For the past few years, buying a used EV has been a waiting game, with would-be buyers often waiting for prices to fall a little further. That strategy may no longer be paying off. Used electric vehicle prices are climbing rapidly while the rest of the used car market continues to drift in the opposite direction, making dream cars like the Porsche 911 more affordable.

New data from iSeeCars suggests the turnaround isn’t a one-month anomaly, either. Used EV prices have now posted three straight months of year-over-year gains, moving from a 2.7 percent increase in April to 5.2 percent in May before reaching 7.4 percent in June.

Related: This Is How Much A 17K-Mile EV From A Dead Brand Sells For After 3 Years

That pushed the average price of a one- to five-year-old used EV to $33,305 in June. Compared with the same month last year, that’s an increase of $2,308. Meanwhile, the average used vehicle price fell by 1.3 percent year over year, highlighting just how differently the EV segment is behaving.

Rising fuel costs may have helped trigger the shift, iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer logically suggests. Gasoline prices rose sharply during the Iran conflict earlier this year, but it took several weeks before buyers adjusted their shopping habits and begin gravitating back toward EVs.

Average 1-5 YO EV Prices

Tesla was the biggest beneficiary of the trend. All four of the brand’s core models landed among the 10 used vehicles with the largest year-over-year price increases. The Model X led the entire market, jumping 17.5 percent to an average price of $60,950.

The Model 3 wasn’t far behind with a 13.5 percent increase, while the Model S climbed 13.1 percent and the Model Y gained 12.0 percent. “Tesla makes up nearly half of the top 10 used models with the highest price increase,” Brauer noted.

Perhaps just as telling is what didn’t appear in the rankings. Not a single EV showed up among the 20 used vehicles with the steepest price declines. Instead, that list was populated by a mix of luxury vehicles, pickups, SUVs, hybrids, and conventional gasoline-powered models. The Lincoln Corsair posted the biggest percentage value drop (-14.7 %), but the Porsche 911 was right behind it (-10.6 %), and reminds us that there’s a silver lining to every cloud.

Used Cars With The Biggest Price Increases

---

Used Cars With The Biggest Price Drops

iSeeCars

Will costs keep going up for school transportation operations in the 2026-2027
school year? It depends. Several factors impacted this past year’s school transportation budget, and the most notable line-item increase was likely to your fuel costs.

New school district budgets are rolling out this month for most operations, and I’ve been told that transportation department budgets remained flat or down in most cases. What is going to change if you don’t take action to defend against future fuel volatility? More cuts? Ugh.

I recently spoke with an executive at a private school bus contractor, who was surprised to learn that school districts rarely use fuel hedging. He explained that the strategy helps create more predictable costs and protects his company and customers from sudden fuel price swings.

A transportation director I spoke with described fuel hedging as gambling, but I see it differently. It’s a practical way to manage costs and reduce budget uncertainty. While fuel prices can rise or fall, recent trends suggest increases are more likely than decreases.

School districts should consider this strategy because fuel price volatility directly threatens core operations and educational priorities in a way that private companies can often pass on to customers. Recent years have shown districts scrambling, consolidating routes, dipping into reserves, deferring maintenance or fleet purchases, or cutting programs, when diesel fuel spikes.

Hedging treats fuel cost risk like insurance: You pay a premium (in the form of potential opportunity cost or fees) for protection against worst-case scenarios. For entities with predictable, high-volume consumption like school buses, it aligns well with annual budgeting cycles.

Will fuel volatility change the way school transportation operators consider purchasing new school buses? I predict we will see higher consideration for alternative fuels like propane and electric instead of diesel or gasoline.
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in the Houston, Texas area—the largest school bus operation in the state—has no current plans to purchase diesel school buses as it focuses on propane and electric, said Bobby Williams, assistant director of transportation for fleet maintenance.

According to an STN readership survey of 636 subscribers conducted in April, respondents indicated purchase intent of new diesel buses, engines and components at 26 percent, new gasoline buses at 11 percent and new alternative fuel buses and infrastructure (propane, electric, CNG) at 10 percent.

The school bus and larger commercial truck industry will need to adjust to the EPA’s 2027 heavy-duty emissions rule that tightens nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions limits. The EPA is expected to release its revised final rule this month to address increased production costs tied to major engineering redesigns and, more specifically, warranty costs.

The EPA is also expected to announce the return of the five-year, $5-billion Clean School Bus Program, which has been on hiatus since January of last year. The agency indicated in an RFI published earlier this year that it was considering adding biodiesel and renewable diesel as fundable fuel types.

