share of maintenance and repair work in-house,” said Epley. “As a result, the district avoids the significant costs associated with transporting vehicles to outside repair facilities.” Outside repair facilities carry higher hourly labor rates than the district’s in-house shop technicians. In-house repairs also reduce vehicle downtime by eliminating the transportation and scheduling logistics required when using third-party repair providers. “Over the lifetime of the equipment, the cost of own- ing and maintaining these lifts is justified by the savings realized through reduced outsourcing expenses, lower transportation costs and improved operational efficien- cy,” Epley said. The addition of wireless mobile column lifts at Washoe


County School District in Reno, Nevada has similarly improved efficiency by offering portability between shop bays and outside when required. “We’ve found that historically, older in-ground lifts


presented more maintenance issues and reduced flexi- bility based on fluid leaks, local service technicians and platform limitations whereas the mobile column lifts presented more flexibility and less downtime,” said Di- rector of Transportation Scott Lee. For Arlington Independent School District near Dallas,


Texas, the planned installation of a two-post lift allows mechanics to service white fleet vehicles more readily than with floor jacks and jack stands, said Jason Gillis, the district’s director of transportation. “We have added a four-post lift that has helped the


productivity already,” he explained. The use of lifts instead of jack stands allows the


technician to safely raise a vehicle quickly with limited physical force requirements. Gillis pointed out that two- post lifts are significantly less expensive to install than in-ground versions. “In-ground lifts will limit the work needed directly


underneath the post,” he said. “A four-post or scissor lift will allow for greater capacity and will be able to adapt to alignment equipment.”


Practical Sustainability A focus on sustainability is bringing practical benefits


that go beyond the basics of protecting the environ- ment. That’s the case at Fremont, which began moving into the electric vehicle arena in 2022 and currently has 14 electric buses and six electric maintenance vehicles. An additional eight electric buses are on order and set to arrive by fall or winter, with more purchases planned over the coming years. To support them, the corporate yard where the vehicles are domiciled has one to one vehicle-to-charging infrastructure installed. Nine of the


32 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2026


chargers feature bi-directional capabilities that allow stored energy from the vehicles to be sent back to the grid during peak usage hours. “This vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology boosts our


local energy resiliency while at the same time, offering a revenue source for the district that the fossil-fueled vehicle counterparts cannot,” said Epley, who spoke on the topic at STN EXPO West last month. Washoe County has also begun exploring such op-


tions. It recently updated its facility and hosted the STN EXPO West inspection training last month. The district now has two ESBs and is developing the infrastructure for an additional 30. But application is limited due to the challenges of range versus route mileage. “New technologies along with related infrastructures


are consistently researched for potential feasibility be- tween our sites,” Lee said. In addition, six new propane buses are being pur- chased for the next school year, with the anticipation of a lower cost per mile than diesel to operate. Alington ISD leaders have considered electric vehicles


but have not yet moved in that direction. “The research we have done, including networking with other districts, shows that we are not quite ready for EV buses,” Gillis said. Concerns include lack of range, charger issues and


reliability, and some post-purchase servicing. “Some districts have had success with certain man- ufacturers,” he acknowledged. “We will continue to collaborate with other districts that have the buses, as well as white fleet vehicles, in order to make the best decision for our district needs.”


Tracking Fuel Usage Tracking and reporting fuel usage across different fleet types may offer its own set of challenges, but the effort can pay off in potential savings and greater overall efficiency. Fremont’s team employs fuel and fleet management


software to track fuel usage, inventory levels and vehicle consumption across various fleet types. “These systems improve accountability, reduce manual tracking, iden- tify usage trends, and support informed budgeting and purchasing decisions,” Epley said. For electric vehicles, charge management systems track energy consumption, charging activity and operat- ing costs, helping optimize charger utilization and fleet readiness. “By maintaining accurate fuel, energy and inventory


data, we can better control costs, improve operational efficiency, and make more informed fleet management decisions,” he added. Washoe County School District leaders buy un-


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