By: Diane Benjamin
While ZERO of Connect transit electric buses are operational, last night Unit 5 bough 5 electric buses and 5 charging stations with $2,076,015 of your money.
Austin Texas has 46 electric buses parked. Same manufacturer as Connect’s: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/capmetro-new-electric-buses-shelved
Central States isn’t the manufacturer. Usually the Feds hand out grants to buy electric, no mention of them this time. The below also doesn’t say why they need them. Peoria schools have been waiting almost a year for the ones they bought. Unit 5 won’t get these quick either.
They should have purchase Propane buses, which are much quieter than Diesels.
Did they actually purchase or is this a recommendation to purchase? Why pay $2,076,015 for five buses? They should just contact Connect Transit. I am sure they would make them a deal on some slightly used electric buses.
I sure hope that when the contract to Central States Bus Sales is written, it includes some performance based metrics in the payment schedule. If the equipment doesn’t perform as specified, the vendor does not get paid. These type of contracts are done all the time in the private sector. I fear that Unit 5 administrators are not smart enough to include performance based metrics in the contracts they agree to.
The objective is to hand out tax payer dollars to friends of leftist progressive marxist democrats. Whether or not they get the buses isn’t important. It also won’t matter if the buses are nonfunctional. They’ll never seek a refund.
Why can’t the kids ride the city buses like they do in Chicago?
I’m not sure but these might be used to transport kids to different schools
The kids actually ride them to school. When I graded standard testing, the kids would write about it.
Doesn’t 1st student do that?
Yeah, sorry, I meant in general, instead of having any school buses at all, use the city buses. Considering all the trouble they have with routes and drivers it sure would put them to more use since there’s hardly anyone riding the city buses now. But then again, the city would find a way to raise taxes again for this idea.
This is asinine. When Connect Transit has electric buses and none of them are operational and Austin, Texas has 46 buses parked. Peoria Schools waiting for a year for their buses and do they even have them yet? Doesn’t experience count for anything? I resent they taking so much of our money and then blow It on unworkable products. Who is researching such purchases?
One BIG reason why they keep coming to the property owners for more money… wasting it. They will also eat the depreciation, I meant the taxpayers will eat it! I guess they also didn’t learn any lesson from the EV owners who had issues during the cold temperatures last year. Fools!
Now watch the districts push for sales tax revenue source and lying that it will reduce property taxes. Anyone falling for that deserves to pay more taxes.
I think it is absurd that we have electric buses. Just put in an interurban instead! Much more efficient and effective. Also, does h/t stand for Hawk Tuah?
No
“Reimagine” the future for the “kids” (and we pay dearly) Unit 5 and other districts gone woke and say its all For the Good (like a campaign) driven probably by Chamber and big orgs (public/private partnerships) – Transformation nightmare for non-elites and taxpayers. and working class. Hope they don’t catch fire. If you pay good attention to who all is involved in the data and money funnel and project implementations and plans it all makes sense- follow the $$ and who gets the good jobs and is in leadership positions in Central Illinois (Integrated data, telematics, insurance, logistics, electric vehicles, mass digital surveillance/safety, Internet of Things, School District project implementations/systems, AWS architectures, marketing, branding, Generative AI, Chamber project Mgt. and implementations, Cyber projects, Human Factors/Behavioral Analysis, Governance, 5 minute cities…the list goes on.. and on….
Who pays for this? Us and ultimately Marxism is here. (while everyone watched)