LoginTornado Doesn’t Stop Wisconsin School Bus Contractor from Being Prepared for Startup
Wisconsin school bus contractor Lamers Bus Lines expects to provide normal student transportation when classes resume next week despite an EF-3 tornado that destroyed part of a terminal and damaged approximately 180 school buses last month.
The July 27 tornado directly struck the company’s terminal in Menasha around noon local time, Lamers spokesperson Erica Dakins told School Transportation News. The nearly mile-wide tornado traveled approximately 12 miles through Appleton, Menasha, Fox Crossing and Neenah before dissipating over Lake Winnebago.
Dakins added that of the 185 school buses assigned to the terminal, about 50 were totaled. Another 130 sustained damage, including broken windows, blown roof hatches, and damaged lights and mirrors. Four buses were away on trips and escaped damage.
Eighteen employees were at the terminal when the storm struck, including four mechanics, three cleaners and 11 office staff members. Office employees and mechanics sheltered in bathrooms, while cleaners took cover underneath a vehicle in the wash bay.
Some employees suffered minor injuries from broken glass after the building’s windows blew out, and one person sustained a sprained hand. No serious physical injuries were reported.
After the tornado passed, employees evacuated the building and sheltered inside a school bus because they feared the damaged structure could collapse.
Lamers Bus Lines Details Damage from Tornado
The terminal’s wash bay and maintenance shop both collapsed. The roof was torn from the building, causing part of the bricked second story to fall onto school buses parked several rows behind the facility.
Dakins said the building will be razed and replaced. Employees have temporarily moved to Lamers’ Freedom terminal and will eventually transition into a temporary office trailer at the Menasha property during demolition and reconstruction.
She said mechanics are working daily to return as many repairable buses to service as possible. Lamers also plans to draw spare vehicles from its approximately 40 school bus terminals while damaged buses are repaired or replaced.
The disruption placed preparations about one week behind schedule, but it did not significantly delay route planning. The Menasha Area School District provided its high school auditorium for Lamers to hold back-to-school driver meetings.
“We don’t anticipate anything preventing us from being ready for the first day of school,” Dakins said.
Buses based at the Menasha terminal serve the Appleton Area School District, Menasha Joint School District, Kimberly Area School District, School District of Hilbert and Stockbridge School District, along with area parochial schools. Dakins said Lamers expects to provide normal service when classes begin.
She added that one of the greatest challenges was that the tornado struck one of Lamers’ largest terminals with only five weeks remaining before school started.
The company thanked community members who offered support, as well as Keller, its longtime construction partner, for quickly helping develop plans for a temporary office and replacement facility.
Lamers also recognized drivers who volunteered in the days after the storm to operate school bus shuttles carrying United Way volunteers into tornado-damaged communities.
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