Alpine receives grant to buy driver ed cars

Topics:  Jim Crittenden

Deseret News
October 23-24, 1980

AMERICAN FORK — The Alpine School District has been given a $20,000 state grant to purchase some new driver education cars, and the man in charge of that program says those cars will most likely be big and heavy.

"We know lots of people cringe to think that those students are out there in little compacts," said Jim Crittenden, transportation director for the school district. "But, we are looking for some bigger cars now."

Crittenden said the high price the district has had to pay for the use of cars has made the purchase a necessity.

"We have been paying $6 a day for the use of the cars, and that's gotten to be expensive for us and the car dealers have had problems selling the cars," said Crittenden.

He said that the district uses 18 student driver cars and the school district mechanic is hoping to get some good cars for as few dollars as possible.

"We are going to check those babies over from top to bottom and make sure they are fit," said Crittenden. "We are going to try and buy as many as we can with the $20,000."

He said he hopes most of those cars are a little larger than the compact cars now being used, for more than one reason.

"We have had some problems using the parking brake on the small cars," he said. "With the bigger cars we don't have that problem and I think everyone will like that."

One man at this week's school board meeting said he had a 1968 Chrysler that Crittenden could have for $100. He said that car had 160,000 "good" miles on it.