Transportation staff report strong safety record and lay out grant-driven bus replacements, including consideration of electric buses
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Summary
Transportation staff told the board the district’s buses pass annual state inspections, drove over 2,000,000 miles last year, and operate a fleet with about 68 route buses and 22 special-education buses; the district has seven buses on a clean-air grant that requires proof of destruction and is evaluating electric-bus grants that partially offset higher purchase costs.
Theo Hepworth, the district’s transportation technology and data specialist, told the board the district maintains a strong inspection record and relatively low reportable accidents. “We drove over 2,000,000 miles for getting kids to and from school,” he said, and listed fleet and staffing numbers: roughly 68 regular-route buses, 22 special-education buses, and about 153 drivers, with 34 new drivers hired this year to replace 34 who left.
Hepworth described operational supports for drivers, including turn-by-turn navigation, a dynamic stop map that updates within about 30 minutes after changes, and software for trip assignments and pre-trip inspection tracking. He said approximately 2,800 parents and 2,200 students use the district’s bus-tracking app and that the district drives about 9,000 miles a day in school-transportation vehicles.
On fleet replacement and grants, Hepworth said the district secured a clean-air grant to replace seven buses that requires destroyed proof for the traded vehicles; he noted those grants incentivize taking older diesel buses off the road. Board members asked about fuel types and costs: propane buses (about a dozen) are typically used in valley routes and have lower fuel costs, but engine-replacement costs for some converted propane units have been high. Hepworth cited that a modern diesel bus costs about $200,000 while electric buses can cost up to about $500,000; he said there is a state program offering up to $400,000 toward an electric bus but that the district is still evaluating whether and when to buy electric vehicles.
Board members pressed on standby-bus allocations, explaining that special-education routes need dedicated standby capacity and older SPED vehicles are sometimes held in reserve for emergencies. Hepworth said maintenance and parts histories factor into decisions about whether to retain or replace older buses.
No formal decisions were taken; staff said they will continue pursuing grants and bring specific replacement proposals and cost comparisons back to the board.