by Jon Konen
In cash-strapped school districts, when a large travel bus with fresh decals appears around town, it is natural for people to ask where that money came from, especially when districts are also working to improve salaries, update curriculum, and maintain facilities.
Montana’s school finance system is complex, and every dollar we spend reflects legal requirements and community priorities. District funds are divided into specific “pots,” each governed by state and federal laws that strictly limit how they can be used. Some funds can only be spent on transportation, while others on instruction or operations.
At the same time, costs continue to rise across nearly every category, from utilities to curriculum. Like households and businesses, school districts must make careful, responsible decisions within these constraints.
Recently, one of our activity travel buses suffered a major mechanical failure. The cost to replace the engine and make it roadworthy exceeded the cost of replacement. This marked the fourth breakdown in the past year that left our student teams stranded along the highway. Student safety must always come first.
One of the “pots” of money that all schools can access is the bus depreciation or replacement fund. This fund allows a school district to replace aging or unsafe buses. Numerous factors allow a school district to slowly grow this fund and Stevensville has been doing this for several years to prepare to replace a travel bus. Using these restricted funds, we chose not to purchase a brand-new bus, but instead a high-quality used travel bus with significantly more storage and safety features than a converted school bus.
The new (used) travel bus arrived in Stevensville this week. It is a 2015 Prevost with just over 500,000 miles on the engine. Prevost engines are designed to exceed 1,000,000 miles, and the steel frame is rated for approximately 1.5 to 2 million miles. We purchased it for a little over $244,000. It comes to us with a new wrap on the outside with our logos, as well as newly refurnished seat covers and upholstery inside. New Prevost buses typically cost over $1 million and are widely regarded as the top travel buses in the industry.
Stevensville has not used our restricted bus fund since 2019 and is pleased to now make this investment, to safely serve our students and programs for many years to come.
Thanks for sharing a friendly wave as you pass our students on the highway. Go Jackets!
Jon Konen is superintendent for the Stevensville School District.
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