Alarm clocks were ringing a bit earlier this morning. It's the first day of school in Boston.
Almost 60,000 students arrived for class this morning. Superintendent Dr. Tommy Chang tells WGBH News that school buses will run better this year — after last year's chronic late problems — thanks to a new computer solution from MIT.
The MIT solution "will allow us to be more efficient with our routes," said Chang. "Our goal is to cut down as many as 50 buses over the course of the year, so we are more efficient on the roads, expending less carbon emissions and getting kids to school more efficiently and more quickly.”
Chang is upbeat as he enters his third year overseeing Boston Public Schools. He says the city has the right number of schools — 125 — and many of those buildings received a much needed makeover.
“We put in about $40 million dollars in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to upgrade boiler[s] and windows this summer," he said.
To listen to the extended interview between, click on the audio file above.
