MassDOT Announces Reprocurement for Service Plazas Contract

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that they are preparing to reprocure the contract to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the 18 service plazas across the state.  

"These service plazas play a critical role for our residents, visitors, workers and economy. MassDOT's focus has always been on delivering the highest-quality service plazas that offer the best value for taxpayers," said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, who will oversee the process. "After careful consideration, we have determined that the best path forward to ensure the success of this project is to reprocure the contract. This will allow us to make any necessary changes to the RFP to ensure we are attracting robust interest from highly qualified bidders and securing the best value possible." 

MassDOT will also work with the current lease holders to ensure that travelers and workers do not experience disruptions to essential services. 

Earlier this year – after a lengthy, multi-stage procurement process – the MassDOT Board authorized Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt to award the Transition and Lease Agreements for the service plazas to Applegreen. After signing a Transition Agreement, and during the lease negotiation process, Applegreen made the decision to withdraw.  

After careful evaluation of all options, MassDOT is preparing to reprocure the service plaza contract in order to deliver the highest quality facilities and services for travelers while ensuring the best value for taxpayers and toll payers. MassDOT will begin negotiations with the current leaseholders for extensions immediately to ensure continuity of service and labor at the plazas. 

MassDOT has been reviewing the original procurement and will seek feedback from the industry to develop recommendations for a revised Request for Proposals that will best ensure robust interest from high-quality bidders and set the project up for success. 

Day-to-day management of the service plazas is being transferred to the MassDOT Highway Division to ensure structured performance oversight, regular inspections and centralized corrective action. 


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Pittsfield Schools Finalizing Bus Routes for Fall

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The district currently has enough bus drivers for the upcoming school year, and families will know their child's transportation schedule in mid-August. 

With about five weeks left of summer vacation, Superintendent Latifah Phillips updated the School Committee on transportation for the 2026-2027 year with middle school restructuring and the closure of Morningside Community School. 

Busing is a question that has continuously been raised as the Pittsfield Public Schools approach an academic year with a couple of big changes. 

"The reason that the bus stops and times aren't shared until very close to the school year is that routes change based on every student that moves into the district and requires a bus, and so it's important for us to wait as late as possible to ensure that families are getting the most accurate timetable," Phillips explained during a meeting held at Reid Middle School on Thursday. 

"We are also continuing to explore after-school transportation for the four schools receiving Morningside, and a survey was given to students who attend the Summer Morningside 21st Century Program to assess transportation needs."

That survey found that transportation does not appear to be a big impediment to students participating in the after-school program, but funding is set aside to ensure students are able to access the same services as they were the previous year. 

The district is still planning to offer after-school programming for Morningside transfer students, and is working with the four receiving elementary schools (Allendale, Egremont, Williams, Capeless) to plan a practice bus ride. 

Phillips explained that, for someone who has never ridden a bus before, and especially a school bus, they want to ensure that students are poised for success and understand the rules and expectations before the first ride. Students will be able to get on the bus, ride the route, arrive at school, have a quick break, maybe play on the playground and have a popsicle, then return home on the bus. 

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