Another tactic to address rising fuel costs is the use of technology. Have you leveraged artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and your routing software partners to help? AI-powered routing software analyzes traffic, weather, construction, and student address data to create the most efficient, fuel-saving routes. The integration of onboard tablets allows for turn-by-turn directions
and student manifests. These systems adapt in real time, helping buses avoid delays and improve on-time performance. These systems help cut fuel use, reduce
emissions and improve operational costs.

Fleets should consider utilizing more data-driven decision making in their operations. AI platforms collect and analyze transportation data to identify trends, inefficiencies and improvement opportunities. Dashboards visualize everything from ridership to route efficiency to behavior incidents, helping administrators make informed decisions. Improved operations, better budgeting and resource allocation, and stronger alignment with academic goals. By leveraging AI and emerging technologies, school districts are turning the daily commute into a strategic asset.

The road to and from school can be a dynamic, data-rich and fuel-consuming journey, but it’s all mission critical for any school transportation operation. Economic hardships force us to adapt and transform the outcomes should enhance performance, safety and empower transportation teams with the tools they
need to succeed in the future.

I recommend considering fresh ideas and leaning on your business partners as you look towards the 2026-2027 school year and beyond.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the July 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

---

Related: Alternative to Fueling Discomfort
Related: Fuel Theft Attempt Ends in Fire, Destroying Grace Academy Bus in Washington
Related: (STN Podcast E309) Summer’s Here & So Is a Budget Cliff: Advocating for Transportation Solutions
Related: Watch: School Budgets Affected by High Diesel Prices

The post Fuel Choice, Budgets & Fresh Ideas appeared first on School Transportation News.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. —Samsara Inc. (“Samsara”) (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations Platform, today announced the winners of its 2026 Connected Operations Awards, recognizing the remarkable achievements of its customers in safety, efficiency, sustainability, and innovation. The annual awards program honors organizations and individuals across North America and EMEA who demonstrate the clear benefits of AI-powered operations.

“The winners of Samsara’s Connected Operations Awards are proof that AI represents a fundamental shift in how work gets done—one that’s already saving lives and cutting costs,” said Robert Stobaugh, Chief Operating Officer at Samsara. “The submissions told stories of safer workers, more efficient operations, and real impact for communities. What unites every winner is a team that refuses to settle, and we’re proud to work alongside them.”

Introducing the 2026 global award winners:

U.S. and Canada: Discover their stories

Safest Operator: Utility Supply & Construction Company

Innovation in Sustainable Operations: Massey Services

Digital Transformation of the Year: Enercare

Most Innovative Workforce: Tyson Foods, Inc.

Technology Leader of the Year: David Perez, Vice President of Safety, First Student

Driver of the Year (U.S.): Darrin J. Lonsdale, Action Resources

Driver of the Year (Canada): Jessie-Lee Beaudoin, Whitewater Management LP

Mexico: Discover their stories

Safest Operator: Grupo Aralo

Digital Transformation of the Year: Royal Transports

Excellence in Physical Security: Transportes MexAmerik

Driver of the Year: José Rigoberto Carrera Ruiz, Flecha Amarilla

EMEA: Discover their stories

Safest Operator (UK): Speedy Hire

Safest Operator (Germany): SafeDriver ennoo

Excellence in Driver Engagement: Sysco GB

Most Sustainable Operations: Lanes Group

Industry Innovator: Renew Holdings plc

Driver of the Year: Richard Meehan, JLL

A snapshot of the impactful results winners drove with Samsara:

Utility Supply & Construction Company achieved a 98% reduction in insurance claim costs, dropping from a historical high of $1.4M to just $22K midway through the current policy year

Massey Services saved $1.3M in fuel costs in one year with centralized fuel reporting and idling alerts

Enercare reduced operating costs through better vehicle utilization, cutting vehicle dormancy by 26%

Grupo Aralo dropped its collision risk per mile by 70% while increasing its Security Score by 164% in Mexico

Lanes Group digitized 1.3M form submissions per year and reduced vehicle idling by 83%, improving efficiency across the business

“With fuel costs where they are today, every gallon matters. Samsara helped us save more than a million dollars in fuel costs in a single year and changed how we manage our fleet,” said Bryan Campbell, Director of Risk Management at Massey Services. “Our safety program benefitted too. We’ve reduced accidents by 35% and traffic violations by 88%. When you find a partner who genuinely understands your operations, the results show.”

