3 Tips on Finding Financing for Cleaner School Buses

As resources at local government levels become scarcer, many school districts wishing to upgrade their fleets of school buses are being forced to stand by while they attempt to find funding. Truth be told, this aspect of trying to buy buses that offer the healthiest environment possible while students are being transported from home to school and back has become more difficult as well as lenders have become more cautious with their funding.

While the current environment may be extremely challenging, there are still financing sources that can make upgrading a fleet of school buses a reality. Here are 3 tips on finding the financing your district needs to buy cleaner school buses:

• Assemble a detailed account of the age of the buses in the district fleet as well as their overall condition – This process will help to determine the available sources for funding as well as the most advantageous programs for rebates and other forms of assistance.
• Assess whether the district has the ability to match funds – It’s not uncommon for financing to require the matching of funds from the school district. Having a handle on whether matching funds are available can speed the process of getting funded.  
• Look for partners – There may be non-financial assistance in the form of non-profit groups that can connect the school district to local business that offer sponsorships, such as corporate sponsorships or charitable events.

While funding may be challenging at this point in time, it can still be found. Starting the process by being prepared with data related to your existing fleet as well as the funding available from local sources and your district will be well on the way toward the purchases of a new fleet of buses.

Retro-fitting Diesel Engines versus Switching to Natural Gas Powered School Buses

As government agencies across the country tighten the emission levels on aged school buses, many school districts are being faced with a decision to either retro-fit the diesel engines on their fleet or replace them with engines that are powered by natural gas or compressed natural gas (CNG). One example of the upcoming regulations on emissions is the requirement by California Air Resources Board which mandates that school districts add emission controls such as filters to older diesel powered school buses by the year 2018 to reduce the emission of soot and other pollutants. Buses that aren’t retro-fitted by that time must be removed from service.

Retro-fitting older school buses is a far less expensive proposal than buying new ones and can reduce emissions substantially, but there are arguments against these types of emission controls as well. The arguments against retro-fitting include additional maintenance expenses and the fact that, even with drastic reductions in emissions, schoolchildren are still breathing a cocktail of soot and pollutants when they ride on older school buses. Further arguments against retro-fitting are that 1980’s era school buses are so dirty that filters would have to be replaced so often that school buses would be in the garage more than they would be on the road.

The other option for school districts is to replace old diesel engines with natural gas or CNG powered engines that will likely cost more initially but provide savings over time with lower fuel costs (when measured by present day prices) as well as less frequent and less expensive maintenance requirements than retro-fitted engines. The other big advantage of these replacement fuels is that children would travel in a much healthier environment, which is hard to put a price on.

5 Factors to Consider when Buying a Used School Bus

As budgets tighten for businesses and school districts, used school buses are becoming an increasingly popular transportation option. This growing popularity has resulted in a busy market as buyers including companies, schools, and churches prioritize core operations over transportation issues. For buyers who are new to the idea of purchasing a used school bus, one of the biggest challenges involves developing an accurate assessment of the value of each bus under consideration for purchase.

To start developing an accurate value it’s important to consider a variety of factors above and beyond the number of miles on the odometer. This is not to say that mileage isn’t an important factor, it’s that the 40,000 miles put on one school bus could be vastly different than the same mileage put on another. For example, 40,000 miles driven on flat surfaces would result in far less wear and tear than on a bus that put its miles in on steep inclines, salted roads, extreme weather conditions, etc.

With this in mind, additional factors that should be considered include:

• The year the bus was built – This date, when factored in combination with mileage will give you the average mileage per year that the bus was driven. In this scenario, 40,000 miles on a bus that is a year old is much different than 40,000 driven over 10 years.
• Body condition – Inspecting the body can reveal a lot of information about the care that the bus received from its previous owners. A clear paint finish would indicate that the bus was waxed regularly while cloudy or oxidizing paint would indicate a lack of maintenance, which could extend to the inner workings as well.
• Engine – Check for overall appearance, cracking hoses, accumulations of dirt, etc. to get a general feel for engine upkeep.
• Rust – The presence of rust indicates poor maintenance and the necessity of future expenditures to keep it in check.
• The maintenance log and documentation of repairs – Detailed records, especially if accompanied by receipts, will give you a clear picture of the care given to the vehicle as well as the frequency and cost of repairs. Generally speaking, a bus that has needed constant repairs from previous owners will continue need them with the new owners as well.

Getting a clear picture of the pattern of use, maintenance, and repairs on each pre-owned school bus under consideration will help to determine the vehicle that has the best value. For more information on buying the best bus for your needs, visit: http://www.busmartinc.com/