Apr 2, 2008 8:24 pm US/Mountain
Colo. Schools Feel Squeeze From High Diesel Prices
Reporting
Paul Day
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Skyrocketing diesel prices are getting to be a big concern for Colorado school districts.
Designed to protect and transport a lot of kids, the diesel-powered school buses get less than 7 miles per gallon.
Jefferson County, the state's largest district, is already paying nearly .60 cents per gallon more than it budgeted for the current fiscal year for bus fuel.
"It's certainly much, much higher than we had budgeted for, for this fiscal year," said Marc Horner, Fleet Manager of Jeffco Schools.
The district is finding new ways to economize without cutting services. It's making its bus routes more efficient, and taking advantage of every available space.
"If it's a 78 passenger bus, and we can put 78 children in the bus, we do," said Jan Clopton, Executive Director of JeffCo Schools Transportation.
JeffCo is hoping to avoid budget over-runs this year, but the district says if diesel prices keep rising, it could run into problems.
JeffCo continues to look into new technologies. There's a diesel-electric hybrid bus that's new to the market. It gets an impressive 11 miles per gallon, but it costs almost two and a half times the price of a regular diesel bus and JeffCo has no plans to order any.
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