Mechanics used to descend into a pit to work on county school buses in an old shop constructed in 1956, but those days are over.
The school system now has modern-day facilities and equipment to take care of the 82 buses that transport hundreds of Madison County students to and from school every day. The new, three-bay shop, cost just under $1.9 million and was funded from education sales tax dollars, sits next to the old shop in Danielsville and includes mechanical lifts that raise buses so that mechanics can stand and work underneath the vehicles.
The board of education held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the new facility to celebrate the completion of a new bus shop.
“This is amazing; these guys (mechanics) deserve it,” said Karrie Poteete, school transportation department director. “This whole community deserves it, and we’re very thankful for the facility. The lifts, it just makes their job that much easier, because it’s a hard job to begin with, and having the proper equipment is very important. And now they have the proper equipment and that makes me very proud.”
Poteete said the technology at the new facility is far better than the old one, adding that the new setup is also safer for the four mechanics and shop foreman.
“They push these (lifts) in and raise it up and don’t have to go down in that pit anymore,” she said. “So for safety reasons, this is stuff that saves them from going down in a pit, hurting their knees.”
Superintendent Michael Williams offered thanks to a number of people involved in the project, including the architectural firm of Doug Breaux and Associates, Charles Black Construction and assistant superintendent Amanda Wommack, who oversaw the project. He also praised the school system’s transportation department, including the mechanics, office staff and the bus drivers.
“I just can’t say enough about our transportation department,” he said. “I can’t brag on you enough, give you enough money, can’t pat you on the back enough for what you do each day.”
School board chairman Robert Hooper echoed Williams’ sentiments.
“From the time I became a school board member, I recognized that you all (mechanics) keep these buses running for our drivers,” said Hooper. “And our drivers are the first person that our children meet in the day and the last person that they see in the day from the school district. There’s a lot of care, concern and safety that you all provide to keep these big machines rolling. I’ve heard it said in the community, well, ‘Why do we have so many of the old buses we see out there?’ And my response is, ‘Well, why not?’ We have a crew and a group that keeps them up and keeps them going, and you all are to be commended.”
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