District reviews new transportation facility plan, proposes 150-bus capacity and expanded maintenance bays

District staff presented renderings and operational details for a proposed new transportation (bus) facility and answered trustees’ questions about site location, capacity and operations.

Staff said the site is roughly 14 acres with buffer planning for adjacent subdivisions and that the design includes coordination with TxDOT to add a deceleration lane and expand a crossover on Highway 87 to accommodate bus circulation. The presenters said the rendering shows 120 parking spaces but described the planned capacity as 150 spaces for buses.

The proposed facility includes secure access control (badge swipe), two entrances and one exit, a fueling station, and a covered automated bus wash so vehicles can be washed without manual crane operations. Staff described shop improvements intended to speed maintenance: eight sheltered bays allowing nose-to-nose entry so mechanics can service multiple buses simultaneously, improved fluid-access points and strategically placed tool storage.

When trustees asked about current fleet size and shop capacity, staff said Base 1 currently operates about 85 buses and the district will continue to use Base 2. The existing shop was described as having about six work bays; the new facility’s eight bays would allow more efficient shelter-based servicing.

Trustees raised neighborhood and circulation questions, asking staff to orient the site relative to local landmarks (Beck Road, Annabelle Ranch) and to confirm emergency access and fire-lane constraints. Staff said fencing and landscaping would be designed to be visually sensitive to adjacent residences and reiterated that some traffic and fire-lane designations are controlled by state or county authorities.

No formal procurement vote or final approval of the site was recorded in the transcript; staff described next steps as continued planning and coordination.