The Wareham Public Schools Transportation Department has consolidated bus routes due to budgetary shortfalls, which has buses nearly hitting capacity.

Transportation Manager Jeff Tatro said the changes, though some were painful, are necessary.

"We need to do everything that we possibly can to save money," Tatro told the School Committee on Wednesday. "Some of these cuts are difficult. They really put a time restraint on drivers. They put longer routes in some cases. We've had to bunch up neighborhoods."

Reporting to the committee on day two of the new school year, Tatro said there were still a few things to be worked out, but the job is getting done.

"We have a few minor issues that we still need to address, and we'll address them," he said.

With maintenance costs on the rise and little to no money to replace aging buses, the School Committee earlier this year was exploring whether it would need to completely eliminate some services -- including the transportation of high school students.

The committee put off a decision on drastic changes, however, after learning that the town will receive an approximately $125,000 reimbursement from the state for expenses the district incurred from transporting homeless students last year.

Officials are hoping that the reimbursement and tightening of services will keep the department in the green this year.

However, Tatro reported, the district is in "desperate need" of vehicles, especially for students with special needs.

"We are in desperate need for some mini-vans that are small," Tatro told the School Committee, explaining that some students need to be picked up in their driveways, as close to their homes as possible, which cannot be done in larger vehicles.

The Transportation Department currently operates two small vans, one of which has more than 200,000 miles on it.

"I could have purchased vehicles with the maintenance bills on these vans," Tatro said.

Some relief for the Transportation Department may be on the horizon.

The town's Capital Planning Committee, which plans for purchases of high-cost items such as vehicles, is proposing an October Town Meeting article that, if passed, would provide $65,000 for a school bus purchase.