How many miles can a school bus rack up before it heads into retirement?

According to Evan Rosset, transportation coordinator for the Concord School District, there is no magic number. About 200,000 miles, Rosset said, is a good time to think about sending a bus to that big depot in the sky. (Actually, they're usually just traded in for new ones.)

Next year, the district will look to replace three 77-passenger buses and one 18-passenger bus, Superintendent Chris Rath said. The buses' odometers read from 158,000 to 184,000 miles, she said, and all are 1996 models.

New buses, Rosset said, cost between $70,000 and $80,000. The Concord School Board will soon decide whether to buy them as part of its yearly budget process, which wraps up in March.

MELANIE ASMAR