Van Buren Approves Bid For New School Bus

Van Buren County will purchase a new 78-passenger school bus.

Director of Schools Jared Copeland told board members not to fall out after looking at the numbers, including the low bid of $167,000. Board Members Barry Austin, Gleenece Cole, and Benjamin Grissom did have concerns about the prices.

“It’s went from in the past two to three years from $96,000 to $167,000,” Austin said.

“Are we printing money somewhere?” Cole said.

“If we are please someone direct me to it,” Copeland said.

“It seems like we buy a school bus every single year,” Austin said.

“We about have to,” Grissom said.

Copeland said the school system needs a school bus to replenish the school system’s bus fleet. Copeland said the newly purchased bus should arrive this spring even though the school system purchased a bus last year from the same company and has yet to receive it.

“The lead time for acquiring the bus has gone down so that’s a good thing,” Copeland said. “But yes we are still waiting on one that was purchased last year.”

The company providing the busses is Mid-South Bus Center. Copeland said the bus purchased last year has been delayed due to supply chain issues.

“I know there is a backlog of lots of vehicles like busses, ambulances, and service vehicles,” Copeland said. “And I think they are just now getting out of that backlog.”

Copeland said the bus purchased last year is expected to arrive sometime in late October or early November.