Bus Purchase Aid Projections

Understanding Projections in the State Aid Management System (SAMS) on the Transportation Aid Output Report Estimated (TRAEST) and the Bus Purchase Reports

TRA EST Output Reports


In SAMS, under Reports tab, the report titled “Output Reports” will display the TRA EST Output Report. This report will project the preliminary expenditures for the school district for the upcoming claim year (not school year). For Capital Expenditures, the TRA EST projections do not include the assumed amortizations for buses certified on Form BP for which aid will begin in the projected claim year. Instead, the TRA EST uses the amounts reported by districts on Form FT lines #164 and #165 for Non Zero-Emission Buses and lines #168 and #169 for Zero-Emission Buses.

Bus Purchase Reports:


In SAMS, under Reports tab, the report titled “Buses Projecting Aid on the TRA EST Output Report” will display data related to assumed amortizations for all approved buses generating Transportation Aid in the projected aid year, if the purchase date is prior to July 1 of the current aid year. Where applicable, the remaining years of each amortization generating aid in the projected year also is displayed for user reference. Buses purchased during the current claim year will NOT be included on this report.

The total aidable expense for bus purchases in the projected aid year is the sum of:
  1. The amounts displayed in the 6th column of the Bus Purchase Report titled “Buses Projecting Aid on TRA EST Output Report”; plus
  2. The sum of the amounts shown on lines #19 and #20 on the TRA EST Output Report for Non Zero-Emission Buses; plus
  3. The sum of the amounts shown on lines #25 and 26 on the TRA EST Output Report for Zero-Emission Buses.

Buses certified during the current claim year will generate aid on the TRA Output Report in the following claim year and aid will be based on the assumed amortization calculated using the actual bus purchases certified on Form BP.

Last Updated: April 17, 2024