West Carroll Transportation Committee Proposes Replacing 17 Buses

By Michael Miller For The Prairie Advocate News

THOMSON – The West Carroll Transportation Committee will recommend to the full Board that the District replace 17 of its current buses with newer models which will insure safety and also save money for the District.

The meeting was attended by Committee members John Brigham and Jerry Anderson, as well as Superintendent Craig Mathers, Transportation Director Carl Popkins, and two representatives from Central States Bus Sales, Doug Donaldson and Ken Muehlfelder.

Mathers opened the meeting by commenting that the current lease agreement they have with Central States “has been a good fit for us for two years,” then moved on to the proposal itself. Thirteen 2011 buses, including twelve 71 passenger buses would be traded in for their 2013 analogues. The 71 passenger buses would remain 71 passenger buses, only newer, and the single handicapped bus would become a 2012 mini handicapped bus, in order to increase flexibility. In addition, the District’s four 2010 buses, three regular minibuses and one handicapped will all be replaced with 2012 versions of the same vehicles.

All members agreed that this was a completely positive agreement, citing the fact that the District would be saving money on maintenance costs while insuring safe travel for the students. Brigham summed it up, stating that it was a “great idea . . . I don’t want to have to buy new tires and brakes.”

Popkins detailed his “pipe dream” project of building a new bus garage that would be able to house the Savanna buses. His idea was to construct the garage behind the West Carroll Primary School in order to provide an enclosed structure for those buses at a better location. Popkins stressed that he was proposing “nothing extravagant,” just a heated pole shed, and “a place for drivers to go in the morning.”

The general consensus was that this would require a long term plan and that such a structure was needed. Mathers said he’d strongly suggest not to pursue it until there was a return to 80 percent reimbursement from the State for transportation expenses. Brigham and Anderson said that they were not opposed to it, but all agreed, as with most issues, more money was needed before proceeding.

The last item on the proposal was what to do regarding the District’s three 2008 minibuses. After some discussion regarding the pros and cons of putting them all on lease or simply selling them, the committee agreed to recommend to the Board that these vehicles be sold, and also that they be replaced with three leased mini buses.

All of these recommendations must be approved by the full Board, of course, before being acted upon, and they will be taken up at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting, on Wednesday, February 15th at 6:30 pm at the Intermediate School in Thomson.