Fuel Costs Over Budget?
By now, you’ve likely seen the numbers from ASBO, AASA and NAPT’s recent transportation survey; they’re pretty hard to ignore. More than half of U.S. districts are running over budget on fuel this school year, and the ripple effects are concerning. No matter the size of your district, this is a pain that nearlyevery district’s transportation department is feeling.
In the survey, two-thirds of district leaders noted that while school transportation is compulsory, their state does not provide a responsive pot of funds to get the job done. And, the general assumption is that pricing for conventional fuels will remain untenably high going into the next school year. So, the math on the long-term viability of diesel really isn’t adding up.
That’s why the conversation about fuel diversification deserves a closer look. Of course, fuel diversification can’t solve all transportation funding problems, but it can certainly be a helpful tool in protecting the programs and operations school districts and their communities depend on.
Creating a diverse school transportation fleet can look any number of ways, including a mix of conventional and alternative fuels or a mix of only alternative fuels. What we do know is that the 1,100 school districts operating propane school buses have experienced budget stability this school year because propane autogas is an affordable and domestically-produced fuel. For example, Wa-Nee Community Schools in Elkhart County, Indiana only pays $.99 per gallon of propane.
