U.S.: States grapple with fuel costs for school buses

johnnymk · 05-30-2008, 09:14 PM

http://www.njbiz.com/daily.asp?eDate...ut+Offer#74579

The reality of rising fuel prices cost students in a Tennessee school district their bus ride to school this week on the last day of the year.

That's a minor inconvenience compared with what might happen this fall in Minnesota, where a district west of Minneapolis plans to eliminate classes every Monday to come up with the extra $65,000 it needs to fill its buses' tanks.

"I know $65,000 may not sound like a lot, but it's more than one teaching position," said Greg Schmidt, the superintendent in the 700-student MACCRAY district.

And in North Carolina, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools teachers have scaled back the number of field trips this spring to save fuel, transportation director Binford Sloan said.

The skyrocketing costs at the pump are forcing educators nationwide to trim programs, curb spending and cut down on fuel consumption. Schools are employing unusual cost-savings measures to salvage busted budgets, while lawmakers grapple with how to pay for popular classroom initiatives threatened by the need to pour more money into the fuel tank.

Nash-Rocky Mount schools burned through about $729,000 in fuel in the last fiscal year — nearly twice as much as in the previous year, Sloan said.

The fleet gets about 7 miles to the gallon, which means the district burns through 7,500 gallons every 3 1/2 school days, Sloan said. Recent buys have cost him close to $29,000. The Associated Press

Thesifer · 05-31-2008, 12:12 AM

When I was a kid we had to walk 5 miles uphill both ways in the snow, so they might as well just go back to save!

If big bro wasn't suppressing advancements in non-fossil fuel products for so long, we would already have cheaper buses!

Hoser · 05-31-2008, 12:44 PM

Maybe the kids will have to pay to ride on the school bus, just like with public transportation.

Daedalus · 05-31-2008, 06:15 PM

Unfortunately the school bus is often used by families who would really be affected by any costs/hikes. $65k and 700 students is almost $100/student per year, but how many of them actually use the bus? If 1/2 use the bus then it's $200/year per head, but we have to give a pass to those who can prove financial hardship. Any who could not qualify for a pass would find the remaining cost spread so high they would resort to other forms of transportation...or sue the county.
This is a single symptom of a larger shift. We really are at the end of an era, and I'm sorry to say things will get a lot worse before they get better. All countries are facing many of the same challenges, but the USA is headed for a much larger adjustment than most countries.

05-30-2008, 09:14 PM	#1
johnnymk Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: May 2000 Location: LEVITTOWN< PA> USA Posts: 13,621	U.S.: States grapple with fuel costs for school buses http://www.njbiz.com/daily.asp?eDate...ut+Offer#74579 The reality of rising fuel prices cost students in a Tennessee school district their bus ride to school this week on the last day of the year. That's a minor inconvenience compared with what might happen this fall in Minnesota, where a district west of Minneapolis plans to eliminate classes every Monday to come up with the extra $65,000 it needs to fill its buses' tanks. "I know $65,000 may not sound like a lot, but it's more than one teaching position," said Greg Schmidt, the superintendent in the 700-student MACCRAY district. And in North Carolina, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools teachers have scaled back the number of field trips this spring to save fuel, transportation director Binford Sloan said. The skyrocketing costs at the pump are forcing educators nationwide to trim programs, curb spending and cut down on fuel consumption. Schools are employing unusual cost-savings measures to salvage busted budgets, while lawmakers grapple with how to pay for popular classroom initiatives threatened by the need to pour more money into the fuel tank. Nash-Rocky Mount schools burned through about $729,000 in fuel in the last fiscal year — nearly twice as much as in the previous year, Sloan said. The fleet gets about 7 miles to the gallon, which means the district burns through 7,500 gallons every 3 1/2 school days, Sloan said. Recent buys have cost him close to $29,000. The Associated Press

05-31-2008, 12:12 AM	#2
Thesifer Vice Admiral Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,338	When I was a kid we had to walk 5 miles uphill both ways in the snow, so they might as well just go back to save! If big bro wasn't suppressing advancements in non-fossil fuel products for so long, we would already have cheaper buses! __________________

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05-31-2008, 12:44 PM	#3
Hoser Commander Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Omaha, NE, United States Posts: 1,275	Maybe the kids will have to pay to ride on the school bus, just like with public transportation.

05-31-2008, 06:15 PM	#4
Daedalus Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 824	Unfortunately the school bus is often used by families who would really be affected by any costs/hikes. $65k and 700 students is almost $100/student per year, but how many of them actually use the bus? If 1/2 use the bus then it's $200/year per head, but we have to give a pass to those who can prove financial hardship. Any who could not qualify for a pass would find the remaining cost spread so high they would resort to other forms of transportation...or sue the county. This is a single symptom of a larger shift. We really are at the end of an era, and I'm sorry to say things will get a lot worse before they get better. All countries are facing many of the same challenges, but the USA is headed for a much larger adjustment than most countries.

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