Gas price increases beginning to affect PSS

Besides residents of the Commonwealth, the successive hikes in gas prices have also begun to affect the Public School System.

According to PSS associate commissioner for administration Dr. David M. Borja, the PSS already spends about $8,000 to $9,000 a month on fuel, and the increase in gas prices would result in PSS needing to adjust financial spending.

“Its almost a set amount of expense for us,” Borja said during a recent interview. “Of course, the gas price increase is affecting us.”

Between $96,000 to $108,000 is spent on fuel alone each year, covering all school buses as well as about 100 other vehicles currently used by the PSS.

“We actually have a contract with one of the fuel company on island, and without fuel, we can’t operate buses,” Borja said. “It’s a very expensive commodity, but it’s necessary to provide the services students need. A lot of families depend on the school bus to provide transportation to and from school. We need to meet transportation needs.”

The amount spent is expected to increase as PSS is expecting to receive three more buses by the end of December or early January, as well as about 12 vans to be used by schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

Borja also explained that although regular buses are used mainly for transporting students to and from schools, buses operated for Special Education are “always on the go” to accommodate all programs under the PSS Special Education Program.

“We have a large enough population of students [for SPED] that our drivers that operate SPED buses are very busy. Sometimes they do not have breaks… SPED requires different kind of programs for the kids, and we’re really blessed with the professionalism of our drivers.”

Almost 11,000 students are currently enrolled at public schools.

Just recently, Mobil and Shell gas stations implemented a new round of fuel price increases by up to 7 cents a gallon.

At full-serve rate, Mobil gas stations in the Northern Marianas now retail super gasoline at $2.959 per gallon; unleaded gasoline, $$2.859 per gallon; and diesel, $2.849 a gallon. Self-serve rates are slightly lower at $2.759, $2.649, and $2.759, respectively.

Shell gas stations on Saipan now retail premium and regular gasoline at $2.869 and $2.779 at full-serve rate; self-serve rates are $2.769 and $2.669, respectively, while the price of diesel is now $2.849 per gallon.