The $9 million dollar Transportation Plan of the MAPS for Kids program is complete with 160 new school buses in service. These buses replace the aging fleet used by the District, some of which were 20 years old.

The 111 conventional buses carry 56/66 passengers and are diesel powered. Thirteen smaller diesel powered buses carry 47/48 passengers. Ten of these buses are configured with wheelchair lifts. Thirty-six mini-buses designed to carry 19-21 passengers were also added to the fleet. Eighteen of these are buses were fitted to run on gasoline or CNG fuel.

While the City is doing the MAPS for Kids projects, including purchase of the school buses, the Oklahoma City Independent Public Schools District I-89 still sets the policies for curriculum and day-to-day school operations.

Other new bus features include:

• LED-illuminated stop arm – in addition to reflective materials on the swing-out stop sign arm the arm is actually illuminated by a light- emitting diode
• Reflective bumper striping for added safety (this striping is an addition to required safety striping)
• Electric doors – no longer crank operated
• Air suspension – allows for a smoother, more comfortable ride for students
• White roofs - cooler in hot weather
• Left-hand, turned down exhaust – exhaust pipes on existing buses are located on the right-hand side of the buses, the same side students exit the vehicle
• Heated and remote mirrors - heating reduces fogging and improves visibility
• 10-year warranty on the larger buses and 3- or 5-year warranties on the smaller buses

The $9 million dollar funding for the new buses came from the tax portion of the overall plan. The project came in as planned and within the budget.