Prices affect bus system

By Howell Dennis

CITY EDITOR

CROWLEY – The rising price of gasoline that has been causing headaches for U.S. travelers this summer has been well documented. Many stories have been done regarding businesses which depend on transportation as a major part of their operations. The Acadia Parish School Board’s bussing system has been no different. The buses use diesel gasoline which, while the rest of the public is dealing with gas going over $4, is approaching the $5 mark.

“Oh yeah, we’re definitely being affected,” said the board’s Director of Transportation Steve Jones. “Mike Leonards and myself have been meeting on a weekly basis to see how to ease up on our costs.”

Several changes have already been put into effect to help lower the mileage for bus routes. For example, many bus routes have been shortened and a “bus buddy” system, which is a similar to carpooling, will be used as well.

Thirty of the eighty school buses in Acadia Parish are owned by the school board and it is the board’s responsibility to provide the diesel gas for those buses. The remaining fifty buses drivers are paid on a mileage basis. The amount of money those drivers are paid is determined by the changing “Gulf Coast Diesel Price Average. Needless to say that amount is constantly fluctuating.

“Another thing we have been doing is trying to use our newer buses,” said Jones. “They get better gas mileage, say ten miles per gallon as opposed to seven. Every little bit helps.”

Jones also works closely with the bus drivers, getting as much of their input as possible for any ideas on how to save money.

“They are actually they key,” he said. “They are just as concerned as we are about the situation and they’re the ones who are on the routes so their input has been invaluable.”