Decommissioned District U-46 school buses are finding new homes with groups that can give them a second life or new purpose.
Last week, one went to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps Illinois 1st Battalion.
“We’ll be using the bus to transport our unit on missions and training exercises,” Battalion Cmdr. Dean Argiris of Algonquin said of the 2006 model bus. Others have gone to local police and fire departments for similar training purposes.
The 1st Battalion started as a detachment of the 1st Indiana Battalion but last fall began operating out of its own headquarters at the Gen. Jones Armory in Chicago. Such battalions trace their beginnings to the Civil War Veteran Reserve Corps of the Army, which were tasked with light duties, Argiris said.
These days, a battalion is made up of veteran volunteers and civilians who have not served in the military, he said. They currently have 25 members and are actively recruiting more.
Its soldiers receive FEMA training to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. They take part in monthly drills and conduct various support operations, which can include search and rescue, honor guard services, incident command, safety patrols for public events, and emergency responses, Argiris said.
The emergency response aspect of their work is what inspired him to look for a bus they could use for transportation, he said.
“Last December, we were deployed to assist in the aftermath of the tornado that hit Clarksville, Tennessee, and we used our own vehicles to get there,” Argiris said.
When he heard U-46 might be an option, he contacted Director of Transportation Marcy Murphy, who told him the district was looking for organizations that might be able to use their mothballed buses.
“We thought it was a good idea to find ways to put these vehicles to use,” Murphy said.
The Elgin Police Department has already received one as have fire departments in Bartlett, Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates, she said.
U-46 transportation shop foreman Eric Shulga said he made sure the bus for the the 1st Battalion was in fine working order, including its air conditioning.
That will come in handy when the group heads to a training exercise downstate this summer, Argiris said. The battalion also plans on painting the bus a lighter khaki color, in part to keep the vehicle cooler on hot days.
“We are extremely grateful to U-46 for this donation, which enables our members to assist our communities in their time of need without putting miles on their own vehicles and without expending their own funds,” Argiris said.
“Every individual here has a desire to serve and assist without compensation. So for an organization like U-46 to come along and give us a much-needed resource is a testament to the spirit of community,” he said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
