Today’s market is seeing more options to extending the service life of school buses through refurbishments to focus on safety, alleviate district budget woes
By Ryan Gray W
ith new, large school buses costing up- wards of $100,000 each, if not more, the ability of school districts to implement replacement cycles is proving harder
than ever. One option operators have is to extend the life cycle by utilizing refurbishing services, which are gaining in popularity nationwide. A proper un- derstanding of what that means is first necessary. “You have to watch the term ‘refurbished,’” sug-
gested Marshall Casey, the director of maintenance and training at the South Carolina Department of Education. “(Te word) means a lot of different things to different people. Some of the people do- ing this think that a coat of paint or a re-power on the engine makes it good as new. In South Carolina, we just call it a normal daily process.” School districts must first make sure they are work-
ing with reputable organizations, whether those are authorized dealers to the school bus manufacturers or other accredited service facilities. And even then, risks are involved. Still, a least two states have formal programs that are giving school districts alternatives. Maine is joining the likes of Texas, and to a
certain degree South Carolina, as one of the few states with a dedicated program for refurbishing school buses to extend service. Several school dis-
tricts in places like Georgia have also performed refurbishments with the help of local dealers. But state funds for everything from new paint and seat covers to complete electrical overhauls and engine rebuilds will soon start flowing to Maine school districts to refurbish the rest of the vehicle in an attempt to lengthen its life cycle. On April 25, Gov. Paul LePage signed into effect
legislation that creates a reimbursement program for school districts choosing to refurbish school buses at the Maine Military Authority. Tis ISO- certified facility on the former Loring Air Force Base has traditionally performed the majority of this work on the state’s National Guard fleet vehicles. For example, the Authority has refurbished and ret- rofitted older model Humvees to make them battle ready, said Tim McCabe, the organization’s director of business development. For about $30,000, the Maine Military Authority
team can completely remake a school bus body that’s often rusting and rotting after a decade of use. As part of a pilot project last year, the facility refurbished two school buses for the RU No. 18 School District in Messalonskee, which is located about 20 miles north of Augusta. Tose buses needed leaks sealed, seats re- bolted, frames blasted, the body primed and painted,
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