CHAMPAIGN, Ill., (WCIA) — New buses are on the way to Champaign Unit 4 schools. The district plans to replace 20 buses in the fall.

Brad Carriveau, the district’s transportation director, said they’re replacing buses that are out of service and need repairs.

The last time they got a few new buses was two years ago before COVID.

Half of the buses coming in will be wheelchair accessible. Right now, there are challenges if one of the special needs buses is broken.

“Whenever we have a down special needs bus that needs a wheelchair, we have to contact parents and contract them out until we get a bus fixed,” he said. “This will help alleviate that and have what we call in the transportation world, spare buses.”

Carriveau said athletic teams also use buses to drive to games that can be far away. He said for drives like that, diesel is the best option.

“I looked at mileage per gallon. A lot of the alternative fuels have lower miles per gallon like propane and gas have lower MPGs compared to diesel.”

He says it’ll cost nearly $3 million and payments will be spread out over five years.