Northumberland supervisors weigh buying two used buses now and ordering one new to restore fleet

The Northumberland County Board of Supervisors discussed the county school bus fleet’s rapidly aging condition and short-term options at a May 7 special meeting. Chair (Chair) opened the discussion and asked the Transportation Department to report on immediate needs and long-term plans.

Transportation staff member Donnie, who spoke for the department, told the board the fleet is “aging rapidly” and described recent mechanical failures, including a blown engine and a leaking head gasket. He said the buses “are safe” now but noted there are few reliable spares: “I have 1 spare... I have a bus with a blown up engine,” and warned that repeatedly repairing older buses can become expensive and unreliable.

Board members pressed staff for concrete mileage and lifecycle information. Donnie estimated many route buses log about 10,000–12,000 miles annually, and reported that roughly one-third of the fleet has 300,000+ miles and another third has 200,000–250,000 miles. He described tradeoffs between buying cheaper used buses and purchasing more expensive Freightliner/Thomas buses that staff said deliver longer service lives and lower lifecycle repair costs. “Used buses are cool until they're not,” Donnie said, noting a preference for securing used vehicles only from a supplier who offers service support.

Supervisors discussed a blended approach to balance immediate operational needs and long-term reliability. Several members supported acquiring two used buses now to restore reserves and provide reserves for breakdowns while beginning the procurement process for one new bus so it could be delivered in roughly 12 months. Finance staff noted the county had identified about $120,000–$130,000 in one-time returned funds that could be considered in the funding plan, and the chair said the board would not pull money from an earmarked playground account.

Board members also asked about procurement logistics and diagnostic software for engine controls; staff said some diagnostic programs (Cummins Insight) require a direct purchase and may initially be paid by credit card before being billed through dealers. The board directed transportation staff to continue working with the superintendent’s replacement plan, to pursue available used-bus opportunities quickly if appropriate, and to prepare financing and CIP steps to order a new bus so it could be built within roughly a year.

The board did not take a final binding vote on a bus contract at the meeting; members said they would revisit the details and funding during the upcoming CIP public hearing and at a follow-up work session.