WDHN – wdhn.com

Diesel prices impacting schools’ transportation budgets

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — Drivers are not the only ones these days feeling the pain at the pump, the transportation departments at local schools are feeling the impact too, if not more.

According to AAA, the state’s average for diesel gas is $5.38 – that’s about $2.38 more than this time last year.

“Last year we spent a little over $140,000 dollars on diesel fuel this year the budget and funding is based on $2.50 and fuel has gone up whether you’re driving a car or a school bus,” Houston County Schools Transportation Director Steve Dasinger said.

With today’s prices, it takes a little over 400 dollars a week to fill up a bus — Houston County Schools use 87 of the 105 buses to transport over 3,000 kids a day on 92 routes — over 360 gallons per day.

Now, the transportation department has to come up with ways to conserve gas and combat the high prices.

“Eliminating idling on the buses, slowing down on the highways, adjusting our routes to make em more efficient, and switching out the mileage on buses that will help cut down on repair costs,” Dasinger said.

Dasinger said if the prices continue to rise, field trips could become a little more expensive.

“Football teams take field trips they have to pay for that fuel because that’s not funded by the state so they have to per mile,” He added.

According to Dasinger’s projections, fuel could cost the department over $260,000 dollars for next year which is why he hopes the state will assist in providing funding.