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Perryton ISD outlines bus breakdowns, new bus purchases and funding sources
Summary
District leaders described two recent bus breakdowns, thanked Abernathy ISD and WTX Diesel for on-road assistance, and said new buses purchased with fund balance and VADER funds are arriving; the district plans to reserve larger 'ranger' buses for high school activities and use white/yellow activity buses primarily for junior high.
Perryton ISD trustees heard a report on recent transportation problems, vendor help for on-road repairs and the district’s plan to rotate new vehicles onto routes to reduce mileage on older buses.
The superintendent described two breakdowns that occurred last week — one bus placed in “limp mode” because of crank-case pressure and another that lost hydraulic pressure — and thanked Abernathy ISD and WTX Diesel for stepping in to assist. “I would like to say thank you to Abernathy because they stepped in and got our band kids to Estacado or to Lowry Field,” the superintendent said.
The superintendent and the transportation director told trustees the district has a new vehicle, Ranger 5, on the road for testing and that two white activity buses and one yellow activity bus are being prepared in Lubbock. Officials said one of the white activity buses and the yellow activity bus should arrive soon; the second white bus is slightly further out while graphics and final inspections are completed.
District staff said part of the bus purchases were paid from fund balance carried from the 2023–24 school year and part from "VADER" funds, which the board authorized for vehicle purchases. The district also said it had previously purchased 14-passenger vehicles to reduce demand on full-size buses.
To stretch vehicle life, the district plans to reserve the larger Ranger buses primarily for high-school travel and assign the white and yellow activity buses mostly to junior high activities. “Ranger Red has over 300,000 miles on it, and it is still…one of the most requested buses by the coaches,” the superintendent said.
Transportation staff said the district will continue to use short-term fixes when breakdowns occur but that bringing multiple new vehicles online should reduce stress on the older fleet. No formal board action was recorded on purchasing decisions at the meeting; staff said invoices and arrival dates are being tracked and will be reported as vehicles come into service.
