More buses for Coweta County schools were approved last week by the Coweta County Board of Education. That approval will add another 23 buses at a cost of $1.9 million.
Associate Superintendent Jerry Davis in recommending the purchase noted that of the $1,920,443 price tag for the 23 buses, a total of approximately $610,000 will be reimbursed by the state.
The purchases include 18 66-passenger buses from Yancy/Blue Bird for a total of $1.529 million, three 48-passenger buses with lifts from Yancy/Blue Bird for a total of $271,659 and two 24-passenger buses from Thomas/Freightliner for a total of $119,756.
Davis told board members that the bids by Yancy/Blue Bird were not the lowest of the three bids received, though he recommended purchasing the buses because the air conditioning systems were superior and would require less maintenance.
The difference in the Yancy bid and the higher bid by Thomas for the 18-bus package was $14,220, or $790 per bus. The difference for the three-bus package, again comparing the bid by Yancy to the bid by Thomas, totaled $5,700, or $1,900 per bus.
The bids by Nalley were higher than those by both Yancy and Thomas.
Davis said Coweta has a fleet of 281 buses, having purchased 133 of those in the past seven years.
Once the purchases are made the old buses that are in better shape will be used for limited duty.
