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Colton district flags aging van fleet; staff to reallocate lease savings to buy replacements
Summary
District staff reported seven vans in daily use with several at or above 200,000 miles, said one transmission recently failed and described plans to use bus-lease savings and state surplus purchases to add at least one replacement van while recruiting CDL drivers.
District transportation staff told the Colton School Board that aging vans are the most urgent transportation need and outlined a plan to shift funds from expiring bus leases into vehicle purchases.
"We have about seven vans in our fleet that are being used every day, and a few of those are either right at 200,000 or over 200,000 miles," the staff member said, noting a recent transmission replacement and rising maintenance risk. Staff described a plan to reallocate roughly $30,000–$40,000 from a bus lease line to purchase at least one van, with preference for well‑maintained used units found through state surplus sales.
Board members and staff discussed how many vehicles the district should add and whether to phase older vans out. The transportation report also noted recruitment steps: two staff members have looked into obtaining CDLs and some drivers are considering retirement, so the district is working to maintain coverage for routes and extracurricular trips.
Staff said bus routes were reduced this year to match demand and that drivers and families appear to have adjusted without widespread complaints. The district plans to prioritize at least one replacement purchase in the near term and will continue to monitor mileage and repair costs for the remainder of the fleet.
