Princeton City Schools is paying more to fuel its bus fleet as diesel prices surge across Ohio, the district confirmed Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The district, which transports more than 5,200 students daily across Evendale, Woodlawn, Sharonville and Springdale, has not said how much more it is spending or whether routes could be affected. Princeton contracts with First Student, Inc. for bus service.

Ohio's average diesel price hit $6.70 per gallon on Sept. 29, according to AAA data reported by WLWT. That figure was down slightly from a peak around Sept. 21. Nationally, diesel averaged about $3.70 a gallon in September 2025, according to Newsweek.

Nearby Mason City Schools offered a window into the math. The district told WLWT its diesel cost climbed about 35% in one year, rising from roughly $3.81 per gallon to $5.15. Mason buys in bulk, so it pays less than retail. Even so, every 10-cent increase adds about $17,000 to Mason's annual fuel budget.

"We did budget an increase. We expected that costs were going to be a little higher than they were last year," Tracey Carson, Mason City Schools' public information officer, told WLWT. "We're not going to reduce routes."

Mason said it is placing more emphasis on driver efficiency, including ensuring buses are not left idling during pickups and drop-offs.

Princeton has not announced similar plans. The higher fuel costs land on a district already stretched thin. Superintendent Dr. Mari E. Phillips warned families in a Sept. 16 letter that a substitute driver shortage could force route cancellations on some days. On Sept. 24, Phillips notified families in a separate letter of ongoing labor discussions between First Student and its bus drivers that could lead to a work stoppage.

The district's June 2026 financial forecast, presented to the Board of Education, projected that cash on hand would fall below the board's policy threshold by fiscal year 2029. Enrollment has declined for two consecutive years and is projected to drop again in fiscal year 2027. The general fund cost per pupil already exceeds $18,000.

A May 2026 national survey of school superintendents and transportation officials found that 56% of districts were already over budget on diesel, according to Newsweek. About 40% had consolidated routes. Another 25% had cut routes entirely.

Ohio lawmakers could provide some relief. The General Assembly is scheduled to vote Wednesday, Sept. 30, on bills that would suspend the state's 47-cent diesel tax for 90 days, WYSO reported. House Bill 1019 and Senate Bill 475 would draw an estimated $726 million from the state's general revenue fund to cover the lost tax revenue.