VIDALIA &8212; School officials are rushing to process a special check to bus drivers today after a group of more than 20 drivers told the school board Tuesday night they would soon have to park their buses because of gas prices.

The check will contain back pay for Aug. 11 through Oct. 7 at 21 percent of the amount drivers already receive from the state for operational costs.

The state amount depends on the length of the route and years experience and varies from driver to driver.

A driver with 10 years experience and a route 12.6 miles long gets $4,324.84 from the state for operational costs. That figure does not include the local supplement and salary.

It&8217;s a temporary fix to keep the buses running; the board will meet again in two weeks for a special meeting to make a final decision on the driver&8217;s operational allowances. A committee composed of school officials, bus drivers and board members will meet before then to work out some sort of compromise.

The bus driver&8217;s operational allowance was increased a few months ago, but bus driver spokesman James Cockerham told the board Tuesday the increased rate wasn&8217;t keeping up with spiking gas prices.

&8220;There&8217;s a great gulf between the cost of gasoline and what we are getting,&8221; he said. &8220;We come in desperation asking you to help us with fuel costs.&8221;

Most parish bus drivers own their own buses and are responsible for gas costs, repairs and upkeep.

Cockerham presented the board with charts that showed that bus drivers were losing money, not making it.

The drivers also presented a proposal asking for $1.20 a mile increase.

The district presented a proposal to increase the operational rate by 34 cents a mile.

Nearby Pointe Coupee Parish pays 33 cents a mile, and LaSalle Parish pays 26 cents a mile.

Board members said they needed more time and more information before making a decision, but drivers said their buses would be out of gas tomorrow.

Superintendent Kerry Laster recommended the back pay check for now and making a decision at next month&8217;s meeting for the long term. Board member Jerry Roberts said he didn&8217;t think the board should wait that long.

&8220;We 30-day things to death,&8221; he said of the proposal to delay a decision by a month. &8220;We aren&8217;t making any progress. We&8217;ll be right back here in 30 days with the same argument.&8221;

After heated discussion and several comments and outbursts from the crowd of drivers, Roberts made a motion to authorize the immediate check and call a special meeting in two weeks.

The next meeting will be on Oct. 25.