School Board looks at buying new buses

Newly elected school board president Mark Hebert has appointed a special committee to look into the pros and cons of purchasing or leasing as many as 35 new buses to rejuvenate the school system’s aging fleet.
The system currently operates 84 buses, with some units dating back to 1998. The board has been purchasing a small number of new unit almost every year, but the rate of replacement has not kept up with the aging of the fleet.
District 1 representative Steve Fuselier, who chairs the board’s transportation committee, pointed out that the system had spent more than $200,000 on bus repairs during the past year and Jimmy Blanchard of District 4 said there are currently no operable spare buses to fill in on routes when a unit breaks down.
“It’s a very serious situation,” said Blanchard, with Fuselier adding that “It’s really an emergency.”
A major problem was the purchase of 10 new buses several years ago which all developed serious emission system problems which have required numerous repairs.
CFO Casey Broussard said the cost of 30 regular units and five special education buses would run around $2,766,000 at current state contract prices.
The special committee – including Fuselier, Blanchard, Floyd Knott, Broussard, Burton Dupuis and system auditor Russel Champagne – will also explore the possibility of a lease/purchase of the new buses as well as the best way to finance the deal.
During the discussion Blanchard also suggested it might be time to outsource the board’s bus repair operation and close the Breaux Bridge repair shop.
But Richard Potier of District 7 said “We’d be looking at much higher costs.”
The special committee will likely present its recommendation at the board’s Feb. 4 meeting.