Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Career Center board approves two-week trial and conditional purchase of surplus electric bus
Summary
The Career Center board voted to proceed with a two-week trial and conditional purchase of a surplus 2021 Bluebird electric bus after staff presented a cost–benefit analysis projecting a roughly 3½-year payback and up to $133,000 in 10-year savings, subject to battery health and winter-range checks.
Nicole McTavish, the superintendent and director, urged the board to consider acquiring a surplus 2021 Bluebird electric bus offered by another district and outlined a financial analysis supporting the move. She said the state originally paid about 74% of the bus’s cost and that the Career Center could acquire the vehicle for roughly $38,000 under a payment plan.
McTavish presented a side-by-side comparison of keeping the district’s aging diesel short bus versus buying the electric bus. “We would save $133,000 if we could make this thing last 10 years,” she said, adding that the bus appears to be in good condition but that battery health is the main uncertainty.
The nut graf: staff argued the electric bus fits the Center’s operational profile—short daily trips well within the vehicle’s stated range—and that lower routine maintenance and fuel costs make the purchase financially attractive despite the risk and the potential cost of battery replacement. The board discussed logistics, driver licensing and budget timing before voting.
Board members asked practical questions about driver certification and redundancy. A member noted the need for Class B/C licensing and asked whether more staff could obtain the required credentials; staff replied that several current employees already hold CDL credentials for different bus classes and that the district could organize targeted training and stipends to increase coverage.
On technical risk, McTavish acknowledged uncertainty about long-term battery life and replacement costs. “The battery replacement is significant—seventy to eighty thousand dollars,” she said, and recommended a two-week trial period during which staff would perform a focused battery-health investigation and drive trials to assess winter range and day-to-day performance.
On funding, finance staff explained options for spreading payments across FY26 and FY27 budgets and noted other capital demands (welding lab expansion, electrical lab, gaming/computer equipment). McTavish said sale of older vehicles and a recent small grant (not yet included in the analysis) would help free cash for the FY26 payment.
The board voted to proceed: a member moved to authorize staff to move forward with the purchase pending a satisfactory two-week trial and battery inspection; the motion carried with no opposition.
The decision means the district will receive the bus for testing, run a battery-health assessment, and return to the board with any material findings before finalizing the acquisition. If the trial reveals unmanageable problems, staff said they would not complete the purchase.
