Huntley Community School District 158 staff updated the School Board on transportation procurement, saying the district expects delivery of four Bluebird electric buses after earlier plans with Lion Electric were disrupted by the manufacturer’s insolvency.

Gerald Meyer (staff member) told the board that the district originally recommended Lion Electric for four buses under a Volkswagen and ComEd funding arrangement, but Lion filed a Chapter 11–equivalent proceeding in Canada and is “headed for dissolution.” Meyer said the district changed course in December and expects the four Bluebird buses to be delivered in the next few months.

On driver-education vehicles, Meyer said two district driver-ed cars (model years 2009 and 2011 with high mileage) need replacement. The district proposed a financing arrangement with Enterprise Fleet Management: two Nissan Sentra SVs at a net cost of $21,348 each with a monthly finance/lease payment of about $416.

Meyer described the Enterprise option as an “open-ended equity lease” that keeps district ownership and provides assistance with future procurement and auction disposal; Enterprise quoted an expected trade-in recovery of about $7,200 for the older vehicles “sight unseen.” The lease structure includes a residual (10%) to be reconciled at disposal via auction.

Board members asked about vehicle safety and inspection. Meyer said new vehicles would be inspected by district transportation mechanics and any aftermarket add-ons (for example, passenger-side safety equipment) would be completed before use. A board member noted possible longer-term concerns about Nissan’s financial outlook; staff replied they would research that risk.

What’s next: Staff requested board authorization to proceed with Enterprise Fleet Management for the two driver-ed vehicles and will confirm final vehicle specifications, inspection steps and timing for the Bluebird bus deliveries.