By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Barton Community College requested bids to purchase three, 15-passenger vans. These vans will replace high mileage vehicles in the college’s fleet as part of Barton’s continuing plan of vehicle rotation.
Barton Vice President of Administration Mark Dean said while the college is no longer able to get the vehicles with a state contract, Barton is still allowed to use 15-passenger vans.
"K-12 schools are not allowed to use 15-passengers, so there are very few 15-passenger vans out there," said Dean. "There are a couple of 15-passenger vans you can find within 750 miles. Dealers won't give them up because they are hard to get and they can sell them and make a great profit. They're very difficult to get because they just don't manufacture a lot of them."
For the most part, Barton uses the back part of the vans for duffle bags, equipment and storage, but the college does have permission to seat 15 passengers. Dean estimated Barton’s fleet includes 15 vans and 25 cars to go along with their buses.
"We try to schedule buses, but schedules change...seems like this time of the year daily," said Dean. "We might not have enough bus drivers or have enough buses, so they get moved to vans. Then they have to take more vans for the number of people they have. We may send vans more local so we can send buses further."
The Barton Board of Trustees approved the budgeted purchase from Marmie Chevrolet for three Express vans, each costing $46,500 for a total of $139,500. The vans being replaced will be auctioned off with any money generated placed back into the transportation fund.