District describes aging school bus fleet, replacement plan and timeline for first electric buses

District transportation staff briefed the board on fleet condition, utilization and replacement plans, and gave an update on an externally funded electric bus initiative.

The transportation director reported 83 buses in inventory, with 51 in daily route service and 11 spares; about 28 buses are 16 years or older and are scheduled for replacement under a plan to buy five buses per year to recover from past procurement gaps. Annual district mileage is roughly 900,000 miles; a four‑day school week reduced route miles and fuel use relative to a five‑day schedule.

On electric buses, staff said Nevada Energy has ordered charging components and selected a contractor; charging infrastructure installation and permitting are expected to begin when equipment arrives in January 2026, and district staff expect the first electric buses to be delivered in March under grant funding that currently covers bus costs. "We're still on schedule with the Nevada Clean Energy Fund for the buses being completely covered by them," the transportation director said.

Board members asked about multifunction (white) buses that are restricted from home‑to‑school routing under state rules, replacement prioritization across rural routes, and how replacement purchases affect the district's five‑year rolling state funding formula for transportation.

Next steps: continue replacement purchases at roughly five buses per year, complete charging infrastructure permitting and installation, and manage fleet allocation across Elko County service areas.