SIMI VALLEY : More Funds Needed for School Bus Work

An additional $64,990 is needed to fix three Simi Valley school buses recently removed from service for safety violations and to maintain the 40-vehicle fleet for the rest of this school year, officials say.

The Simi Valley school board tonight will review the status of the bus problem, revealed last month when nine buses were grounded by state inspectors for safety violations ranging from loose seat bolts to leaking steering systems.

Seventeen of the district’s buses have been removed from service since Oct. 12 after routine annual inspections by the California Highway Patrol. All but four of the buses have been repaired and returned to service, Supt. Mary Beth Wolford said.

The four buses still grounded are about 30 years old, officials said. Fixing three of the buses would cost about $26,750. The fourth bus has not been examined, Wolford said. Also, the transportation department needs an additional $38,240 for routine maintenance of the rest of the fleet, Wolford said.

The board is not scheduled to take action on the issue, Wolford said. But school officials expect to weigh their options--including buying used buses and charging parents for transportation--in coming weeks, Wolford said.