1. Guide To School Bus - Purchasing
- Need raw data and source documents that were used for this presentation
Patricia Snell, Director of Transportation
Broward County Public Schools

2. Introduction The FDOE - Pricing and Ordering Guide www.faptflorida.org
Purchase Order (P.O.) Deadlines
Payment Instructions
Purchase Order Information
Checklist for bus ordering
Bus seating capacities
Dealer Contact Information

3. Needs Analysis Determine size and type of bus
Review age and type of existing fleet
Analysis of current routes for efficiency
SPED Needs: CONVENTIONAL vs. LIFT
ABO for last three years
Geographic Make-up of the District
Optimization of Runs and Routes
Bell time analysis

4. Needs Analysis Analyze the following bus specific needs: Capacity
Vehicle Type
Fuel Type
Specific Equipment
Since inception, the online payment system has been maintained and supported by the internal
accounts department. By the end of the 2012 school year, online sales totaled more than $7M.
The district’s online payment system may be accessed at: estore.browardschools.com

5. Capacity
Large Bus
More students transported per driver (Higher Student-to-Driver Ratio)
Beneficial for large loads and field trips
Possibility of increase ABO since the state denotes all buses as 65 passenger for funding purposes
Lower cost per seat on initial purchase when looking at conventional configuration

6. Capacity Small Bus Lower initial cost, but higher cost per seat
Easy to maneuver (Tight Spaces)
Harder to coordinate when using tiering of schools when routing
Not compatible with large loads or sizeable field trips
More buses, drivers and attendants needed to accommodate large number of students

7. Vehicle Type Conventional
Classic school bus look with the front wheels in front the driver and the engine compartment and hood in front of the windshield
Transit
Traditionally have the driver in front of front wheels and either the engine in the rear or inside the front cab

8. Specific Equipment Additional equipment may include:
Wheelchair lifts (Standard and Heavy Duty)
AM/FM Radios with public address systems
Video Equipment
Flat Floors
Track Seating

9. Specific Equipment Increased fuel tank sizes Air Ride Suspension
Air Conditioning/Types
Brakes
Increased Amp Alternator
Global Positioning System (GPS)

10. Initial Cost & Cost of Maintaining
Create a basic spreadsheet to enter costs of all buses that offer the specific needs of the District
Gather data on cost of maintaining and operating buses that meet your districts needs
Compare data for cost avoidance and cost savings over the life of the vehicles
Compare down times on different types of buses

11. Initial Cost & Cost of Maintaining
Total cost of ownership
Average annual miles
Years vehicle will be in service
Current price of fuels (diesel, auto-gas, natural gas)
Mpg equivalents for all types of fuels
Oil change interval and cost per change
Cost of DEF fluid
Cost of engine tune-up

12. Initial Cost & Cost of Maintaining
Injector replacement costs (Average over life of bus)
EGR Cooler replacement costs (Average over life of bus)
Fuel filter costs (Average over life of bus)
Cost of turbo
Transmission fluid costs
Coolant costs
Rebate for engine change if going to Alternative fuels
Up Charge for engine if changing to alternate fuels
Cost of fuel including up charge for delivery (minus any rebates)

13. Additional Considerations
Location of repair facility or capability to service on site
Trust and knowledge of partner for life of vehicle
History of delivery performance off of state bid
Confidence in fiscal responsibility

14. Decision Time Establish committee to evaluate choices
Make your decision
Presentation to the School Board
Cost savings/$back into classroom
Safety upgrades
Environmental benefits
Employee morale

15. Projected Fuel & Maintenance Savings
Fleet Statistics:
135 propane buses total
12 years in service est.
16,470 miles per year
$1.55 per gallon in fuel costs savings
$1.05/gal for propane vs. $2.60/gal for diesel
$0.41 per mile savings (or $0.52 with Federal fuel credit)
$6,723 per bus per year in fuel and maintenance savings
$10,891,396 over 12 years in fuel and maintenance savings
Approximately 3 months return on investment

16. THANK YOU! Patricia Snell, Director of Transportation
Broward County Public Schools