Gadsden City Schools Bought Its New Buses Outright, Superintendent Says

GADSDEN, AL – Gadsden City Schools will start the new school year with 21 new buses on the road and no debt attached to any of them, Superintendent Keith Blackwell said.

Blackwell said the system paid for the buses outright rather than financing them through a private company. He said the money came from supplemental state funds, which each school system in Alabama is free to spend on its own priorities. Rather than spend the money in a single year, Blackwell said, he and the system’s chief financial officer planned across two budget years. They set aside one year’s share, then added the next year’s share, and bought the buses with cash.

Blackwell said the approach took a couple of years of planning. He said it also meant trimming back on some capital projects, though the system was still able to move forward on part of that work.

The result, Blackwell said, is that Gadsden City Schools carries no bus debt going forward.

How big is the Gadsden City Schools bus fleet?

The system runs 28 buses in all, Blackwell said. That includes the 21 newer buses along with older buses kept as spares. Seven buses serve as spares.

Blackwell said about 20 drivers are on staff. Other drivers help fill in on trips and sporting events.

He said the system could always use more part time drivers. Blackwell described the need as people who may not want to drive a route every morning and afternoon, but who would be willing to drive for football, basketball, baseball and softball, for the band, and for elementary and middle school field trips. He said covering extracurricular travel is a steady challenge.

The system also uses bus aides and monitors, Blackwell said. Aides ride the short buses and some routes carrying larger groups of elementary students.

Who do parents call with a route question?

Parents with a question about a route or a safety concern should contact Elizabeth Infante, the transportation secretary, Blackwell said. Her email address is einfante@gadsdencityschools.org. Blackwell said the system was still working on setting up an office line for her.

Blackwell gave an example of how the office can help. If a parent calls and says a bus never came by that morning, staff can pull up the record and tell the parent what time the bus reached the stop and how long it waited.

What are the rules for students riding the bus?

Blackwell said a bus driver may be responsible for 40 or more children at once, which makes order on the bus a safety issue rather than a comfort issue.

Students get warnings for talking too loudly or standing up while the bus is moving, he said. Blackwell said the concern is that a driver who has to keep checking the mirror is a driver whose eyes are off the road.

Consequences can include losing bus privileges for a period of time, he said. Blackwell said damage to a bus is treated seriously and can lead to a hearing, and that a student can lose the right to ride entirely.

Blackwell said he wants families to understand that riding the bus is a privilege and not a right. City school systems in Alabama are not required to provide bus service, he said. Gadsden City Schools chose to run buses to help parents get children to school, and in return the system expects students to follow the rules.

What technology is on the buses?

Every bus carries a camera system that covers the seats inside, Blackwell said.

Drivers walk the length of the bus after each route, he said. That walk is partly to make sure no child has been left sleeping in a seat, and partly to check the seats for damage or writing. If a driver finds damage that was not there at the start of the route, staff can review the footage to determine who was responsible.

Access to that footage is limited to transportation staff and school principals, Blackwell said. He said parents are generally not able to view it, because other children appear on the recordings and the system has to protect their privacy.

The buses are also equipped with tracking units, Blackwell said. The units record location, speed, hard braking and rapid acceleration.

That data is not available to parents at this time. Blackwell said the system is actively looking into route software, and that parent access could become possible depending on what a given package includes.

The same information is used to review driver performance, he said. Blackwell said speeding shows up marked in red along the route a driver has run, and that district staff can also review driver-facing camera footage when a concern comes up. He said drivers are aware those tools are in place.

Will buses get stop arm cameras?

When asked whether Gadsden City Schools buses are equipped with stop arm cameras, Blackwell said he was not certain, but that he intends to recommend them.

Under Alabama law, drivers must stop for a school bus that has its stop arm extended and its lights flashing. Blackwell said bus drivers routinely report cars going past the stop arm anyway. He said cameras able to capture license plate numbers would give the system a way to turn those reports into something the police department can act on.

What should drivers and parents know about the first weeks of school?

Blackwell said drivers should be patient. Everything is new again for everyone at the start of a school year, he said, including the students, the drivers and the routes. Gadsden City students return to class Aug. 12, the same first day set across the 2026-27 school calendar.

He also had advice for parents in the car line. Blackwell said parents dropping off children, regardless of age or grade, should have their student ready to get out of the car before the car comes to a stop.

Frequently asked questions

How many buses does Gadsden City Schools have?

Twenty-eight buses in all, including 21 new buses. Seven buses are kept as spares.

How did the school system pay for the new buses?

The system used supplemental state funds across two budget years to buy the buses outright rather than financing them, so it carries no bus debt.

How many bus drivers does Gadsden City Schools have?

About 20 drivers are on staff. Others help fill in on field trips and sporting events, and the system is looking for more part time trip drivers.

Who do I contact about my child’s bus route?

Elizabeth Infante, the transportation secretary, at einfante@gadsdencityschools.org.

Are there cameras on Gadsden City Schools buses?

Yes. Every bus has a camera system covering the seats inside. Access to the footage is limited to transportation staff and school principals.

Can parents track their child’s bus?

Not at this time. The buses carry tracking units that record location and speed, but that data is not available to parents. The system is looking into route software.

Will Gadsden City Schools buses get stop arm cameras?

Blackwell said he was not certain whether they are currently installed, and that he intends to recommend them.