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Northwestern Lehigh SD plans to order three buses amid 15-year replacement cycle
Summary
District staff recommended ordering three new buses to keep a roughly 15-year fleet turnover; the district currently has 41 buses, about nine older than 18 years, and staff plans auctions for older vehicles and gradual reductions to maintain service.
District transportation staff asked the board during the workshop to authorize ordering three school buses for the upcoming procurement cycle because long manufacturer lead times require early planning. Speaker 7 said the district currently has 41 buses, nine of which are 18 years or older, and that the district aims to maintain a roughly 15-year replacement cycle.
"We'd like to order 3 buses for the 20,20 seventh school year," Speaker 7 said, noting the procurement schedule and lead times. Staff said auction proceeds from retiring older buses have so far brought in about $14,000 and that standardizing on fewer manufacturers (currently five) would reduce parts inventory and maintenance complexity.
Board members asked about the annual replacement rate; staff said two to three buses per year is likely for the near term and the district is working to consolidate routes and reduce the total fleet as appropriate. No formal purchasing motion was recorded in the workshop transcript; staff indicated the request will come forward for board action at the February 18 meeting.
