Hardy County hears bus quote options and weighs diesel vs. gas as driver shortage persists

Transportation staff told the board the district is short on substitute drivers and is actively scheduling inspections and trips while balancing maintenance needs and purchases.

The transportation update said the district currently has roughly eight substitute drivers with varying availability, forcing administrators and staff to cover routes and field trips. Staff noted a full inspection of all buses was completed March 31 with a final pass scheduled the next day.

On procurement, staff shared Bluebird quotes: approximately $151,000 per gas bus (with a $1,500 rebate if ordered by May 10) and $162,000 per diesel bus (with a $2,000 rebate if ordered by May 10). Staff committed to provide complete quotes ahead of the May 4 meeting to allow the board to consider rebate deadlines.

Board members and staff discussed the operational tradeoffs of diesel versus gas. Staff summarized vendor and industry points that diesel engines are more durable but costlier to overhaul (engine replacement estimates cited in discussion: roughly $24,000–$26,000 for diesel vs. about $8,000 for a gas engine), while gas buses require driver retraining and lack some diesel performance characteristics (particularly engine braking on steep roads). Staff also noted forthcoming tighter emissions limits for diesel powertrains could constrain future diesel procurements.

No formal purchase vote was taken; staff will return detailed quotes and recommendations at the next meeting so the board can decide whether to place orders before rebate deadlines or plan for a staged fleet replacement.