PHOTOS: Washington district’s old and new transportation facilities

In 1997, White Salmon’s former director of transportation, the late Sharon Schalk, began lobbying the state for funding for a new transportation facility. As a key factor in securing funds, Schalk formed a transportation cooperative with three neighboring school districts for maintenance, training and other operational services.

Washington approved the funding for the new White Salmon facility. Officials said that it had been more than 20 years since the state had approved or even considered funding such a project.

In 2002, Schalk and her staff moved into the new facility, which includes such features as covered bus parking (and a paved lot), a wash bay, an in-ground lift and ample room for storage.

A shot from inside the garage. In addition to its own fleet, White Salmon services buses from the other districts in the transportation cooperative.

This room serves as a break area and a classroom for training.

Schalk retired in January 2010. A few months later, the White Salmon district's board of directors dedicated the transportation facility in Schalk's honor, naming it the Sharon E. Schalk Transportation Center. She passed away in April 2014.

For many years, White Salmon (Wash.) Valley School District's transportation center was a Quonset hut that housed one maintenance bay and an office. The parking area for the buses was a gravel lot.

The Quonset hut, seen here in the snow, wasn’t necessarily equipped to withstand the elements. When it rained, the roof would leak onto the office ceiling, so rain gutters were installed inside the building.

White Salmon runs its fleet of about 20 buses out of the facility. Susan Tibke took over as transportation director after Schalk retired in 2010.

The facility includes a bus wash bay.

Here’s the White Salmon transportation facility’s lobby.