MAUMEE, Ohio — We're all feeling the impact of rising prices, but what about school districts, which need to buy lots of diesel fuel for buses?
There are 18 Maumee school buses that hit the road every morning and afternoon, five days a week, transporting little ones to and from school. Most families depend on them.
All of the buses get filled up with gas at least once a week.
"We have a tank here that holds 7,500 gallons. So, we purchase that amount as needed," supervisor of transportation Mary Bottoni said.
Which is about four different times during the school year.
The district bought the first round to fill up the tank they have on-site in August for about $2.70 per gallon.
In January, it was around $3.33 a gallon.
Just this week, it was more than $4.50.
That's nearly double the price it was less than seven months ago, with no signs of slowing down.
"But we're again told that price will change day-to-day. If not even within the day."
Maumee City Schools is now paying an additional $14,000 to keep the school buses out on the roads compared to the beginning of the year.
Something the district didn't plan for in its budget.
But the good news: it won't take the buses off the road.
"Our service levels will remain the same. We're not looking to change anything."
Bottoni said the district will keep in mind these ever-changing prices and play it by ear the next time they need to purchase gas, which is expected to be sometime in April.
"No one knew what was going to be happening, so we just have to deal with it as it comes."
Most of the school districts in our area will not have any disruptions to the services.
Just the budget.
WTOL 11 did find out that Toledo Public Schools has a surplus for transportation because of the pandemic, so the district's budget won't feel any impact for now.