Further information about the awards:

Learn more about the winners from the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, and EMEA

Read about the winners for Excellence in Performance in the Public Sector, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Garden City Public Schools, announced at Samsara Go Beyond Public Sector

About Samsara
Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, which is an open platform that connects the people, devices, and systems of some of the world’s most complex operations, allowing them to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep our global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across industries in transportation, construction, wholesale and retail trade, field services, logistics, manufacturing, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, food and beverage, and others. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

All statistics and expectations listed herein are provided by Samsara’s customers.

The post Samsara Announces 2026 Connected Operations Award Winners appeared first on School Transportation News.

A new analysis of the US car market reveals how much the average driver could save on fuel by switching to an EV. On average across the country, replacing a gasoline-powered vehicle with a typical EV charged at home currently saves drivers nearly $1,500 a year at the pump. However, that figure varies considerably by state, with the West generally delivering the biggest savings.

See: Ford’s $30,000 Electric Pickup Just Got Its First Official Look

By pairing the average driving distance of American motorists with typical fuel and electricity prices, Bloomberg has mapped where buying an EV makes the most sense. Leading the charge is Washington, home to the third-highest gas prices in the country yet also among the cheapest states for electricity, largely thanks to hydroelectric power and public utilities. As a result, locals making the switch could save up to $2,346 a year. Oregon ranks close behind, with estimated annual savings of $2,057.

Other states where typical fuel costs far outweigh average EV charging costs include Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. Roughly one-third of drivers considering an EV cite potential fuel savings as their motivation, a recent JD Power survey found.

Read: Some States Give Up To $9,000 To Buy An EV, Others Charge You Hundreds

The same survey showed interest climbing in May, with 26 percent of car shoppers calling themselves “very likely” to go electric, up three percentage points from a year earlier.

EV Market Share By State (Jan-Apr 2026)

S&P Global / Bloomberg

The Costs That Cut The Other Way

Admittedly, the average EV still costs more than a comparable combustion model, but buyers also benefit from lower running costs and noticeably less maintenance. That price gap has been narrowing too, though EVs do tend to depreciate faster. And the recent climb in fuel prices, set off by the war in Iran, has only strengthened the case for going electric.

That said, Bloomberg reports electricity prices have crept up as well, climbing 8.6 percent over the past 12 months, partly on demand from AI data centers. Even so, those increases are minor next to the surge at the pump.

Also: North America Cratered And Even China Fell, Dragging Global EV And PHEV Growth To 0.9%

“Given how high gas prices are, you’re doing a lot of savings everywhere, but these places are pretty good,” Zero Emission Transportation Association research director Corey Cantor said. “It’s definitely a huge selling point.”

Cantor added that buyers often overlook fuel costs: “You see gas signs everywhere, but you don’t necessarily see dollars per kilowatt signs, unless you’re using an app. You kind of have to crunch the numbers yourself.” States where electricity is cheap and gas is expensive, he said, are where the shift could stick: “Those are the types of places that give you optimism for long-term EV transition, because it’s really just market forces at work.”

The Insurance Catch

Of course, there’s always a but. One cost the fuel math analysis leaves out is insurance, where EVs tend to lose ground. A separate Insurify study we shared recently found that in Washington, the same state topping the savings chart, a newer EV runs 30 percent more to insure than a comparable gas model, $3,260 against $2,515. Oregon shows an even wider gap at 36 percent, and Nevada sits at 26 percent. So part of what you save at the plug, you hand back to the insurer.

The picture isn’t uniformly grim, though. Nationally the average EV runs $3,159 a year to insure versus $2,218 for a gas car, a 42 percent spread, but that collapses to 18 percent once you line up only 2024-and-newer models against each other.

A few states reverse the order entirely. Montana and West Virginia both insure a newer EV for 4 percent less than the gas equivalent, and Nebraska leans the same direction. None of it cancels the fuel savings, but it does mean what you actually pay to run an EV rides on your zip code’s insurance rates as much as the gap between gas and electricity.

Two school buses at a private Marysville, Washington school were damaged after a suspected fuel theft attempt sparked a fire, and now school officials are faced with the need to replace another school bus.

According to a social post by Grace Academy, the fuel theft and resulting blaze occurred June 15. Two individuals were attempting to siphon fuel from one of the school buses when the vehicle caught fire. The blaze destroyed a smaller bus and damaged a larger bus parked nearby, and it burned surrounding bushes. Officials said they believe the fire was accidental. No injuries were reported.

“We’ve had some problems in the past with people coming onto campus and drilling holes into fuel tanks,” Tim Pearce, co-head of school at Grace Academy, told local news reporters. “This particular one went very wrong.”

The Marysville Fire Department responded quickly and prevented the flames from spreading further, school officials said in a statement posted on social media. Grace Academy praised firefighters for containing the blaze and minimizing additional damage to school property.

