Camdenton R-III approves purchase of three 71-passenger buses and a special-education bus

The Camdenton R-III Board of Education on April 22 approved purchasing three new International 71-passenger school buses and one special-education bus for the 2025–26 school year and authorized selling four older buses through Purple Wave Auction Company.

A staff member who presented the proposal said there are 90 International stock buses being built and the district sought to reserve three of them and add a purpose-built special-education bus. "I'm here proposing today that we purchase, if we can, 4 buses, 3 International 71 passenger buses, and 1 SPED bus," the presenter said. He said used buses were scarce and that some available used buses required air-brake licenses or had higher mileage.

Board Member 1 moved to approve the purchase and the sale of four older buses on Purple Wave; the motion was seconded (second not named in the transcript) and the board voted in favor. The recorded public utterances include at least two "Aye" votes on the motion; the motion was approved.

Presenters and board members discussed details of the vehicles: the presenter said the stock buses come with tinted windows, that adding full passenger air conditioning would add about $12,000 per bus, and that the purchase would reduce the district fleet's average age from 7.7 years to about 6.7 years. The presenter also said the district would dispose of replaced buses via Purple Wave auctions, where past buses brought roughly $5,000–$7,000 each.

Board members confirmed the purchase had been reviewed with Dr. Piper and accounted for in the district budget.

The district will proceed to acquire the specified buses and arrange the sale of the four older buses, and staff said they will continue to seek suitable used buses if available.