，一起回顧當年。

晚上7:30，「波士頓250」將在保羅里維爾廣場舉行啟動儀式，波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)、麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey)、麻州參議員Lydia Edwards，麻州眾議員麥家威 (Aaron Michlewitz)，波士頓市議員Gabriela Coletta Zapata將致詞，波士頓流行樂團演奏音樂。

接著會有提燈遊行、波士頓港上空的無人機表演，以及重演保羅里維爾划船前往Charlestown的活動。

詳細資訊和完整的活動安排可在 boston.gov/250 上找到。此次啟動活動由波士頓市與多家歷史組織合作舉辦。

波士頓臺灣同鄉會聊「台灣新時代」 李正皓、卓冠廷籲年輕人關心民主

「波士頓今晚沒有極限」活動現場。 (周菊子攝)

           (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州報導) 波士頓台灣同鄉會 (TAA-Boston)和北美洲台灣婦女會波士頓分會(NATWA-Boston)合作，4月14日晚在勒星頓鎮舉辦的「波士頓今晚沒有極限」座談會，邀得李正皓、卓冠廷、洪慈庸、山田摩衣等台灣政壇的4名年輕人，聊「新世代與台灣新時代」，吸引逾百人潮，盛況少見。

波士頓台灣同鄉會這場活動，有逾百名綠白藍或無盪派人士出席關心臺灣未來。

                      李正皓曾經是國民黨青年軍執行長，後來被國民黨開除，加入過親民黨，並於2020年代表親民黨參選立委，如今無黨籍。2023年他原本要以無黨籍身分與民進黨合作，在「民主大聯盟」旗幟下參選立委，但民進黨內部冒出爭議聲音，最終未能參選。

剛過40歲生日的李正皓，現在主持三立新聞台的Youtube節目「新台派上線」，以及震傳媒的”播客(Podcast)”節目「皓事之徒」。

北美洲台灣婦女會波士頓分會會長蘇美麗(中)送上美國土產
與獨立宣言給山田摩衣 (右起)、李正皓，卓冠廷，洪慈庸等嘉賓。(周菊子攝)

                       這晚，李正皓回顧了自己的參政經歷，理念轉變過程，強調獨立思考和確立價值觀的重要性。他說自己主導了2項社會實驗，一是在2024年立委選舉期間的「搶救王義川」，一是他現在主持的網路節目「新台派上線」，希望能單純的從為臺灣好的角度，鼓勵年輕人來一起重新思索臺灣未來方向。

波士頓台灣同鄉會會長鄭嵎(中)把罷免連署書交給卓冠廷和山田摩衣。
(周菊子攝)

                    卓冠廷是台北市現任市議員，曾任民進黨發言人，當過記者、幕僚，台中市新聞局長，現年39歲，在19年前來波士頓待過2個月。他以「民主新世代，臺灣新時代」為主題，想要闡述3個重點，一是臺灣的民主得來不易，二是民進黨面對的問題與挑戰，但第三個並未明說。

洪慈庸以「民主新世代，台灣新時代」為主題發言。 (周菊子攝)

                      他說，臺灣人經歷過白色恐怖，沒有民主或言論自由的年代，然後許信良、呂秀蓮、謝長廷、蘇貞昌、游錫堃，陳水扁這些人，為爭取民主形成的美麗島時代，還在1986年打著選舉後援會名義，成立了民主進步黨，接著是1990、2000年的全運時代，有林佳龍、徐熙嫻、鄭文燦、鍾嘉碧、鄭麗君這些人，在陳水扁上台擔任總統後，被大量重用，而他和李正皓這些1980年後出生的這一輩年輕台灣人，一出生，空氣就是民主的，和這一輩的年輕人去談民主是前輩們多辛苦才爭取來的，很多年輕人會無感，但是臺灣現在享有的民主是會被奪走的，這也是為什麼，臺灣的選舉，每次選到最後，都會有中國路線和臺灣路線的選擇，因為有意識的人都知道，問題不在於民主是否得來不易，而是能否守護。

