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The Transportation Department ("Department") has been formulating a long-term plan to address our aging fleet. Recently, the Department has lost five (5) school buses. Three (3) buses purchased in 1987 have suffered irreparable engine damage and two (2) buses have been lost due to traffic accidents. Accordingly, to address immediate needs, the Department is requesting Board authorization for the purchase of six (6) forty-two (42) passenger buses and one (1) four (4) passenger wheelchair van. The large buses will cost $24,000 each. The wheelchair van will cost $19,000.These buses are 1999-2000 year models and have been completely overhauled and meet California emission standards.
The large buses will be assigned to Special Education, overflow and No Child Left Behind ("NCLB") routes. This will give the Department additional flexibility to address all programs. The Department has three (3) spare buses to cover seventy-nine (79) Special Education routes. Only one (1) of those buses has wheelchair capability. Accordingly, it is necessary to purchase a wheelchair van.
The Department anticipates using these buses for approximately ten (10) years. Consequently, the amortized cost of the large buses is $2400 per year and the amortized cost of the wheelchair van is $1900 per year. The cost of a new bus ranges from $75000-$90000. Consequently, the Department believes this is an economical short-term solution to meet immediate busing needs. |
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Fiscal Impact:
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The majority of the funding necessary is already budgeted in the above-referenced budget codes. The Department will need an additional $20,723 to make these bus purchases.
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