Twice a day, every day in Jefferson County, a fleet of close to 400 school buses wind through mountain roads, zoom through suburban streets and rumble through the foothills, transporting their young charges to and from school, covering a total of more than 20,000 miles a day.
It’s a quaint picture, until you glance at the spiking cost of gas. A good three-quarters of those yellow buses runs on diesel fuel, whose per-gallon price tag has now far outstripped the already hair-raising cost of unleaded.
The average cost of diesel in Colorado hit a record high of $6.22 a gallon this week — that’s almost double the price this time a year ago at $3.56, according to AAA. That dramatic jump is hitting school districts across the state where it hurts: right in the transportation budget.
Officials for the school district said increased fuel prices have already bumped bussing costs by more than $20,000 since July compared to last year.
The school bus fleet for Denver Public Schools drives an average of about 12,000 miles a day. A spokesperson for Denver Public Schools said that if diesel prices don’t drop, it could bloat the district’s annual transportation spending by more than $100,000 over what was budgeted. It would require additional district general funding.
The Greeley-Evans School District is also feeling the strain, according to district spokesperson Michael Mathews.
“It’s something our finance team is watching closely,” Mathews said. “It’s just too soon to really say what the financial impact will be. But obviously any increase in price makes it more difficult for however long.”
Districts making do
The unexpected fuel costs are hurting school budgets in Colorado, but they’re not putting a damper on school activities. Bus routes haven’t been adjusted, and field trips and sports travel haven’t been canceled as a result of the price spikes.
“We’re a big organization,” Mathews said. “We’re pretty used to price fluctuations. It really just depends on how long these prices stay elevated.”
Meanwhile in Jefferson County, school field trips have dipped in recent years, but not because of energy market fluctuations.
“There are several factors affecting trip activity, including school budgets, driver availability, school closures and decisions by schools to prioritize educational field trips,” a spokesperson for JeffCo Schools wrote in an email.
Some school districts have a built-in buffer from fuel price fluctuations, thanks to the rise of electric vehicles.
Steamboat Springs started transitioning its school bus fleet several years ago, Now nearly half of the district’s 24-bus fleet is now electric. According to district spokesperson Laura Milius, the electric fleet handles all daily bus routes and local in-town field trips, largely shielding the district from price spikes.
“Transitioning to an electric fleet over time has definitely helped us to mitigate a significant portion of the cost in fuel,” Milius said. “We reserve our diesel buses almost exclusively for longer activities or sports trips over 50 miles outside the district.”
Of course, it’s easier for a small district like Steamboat Springs to transition its fleet than a larger school system with hundreds of buses. But the Boulder Valley School District has found its way to a similar advantage and does not rely heavily on diesel buses.
“We do not expect significant budgetary impacts (from diesel costs),” a district spokesperson said. “Our diversified fleet operating with propane, unleaded and EV fuel sources contributes to the lower budgetary concerns and adjustments.”
Several districts have expanded their electric school bus fleets in recent years, taking advantage of now-expired state incentives. And with the soaring cost of diesel, those that didn’t may now have regrets. Michael Mathews, said he wouldn’t be surprised if his Greeley-Evans School District finally came around to the idea.
“We’re always looking at what’s going to be the best long-term price for us,” he said. “Certainly the price of diesel will impact that. We don’t have a lot of buses that we would need to add.”
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