Orlando Area School Buses May Not Run Next Week
POSTED: Thursday, September 1, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. -- School buses in Orange County, Fla., may not run next week unless a shipment of diesel fuel is delivered Friday, WKMG-TV reported.
The fuel companies that supply Orange County school buses canceled some of their deliveries this week in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Without the shipment of diesel fuel, there is a chance that county school bus service may be canceled next week.
To conserve the remaining fuel, Orange County schools have already canceled bus service for field trips, sporting events and after-school activities through the weekend.
Whether or not the school buses are able to roll next Tuesday, after the Labor Day holiday, depends on the arrival of fuel trucks.
"Bascially, what I'm saying is that if the supplies come through, it will be business as usual," Orange County Schools Superintendent Ron Blocker said. "If the supplies do not come through, I want to give parents, specifically in our community in general, that there will have to be some adjustments on how students come to school."
Seminole County schools are also experiencing a fuel crunch. They have suspended bus service for extracurricular activities but will continue service for varsity football teams Friday. Marching bands will also be able to ride buses but only for in-county games.
No other school districts reported major gas-related problems.
Orange County is expecting a gas shipment of 7,500 gallons of gas early Friday. The shipment will last about five days.
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