Pearce said the smaller bus is believed to be a total loss, while the extent of damage to the larger bus is still being assessed.

The Marysville Police Department is investigating the incident. A department spokesperson said via local reports on Monday that no arrests have been made, and no fuel theft suspects have been identified. Detectives are continuing to review the case.

Fire Damage Throws Wrench in New School Year Transportation Plans

The destroyed school buses are used primarily for student transportation during field trips, athletic competitions, and other extracurricular activities. School officials are now evaluating how to replace the damaged vehicle and restore transportation capacity before students return to campus for the upcoming school year.

Pearce said the loss is particularly frustrating because the school had recently completed a fundraising campaign.

“We had just raised money for a new bus just last year,” he told reporters. “Now we are down again, so we are going to have to raise funds again.”

The school launched an effort to seek donations from the community to help replace the destroyed bus and improve campus security measures aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

School officials said they are considering additional security upgrades after previous incidents involving individuals entering the property and damaging fuel tanks. Pearce noted that fuel theft has been an ongoing concern, though none of the prior incidents resulted in a fire.

Grace Academy officials expressed gratitude that no students or staff members were on campus at the time of the fire and that no injuries were reported.

---

Related: Arkansas School District Thanks Driver for Quick Response During Bus Fire
Related: Wisconsin School Bus Fire Results in Over $500,000 in Damage
Related: Evacuated Family Grateful Georgia School Bus Driver Sees House Fire
Related: Stolen School Bus Driven Nearly 40 Miles Before Being Abandoned

The post Fuel Theft Attempt Ends in Fire, Destroying Grace Academy Bus in Washington appeared first on School Transportation News.

Last year, the appetite for electric school buses waned. The reason had a lot to do with President Donald Trump retaking the Oval Office and signing numerous executive orders that changed course on the drive toward zero emissions.

The Clean School Bus Program was shelved until recently, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected at press time to finally announced it would make good on awarding the final $2.5 billion remaining in the five-year $5 million program. Seemingly it comes the official re-emergence of diesel, which had been obvious across all sectors.

Diesel is 90 percent cleaner than it was two decades ago and, while it still emits harmful particulate matter especially for children’s developing lungs, it remains the fuel type of choice for many fleets due to its workhorse and longevity characteristics. That makes federal subsidies for drop-in biodiesel blends, which many school districts have been using for decades, and renewable diesel especially attractive.

Granted, maintaining diesel systems has become more arduous and expensive. And those costs extend to the fuel pump.

Petroleum prices were already volatile, then the Iran war broke out. The Strait of Hormuz closed, and the price of oil soared well past $100 a barrel. Diesel and gasoline prices followed suit globally. Despite the U.S. opening domestic oil reserves, those prices have stayed high, and there is no end in sight. This has spelled doom for school districts and school bus operators.

The National Association for Pupil Transportation and AASA: The Superintendents Association conducted a survey last month that illustrates the impacts. Of the 188 school districts responding, 22 percent said their diesel fuel costs increased by 11- to 20 percent over their current school year budget. Another 20 percent said they
are 6- to 10 percent over budget.

Scott Lee, the director of transportation for Washoe County School District in Nevada, said diesel costs increased a whopping 89 percent from January of this year to May, rising from $3.01 per gallon to $5.69 per gallon. The Reno-area school district, however, seemingly has it better than a lot of states in terms of actual prices being paid. Outside of Portland, Oregon, the Beaverton School District was paying $6.57 per gallon through April, a 38-percent increase from $4.77 paid last July.

The saving grace for school districts like Beaverton and Washoe is a reliance on electric and propane school buses. Craig Beaver, who retires as director of transportation this summer, said the fleet of electric school buses is closing in on the sweet spot of achieving 1.5 kWh per mile efficiency. In April, the school district’s Type C and Type D electric school buses averaged 1.6 kW per mile, the best mark since last October, when the average was 1.59.

Meanwhile, both he and Washoe County’s Lee are also increasingly relying on propane. Lee shared that propane fueling cost remains relatively flat with an increase of 4 percent for fiscal year 2027, at which point the district also is purchasing another six propane school buses for the 2026-2027 school year.

Beaver said he kept the budget the same for the coming school year, as more electric and propane school buses will be on the road at a cheaper cost. This, he added, will hopefully offset the increase in diesel cost per gallon over the course of the year.

“It’s a good plan, as long as the Strait of Hormuz opens up in the next month or two. We will have minimal diesel usage this summer as well,” he shared. “Only use those buses for long trips. Everything else will be EV supplemented by propane.”

