New buses are coming to the Sooke School District.

Six new vehicles will take to the roads around the West Shore and Sooke starting in spring of 2015, after the province announced School District 62B次元官网网址檚 request of $877,759 for updating its fleet had been approved.

B次元官网网址淲e have an 18-bus fleet and itB次元官网网址檚 important to replenish that on a ongoing basis,B次元官网网址� said Harold Cull, secretary treasurer for the district. B次元官网网址�(By adding) new vehicles and new technology, (we) maintain the safety of the bus fleet for the district.B次元官网网址�

Cull said a combination of age and mileage were factors in the move to replace six older buses. He added the funding comes at a great time and is exactly what they needed.

The Ministry of EducationB次元官网网址檚 fleet renewal program now works with the Association of School Transportation Services of B.C. to negotiate the purchase of buses.

It uses the Standing Offer Pricing model, which replaced the scenario where negotiating individually with bus providers was the job of each school district.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great news anytime we can get capital funding to enhance our infrastructure or assets. WeB次元官网网址檒l take that,B次元官网网址� Cull said. B次元官网网址淚t give a great benefit to the funding to get six new buses in one year. ItB次元官网网址檒l reduce the average age of our fleet and weB次元官网网址檙e pretty happy weB次元官网网址檙e able to get this.B次元官网网址�

School districts across the province own and operate more than 1,000 buses, with an average cost of $146,293. Districts spend approximately $90 million annually on transporting students.

A total of $9 million was doled out to 22 school districts for the purchase of 76 new buses across the province in the latest funding announcement.

alim@goldstreamgazette.com