The Maine School Bus Purchasing Program for fiscal year (FY) 2027 will open on Monday, November 3, and close on Tuesday, November 25. An informational session to review the application process is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5 at 1 p.m.
This program supports school administrative units (SAUs) by providing subsidies to offset part of the cost of new school buses used to transport students to and from school, home, and school events. It also serves as a valuable resource for SAUs seeking to replace aging buses or respond to emergencies and special transportation needs. The goal of this program is to ensure the most equitable distribution of limited funds, while maintaining a modern and safe fleet of school buses across the state.
There are three different ways to apply for a new school bus:
-
Addition to Fleet—includes:
- Buses equipped with a wheelchair lift.
- Buses to accommodate increased enrollment.
- Buses to transport students with disabilities.
- Buses to replace contracted services (emergency).
- Buses to replace contracted services (planned).
- Emergency Request—applies when a bus is damaged beyond economic repair due to:
- Replacement Request—minimum qualifications for replacement are:
- Passenger vans shall have a minimum of seven (7) years of useful life and accumulate 100,000 miles. End-of-life passenger vans shall be replaced by Type A or Type C school buses. A van cannot be replaced with a van.
- Type A school buses shall have a minimum of ten (10) years of useful life and have accumulated 125,000 miles. Type A school buses shall be replaced by Type A, Type C, or Type D school buses.
- Type C (conventional) school buses shall have a minimum of ten (10) years of useful life and have accumulated 125,000 miles. Type C school buses shall be replaced by Type A, Type C, or Type D school buses.
- Type D (transit-style) school buses shall have a minimum of fourteen (14) years of useful life and have accumulated 245,000 miles. Type D school buses shall be replaced by Type A, Type C, or Type D school buses.
The existing end-of-life bus shall be decommissioned and removed from fleet service within one year of the SAU taking possession of the new approved school bus.
There will be an informational session on Wednesday, November 5, at 1 p.m., where Maine DOE Transportation Coordinator Cheryl Brackett will review the application process with participants, provide guidance regarding where to find information for their request, and address any questions that may arise.
You may join the Zoom meeting here. (Registration is not required in advance.)
With questions about the Maine School Bus Purchasing Program, please contact Cheryl Brackett at cheryl.brackett@maine.gov or 207-446-3019.
