New Buses Will Slowly Be Put on Routes

Recently, it has been announced that Madison County schools are receiving brand new buses to replace older and high-mileage buses in their fleet. 

“Madison County Board of Education Transportation Department purchased 22 new 2020 year model Thomas Built Buses,” Director of Operations and Transportation Joseph Cuzzort said. 

The 22 new buses will be distributed equally between the schools across their system.

“Sparkman High School will receive one new bus,” Cuzzort said. “No one school is receiving more than one new 2010 bus.”

Students believe that a new bus for our school will definitely improve transportation conditions, as the buses have become overcrowded. 

“There is always two people to a seat, and a few times one person ended up having to sit on another person’s lap,” sophomore Shaelynn Azevedo said. “Another time there was a boy who had to sit on the floor until someone got off the bus.”

Not only will we be receiving a brand new bus, but it is also equipped with upgrades to improve bus conditions for students, as well as the bus driver.

“Each bus is equipped with a GPS monitoring system, additional cameras, heated exterior mirrors, and in-dash AC,” Cuzzort said.

The State of Alabama funds The Madison County Board of Education with approximately 80 percent of the cost of each bus over a ten-year period.

“We don’t share the exact costs of each bus but they are roughly $100,000.00 each,” Cuzzort said. 

Story Five: News

Recently, it has been announced that Madison County schools are receiving brand new buses to replace older and high-mileage buses in their fleet.

“Madison County Board of Education Transportation Department purchased 22 new 2020 year model Thomas Built Buses,” director of operations in transportation Joseph Cuzzort said.

The 22 new buses will be distributed equally between the schools across their system.

“Sparkman High School will receive 1 new bus,” Cuzzort said. “No one school is receiving more than one new 2010 bus.”

Students believe that a new bus for our school will definitely improve transportation conditions, as the buses have become overcrowded.

“There is always two people to a seat, and a few times one person ended up having to sit on another person’s lap,” sophomore Shaelynn Azevedo said. “Another time there was a boy who had to sit on the floor until someone got off the bus.”

Not only will we be receiving a brand new bus, but it is also equipped with upgrades to improve bus conditions for students, as well as the bus driver.

“Each bus is equipped with a GPS monitoring system, additional cameras, heated exterior mirrors, and in-dash AC,” Cuzzort said.

The State of Alabama funds The Madison County Board of Education with approximately 80% of the cost of each bus over a ten-year period.

“We don’t share the exact costs of each bus but they are roughly $100,000.00 each,” Cuzzort said.

According to students, a new bus is just what we needed to put an end to our crowded crisis.

“There is a lot of kids at our school, which is probably why our buses are so crowded in the first place,” Azevedo said. “Getting a new bus would help a lot because there would be more seating for everyone.”