Comments on Our Loudoun Schools: Green School Buses

Waste? What about all the math content teachers (...

2010-02-01T17:58:39.621-05:00

Waste? What about all the math content teachers (and other disciplines, too) that do nothing in the school system that amounts to much? They have no accountability! What about all the "assistants" the supervisors have at the board office? Clean house at the board office with all unnecessary personnel there! That is a fact and someone needs to look into this.

How long does it take to get from Loudoun to TJ at...

2010-02-01T17:37:31.633-05:00

How long does it take to get from Loudoun to TJ at 25 miles per hour?

Seems like these buses would be more effective on regular neighborhood runs, where the bus would run on electric the whole time.

There are just so many things wrong with this whol...

2010-01-31T22:08:03.974-05:00

There are just so many things wrong with this whole idea and post I don't know where to start. But I'll pick a few points.

Using a hybrid to drive to Thomas Jefferson High School. I hope somebody at LCPS understands that hybrids don't get better mileage on the highway, only in stop and go traffic. Using this bus for a long haul trip defeats the whole purpose of having a

We pay to bus kids to Thomas Jefferson? That'...

2010-01-30T18:38:42.371-05:00

We pay to bus kids to Thomas Jefferson? That's crazier than the Mandarin Chinese classes the school system continues to offer (for what, like 20 kids?). CRAZY!

How many kids ride this bus to Thomas Jefferson? ...

2010-01-30T13:47:34.883-05:00

How many kids ride this bus to Thomas Jefferson? we need such an expensive bus for how many children?

WHAT A WASTE!!!

And people wonder why we have such a large deficit...

2010-01-30T09:13:36.702-05:00

And people wonder why we have such a large deficit.

Yes, I would like a new car, and a hybrid would be wonderful.

BUT I CAN'T AFFORD IT.

This is incredibly tone deaf of the School Board, the way they are spending our money.

We need to cut their budget big time. My tax assessment went UP this year, and with the tax rate increase I am looking at

Correct, "break even" is where we just c...

2010-01-29T08:44:27.510-05:00

Correct, "break even" is where we just cover the "additional" cost of the hybrid over the regular bus.

I hope the guys that did the "analysis" on this one weren't educated in Loudoun. If so, we should definitely use that 60K to fund higher qualified staff teaching a more advanced curriculum in math, logic and fundamental business principles.

But wouldn't "break even" just compe...

2010-01-28T18:44:21.942-05:00

But wouldn't "break even" just compensate for the ADDITIONAL cost of the bus over a normal bus? Crazy, if you ask me...

To be fair, you would break even in only 9.5 years...

2010-01-28T09:59:21.043-05:00

To be fair, you would break even in only 9.5 years if diesel fuel were to go to (and stay at) $10/gallon for the next 10 years.

fuel cost diesel: $23,125
fuel cost hybrid: $16,818.1

annual savings of hybrid: $6306.9

(extra cost of hybrid)$60,000/6306.9 (savings per year of hybrid) = 9.5 years to break even

I think your "long-term analysis" has al...

2010-01-28T08:29:04.372-05:00

I think your "long-term analysis" has already been done in a previous post:

Regarding the purchase of these hybrid buses:

* diesel fuel is about $2.75/gallon
* there are about 39 weeks of bus usage per year (52 - summer break = 39 - 2 weeks of holidays = 37)
* assume buses drive about 100 miles per day (just a guess) so 500 miles per week.
* so 500

I hope we don't buy any more of these until th...

2010-01-27T10:31:34.497-05:00

I hope we don't buy any more of these until the "long term analysis" is completed.