COLUMBIANA — A change for school day start and stop times at the Crestview Local School District has saved the district more than $10,400 in fuel costs despite buses running more routes.

Transportation Coordinator Annette Van Horn presented a year-to-year comparison on fuel costs, routes and mileage to the board a few weeks ago.

According to her data, the district is currently running 13 routes and a total of 1,529 miles per week.

Between August and December 2025 the district spent $21,749 on diesel and regular fuel combined.

Van Horn said that during those same months in 2024 the district spent a total of $32,162 in diesel and regular fuel combined and at that time was running 11 routes and a total of 2,305 miles per week.

District Superintendent Dan Hill attributed the fuel savings to all school buildings going to one start time and stop time in the district, meaning they all arrive at the same time in the morning and are dismissed around the same time in the afternoon.

“Obviously we have cut our route mileage in half just by running one route, and that is a very general statement,” he explained.

He said the district also added a short route near the school as well.

The district will be examining the data over the next three to five years to see if the cost savings continue in addition to whether the decreased mileage will save on wear and tear on buses, he said.

The district also recently received a Bus Safety Grant that was $36,600.

The grants are awarded from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce each year.

This year the ODEW awarded $10 million in Ohio School Bus Safety Grants to 371 schools, districts, and county boards of developmental disabilities statewide.

According to the ODEW website the grants help ensure safer travel for Ohio students through safety upgrades to existing buses and advanced safety features on new buses.

“Whether students are in the classroom or on the school bus, we owe it to parents and families to do everything we can to keep them safe,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in the grant announcement released by the ODEW earlier this year.

Crestview had a spot inspection on its buses by the Highway Patrol in February.