The never ending saga of fuel prices up one day then down the next continues to cause concern for the Vernon Parish School Board and their leased bus fleet.
Due to a lack individuals purchasing school busses and applying for bus routes, during the past few years the VPSB has begun to lease busses and hire drivers to fill the slots.
“Fuel is our fastest growing segment in expenditures,” said Jimmy Funderburk, director of personnel, during the last regularly scheduled meeting of the school board on Tuesday morning.
Funderburk told members of the transportation committee that he projects purchasing more than $200,000 in fuel for the leased bus fleet during this school year.
Drivers of fleet busses are required to keep a detailed mileage log that they must turn in to the Vernon Parish transportation director upon request.
Funderburk discussed the possibility of acquiring credit cards or fuel cards. The asset of charging fuel to one of the proposed credit cards is that at the end of the year the VPSB will be given a rebate of up to 15 percent.
“Though that may not seem like a large amount of money, every bit counts when it comes to cutting costs,” said Funderburk.
Fifteen percent of of the projected fuel costs for the present school year would be about $30,000.
Mel Harris, District 1 Board Member made a motion for Funderburk to continue to seek out avenues of trimming costs from the transportation department. The motion was unanimously approved by the board.
Leesville, La. —
