Transportation at the Delbarton School — an independent college-preparatory school for young men grades seven through 12 administered by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, New Jersey — is like a business within a business that has evolved dramatically over the past six years.
The challenge: transporting 650 students and staff members safely, efficiently, comfortably and affordably. Throughout the year, Delbarton schedules 4,000-plus rides to and from destinations around the tristate area. This includes morning, afternoon and late bus routes, athletics, co-curriculars, retreats, spirit buses and more. Transportation touches every aspect of Delbarton life.
When Benedictine Father Michael Tidd was named Delbarton headmaster in 2018, transportation was a big-ticket item he took a close look at. Back then, all Delbarton busing was outsourced. “It was already evident that transportation was a rapidly rising cost center that required creative thinking,” recalls Father Michael.
To cut costs, he recruited faculty members to earn Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs) that enabled them to drive several Delbarton-owned vans. One of those early recruits was Zack Tabor, who arrived at Delbarton to teach Arabic in 2015 and soon built a signature language and travel program.
As someone who enjoys a challenge, Tabor navigated the CDL process twice, earning both his van and bus licenses. Blessed with an observant nature and an analytical mind, Tabor quickly assessed that the CDL licensing protocol was wildly inefficient. After navigating the licensing process twice, he mentored other Delbarton CDL-licensed drivers to reduce licensing costs. Tabor eventually produced a 17-page Delbarton School CDL Acquisition Handbook, the bus-licensing bible for new Delbarton bus drivers.
The more Tabor learned about Delbarton transportation, the more convinced he was that the school could do busing better.
Years ago, Delbarton had owned and operated a bus fleet, but, due to liability and regulatory issues, outsourcing transportation to busing companies became the norm.
By 2018, the school’s director of transportation was essentially a dispatcher and, while the arrangement did reduce liability, annual transportation costs soared, and new drivers commonly would get lost on campus.
Father Michael’s goal was to take control of Delbarton transportation, and, in Tabor, he found an ideal partner.
Tabor says, “Father Michael deserves all the credit for having the vision to take back busing at Delbarton,” yet it took Tabor to research and develop a strong case for bringing Delbarton transportation back in house for the first time in years.
Buying Buses, Saving Money
Tabor took over as director of transportation on July 1, 2023, and his bus-acquisition proposal led the school to invest in a fleet of a dozen vehicles emblazoned with the Delbarton name.
Today, Delbarton transportation costs are down 40% and continue to drop as Tabor finds more opportunities to save and improve. Bus acquisition began in earnest post-COVID when the cost of busing nearly doubled.
“The COVID-19 pandemic only added gasoline to this brush fire,” says Father Michael. COVID also caused a consolidation in the local busing sector from six companies to one company offering limited contracts and increased prices.
Not surprisingly, New Jersey doesn’t make it easy to buy a school bus and, in fact, layers the process with unusual design and security requirements — “a solution in search of a problem,” says Tabor — making every New Jersey school bus a custom-designed vehicle, which, again, increases costs.
The school invested capital in the bus-acquisition project, and Delbarton parents pitched in with bus fundraising, donating more than $200,000 for buses at the 2024 Spring Gala.
The new vehicles pay for themselves in 12 months and, today, the Delbarton bus fleet even includes several full-sized Thomas Built models with under-carriage storage to transport sports teams and their gear. Will a coach bus be in the Green Wave’s future?
Stay tuned.
Buses need drivers, and Delbarton now has four full-time and 11 part-time licensed drivers. “Our drivers are extremely professional and courteous,” Tabor says. “They’re all proud to be a part of our transportation system, and we couldn’t do this without them. They quickly get to know our campus and our students too.”
12-County Coverage
Delbarton admissions also benefited from improved, cost-efficient busing.
Father Michael says, “As a school whose students come from 12 counties in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York state, a reliable, safe and affordable transportation system is vital to our daily life.”
According to David Donovan, dean of admissions and financial aid, “Investing heavily in our own bus fleet allows us to make the school a viable option for all qualified young men regardless of where they live.”
Much about Delbarton transportation has changed in six short years and, fortunately for Delbarton families, Tabor is their stalwart ally in this effort.
Says Father Michael, “Because of Zack’s leadership and hard work, we are now able to provide a flexible, convenient and financially sustainable transportation service for daily runs and for all athletics and activities.”
As he reviews his complex busing spreadsheet and continues to integrate the director of transportation job into his life as a teacher of Arabic at Delbarton, Tabor says with a grin, “I like puzzles.”
This story has been reprinted (and slightly adapted) with permission from Delbarton; it first appeared in the fall/winter 2024 issue of the Delbarton alumni magazine.
