School to Buy Used Buses

The LGISD transportation fleet has had many issues of late. Multiple buses requiring major repairs and several buses often out of service.

The newest bus in the fleet is a 2026 with 5,750 miles. The oldest bus is a 2008 with 156,000 miles.

Many of the buses are older than 2019 with high mileage. Operations Director Sharon Muzny told the board that there were some options to consider for replacing the aging fleet.

Option 1 – Purchase one new bus for a cost of $150,000–$165,000).

Option 2 – Acquire 2–3 pre-owned buses. Some 2021 models from recent auctions at were acquired for ~$60,000– $80,000 each.

These pre-owned buses meet district specs – seatbelts, AC – but are sold “as is.” New buses would come with a warranty.

The buses would be paid for using maintenance tax funds and the interest earned from the 2024 maintenance tax note of $86,397.58 After much discussion, the board delegated purchasing authority to superintendent to acquire up to three pre-owned buses, including fees, not to exceed $230,000 total.