By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – Unit 5 is looking at buying $3.5 million worth of school buses, but that doesn’t mean the district is looking to expand its bus fleet.

Superintendent Mark Daniel explained the district plans to buy 49 new buses and also reduce the number of buses it’s renting.

“By purchasing we can run those buses, hopefully, we’re targeting eight years, but hopefully extending 10 to 12 years,” said Daniel. “That is a significant saving over renting.”

The district Board of Education approved the purchases during its meeting Wednesday night. The buses will be bought using bond sales, which the district is also in the process of approving.

Daniel said Unit 5’s fleet of buses will actually be reduced overall.

“We currently have a fleet of 158 and we’re looking at moving that down to 140, give or take two or three buses,” he said.

Daniel added the district is already expecting to be able to reduce the number of bus routes it is running next school year, which was an expected benefit of altering school start times – something the Board of Education approved last month.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].