For students in the Quaker Valley School District, how they get to school next year won't change.

But the yellow school buses students take to class may not be owned by the district. School officials are evaluating the district's transportation needs and looking for cost-saving opportunities, said Tom Foster, the district's director of support services.

"We're looking at what cost savings, if any, would be associated with contracting for transportation services," he said.

Quaker Valley faces escalating fuel prices, insurance and equipment costs, employee salaries and health care benefits, Foster said.

"These are costs we incur that outside contractors wouldn't incur," he said.

The district leases its bus terminal, thus adding to the costs associated with its fleet of 17 buses and 12 vans to transport almost 2,000 students.

"We're basically running a bus service in-house," he said.

The district's transportation budget totals nearly $1.7 million, or 5 percent of the overall district budget.

District officials are pre-paring requests for proposals from bus companies to operate the school's bus services.

With the district's support staff contract set to expire in June, administrators hoped to find ways to save money for the new agreement.

"The bargaining group is aware of what's happening," Foster said.

He plans to update them throughout the process. Foster also said school officials will keep parents updated on the possible transportation outsourcing, too.

This is the second time in 10 years Quaker Valley administration has considered outsourcing its transportation needs, Foster said.

Quaker Valley isn't im-mune to skyrocketing transportation costs.

Officials in the Moon Area School District spend more than $2 million annually to outsource transportation to Student Transportation of America, said Sally Currie, the district's transportation administrative assistant.

"Districts who have their own buses aren't necessarily saving money," she said. "Districts are always trying to save money in transportation costs."

Moon buses transport nearly 4,500 students to the district's seven buildings in a 28-square mile area.

Within the 11 communities that make up Quaker Valley, buses drive nearly 2,700 miles daily, district officials estimate.

Public schools also are responsible for transporting students to private and special needs schools, too.

In Quaker Valley, buses travel to 24 locations outside of the district's territory, Foster said.

Currie wasn't sure how many bus trips are made outside of Moon Area's boundaries but knows the costs are high.

"When you have students who live in the district attending other schools, the costs tend to add up," she said.

Moon buses some students between buildings for certain subjects that can't be offered in each school, Currie said.

"That adds to the costs, too," she said.

Nearly 6,000 students use 66 buses and vans in the North Hills School District, according to Tina Vojtko, the district's communications director.

North Hills contracts bus services through First Stu-dent, she said.

The district spends more than $2.6 million -- or 4 percent of the budget -- on busing, including a staff person, Vojtko said.

At Quaker Valley, 29 drivers, two mechanics and a supervisor are employed. While school officials consider their options, Foster said quality service remains important in Quaker Valley.

"The same level of service we have today will always be in Quaker Valley," he said.