New School Buses Rolling Into Bloomingdale

The Bloomingdale Public Schools district will be purchasing two new school buses this year, each of which feature some of the newest technology for educational transportation, at a total cost of $101,799.74.

The 24-passenger buses, both 2014 Thomas Minotour models, will replace 16-seat diesel buses, although Business Administrator George Hagl recommended the district keep one of the buses being replaced in case one bus needs to be repaired so that rental costs of temporary busing are not needed. He also suggested that the district consider renting out the additional bus to other districts when not needed, noting that some districts pay between $240 and $250 per day for a bus rental and that revenue generated could help defray insurance costs.

The new buses will feature camera systems that can record activity on the bus. The buses will also feature built-in child restraint seats in several of the seats that are optional for use but can also be converted to regular seating. While the specialized seats are not yet required by the state, Hagl said the district was trying to get ahead of state standards.

"We're trying to be proactive by putting in the child restraint seats," he said.

Hagl said the district was also trying to move away from diesel buses with the new pair.

"There's really not any savings right now in the diesel," he said.

Board Member Robert Bloodgood asked at the Feb. 25 meeting whether the board should consider outsourcing school busing to cut costs. But Board Member Mike Moeller said outsourcing would likely not benefit the district.

"The buses are also used not just to transport kids back and forth," he said.

Moeller noted that the buses are sometimes used to transport items between schools. Hagl also said outsourcing busing may not generate a significant savings and suggested the district instead buy the buses outright.

"At the very best-case scenario, it would be a break-even scenario," he said.

The need for the new buses, Hagl said, came as district officials examined the costs associated with the recurring repairs needed to maintain the current buses.

"We could have bought a half a bus with what was the repair cost for this year alone," Hagl said.

Hagl said some money had already been budgeted for the new buses for this year and the district will be able to make up the difference.

"We do have some surplus that we can use," Hagl told board members.