School buses in short supply

A shortage of school buses will mean fewer field trips when Carson City schools resume session later this month.

"Our primary focus this next year will be to get kids to school and back home, rather than accommodate the more special types of things we've been able to do in the past," said Superintendent Mary Pierczynski. "Many activities will have to be curtailed or eliminated."

Fourteen buses were ruled unsafe, removed from the fleet, and sold for scrap metal. Three more have been designated to only operate short-distance routes, and two serve as spares. That leaves 34 buses left in the fleet.

The situation will ease a bit in November or December when four new buses arrive.

Inspections of the buses began in October after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advised districts nationwide to inspect Carpenter school buses built in Mitchell, Ind.

That order was issued after a March accident in which the roof of an 83-passenger Carpenter bus collapsed to seat level in an accident. Inspection in the Florida crash revealed numerous broken and defective welds in the roof and pillar structure. Carson City's buses suffered the same defects.

Each year, the school district spends about $2 million to transport nearly 4,000 students to and from school daily.

With the reduction, Mitchell said back-up buses will be limited. If one breaks down, another may have to double up on routes.

"What we're doing right now is scrambling and trying to figure out how we're going to maintain transportation," said Mike Mitchell, director of operations. "Certainly our transportation business is not what we'd like it to be."

Four bus routes which provided transportation to about 250 Eagle Valley Middle School students were canceled last year after the city established a safe walking route for students.

For the last 10 years, the district has purchased two school buses every year to replace aging vehicles.

Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.