PEABODY — A compact printer with SUV-like chops reduced production of school bus passes from weeks to mere hours this year.
The School Department purchased the $4,139 machine and accessories this summer.
The print creates credit card-type bus passes, said transportation director Eileen Bresnahan.
Last year, bus pass production took two weeks with a handful of workers typing names, sticking labels, embossing cards and laminating them. It was the first year students needed the passes because of the added transportation fee.
This year, the printer produced the district's 3,000 bus passes in about six hours. The transportation director said she needed only two workers to stuff the passes into envelopes and label them.
"This is absolutely wonderful," Bresnahan said. "They spent a lot of money, and I am so grateful."
She said the machine can print up to 700 cards an hour.
The printer can easily draw data from a spreadsheet program to create the card. The printer can include photos and bar codes, although this year's cards will simply have a bus logo, student's name, school and bus number.
Bresnahan said bus passes will be mailed this week. Bus routes will be posted on the Peabody schools Web site next week.