卓冠廷強調，年輕世代必須清楚，民主是會被奪走的。 (周菊子攝)

                  身為民進黨員的卓冠廷認為，國民黨加民眾黨在立法院輾壓民進黨，奪走民主，通過了「國會職權修法」，擴大了立法院的調查權，聽證權，還亂砍預算。讓他覺得最不可思議的是，立法院在議事途中，把和自己意見不同的政黨全趕了出去，然後自己閉門表決。

黃文彥(左一)主持座談。(周菊子攝)

                   卓冠廷直言，民進黨面對的另一個問題是民進黨正在急速老化，2020年時，40歲以下立委，民進黨籍6人，國民黨籍1人。到了2024年，國民黨暴增10倍，有了10人，民進黨籍卻銳減一半。

卓冠廷覺得，民進黨黨人現在有3件事要做，一是不能放棄當年的創黨精神，二要重視草根，三要加強論戰能力，才能開創新局。民進黨需要提攜後進，協助年輕人面對更多壓力。

新英格蘭台灣商會副會長蔡高進士常看李正皓的節目，
這天特地來和李正皓本人合影。(周菊子攝)

洪慈庸曾任立法委員，現為立法院榮譽顧問，踏進政壇，緣起於她弟弟洪仲秋當年在軍中服役時，竟在違規被懲處關禁閉時死亡，引發社會爭議，她代表洪家發聲受矚目。這晚她說，12年過去，她的經歷讓她反思，台灣接下來的路要怎麼走，民進黨和其他台派力量要怎樣共創新局。

洪慈庸因為洪案，代表時代力量黨參選立委，柯文哲和蔡英文都曾為其站台，不過2019年時因路線分歧，她退出時代力量黨，2020年競選連任失利，獲時任立法院院長的游錫堃邀請，出任立法院辦公室機要顧問，2022年為輔佐丈夫卓冠廷參選，辭去顧問一職。

洪慈庸這晚發言很短。她說自己現在無黨籍，可以大膽說，現在的民進黨有國民黨化跡象，年輕人必須站出來尋找民主新方向。

雖然她和被國民黨開除的李正皓來自不同地方，但他們都一樣是台灣的擁護者，希望台灣能繼續保有民主自由。她感慨的說，其實不管那個黨，都曾出現過讓人寄以厚望，後來又夢想破裂的狀況，所以她們想要做的事是盡量團結，支持所有台派。

現年35歲的臺北市議員山田摩衣，父親是日本人，母親是臺灣人，曾任游錫堃的秘書。她希望強化台灣、美國與日本的跨國連結，還說賴清德總統成立青年局是為加強和日本自民黨青年局的交流。

李正皓、卓冠廷、洪慈庸、山田摩衣等4人，此行訪美，是應邀出席北美洲台灣婦女會年會，特地提前一週抵美，巡迴芝加哥、休士頓、波士頓、華府、紐約及新澤西州六地，暢談理念。

波士頓台灣同鄉會在活動之前已收集到120份罷免連署書，寄了回臺灣，這晚又追加10份，請卓冠廷在4月20日前，把連署書送達罷免團造冊。

4月14日晚，呂宗禧接待嘉賓到場後，黃文彥主持座談，波士頓台灣同鄉會會長鄭嵎把罷免連署書交給卓冠廷和山田摩衣，北美洲台灣婦女會波士頓分會會長蘇美麗送上台灣特產小禮物。 (更新版)

麻大陳氏醫學院宣佈裁員、勒令休假200人

麻州州長Maura Healey 4月15日到訪麻大陳氏醫學院。
(圖片來自該校網上視頻截圖)

           (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州大學陳氏醫學院 (UMass Chan Medical School ) 一位發言人4月16日證實，該學院已解僱員工或勒令休假約200名員工。

該校發言人 Sarah Willey說，自從川普總統一月上任以後，美國國立衛生研究院 (NIH)長期拖延發放新的研究經費，以致該校出現短缺3000萬美元資金狀況，不得不裁員。

