Morgan,

Please=20 see responses below.

Jeff=20 Harris,=20 Transportation=20 Director, provided this information.

Thanks!

Chad=20 Campbell

Media=20 Relations Manager

Guilford=20 County Schools

Department=20 of District Relations

712=20 N. Eugene Street

Greensboro,=20 NC 27401

336-370-8356=20 phone

336-574-3863=20 fax

campbec3@gcsnc.com

https://webmail.news-record.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL= =3Dhttp://www.gcsnc.com/

Striving.=20 Achieving. Excelling.

-------------------------------------------------= -------------

Mr.=20 Harris,

Following = are the=20 questions I had regarding my school bonds story. My deadline for the = information=20 is 2 p.m. Tuesday. Thanks.

What = amount was=20 spent on diesel fuel for school buses for the 2003-04, 04-05, 05-06, = 06-07=20 years and the budgeted amount for this school year? For those years I = also=20 need the average one-way bus riding times.

Diesel=20 fuel expenses for school buses and diesel powered equipment

&nb= sp; =20 03/04 - $1,164,336

&nb= sp; =20 04/05 - $1,950,377

&nb= sp; =20 05/06 - $2,810,753

&nb= sp; =20 06/07 - $2,947,212

&nb= sp; =20 07/08 - $2,985,848 as of March / Estimated total expenses -=20 $4,178,393

The=20 average ride time for GCS students is and has historically been 20 to 25 = minutes. This average time is inclusive of all bus routes = throughout the=20 district.

What is = the number=20 and percentage of GCS students who are transported by school bus? Has = that=20 percentage remained constant over the years or is that an = increase? 56 percent of students are transported on GCS = buses=20 (40,013). This percentage has remained constant (57% to 56%) = over the=20 past 5 years.

What is = the price=20 GCS is spending on diesel fuel per gallon now (or for this school = year)? How=20 are those prices negotiated? Current = average=20 cost per gallon of diesel fuel as of March 2008 - $2.63 (July 07 = =E2=80=93 March=20 08). Average price per gallon in March 2008 $3.2139. = Current NC=20 Purchase and Contract cost per gallon of diesel fuel is $3.5116. = The NC=20 Dept of Administration, Division of Purchase and Contract awards bids = for fuel=20 to a vendor.

Are there = plans to=20 switch buses to an alternative fuel source? Alternate fuels and hybrid buses are being = reviewed and=20 tested on both the local and state levels for reliability, = effectiveness in=20 regards to environmental concerns, and cost efficiency. = If so,=20 what and why? If not, why not?

What=20 is the projected increase in transportation costs from this year to = the end of=20 the bonds if they are approved and enrollment projections=20 materialize? It = is=20 difficult to estimate cost and impact until boundaries and plans are=20 established. On one hand adding school locations throughout the = district=20 potentially reduces both the travel time and mileage for buses. = On the=20 other hand additional locations also cause separation in current = grouping of=20 schools. Therefore, additional buses may be needed to = accommodate these=20 new school locations. Our goal would be to continue to provide = safe,=20 effective and efficient transportation to our students and the = transportation=20 department would reallocate existing resources whenever = possible.=20

Morgan = Josey=20 Glover =20

Education = Reporter,=20 News & Record

(w)=20 336-373-7078

(f)=20 336-373-7382