By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Six new replacement buses could soon be approved to become part of the Livingston Essential Transportation Service’s fleet.

LETS Director Greg Kellogg told the Livingston County General Government Committee, Monday, that six of their small buses have met their useful-life criteria, and will be hitting the 200,000 mile mark in a couple of months. New buses typically get delivered in 8 to 10 months’ time and have a useful life span of 7 years or 200,000 miles.

Funding for 4 buses was included in the LETS 2021 budget, but actual grant amounts were not know at the time of its preparation. Now they know grant funding is available for 6. The buses will be purchased using the State of Michigan Transit Vehicle Purchasing Program at a cost not to exceed $100,000 each. Kellogg wrote in a memo to the Board of Commissioners that all of their grants have an 80% federal funding share with a 20% state match. With capital grants being 100% funded, Kellogg confirmed to the committee that these will come at no cost to the county.

With unanimous support from the four member committee, it will now go before the full Board of Commissioners for their final decision.