Drive across Canada 5,000 times and you’re close to the distance B.C. school buses cover annually. This year, through its fleet renewal program, government is providing $9 million for 22 school districts throughout the province to purchase a total of 76 new buses.

This is the fourth year that the Ministry of Education has worked with the Association of School Transportation Services of B.C. to procure buses using the Standing Offer Pricing model, which achieves the best possible pricing. Previously, school districts negotiated with bus providers individually.

Contractors, Independent schools and First Nations schools are also able to take advantage of this pricing which has resulted in savings of 10% to 15% each year and saves districts significant administrative and staff time.

Over 1,000 buses are owned and operated by school districts with student transportation services costing more than $90 million annually. Districts will receive the new buses in spring 2015.

Quote:

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education -

“These new buses will provide safe, comfortable and efficient transportation for students. At the same time, school districts benefit, because with the shared procurement model they get more buses for less money.”

Quick Facts:

• Districts receive buses with wheelchair lifts where required.
• Buses are replaced when they have met or exceeded the following criteria:
  80 plus passenger buses - 15 years or 400,000 km
  34-76 passenger buses - 12 years or 325,000 km
  20-29 passenger buses - 10 years or 250,000 km

Learn More:

BC’s Education Plan: http://www.bcedplan.ca/

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963 (Media line)

BACKGROUNDER

Province invests $9 million for new school buses

The following school districts have received provincial funding to update their fleets.

Southeast Kootenay (SD 5): $146,293

• One bus

Rocky Mountain (SD 6): $465,889

• Four buses

Kootenay Lake (SD 8): $582,361

• Five buses

Kootenay-Columbia (SD 20): $117,170

• One bus

Vernon (SD 22): $146,293

• One bus

Central Okanagan (SD 23): $788,296

• Six buses

Cariboo-Chilcotin (SD 27): $452,016

• Four buses

Chilliwack (SD 33): $146,293

• One bus

Abbotsford (SD 34): $409,058

• Three buses

Langley (SD 35): $232,944

• Two buses

Surrey (SD 36): $116,472

• One bus

North Vancouver (SD 44): $124,055

• One bus

Powell River (SD 47): $134,575

• Two buses

Bulkley Valley (SD 54): $532,644

• Five buses

Peace River South (SD 59): $451,914

• Four buses

Peace River North (SD 60): $462,395

• Four buses

Sooke (SD 62): $877,759

• Six buses

Saanich (SD 63): $379,791

• Four buses

Qualicum (SD 69): $542,570

• Five buses

Kamloops/Thompson (SD 73): $1,410,404

• Eleven buses

Gold Trail (SD 74): $179,734

• Two buses

Cowichan Valley (SD 79): $380,858

• Three buses

Media Contacts:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963 (Media line)