Northshore board approves purchase of 11 buses to replace aging fleet

The Northshore School District Board approved a purchase request to replace aging buses in the district fleet, buying three used buses and eight new buses from vendors including Bryson and Northwest Bus.

Superintendent Dr. Justin Irish told the board the Transportation Vehicle Fund will replace fleet buses that are nearly 20 years old by acquiring three used buses in “mint condition” and eight new buses that will be placed on the depreciation schedule. He said the district operates roughly 160 buses, of which about 120 are diesel, 14 are gas, 20 are propane and six are electric.

Board members asked about fuel types and timelines. One board member asked whether the new vehicles would be gas or propane; Superintendent Irish said he did not have a vendor breakdown in front of him and later said he believed the new purchases would be gas given the price difference with electric buses. Members noted that delivery timelines for new buses can be long — often up to a year or more — and that electric buses may take longer to procure.

After discussion the board moved and voted to approve the purchase; the transcript records the motion passed unanimously.