Just a state away from Bullman, David Bittner is making
sure New Hanover County’s school buses in North Caroli- na stay in good resale condition using the state’s Business System Information Portal, or BSIP, which uses mileage to create a preventive maintenance program. Bittner, New Hanover’s assistant director of transportation, praised the dedication of his Garage Star winning team. “Our fuel and tire team were cut from three to two po-
sitions while our mechanic two team is currently short staffed. Through all of this adversity, each team member has increased their level of responsibility for the 140 yellow buses we maintain,” he added. Transportation Director Rex Kozak at Marshalltown
Community School District in Iowa said he and his team created their own preventive maintenance program. They “monitor the frequency of repairs, age and inspec- tion results to help us determine whether we keep a bus in the fleet or not,” Kozak explained. Meanwhile, Mendenhall noted that having good me-
chanics means they also understand the unique needs of whatever environment the buses operate in. He noted that buses in warm southern climates are going to be un- der different weather-related strains than buses in colder states that are exposed to snow or ice on the roads. “You can’t operate outside of your environment, so if
you’re going to operate buses, you’re going to have to make the very best out of that situation,” he noted. Over the course of 10 years, a careful and thoughtful
maintenance plan will make a noticeable difference when it comes time to sell, said Mendenhall. He added that solidifying and living by a maintenance standard, whether that’s determined by the state, manufacturer or other factors, is something he and his team notes when they’re conducting appraisals.
24 School Transportation News • AUGUST 2025
“A bus that’s been maintained well and on time is go- ing to sell at a better price, every time,” he explained. Documentation is also an important factor in in-
creasing resale value. Mendenhall used the example of two buses. One has records of every invoice, preventive maintenance inspection, and service completed and documented. The other doesn’t. “If you’re a one-bus, five-bus or 10-bus buyer, what are
you going to buy first?” he asked, advising that meticu- lous recordkeeping will dictate a much better sales price. Mendenhall summed up the importance of mainte- nance: “At the end of the day, the better care you take of your equipment, the higher the return will be.” When it comes to the selling process, Mendenhall said that pre-COVID-19 auctions weren’t always a viable venue. He explained that many auction customers aren’t necessarily in the market for schools buses to begin with. However, after the pandemic, he said that auctions began producing much better price results as opposed to opera- tors trying to sell the buses directly to buyers. “Auctions are all about getting the right people, the right
buyers, in front of the equipment at the right moment,” he said, adding that if the inventory matches the buyer’s needs, then they might be willing to pay a little more. Bullman noted the entire South Carolina fleet is owned
by the SCDE, which means that when decommissioned buses are sold, they are submitted to the state surplus agency along with the required documentation. “This agency is responsible for listing the vehicles on
the auction site
GovDeals.com. Once listed, the buses re- main at their respective SCDE service centers until sold,” explained Bullman. “We also allow interested buyers to inspect the buses in person, provided they are located close enough to the service center.”
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