Previous Story
PSS to get additional buses, vans
|
Posted on Oct 28 2004
The Public School System will soon add another three 66-passenger buses to its current fleet on Saipan, as well as mini-vans for schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
Associate commissioner for administration Dr. David M. Borja, who said during an interview yesterday that the buses, as well as 12 mini vans, are expected to arrive either late December or early January through the Federal Transit Authority.
Funds provided for the purchase of the buses and vans, as well as for maintenance, is almost $700,000.
PSS began the school year with 12 regular buses in its fleet. However, Borja said two of the buses have been inoperable due to engine and body problems.
“Over time, two buses went down,” he said. “One had an engine problem but had a good body, and the other had problems with the body but a good engine, so we just swapped them.”
The three additional buses, each costing about $82,000, would increase the fleet to 14 buses.
Borja said inadequate funds have hampered maintenance of the buses in the past, resulting in the fleet being affected.
“Some bodies of the [buses] running are starting to have maintenance problems, rusting,” he said. “They are still very functional [but] eventually are starting not to meet safety requirements. Funding is an issue when it comes to maintenance. If we had adequate funding, we would have been able to prevent further damage to the vehicles.”
The cost of refurbishing one regular bus is about $27,000—to fix the body, paint, welding, and overhaul the engine. He said the PSS currently has a team of three mechanics “that are kept very busy.”
Further, PSS is also expecting to receive 12 mini vans, 10 of which would be used on Saipan. Rota and Tinian will each receive one van. Each van cost about $34,000-$35,000.
Funds for maintenance is about $40,000.
Earlier in the year, PSS managed to add four new SPED buses to the Saipan fleet, and one apiece to Tinian and Rota. The addition leaves Saipan with six SPED buses and Tinian and Rota two apiece.
