District transportation staff presented options for maintaining and replacing the fleet and a proposed elementary rezoning intended to reduce inefficient overflow routes.

Mr. Beckett, the district transportation representative, described replacement options for buses and the white fleet (maintenance vehicles). The presentation used a planning figure of about $135,000 per new bus; staff noted used buses can be available for significantly less (one example cited as under $100,000) and that used vehicles may be obtained more quickly without the long lead times required for new buses.

Staff said a practical plan could include procuring three buses initially and then gradually replacing others. They also noted lead times for new buses can be a year or more; used buses can sometimes be acquired faster. The district has also received propane buses via a prior grant, which experienced roughly a 18-month lead time for delivery.

Rezoning: staff proposed rezoning a compact area — described in the presentation as a green triangle around Vandenberg and Marshall Road extending toward a local landmark (“New China”) — that would move approximately 83 students to a closer elementary and reduce cross-freeway routing. The presentation included school-by-school permanent enrollment and capacity figures; for example, JES and Baymeida capacities and current enrollments were discussed as part of the logistics analysis.

Why it matters: transportation choices affect budget (new vs. used buses, lease options) and service levels (ride times, number of overflow/transfer students). Rezoning could reduce routed mileage and overflow transfers that add cost and complexity to bus operations.

Operational notes and next steps: staff said rezoning proposals would be returned to the board for action (presentation indicated a February/March timeframe for formal board consideration). The district noted typical intra‑district transfer and registration processes and said parents would be notified if a zone change means the district will not provide bus service for particular students.