ARLINGTON — The fan belts seem to come loose quicker these days on Bus 22, which has logged nearly a quarter of a million miles in the 23 years it has taken Arlington students to and from school.
It is part of Snohomish County’s oldest school bus fleet.
Last year, the bus had several breakdowns while driver Carol Mitzelfeldt waited for students at school. Mechanics eventually replaced the starter, but parts were hard to come by.
“These old buses have gremlins in them and you never can tell,” she said. “The buses are just getting older and we could really use newer ones.”
Nearly half the fleet is at least 13 years old and fully depreciated, meaning they are too old to be eligible for state matching money that helps pay for new buses. Without additional funding, 71 percent of the fleet will be fully depreciated in 10 years.
School district leaders hope voters are willing to support a two-year levy on the Nov. 4 general election ballot expected to generate $1.5 million each year for new buses. The money would be used to buy 26 buses, district spokeswoman Andrea Conley said.
New school buses have a safer seating design, larger windshields for better visibility, more emergency exits, stronger frames and improved traction control, she said.
The first-year levy rate is 49 cents per $1,000 of assessed property. That would translate to $147 a year on a $300,000 home.
This is the first time Arlington has run a transportation levy. Roughly 2,400 students take the bus each day. The district has about 5,400 students overall.
Bus No. 32 is a backup these day. It has been on the road for 28 years and has logged 363,564 miles.
Another bus of the same vintage is recently retired and being readied for surplus. The Arlington School District lettering already has been painted over.
District mechanics can’t get parts for one of the old buses.
Many buses are nearing the end of the proverbial road. So far this fall, there have been five bus breakdowns — more than the district has had over some entire school years.
Despite the wear and tear, Arlington’s bus fleet continues to perform well on Washington State Patrol inspections.
Mitzelfeldt credits the district’s mechanics with that.
“If it weren’t for them, there are some buses that wouldn’t be in service right now,” she said
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
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