On May 19, when voters go to the polls to vote on the Fayetteville-Manlius School District’s 2026-27 proposed school budget, they will also decide on the purchase of several student transportation vehicles at a total cost not to exceed $1,529,830.
The district will be asking voters for permission to purchase:
- One (1) diesel-powered full-size bus with wheelchair capability
- One (1) diesel-powered full-size bus with luggage compartment
- Four (4) diesel-powered full-size buses
- Two (2) gasoline-powered vans
The buses are replacing older buses that will be sold at auction. The vans are replacing Suburbans currently used for student transportation that may instead be used by the maintenance department to replace some of its older vehicles.
The state would reimburse the district over a five-year period for about 74% of the cost of the new vehicles.
Each bus included in the proposition is diesel and would complete a useful lifespan before the district is required by New York state law to fully transition to a zero-emission fleet by the year 2035. The law also requires all school bus purchases be electric starting July 1, 2027; however, New York state has authorized a waiver that F-M expects to apply for to extend the district’s deadline to July 1, 2029.
If voters reject the May 19 transportation proposition, the district would not purchase any new buses, diesel or electric. The district would need to continue utilizing its oldest and least efficient buses for another year, which could require more costly repairs to maintain.
All school buses must pass a rigorous state inspection twice annually. For the 2024-25 school year, F-M buses had a 98.46% passing rate. F-M normally replaces its buses after 10 years, when it is no longer cost effective to make the repairs necessary to meet those standards.
During the 2024-25 school year, F-M buses served approximately 4,500 public and private school students, traveling a total of 840,069 miles.
Vote Information
- Tuesday, May 19, 2026
- 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Wellwood Middle School
More information about the proposed school budget and voting is available on the district’s budget and finance web page.