Rising diesel prices put pressure on Pennsylvania school districts, transportation budgets

We all know how expensive it's been to fill up your tank at the gas pump over the past few months, especially since the beginning of the United States' war with Iran.

We're all aware of the rising price of a gallon of regular gasoline, but you might not know that diesel fuel, which powers school buses across the Delaware Valley, has also risen significantly in price.

The jump in fuel costs is putting a strain on some school districts like the William Penn School District in Delaware County, which its chief of operations referred to as "underfunded."

"Every time I hear about diesel, the first thing I think about is cost," Darnell Deans, chief of operations for the William Penn School District, said.

WPSD transports about 2,500 students every school day. It can run up to 50 buses at one given time. The cost of doing that is in the millions, and the rising cost of diesel has not helped over the course of the past year.

The district's diesel expenses have exceeded tens of thousands of dollars in extra costs, Deans said, also noting that several of the district's vehicles also run on gasoline. 

If the district was able to source the diesel directly and get it at a wholesale price, the financial situation could have been a little bit different, Deans said. But because the district buys it from a provider, it has to absorb the price increases.

The lack of price predictability has been part of the frustration, making financial planning more difficult.

"The fuel costs that we have today [are] definitely not the fuel costs we had last week, and it may not be the fuel costs that we have next month," Deans said.

Routes are being consolidated going into this school year. The district in previous years has run anywhere from 72 to 75 routes. Now, it will run somewhere between 65 and 70, Deans said.

The services delivered to the district's students could also be impacted as well. The district has numerous aging buildings that need significant maintenance, Deans said.

"That may be one project that doesn't get done there," he said.

The impact could also expand to field trips and other educational opportunities.

"That may be one less trip that we can go on because we're trying to ration fuel," Deans said.

Alternative fuel sources saving some money for districts 

The Council Rock School District in lower Bucks County started migrating to propane back in the 2022-23 school year.

Now, all 130 of the district's school buses run on it as part of an agreement with the school's provider, Durham School Services, back in the 2024-25 school year.

The district does have about 8 or 9 vans — some of which run on gas, some run on propane. The transportation contract the district has with Durham is about $13 million a year. With other costs factored in, the transportation total spend is about $20 million yearly.

"We're seeing a couple hundred thousand dollars of savings a year," Dr. Andy Sanko, Council Rock SD's superintendent, said.

Sanko said the district can watch the market and lock in the cheapest propane prices when they go down or are trending downward — something he said the district's school board has been "really good about."

The district is also doing full-day kindergarten now, which has eliminated midday bus runs. Over $600,000 has been saved on that alone, Sanko said.

With other costs rising, though, CRSD is still "scrutinizing every expenditure" to try to save money. The district is polling high schoolers to figure out how many ride the bus and where it can consolidate routes.

The district offers transportation to 10,600 students in the district. Additionally, it offers transportation to close to 2,000 students within the district who go to private schools in the area.

"The costs of goods and services continue to climb, and the cost of keeping the lights on continues to go up every year," Sanko said.

New hope for William Penn School District

The William Penn School District is hoping for stability with diesel and gasoline prices. It told CBS News Philadelphia that it must have a balanced budget, and that any sort of "rainy day fund" does not exist to absorb increased costs.

The district did receive a grant for 25 electric school buses, Deans said. They will be introduced this school year — and allow the district to help the environment, in addition to saving money.

"Those costs should and will give us an opportunity and a level of flexibility," Deans said.