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Transportation director outlines routing upgrades, vehicle purchases and trial electric van proposal
Summary
Transportation staff reported on routing software rollout, rider statistics, a badge swipe system, and a vehicle replacement proposal that would buy three 30‑passenger gasoline micro‑buses and one 10‑passenger Ford Transit EV; staff said they are pursuing NYSERDA grant funding and will present voter proposition language.
Transportation Director Amy Crewell told the Board of Education the district runs 18 in‑district routes (each covering multiple AM/PM segments), eight out‑of‑district runs, and a collection of VOTEC and homework‑club runs. The district reported roughly 1,887 students systemwide and said about 85 percent of those students use district transportation in some way.
Crewell described recent technology upgrades: Transfinder routing, Wayfinder/Stopfinder tablet software, zone‑GPS devices on buses, and distribution of student badge‑type Z‑Pass cards. Crewell said some hardware and installation bugs remain but that staff are training drivers and expect full swipe usage in the near term.
Crewell presented a proposed vehicle purchase package for voter consideration: three 30‑passenger gasoline Micro Bird buses (2025 model year) at a combined cost not to exceed $331,910, plus a 10‑passenger 2025 Ford Transit EV (not to exceed $128,930), for a total purchase price not to exceed $460,840. Crewell said the smaller buses are intended to replace mid‑size vehicles and reduce per‑trip operating costs for small runs, and the EV would serve as a pilot vehicle for district electrification plans.
On the EV item, Crewell and facilities staff said the Ford Transit proposal includes a portable level‑2 charger, on‑board cameras and a Zone GPS system; the charger provides roughly 75 miles of charge in 60 minutes under vendor conditions. Staff said they would work with Bill Schramm on facility electrical upgrades and noted equipment lead times can be long — a quote for some buses can be 8–10 months or longer for other manufacturers.
Crewell and mechanics said the district is also evaluating where electrification fits operationally (run length, hilliness and winter conditions) and that a NYSERDA grant application is in the works that could substantially reduce the EV purchase cost. The board asked that proposition language clearly distinguish the EV item and any grant assumptions so voters understand optional grant funding and alternatives.
The board also approved routine business items related to claims, donations, and other transportation rotation matters as part of the evening consent agenda.
