Kamloops-Thompson school district gets five new 76-seat passenger buses worth $499,749 as part of a provincewide upgrade by B.C.'s education ministry.
The province is distributing $10.5 million to 32 school districts to replace old buses in their fleets.
The Association of Student Transportation Services of B.C. negotiated fixed prices from multiple B.C. vendors, to help save about 15 per cent on bus replacements, the ministry said in a press releas.
This allows districts to choose from different vendors and purchase buses at the most competitive prices, regardless of where they are in the province.
Forty-six school districts own and operate more than 1,000 school buses.
In total, B.C. school buses travel approximately 180,000 kilometres each school day.
Transport Canada research shows school bus travel to be 16 times safer than travelling in a family car.
