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Board holds public hearing on bus replacement plan; diesel buses budgeted higher than earlier quote
Summary
Board opened and closed a public hearing on the district's bus-replacement plan. District staff said tariffs and supply-chain issues have increased projected costs; staff proposed switching planned propane buses to diesel and will return in April for approval.
The New Albany-Floyd County school board opened and closed a public hearing March 10 on its bus-replacement plan, a required step before final purchase approval.
Transportation staff told the board that tariffs and supply-chain volatility have pushed projected bus prices above earlier September estimates. The district advertised a higher replacement cost in case tariffs are enacted. Staff said a diesel bus was being projected at about $95,000 and a special-education diesel at about $215,000—figures a few thousand dollars higher than current vendor quotes.
Staff also said the transportation department requested that buses scheduled for replacement be purchased as diesel rather than propane this cycle because diesel vehicles better match the range needs for the routes in the areas where the buses will be used. The district said diesel buses are longer range while propane buses are shorter-range and the operations team prefers diesel for fleet flexibility.
Transportation staff said prices remain subject to market movement; the district plans to return to the board in April with a final recommendation and to attempt to lock in prices. If costs rise dramatically, staff said they might reduce the number of buses purchased to stay within budget.
No members of the public addressed the board on the bus purchase during the hearing. The board closed the hearing and staff indicated the formal purchase would be brought to the board in April for approval.
Ending: The hearing concluded with staff planning to return next month with a purchase recommendation as staff seeks to manage price uncertainty and fleet needs.
