The Cassville school district will have to spend nearly 50% more on its next purchase of school buses, necessary to keep the wheels going ‘round and ‘round on the 1,500 route miles the district covers daily.
At the Cassville School Board September meeting, Jake Kloss, transportation director, said the district replaces five diesel buses every three years, and this cycle, only one company, International, submitted a bid to the district. Two other companies were contacted but did not submit bids.
International bid $157,973 for each new bus, which Kloss said is up from about $104,000 each in the district’s last purchase.
The total cost for the five buses, without air conditioning, comes to $789,865. To add A/C for all five buses would raise the cost to $830,840. Kloss said the district could get some with A/C and some without, but he’s had little negative feedback on the lack of A/C in buses currently used. Cassville’s bus fleet is 31-strong, and the district has three vans. Kloss said the district transports 1,200 students to and from school daily, covering 300 square miles and 1,500 route miles on 19 regular routes, two Vo-Tech routes and two ADA routes. When trip routes are included, the district tallies about 330,000 miles each year.
Drivers receive bi-annual physicals and must hold a Class B license with a minimum of 8 training hours per year, requirements Kloss said all divers have met.
Two full-time mechanics keep buses in running order, and both are also able to drive routes if needed.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol inspects buses annually. Kloss said the inspections include everything from major components of the drivetrain and brake system, all the way down to emergency buzzers and exits to all heater blower motors, dash indicator lights and all other exterior and interior lights.
Just one burnt bulb counts as a failure, and Cassville has received a 100% passing inspection the last two years.
“We strive to achieve that every year, and with the support of our Board of Education, allowing us to keep our buses in top shape, we have a great track record,” Kloss said.
Five electric school buses are included in Cassville’s fleet, entering their second year of use. Kloss said there have been some minor hiccups, like with charging, but nothing major that hasn’t been easily remedied.
Kloss said there is a cost-savings compared to the diesel buses, but the cost of a new electric bus is near $400,000. Cassville’s five electric buses were at no cost to the district, funded by an EPA program.
