Get Ready For Longer Bus Rides

The school system is trying to manage its higher fuel costs this fall by changing bus routes, according to a report on Baltimore TV channel 2.

David Drown, the Director of Transportation for Howard County Public Schools, told ABC2 News Kuren Redmond, "Based on the cost of fuel this year compared to last year we're going to spend about $800,000 more so it effects our bottom line in terms of the services we provide."

Drown says 40,000 Howard County school students ride over 425 buses, totaling 24,000 miles driven each school day.

With numbers like that, Drown says changes must be made, "We'll have to route the buses tighter, so we would have more students riding then we normally would want. And we're probably going to have routes that are longer than we normally would want so the result is you'll see more kids on the bus for longer times."