Mostly Empty School Buses Cost SC $1M in Matthew

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Records show South Carolina spent nearly $1 million sending 300 school buses to the state’s Charleston County during Hurricane Matthew to evacuate residents, but only 24 of the buses were used.

The Greenville News obtained records from the state Education Department showing the buses were only used to evacuate residents of one nursing home to shelters in the northern part of the state. About 300 buses were sent to North Charleston with drivers, and some spent two days waiting.

Gov. Nikki Haley’s spokeswoman Chaney Adams says Haley was relying on information from Charleston County. Adams says the program will be reviewed.

Officials say residents who did head to the buses were directed to local shelters because the buses couldn’t be used until nearby shelters were at least half full.