Havre public schools buying new buses

Havre Public Schools will be buying two new school buses for $105,800 each to replace two old route buses with high mileage.

The motion to make the purchase was approved Tuesday night during the Havre Public School Board of Trustees meeting, during which Director of Operations Jim Donovan said the district will also get $1,500 apiece for the two old ones.

Donovan said the new buses are “pretty straight forward” flat nose Bluebird buses.

The new buses may be purchased as early as next week, and Donovan said he expects the buses to arrive in June or July, after which they will be used as spares for a year before being put into circulation. The first year will be used for trips and various activities so mechanics can ensure they are mechanically sound.

School district employees maintain the buses in the district’s bus garage next to Havre Middle School on 11th Street. Donovan has said the facility has a repair program which tracks costs and repairs per bus and calculates how much upkeep each bus requires per mile.

He told trustees that no buses are exactly alike, and some require more upkeep than others.

Also on the agenda, district Superintendent Andy Carlson, touched on enrollment. At 1,801, Carlson said he feels pretty good about the enrollment numbers.

“In all honesty, they’re pretty good,” Carlson said to trustees.