By DON STINE
Neptune’s senior citizens have a new set of wheels for their senior center – a second-hand bus donated by the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.
“We had a 1994 Blue Bird bus that we have used since 1995. But it has had issues and it’s getting harder and harder to get parts and it is becoming less reliable,” Senior Center Director Randy Bishop said.
He said the senior center approached the Freeholders about doing a shared-services agreement for transportation while money was being budgeted for another bus with the same capacity, 26 passengers.
“Sometimes they have excess equipment they will donate if there is a need and it ended up they had a 2011 bus that even provides an additional two seats.,” he said.
The bus was donated on August 20 and it is now being prepared and the proper lettering put on it. The bus will be lettered in red and black – the official colors of Neptune.
“We should get it on the road in short order,” Bishop said.
Deputy Mayor Robert Lane Jr., who is the liaison between the governing body to the senior center, said he “thinks it is a great thing that the Freeholders did.”
“Our old bus is 24 years old but this bus in only 11 years old and it has more updated safety features,” he said.
He said a new bus would cost about $300,000 but the value of this bus is estimated at around $100,000.
“Plus, we got it for $1 so it’s a good deal,” he said.
