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Transportation budget falls as services moved in-house; district awaits EPA OK to sell electric buses
Summary
Interim transportation director Colleen Souza told the board the transportation budget is down about 16% after bringing services in-house, but flagged rising repair and electricity costs and said the district is awaiting EPA approval to sell or dispose of electric buses.
Interim Transportation Director Colleen Souza presented the FY27 transportation budget summary, saying the overall transportation budget is down a little over 16% primarily because of position reductions and lower contracted-services costs after bringing routing and services in-house. She listed savings from reduced director salaries and an elimination of a double-booked dumpster rental, and said fuel-savings projections are about $20,000.
Souza also identified areas of increased expense: an equipment-repair estimate of +$13,600; a projected district-wide electricity increase of about 20%; and new costs tied to electric-bus upkeep. "We are still waiting to hear from the EPA regarding approval to sell and dispose of those buses," Souza said, adding that electric-bus batteries are valuable and should be maintained between roughly 25% and 75% state-of-charge to preserve battery life. Board members asked for clarification on the 25–75% charging guidance and the policy on charging to 100% earlier in the district’s experience.
The presentation also noted the district removed insurance coverage on the electric buses, which has contributed to savings, and that transportation drug-testing costs have increased, requiring a small budget adjustment. Board discussion focused on clarifying where the electric-bus disposal decision rests and confirming the district’s plans to continue refining in-house operations.
No formal vote was taken on the transportation budget at this meeting; Souza said administrators will be available at a community forum on March 19 to discuss the budget in more detail.
