Central Bucks to Sell 44 Buses

The Central Bucks School District will sell more of its buses to its for-profit contractor First Student.

The school board voted unanimously on July 24 to sell 44 school buses to the Ohio-based company for $669,500.

Before it hands over the buses, the district will remove the two-way radios from each.

When board member John Gamble asked why, superintendent Dr. N. Robert Laws said, "We’ll install them in other buses that don’t have them and when other ones break, we’ll have parts."

First Student doesn't need the radios, district business manager David Matyas said.

"First Student uses a different system than we use, and they’re not compatible," Matyas said, adding that the district still can communicate with First Student buses during an emergency.

The sale of the buses is just the latest move as the school district continues to outsource its transportation department.

In April 2011, the district announced it would turn over 37 bus routes to First Student. And in May 2012, the district and the bus drivers union agreed to turn over another 44 bus drivers' jobs to First Student.

Drivers who agreed to be laid off or retire before May 30 would receive a $5,000 stipend to help them transition from a district healthcare plan to one of their own.

The district hopes to disband its transportation division and move entirely to outsourcing the transportation of its students within the next five years.

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