5 new, customized school buses coming to Portage Public Schools

Portage is buying five new school buses for the district. (Kendall Warner | Mlive.com) Kendall Warner | MLive.com

PORTAGE, MI -- Five new school buses are coming to Portage Public Schools.

The Portage Public Schools Board of Education approved the purchase at its Monday, June 5, board meeting. Four new 77-passenger buses and one lift bus will be added to the districts fleet, for a total of $660,904.

The purchase will be paid for through the 2019 bond, passed by voters to fund the construction of new schools and new bus additions in the district. Up to six buses are scheduled to be replaced annually, according to the purchase request.

We continue to see buses that are starting to need increased and more costly repairs," the purchase recommendation said. "We believe this will assist us in avoiding major repairs."

New buses will feature additional back stop signs, reverse cameras, stability control and air disc brakes. They’ll replace the district's oldest and highest mileage buses, which are beyond their life expectancy.

In previous years, the district purchased stock buses with standard equipment, but incoming buses will be customized for PPS.

The board unanimously approved the purchase.