The long-planned relocation of the Fayette County School system transportation facility on Goza Road adjacent to Whitewater High School is now a reality. The new facility opened May 19.
Located off Goza Road adjacent to the high school, the Goza Road Operations Center will provide transportation offices and warehouse space and the relocation of school buses from the former “bus barn” site behind the school system’s central office location on Stonewall Avenue in Fayetteville.
In terms of location, the Goza Road complex is within approximately two miles of the geographic center of the county which is located near Harp Road and Redwine Road. Access to Peachtree City has been enhanced by the realignment of Bernhard Road at Hwy. 85 immediately to the south and with the installation of a traffic light at the intersection.
The school board subsequently approved the new facility.
School system spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach said the new facility features a state-of-the-art bus shop for maintenance and repair of school buses, a fuel island so drivers can conveniently and easily refuel their buses and enough parking spaces to house all 259 school buses during the summer and long holiday breaks.
Bus drivers also have their own break room equipped with several desktop computers for their use between morning and afternoon routes, and the facility has a large multipurpose room for meetings and events, as well as offices for transportation personnel, Berry-Dreisbach said.
“Many current and retired school bus drivers, along with board of education members and school system personnel were on hand to get a first look at new facility and help celebrate its opening,” Berry-Dreisbach said. “Diane Vaughan, the school system’s longest serving school bus driver who just celebrated her 40th year of driving for the county, had the honor of being the first driver to fuel her bus following a ribbon cutting ceremony held at the fuel island.”
The former transportation facility was located in a small building behind the Fayette County Board of Education offices on Stonewall Avenue, just off of the square in downtown Fayetteville.
