Nearly two years after a 2023 collision in Cheyenne left Park County School District 1 down a bus, Powell's school fleet will soon be at full force.

When it arrives, the new bus will be outfitted with the Powell Panther logos, and “it’ll be a little bit more sporty,” said Steve Janes, the district’s transportation director.

The bus, a larger rear engine model, will fill a need for athletics and activities. Due to the large number of activities, the district has been using regular transportation buses, with extra storage, that were ordered after the 2022 bus barn fire, Janes said.

“Typically, prior to Covid, we would order a bus and get it in six months,” Superintendent Jay Curtis told the board during a February board meeting where they approved payment on the vehicle.

However, following a shutdown after the pandemic, the supply chain was backed up and larger states have a lot of requests for newer buses. The plant has also been putting out more electric vehicles, Janes said. Powell only uses diesel buses.

Janes anticipates the bus will arrive sometime between the middle and end of this month, but it needs a few add-ons first — the district always includes trip seats and air conditioning, Curtis said in February. 

The total purchase price will be $208,720 through a lease agreement with First Bank of Wyoming, according to district reports, with an annual payment of $77,795.43 due each year for the next three years.

But the amount will be 100% reimbursed by the state, Curtis explained, essentially the amount is a loan with one payment per year. State regulations are followed exactly but the district sometimes pays the lease off early.

“Being taxpayer money, we think it's incumbent upon us that if we have the money to pay it off early, that we ought to,” Curtis said.

More details on the agreement can be found at park1public.ic-board.com/attachments/ec2f782b-03ad-4fbe-88bf-59b222b6551b.pdf