陳樂宗在捐款儀式上致詞。(檔案照片，周菊子攝)

去年，麻大陳氏學院拿到1億9300萬元研究經費，現在得為來年的聯邦經費不穩定作準備。基於川普政府提議的非直接NIH經費上限，該校預期會損失5000萬元經費。

              該校已暫停聘用教授，並大幅度縮減晨邊 (Morningside)生醫科學研究所的班級規模，暫停所有的聘僱及可自由支配支出。

              麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 15日才到員工6000多人，每年為麻州經濟貢獻20億元的麻大陳氏醫學院參訪，強調了這麻州唯一的公立醫學院經費縮減、不穩定的危險。

              奚莉州長說，這經費縮減得很厲害，包括支援基因療法，以及罕見病，HIV，數位醫藥，神經科學等等研究的重要工作。麻大陳氏醫學院在治療漸凍症 (ALS)等許多惡劣疾病的新基因療法上有突破性的臨床實驗。但是這種進步，現在面臨危險，病人及家屬的希望也被剝奪。

                        麻大醫學院於2021年9月獲得陳樂宗晨興基金的一億7500萬元捐款後，改名為麻大陳氏醫學院 (UMass Chan Medical School)。

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Community Colleges $9.7 Million to Strengthen the Massachusetts Health Care Workforce

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Community Colleges $9.7 Million to Strengthen the Massachusetts Health Care Workforce 

Funding supports certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, and other health care training programs 
 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that $9.7 million has been awarded through the Community College Nursing Grant to expand workforce training in critical health care professions across Massachusetts. This funding will support noncredit Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant training programs at each of the state’s 15 public community colleges, serving approximately 1,125 students in the state. Non-credit programs are designed to meet workforce demands quickly and efficiently, while providing individuals with practical, job-ready skills for upward mobility. 

“As the daughter of a school nurse, I know how important it is to have experienced workers in the health care industry. These training programs will bolster the nursing pipeline to meet the workforce needs of employers in the medical field and the health care needs of patients across Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This funding will help to break down barriers that far too many people face when trying to obtain credentials and certificates to advance their careers in health care.” 

“As one of the most rapidly growing STEM occupations, it is vital that we open pathways for more people to pursue nursing and health care careers as soon as possible,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These training programs are a win for our residents, a win for our employers, and a win for our health care system.” 

By investing in these programs, the administration is bolstering Massachusetts’ health care industry by developing a highly skilled workforce of CNAs, Medical Assistants, and other health care professionals. This funding will also create training and employment opportunities across the state, ensuring that individuals from diverse backgrounds have access to stable, well-paying careers in health care. Additionally, these programs will serve as a foundation for further education, providing learners with clear pathways to advance their careers and pursue higher levels of health care education in the future.  

“By creating more opportunities for equitable access to high demand fields, we can grow the health care workforce at a rate that meets the needs of Massachusetts residents,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “Our strategy for improving access to higher education is intimately linked with our goal meeting workforce needs and I am grateful to our community colleges for continuing to partner with us on expanding pathways to success through higher education and training for our learners.” 

“This investment in education for health care workers helps everyone who calls this state home,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “These community college grants are just one way we are supporting our dedicated health care professionals, giving them the tools and training they need to provide high-quality care to those who need it.” 

These non-credit training programs are designed to meet workforce demands more quickly than a college semester cycle, while providing individuals with job-ready skills that open opportunities for upward mobility. After participating in these health care training programs, residents can choose to use their learned skills to enter into the workforce or, thanks to MassReconnect and MassEducate, to continue their education and pursue for-credit programs tuition and fee free at community colleges. 

“Massachusetts’ community colleges are embedded in their surrounding communities, and I value the ability of these colleges to channel their knowledge base and quickly address workforce needs,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “These funds provided by the legislature and Healey-Driscoll Administration will provide a pathway to in-demand CNA and medical assistant careers, while bringing much needed support to the state’s health care workforce.”  

