F-M School District $1.5M Bus Replacement Vote

Fayetteville-Manlius School District voters will decide May 19 whether to authorize the purchase of eight vehicles for $1,529,830.

The proposition covers six full-size diesel buses, one wheelchair-accessible diesel bus, one diesel bus with a luggage compartment, and two gasoline-powered vans. The district will sell the replaced buses at auction and redirect existing Suburbans to maintenance.

New York state will reimburse the district 74% of the cost over five years. Each diesel bus will reach the end of its useful lifespan before the state's 2035 zero-emission fleet deadline. State law requires school buses purchased after July 1, 2027, to be electric, though F-M plans to seek a waiver extending that deadline to July 1, 2029.

The district normally replaces buses after 10 years as repairs to meet state inspection standards become prohibitively expensive. If voters reject the proposition, F-M will delay replacement and risk increased repair costs.

During the 2024-25 school year, F-M buses transported approximately 4,500 public and private school students across 840,069 miles. The buses achieved a 98.46% passing rate on required state inspections.

Voting takes place Tuesday, May 19, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Wellwood Middle School. Voters will also decide on the district's 2026-27 budget. More information is available on the district's website.