Decatur School Board looks at activities bus

n School district considering used bus purchase.

DECATUR -- A key ingredient in any school system is the transportation department. It is responsible for getting students safely to school in the morning and returning them home in the evening. But buses cost money, something a small district has too little of.

The Decatur School Board, during its May 19 meeting, discussed at length the need for another bus to replace one of its aging route vehicles. However, the board decided that an additional activity bus would better serve the district's needs.

Currently, Decatur has two activity buses, one 72-passenger and one 32-passenger, which serve to transport students to out-of-town sporting events and other extracurricular activities.

Both activities buses are pressed into service throughout the school year, particularly in March, April and May when multiple events occur on the same day, such as a track meet, soccer, band competition or FFA judging contest.

When this happens, the district is forced to press one of its route buses into service -- a more risky move since most of the fleet is more than three years old.

"We were able to buy well-maintained used vehicles from the Rogers School District," school superintendent Larry Ben stated.

During a work session before the June 16 school board meeting, members were given a tour of the bus facility at Decatur High School. Ten of the 13 buses were open for inspection by the visiting dignitaries.

The highlight of the tour was a ride on a 2011 Thomas activities bus from Fort Smith. This vehicle is in excellent condition and, if purchased, would make a nice addition to the Decatur fleet.