Nursing is already a high demand industry in Massachusetts and is only expected to grow over the next decade. According to Lightcast data, in February 2025, the four employers with the most job postings in Massachusetts were in the health care sector. Nationally, jobs for registered nurses are projected to grow 6 percent by the early 2030s, and in Massachusetts it’s expected to be closer to 9 percent. 

This announcement comes after the Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded an additional $76 million in student loan repayment for behavioral health and primary care providers through the MA Repay Program. Since 2023, this program has invested more than $245 million in loan repayment to support health care professionals across Massachusetts and is a critical part of the work happening to address workforce shortages in critical fields like health care. 

“Our colleges are committed to preparing our students with the skills and education they need to succeed in high demand roles,” said Luis Pedraja, president of Quinsigamond Community College and chair of the Community College Council of Presidents. “There are critical shortages in nursing and other healthcare fields across the Commonwealth and many of our students are looking to earn a credential that will prepare them to enter the workforce quickly. We are immensely grateful to the legislature and the Healey-Driscoll administration for this funding which will allow students seeking these credentials to do so at no cost.” 

“This investment by the Healey-Driscoll Administration will improve healthcare in the Commonwealth while, at the same time, providing job opportunities in areas in which there are critical shortages, said MassBay Community College President David Podell. “Massachusetts community colleges like ours are student-ready – we meet students where they are and help them advance in their lives and careers. We look forward to serving new students who, after completion of their programs, will earn sustainable wages, while helping to make our communities healthier. We are grateful for this impactful and forward-thinking investment.” 

MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND SUPERINTENDENT MARY SKIPPER ANNOUNCE NEXT STEPS TO BUILD ON BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRANSPORTATION PROGRESS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND SUPERINTENDENT MARY SKIPPER ANNOUNCE NEXT STEPS TO BUILD ON BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRANSPORTATION PROGRESS New Ridership Procedure will improve efficiency of the transportation system, leading to improved service for students and families

