A sweet deal with a diesel distributor has the Hillsborough County School District flush with fuel when other districts across the state are canceling field trips and after-hours buses for students.
Shortages in diesel fuel are the result of Hurricane Ike's assault on the Texas coast and the temporary shutdown of oil refineries there. The upshot was a hike in gasoline prices and some gas stations unable to get regular deliveries.
"We're in good shape," Hillsborough schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said Wednesday morning. "We got two loads yesterday, and we have enough for more than a week in our tanks."
She said a contract with a distributor puts the school district at the top of the delivery list from the Port of Tampa.
"We have our contract set up with us being the first priority when the barges come in," she said. "Actually, some of the other school districts are interested in our contracts."
The 1,100 school buses in Hillsborough County use 15,484 gallons of diesel fuel each day, she said.
In Orlando, a shortage of diesel fuel has resulted in canceled field trips for students and some after-school buses, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel.
Superintendents across the state recently received a memorandum from Florida Department of Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith warning them of possible fuel shortages and for districts to be ready to make adjustments.
"During the last few weeks, tropical storms have caused disruptions in the supplies of fuel to Florida," Smith wrote in the memo. "This has resulted in fuel shortages for many school districts as they manage the transportation needs of students.
"During the next few days, until fuel supplies return to normal, it would be prudent for school districts to adopt appropriate fuel efficiency measures."
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