San Angelo ISD Approves $565K Purchase of New Buses

SAN ANGELO, TX — San Angelo ISD trustees voted Thursday to spend nearly $565,000 on two new student travel buses to replace aging vehicles in the district’s fleet.

The board approved purchasing two 46-passenger Blue Bird buses from AZ Bus Sales for $564,918.28. Transportation Director Lee Livingston said the buses are already in Lubbock and will be prepared for delivery immediately.

Livingston told trustees the new units are needed as older Van Hool buses have become increasingly unreliable.

“I had the pleasure of driving one to Abilene three weeks ago, and I fought it the whole way,” Livingston said. “As a driver, I wouldn’t want to take the responsibility of dealing with this. They’re tired. They’ve served a purpose.”

The district currently runs five Coachliners and four Blue Birds. Eight Van Hool buses remain in the fleet, but Livingston said at least three are no longer dependable.

Trustees noted the Blue Bird buses cost roughly half as much as larger Coachliners and can be serviced locally. It was also said at the meeting that SAISD buses log close to a million miles per year transporting students to athletic events and extracurricular activities across West Texas.

The purchase is part of an ongoing effort to cycle out older units and maintain a fleet of 12 to 14 reliable travel buses.