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper today shared updates on the City’s progress to improve Boston Public Schools’ transportation and announced a new Ridership Procedure. The new procedure will be implemented after Boston Public Schools (BPS) April vacation week, to improve the efficiency of BPS transportation operations and further improve bus service for students. The Ridership Procedure was part of a new report released today, Driving Change: BPS Transportation Progress 2022-2025, which details the current performance of the BPS transportation system and the next steps to drive continuous improvement. Mayor Wu and Superintendent Skipper discussed key findings from the report and the forthcoming Ridership Procedure during a roundtable conversation with BPS educators and families at the Rafael Hernández School.  In March 2025, BPS Transportation achieved an average of 94% on-time performance (OTP) among morning bus trips––the best monthly performance at any point since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago. The improvement in OTP is the result of specific changes implemented since 2022 to improve the efficiency of the system: Reforming key contracts, including with the vendor, currently Transdev, and the bus drivers’ union Eliminating staffing shortages that continue to impact school districts nationwide, nearly eliminating uncovered bus trips in Boston Modernizing routing and operations by replacing a paper-based system with a real-time GPS navigation technology and tracking app, Zūm Aligning bell times across almost all BPS schools to the three-tier schedule, with schools beginning at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30AM to enable most buses to complete three runs every morning Improving athletics transportation by implementing Zūm and optimizing scheduling of athletic games to stay within BPS’ yellow bus capacity, resulting in 100% coverage of scheduled athletic trips since the start of February 2025 “I’m so excited to be at this stage of talking about school bus transportation with a completely new set of issues because we’ve taken big steps forward with technology, outreach and rebuilding systems,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Most importantly, this is about the individual experiences of each family and student, and we are excited to take that on and to do better each and every day to make sure that Boston continues to be making progress.” “We are proud to see that our long-term planning and implementation efforts across the district are directly benefiting our students, including our improved transportation operation for Boston’s students,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “Achieving our highest on-time performance in five years is a reflection of the strategic changes we have made over the last few years. From modernizing our routing system to strengthening our partnerships with drivers and vendors, we have built a stronger, more reliable system for families. I am encouraged by our progress, which is helping more students get to school, to home, and to sports and extracurriculars safely and on time, and I have no doubt that we will only continue to improve.” The Driving Change report includes detailed data showing that the operational reforms since 2022 have resulted in improved bus performance: fewer uncovered bus trips, including for athletics; higher on time performance (OTP); and stronger and more transparent customer service for families.  For example, Day 1 OTP is a high-profile and important measure of transportation performance. After implementing numerous operational reforms secured through the new vendor and bus drivers’ contract, the start of the 2023-24 school year saw the highest Day 1 morning OTP in the past ten years.  At the start of the 2024-25 school year, BPS Transportation deployed Zūm, a new technology that contributed to a significant but short-term decline in Day 1 OTP, as bus drivers used the app in real-world driving conditions for the first time. Over the first couple of weeks, as drivers, school staff, and families grew accustomed to the new technology, OTP rapidly improved, stabilizing at a higher rate than last year. From October to March of the 2024-25 school year, morning OTP averaged 91.7%, compared to 90.6% from October to March of 2023-24.  However, without further structural changes to right size the transportation system, OTP is likely to plateau in the low- to mid-90s. At the transportation roundtable with BPS parents and students, Mayor Wu and Superintendent Skipper also announced that after April vacation, BPS will be implementing a Ridership Procedure for pausing student bus assignments based on consistent non-ridership. This will improve efficiency and performance of the bus routes. This procedure––developed and unanimously recommended by BPS’ Transportation Advisory Council––will ensure only students who use the bus are routed for transportation, aligning transportation service with actual ridership. When a student does not ride the bus for ten consecutive school days, without providing prior notification in the Zūm app to cancel a student’s scheduled bus rides, BPS Transportation staff will proactively reach out to their family and provide notice that they will be removed from the route. Students can keep their bus assignment if they return to riding the bus. Students can also contact BPS Transportation to reinstate transportation services at any later date, as long as they are still eligible for a yellow bus. Upon implementation of the Ridership Procedure, the District estimates that close to 1,000 students who have consistently not been riding the bus this school year will be opted out of transportation. Enabled by the adoption of the Zūm technology platform in 2024, which allowed BPS to systematically track student ridership for the first time, this change will further improve reliability and on-time performance, while ensuring resources are allocated equitably and efficiently to the students who rely on the school bus to get to and from school. “I am truly proud to see this BPS Transportation report profile significant improvement over the past few years, especially this year alone with the Zūm app technology that I advocated for early in my term,” said District 5 City Councilor Enrique Pepén. “To see this district-wide implementation as well as the Ridership Procedure and collaboration efforts show significant improvements in our young people getting to-and-from school is remarkable. This short period of time gives great hope of achieving a 100% on-time performance in the near future - a reality our families and children deserve.” “Our bus drivers, monitors, and the entire Transdev and BPS Transportation teams work incredibly hard every day to get students to and from school safely and on time. While this report highlights the progress we've made in recent years, we know that the work is not yet done. With the implementation of the new Ridership Procedure, our team will be able to build bus routes based on actual student ridership for the first time - ensuring our resources are going towards those students who need the bus, adding slack to the system, and building upon the OTP improvements we've seen this year," said Dan Rosengard, Executive Director of BPS Transportation. “I’m grateful to the members of the Transportation Advisory Council for their hard work to design this procedure and advocate for continued transportation improvements for Boston students.”   “As the Hernández is a dual-language school that draws students from all over the City, reliable, on time transportation is critical to our students' ability to be at school and ready to learn every day. Our staff and families have been strong advocates for transportation improvements to address the history of late buses. Although there is still room to grow, we've seen meaningful improvements in bus timeliness and communications this year, following the introduction of the Zūm app. I look forward to continued improvements following the implementation of the Ridership Procedure and will continue to be a strong advocate for taking the necessary steps to ensure all students have safe, reliable, on-time transportation every day,” said Rafael Hernandez Duel Language K-8 School Leader Danielle Costello.