Most LPS buses don't have AC, but officials taking other steps to keep students cool

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincoln Public Schools officials say only 50 of the district’s 160 buses have air conditioning.

Liz Standish, associate superintendent of business affairs, said most school buses aren’t manufactured with AC because they’re used more during winter months than summer.

Even if a unit is added on, the buses aren’t built to hold in cool air, with so many windows and the doors opening and closing.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln air conditioning companies see influx of calls during heat wave

But many are built with white rooftops, tinted windows and insulated materials that help keep out the heat.

Standish said the district has purchased air-conditioned buses in the past, but it’s had trouble “keeping them working.”

“We have invested in what are called aftermarket solutions, trying to get air conditioning on our buses,” she said. “The functionality of those systems is very unreliable, and that is a challenge we face in getting those parts.”

SEE ALSO: How to keep your car from breaking down in the triple-digit Nebraska heat

Other Nebraska school districts said they also have very few air-conditioned buses.

The Norris school district said while a few special education buses do have AC, the other 30 buses don’t.

Waverly only has one minibus with AC, out of 11 total buses.

Omaha Public Schools said its smaller bus models have AC, but the larger ones usually don’t.

SEE ALSO: Heat in Lincoln this week is comparable to Great Depression

LPS has canceled early childhood education classes on Wednesday and Thursday.

Superintendent Paul Gausman said more than a quarter of the students transported by LPS are preschoolers, so that will shorten routes, thus reducing other students’ heat exposure.

The district has also postponed and rescheduled all outdoor athletic competitions set for Wednesday and Thursday.

Students from kindergarten through 12 grade still have class.

Standish said during these extreme weather events, one of the safest places for students is at school.

“There’s breakfast, there’s lunch; in this case, there’s air conditioning, and during the winter months, there’s heat,” she said. “So our first choice is to always try and have school.”

SEE ALSO: Get the latest forecast from the Storm Alert Team

Standish said if parents decide to drive their children to school rather than taking the bus, they should notify the dispatch office.

Parents can also decide to keep their children home during inclement weather, even if schools haven’t closed.