PARIS — School Administrative District 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts informed the board of directors Monday night that two buses were pulled from service this month after a director reported defects.

Director Toby Whitman of West Paris was concerned after a sporting event Sept. 5 about rust holes allegedly large enough to fit a cellphone through, and uneven tire tread wear, according to a memo from Colpitts. At the Monday, Sept. 21 meeting, Colpitts noted he edited his memo and apologized for including Director Bob Jewell, since it was Whitman who sounded the alarm. Colpitts commended Whitman for being courageous in doing so.

On Sept. 8, the superintendent did a walk-around inspection and took photos of the four buses used that weekend with Transportation Director Dave Fontaine and had him temporarily remove two buses from service — bus 001 and 002, according to the memo. Fontaine reported the complaint of safety violations to the Maine State Police Inspection Commission and requested a second state inspection for the two buses. As of Monday night, Colpitts was unsure if the second inspection had been completed since he was on vacation Friday and couldn’t get in touch with the inspector Monday. If it was not completed last week, it was scheduled to be done sometime this week, he said.

Three of four buses used Sept. 5 were newer Bluebirds purchased within the last few years. Bus 002 is an International transit bus purchased by the district in 2000.

“Other newer buses were available for (driver) Ted Jones to take that day but he prefers ‘his bus’ because he is more familiar with it,” Colpitts wrote in his memo about bus 002.

The last state inspection for the district’s fleet was at the end of June and bus 002 was designated as road worthy by inspector Jim Archer, according to Colpitts. There were several items needing attention, including the driver failing to verify he checked the fire extinguisher, a blown interior step lamp, repairs to the heat motor in the center of the passenger compartment and a power steering hose that needed refastening to the frame. Those issues were fixed over the summer. Jones reported an oil leak in August and the vehicle’s oil pan was replaced. There wasn’t any oil underneath bus 001 or 002 when Colpitts did his inspection, he said.

Jones wrote a letter prior to the safety complaints to Fontaine about his bus.

“All of the work is cosmetic and none is on our worksheet. The truth of the matter is mechanically this is a safe ride for me and all my passengers, (with) the best brakes in the yard, lights are great, mirrors are great, wipers are best, heat and defroster work good, drivers seat (sits) nice,” Jones wrote. “Truth is, she is almost fun to drive.”

In his memo, Colpitts noted the district’s bus replacement schedule has been slowed down by the state since it no longer funds as many buses. Instead of paying for three or four vehicles as it has done in the past, the state now pays for one. As a way to make ends meet, the district has focused more on safety repairs for its fleet than cosmetic ones.

Also on Monday night, the directors unanimously approved the lease purchase of three school buses for $255,321.

Fontaine is in the process of preparing a comprehensive report and will present it to the Operations Committee in November, Colpitts said.

eplace@sunmediagroup.net

School Administrative Unit 17 buses

49 in fleet

36 used in student transportation to 11 district facilities

4 used for athletic and field trips

9 spares used during maintenance or athletic and field trips

35 bus drivers

3 bus mechanics with 1 vacancy

1 small engine mechanic 

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