The Hillsboro R-3 School District is pleased to announce the purchase of a new 77-passenger Blue Bird school bus at a cost of $151,360. This investment directly supports the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) Goal 3.1.A: providing safe and well-maintained facilities to support all educational programs.
Safe, reliable transportation is essential for our students across the district’s large geographic area. By continually updating our fleet, we reduce long-term maintenance costs and ensure that our students and drivers can travel with confidence each day.
Currently, the district operates 35 buses:
26 full-size buses
9 mini buses
With 27 daily routes, this fleet structure provides us with the flexibility of 2 trip buses, 5 spare full-size buses, and 3 spare mini buses to ensure dependable service when buses are out for maintenance or assigned to special activities.
Competitive Bidding Process
To ensure fiscal responsibility, the district invited bids from three vendors:
Central States (Blue Bird BBCV) – $151,360 – Selected vendor
Midwest Bus Sales (Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2) – $156,790
Midwest Transit Equipment (International IC Bus CE) – $158,179
The Blue Bird bus from Central States was selected after careful evaluation of price, durability, specifications, and serviceability. Overall, it outperformed both competitors while also providing the lowest base bid price.
Grant Savings for Taxpayers
This purchase also qualifies under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant, which will provide a reimbursement of $22,500 for Bus 5. In fact, the DERA program has provided reimbursements totaling $67,500 across three buses identified through this grant process (Buses 26, 30, and 5). By pursuing grant opportunities like this, the district continues to demonstrate fiscal stewardship and reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Superintendent Dr. Jon Isaacson shared:
“Our priority is always student safety and fiscal responsibility. By leveraging grant opportunities like the DERA program, we are able to modernize our fleet while saving taxpayer dollars. I’m incredibly proud of Dr. LaRue, Assistant Director Jim Brooks, and our entire transportation team for their leadership in making this possible.”
Thank you to Dr. Clay LaRue, Assistant Director Jim Brooks, Shop Supervisor Mark Dobell and all of our bus drivers for their dedication to keeping our students safe on our school buses.