APSB approves buying 10 new school buses

In the near future there will be at least 10 new school buses in the parish. The Avoyelles School Board Bus Committee recommended purchasing 10 gasoline-fueled buses to replace 10 older diesel vehicles and the full board approved the recommendation without discussion at its Oct. 3 meeting.

The board had hoped to receive an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Diesel Grant, but Transportation Supervisor Brent Whiddon said the EPA denied the grant because the parish is not in a high-pollution area.

“The board placed funds in the budget to purchase 10 new gas buses, but with our budget deficit I wanted to check before purchasing the buses,” Whiddon told board members. “Do we buy the buses or wait another year. There is a need for the buses.”

Maintenance Supervisor Steve Marcotte said the buses should be purchased due to the condition of some of the older ones in the district's fleet. The 10 buses would be bought under a 5-year lease-purchase program at an estimated cost of $200,000 a year, Marcotte said.

“The buses we will be replacing would save the board about $70,000 a year in fuel savings and repairs,” Marcotte noted.

He said bus drivers will also be given a credit card to purchase fuel for the newer buses, which will allow the board to better monitor fuel costs and mileage for the buses.