ROME, NY — Lisbon Central School District recently accepted delivery of four brand new state-of-the-art school buses from Leonard Bus Sales as part of the district’s school bus safety initiative that will ultimately transition the district to a fleet of new school buses run entirely in-house.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our decision to bring our school transportation services in-house,” said Superintendent of Schools, Patrick J. Farrand. “I’m thankful to the school board, parents and taxpayers for allowing us to provide the safest possible ride to and from school for the students of Lisbon Central School District.”
The four new school buses will be the first to be integrated into the school district’s new fleet and will be equipped with the latest accident avoidance and safety features. The system works to prevent accidents by using radar to assist the driver by automatically applying the brakes to avoid slides, skids, and loss of control. It also alerts drivers when an unsafe following distance has been reached with other vehicles or if there are stationary objects in the lane ahead.
Ninety percent of the cost of the new school buses will be reimbursed by the State of New York over the next five years, while the remaining ten percent will be paid over five years via bond by local taxpayers as part of the budget that was approved in June of this year. Lisbon CSD plans to maintain a planned cycle of new school buses over time so their school transportation budget remains affordable for taxpayers as well as to ensure the fleet adheres to the highest safety levels possible.
The four new school buses are part of a larger overall school transportation effort that will allow the school district to bring their school bus fleet in-house and enable the district to perform their own school bus inspections, service and maintenance. Having school district-run transportation means the district will now employ more people from the community, train drivers and manage the fleet to ensure health and safety standards are met or exceeded
“In the age of the coronavirus, it is even more imperative that the school district has full control over the safety and health protocols associated with the school bus,” said Superintendent Farrand. “We couldn’t be more grateful to the entire community for rallying behind this effort. We also want to thank Heuvelton Central School District for helping us maintain and house our school buses during this transition. We know the transition to an in-house school transportation operation is the best thing for the safety and security of our students.”
Options for a new transportation maintenance facility are being considered and it is possible that the facility will be shared by Lisbon Central School District and the Town of Lisbon. “We want to thank the Town of Lisbon for their continued partnership as we evaluate potential options for the future,” said Farrand.
Lisbon Central School District comprises a thirteen-acre campus, 584 students and serves a 92-mile radius with approximately 4,200 residents.
About Leonard Bus Sales, Inc.
Leonard Bus Sales, Inc. is owned and operated by the Leonard family, a recognized leader in the distribution and support of quality, environmentally-friendly school buses. A third-generation family-owned business, Leonard Bus Sales has been providing cost-saving fleet management services and award-winning customer support for over fifty years. Leonard Bus Sales is a leading distributor of IC BusTM brand buses in Upstate New York and distributes Trans Tech Type-A school buses throughout New York. The company operates full-service facilities in Bergen, Deposit, Middletown, Rome, and Saratoga Springs. www.leonardbus.com.
