New Braunfels ISD purchases small buses, retrofits AC units for existing fleet

The New Braunfels ISD board of trustees on Oct. 10 approved $344,900 for the purchase of new vehicles and the renovation of existing buses for the NBISD fleet.

According to NBISD staff, the cost of each new bus that meets the required specifications is $88,700. The new buses will be smaller white buses used for district events and sporting transportation.

“The beautiful thing about this is it ups our capacity so that we're not using SUVs only able to transport seven students at a time with one driver,” NBISD Transportation Director Brian Gibson said.

According to Gibson, the benefit of the smaller buses is that drivers do not need a commercial driver’s license, which is required to operate full-size buses, so anyone can drive it with training. The total cost for the buses was $266,900.

The district also purchased eight Bergstrom retrofit air-conditioning systems to be installed on existing district buses in the amount of $78,000, resulting in an overall cost of $344,900.

“We always try to do those things for our drivers, for our students, but at the same time, it's great retention for us as well to keep people,” Gibson said.

Manufacturing on the buses is expected to begin within a few months. The purchases will be funded through allotted transportation funds in the 2018 bond.