Beaverton’s long-term plan includes transitioning all 140 Type D school buses in the fleet to propane over the next five to eight years, once Blue Bird comes to market with an option.

The writing on the wall, no matter the politics at play, is the TCO of both electric and propane pencil out. Despite higher upfront costs, both options are often surpassing diesel in terms of lifetime fuel and maintenance csts. That story was also told at ACT Expo last month, in the 2026 State of Sustainable Fuels report.

With the Clean School Bus Program relaunching and no matter the assumed new funding mechanism for biodiesel and renewal diesel, millions if not billions of dollars will be spent in the coming years to add more electric and propane school buses to the national fleet.

And that is welcome news in a world where fuel volatility and higher new vehicle purchase prices will continue.

Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the June 2026 issue of School Transportation News.

---

Related: (STN Podcast E308) Past & Future: Fuel Volatility, 10 Years of School Transportation Trends
Related: (STN Podcast E307) Buy With Confidence: Fuel Price Frustration, School Bus Buying Tips
Related: Survey: Half of School Districts Paying At Least 6% More for Diesel
Related: Survey Shows 87% of Parents Support Low-Emissions School Buses, Yet Diesel Dominates

The post Alternative to Fueling Discomfort appeared first on School Transportation News.

Summer break is upon us but student transporters are already ramping up for the new school year amid financial challenges. Plus, the June issue of School Transportation News magazine is out, and a camera caught a scary illegal passing incident that injured a student in Florida.

Ryan Hahn, owner of Strategic School Consultants and a former transportation director, sheds light on current school district financial hardships, creative and collaborative operational strategies, and his upcoming sessions on the topic at STN EXPO West this July.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E309) Summer’s Here & So Is a Budget Cliff: Advocating for Transportation Solutions appeared first on School Transportation News.

Buying a new school bus fuel or energy type is no small decision for student transportation operators. Dive into this month’s issue to learn more about what factors are involved in clean fuel purchasing decisions, how to implement the kind of technology that school bus drivers actually want and need, understanding how to convert data into actionable insights and how to plan the perfect technology rollout.

Also find the latest conference news, including a recap of ACT Expo and a preview of the upcoming STN EXPO West conference, this July in Reno, Nevada.

Read the full June 2026 issue.

Cover Story

How Clean is Clean Enough?
Experts say it’s important to all weigh all factors when purchasing a new school bus fuel or energy type.

Features

Full Potential
Implementing technology solutions that drivers want and know how to use could be the secret sauce to keeping them behind the wheel.

Tackling the Data Challenge
The promise of compiled data is most beneficial when transportation leaders understand what the information means to their operations.

Special Reports

Planning the Perfect Rollout: Secrets for Successful Software, Hardware Upgrades
Choosing the timeframe for when to implement a new hardware or software project is just as important as choosing the provider.

Conversations
ACT Expo Recap
Ad Index

Editor’s Take by Ryan Gray
Alternative to Fueling Discomfort

Publisher’s Corner by Tony Corpin
Bus Tech, Energy Take Center Stage

The post June 2026 appeared first on School Transportation News.

The post Do you plan on applying for a Clean School Bus Program grant once the EPA announces a return of funding? appeared first on School Transportation News.

We analyze what 188 school districts shared in a survey about fuel prices, the impact of world events and the upcoming Clean School Bus Program, timely discussion planned for STN EXPO West in July, and a California school bus driver recognized by the state.

With 10 years’ experience in the industry, Griffin Scott, supervisor of fleet advisory and analytics at RTA: The Fleet Success Company, discusses technology and AI trends, fleet management solutions, the impact of bell times, electrification developments and more.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E308) Past & Future: Fuel Volatility, 10 Years of School Transportation Trends appeared first on School Transportation News.

We discuss fuel cost anxiety and the impact of a proposed federal fuel tax suspension, plus safety lessons to learn from the latest student pedestrian fatality in New York City.

What should you consider before buying a bus? Isaac Linson, CEO of BusesForSale.com, joins us to discuss current school bus market trends and tips for buying or selling buses remotely.

Read more about operations.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from Kajeet.

 

Conversation with BusesForSale.com.

 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

The post (STN Podcast E307) Buy With Confidence: Fuel Price Frustration, School Bus Buying Tips appeared first on School Transportation News.

Current methods used to process hydrogen into a usable fuel are cost-prohibitive, but several new innovations are promising to open the door to cost-competitive green hydrogen. Hydrogen is well positioned to be the fuel of the future. However, a commercially viable transition to green hydrogen – the environmentally friendly version of the fuel – seems …

The post Fueling the Future: Unlocking Low-Cost Green Hydrogen appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.