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Clover School District reviews condition and replacement options for activity bus fleet
Summary
Transportation staff reported on the district—s aging activity-bus fleet, options to buy new or used buses, expected costs and delivery times, and operational trade-offs about paint, equipment and dual use as school buses.
Ross Hunter, a member of Clover School District transportation staff, told the Board of Trustees the district—s activity-fleet buses include older Type D and A models that have been out of service or need frequent maintenance.
Hunter said the two oldest buses, Type D models from the early 2000s, have been out of service for about two to three years. He said the district—s most heavily used vehicles are Type C buses and several 20-passenger buses (Type A), and that the 20-passenger buses show chronic design problems such as mold in the roof area on a 2004 model.
Hunter described differences between older buses and current models, noting newer buses have features such as four-wheel disc brakes, illuminated school-bus signs and LED stop-arm lighting. He said a brand-new bus ordered now would cost about $145,000 and have a delivery lead time of roughly 12 to 14 months, but that used buses are available with much shorter lead times.
On the used-bus option, Hunter said dealers can supply units in as little as six weeks; used 2016-model buses he described would typically be refurbished with new tires, new seat cushions and a fresh paint job. He estimated mileage ranges for used options at roughly 90,000–310,000 miles and said many districts find the used option attractive because of speed of delivery.
Board members asked about how long buses remain serviceable and about mileage. Hunter said the district—s 2023 buses have about 40,000 miles now, and that typical annual mileage is roughly 12,000–17,000 miles depending on use. He estimated that, with regular maintenance, a bus with lower mileage can be used for many years.
The board discussed whether activity buses could be painted white for branding or left school-bus yellow so they can be used as daily school buses. Hunter said state law requires a vehicle to be painted school-bus yellow and to carry required stop-arms and markings to be used for student pick-up; if the district painted activity buses white and removed those items, they could not be used as school buses. He recommended painting activity buses yellow to allow dual use, though he acknowledged athletic staff sometimes prefer non-yellow appearance for events.
Other operational considerations Hunter raised included adding camera and radio systems to any purchased activity buses and the need to replace older vehicles by sale at auction when they are retired. He said the district currently maintains a small set of spare buses and will continue to rely on the state fleet for daily home-to-school routes; the activity fleet is used for athletics, band and other extracurricular travel.
Hunter proposed a longer-term replacement cycle and suggested the district consider adding about a dozen buses to the fleet over the coming years to meet anticipated demand from three new schools. He also noted a 30-passenger option is available for the Type A model at a lower price point than full-size Type C buses.
Board members asked about accessibility and lift-equipped buses; Hunter said the district already has two 72-passenger lift-equipped buses and that more may be needed in future years. The discussion closed with the board noting the transportation requests will be reflected in the upcoming budget discussion.
