Officials from the Lamar County School District are looking at adding two more gasoline buses to the four already in their fleet, in no small part to help offset the rising cost of diesel – which has soared to a $5.36 per gallon statewide average as of June 13, according to AAA.
Steven Hampton, superintendent of the Lamar County School District, said the district generally buys five to six buses a year, and adding the gasoline buses also will help knock out the cost of other diesel-related measures.
“There’s several reasons, but the two main reasons are the cost of diesel and gas – diesel is much higher than gas right now,” he said. “Another reason is that due to the federal regulations and things that are placed on our buses, with the (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) that we have to add to the diesel buses.
“That is to cut down on emissions on a diesel bus, and that’s an additional cost that we won’t have (with gasoline buses). Also, because of the certifications and requirements that are placed on diesel mechanics, we have to send those off any time those buses need maintenance. It’s easier to get the certification to work on a gasoline bus than it is a diesel bus.”
According to www.gasbuddy.com, as of June 13, gasoline in the area ranged from $4.34 per gallon to $4.47 per gallon.
“Some of our larger buses that we take on larger routes are diesel,” Hamptom said. “Some of our smaller buses that we take on shorter routes in town, and we use for our special needs students, and we’re looking at those being gasoline buses.”
The districts boasts a fleet of 145 buses, 108 of which run daily routes. The remainder of the buses are used for trips for activities such as extracurriculars and athletics. Of the district’s four gasoline buses, three were purchased last year and one the year before that.
Depending on the features, a bus can cost anywhere from $90,000 to $120,000.
“We budgeted for five buses, and two of them are going to be gasoline,” Hampton said. “There’s so many variables involved when it comes to the price of a bus – having all the add-ons, the number of seats, how long it is and those kinds of things.
“But typically, what they’re seeing is the gasoline buses are $5,000 to $10,000 cheaper than a diesel bus to purchase.”
In addition, at its June 13 regular meeting, the Lamar County School District Board of Trustees is expected to decide whether to grant permission to apply for a $375,000 grant for an electric grant. That grant would come from the EPA Clean School Bus program.
“In looking into the options for electric buses, there’s a higher up-front cost, but it’s a reduced cost (in the long run),” Hampton said. “But we’re having to look at safety first and foremost, to make sure students are safe on the bus, with the batteries and all that.
“And we’ll look at maintenance to make sure we don’t overextend ourselves with the cost of maintenance – that it’s not a hindrance or a liability to have that bus if things go bad.”
