Is the fund only for replacing yellow school buses?
No, it can be also be used to replace a greyhound-type over the road coach bus used for athletics/activities. Vans or other vehicles cannot be depreciated and can not be purchased using the Bus Depreciation Fund. Q: How does the fund work? A: For each bus it owns, a district can budget to levy up to 20% of the original cost of the bus each year. The amount accumulated over time can’t exceed 150% of the original cost when replacing a bus or buying a new yellow school bus, the district can use the accumulated money in the fund for that purchase. Q: If there is a trade-in, how does that affect the “original cost” you can use to calculate the allowable levy? A: The law doesn’t say how to use a trade-in value. Most districts lower the cash cost by the amount they received as a trade-in value and use the net amount as the original cost of the bus. This seems most justifiable from a taxpayer perspective. Q: What can the fund be used for? A: MCA 20-10-147 allows the bus depreciation fund to be
