Beecher Board of Education Regular Board Meeting | October 8, 2025

Article Summary: The Beecher Board of Education approved the purchase of a new school bus for nearly $90,000 and a new GPS and route-planning system for over $13,000. While the bus purchase was a planned fleet update, the GPS system is intended to streamline routing for staff and enhance safety by reducing the need for drivers to share personal phone numbers with parents.

Transportation Purchases Key Points:

• Bus Purchase: The board approved buying a 2021 72-passenger bus for $89,868.

• GPS System: A contract for the Transfinder Bus GPS System was approved for $13,339.

• System Rationale: The system is primarily for route management and planning, especially for substitute drivers, and includes a parent-facing app to track bus locations.

The Beecher Board of Education on Tuesday, October 8, 2025, approved two significant transportation expenditures, authorizing the purchase of a new school bus for $89,868 and a bus GPS system for $13,339.

Following a recommendation from the transportation committee, the board approved the purchase of a 2021 72-passenger bus to update its aging fleet.

The board also approved the purchase of the Transfinder Bus GPS System after a discussion about its purpose and cost. Superintendent Dr. Jack Gaham explained the system’s primary benefit is to provide Transportation Director Kelly Fellaini with modern routing software. This will help manage routes, especially when substitute drivers are needed.

“This is easy for her just to print off when she has a sub driver and stuff, because that’s also an issue,” said board member Adriana Diachenko.

A key factor driving the decision was to create a safer communication channel. Gaham noted that drivers have felt pressured to give their personal cell phone numbers to parents for updates on bus times. The new system includes an app that will allow parents to track the bus’s location, eliminating the need for direct calls to drivers.

“You’re not getting our cell phone from our staff, which to me is just an awful situation,” Gaham stated.

The motion to approve the Transfinder system passed 6-1, with one board member expressing concern that the parent-tracking feature was an “expensive perk” for what is primarily routing software.