High diesel costs hit Georgia schools: How bus fleets are affected
High diesel prices hit Georgia school bus fleets
Atlanta Public Schools forecasts spending nearly $1 million extra on diesel fuel for its bus fleet this school year due to surging energy prices.
ATLANTA - School districts across North Georgia are facing budget pressures as diesel prices surge, forcing administrators to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional fuel costs to keep buses running.
What we know:
Atlanta Public Schools operates a daily fleet of 362 buses, with more than 220 running on diesel fuel.
Executive Director of Transportation Adam Johnson said filling those tanks is forecasted to cost about $950,000 more this school year compared to last year.
Johnson said district bus drivers try to keep their tanks at least half full at all times, which means some drivers fuel up two to three times a week.
The district is paying an average distributor-set price of about $5.63 per gallon for diesel, up nearly $2 from last year's rate.
Although Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended the state gas tax, district officials said the tax pause has no impact on what school districts pay for diesel fuel.
By the numbers:
Fuel purchasing impacts vary across metro Atlanta school districts:
- Atlanta Public Schools: Forecasting $950,000 in extra fuel expenses this school year.
- Gwinnett County Public Schools: The state's largest district spent about $665,000 more on diesel this August compared to last August while operating a bus fleet more than five times the size of APS.
- DeKalb County School District: Locked in a fixed fuel price through a contract signed in April.
- Jackson County School System: "In the month of September, to date, our system has spent $191,588.98 on fuel. Comparatively, during the month of September in 2023, our system spent $133,808.07 on fuel," a spokesperson said in a statement.
- Hall County Schools: "The Hall County school district has spent about $125,000 more for diesel compared to last year at this time," Director of Transportation Billy Wells said.
What they're saying:
"We want taxpayers to know that we're running as efficiently as possible with as few buses as possible, to make sure your kids are getting to and from safely," Johnson said. "We've not reduced any service levels, but we're just watching to see what we could do for idling time for drivers, just making sure that they're using fuel the most efficient way possible every day."
The higher costs extend beyond daily morning and afternoon routes, according to Johnson.
He said APS runs more than 8,000 field trips during a single school year, including midday outings, after-school activities and athletic events.
What's next:
With fuel prices remaining uncertain, school districts are working to cover budget deficits.
Johnson said funding may need to be reallocated from other departments, such as the parts department line item.
If diesel prices remain high over the coming months, district transportation officials may have to request additional funding from the school board, though contingency funds are currently available as a backup.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Atlanta Public Schools Executive Director of Transportation Adam Johnson, as well as official statements from districts in DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties and FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.