NEW ULM — The Brown County Board unanimously approved the purchase of a used bus for Heartland Express to be used on the new city of New Ulm route Tuesday.

Heartland Express Transit Manager Pat LaCourse told commissioners he was a bus short Monday after a bus breakdown, prompting the $4,000 used bus purchase from Trailblazer Transit. Action came on a motion by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp, seconded by Dave Borchert.

LaCourse said the 2013 Elkhart coach Class 400 bus with more than 200,000 miles has been checked by the city and county mechanics and found to be operable.

Two new buses ordered last year for Brown County Heartland Express use are not likely to arrive until 2023.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)