MONTHLY SPENDING
Records provided by the Lower Anthracite Transportation System (LATS) show monthly charges to operate the system during the first nine months of the 2012-13 fiscal year. LATS was contracted with King Coal Tours through January of this year. After steady monthly charges billed by King Coal in the mid-$30,000 range, not only for 2012-13 but in the previous two fiscal years, they began to drop in September 2012 after LATS officials say they began to question the spending and ask for receipts from King Coal.
The final two months - February and March - show dramatically lower monthly costs billed by the new service provider, Catawese Coach Lines.
2012-13 Fiscal year
July 2012: $34,682
August 2012: $34,856
September 2012: $28,464
October 2012: $26,426
November 2012: $24,017
December 2012: $17,309
January 2013: $17,292
February 2013: $10,232
March 2013: $13,063
FARES AND FUEL
Among the financial records that raised concerns for LATS officials were those pertaining to fares and fuel costs. Following is a comparison of costs from this February and March, with Catawese as the provider, and February and March 2010 and 2011 under King Coal. (Records of diesel fuel costs were not available for 2012, so month-to-month comparisons were not made for that year.)
Feb. '10 Feb. '11 Feb. '13
Operated by King Coal King Coal Catawese
LATS Miles 3,739 4,034 4,374*
Average diesel fuel price $2.92 a gallon $3.24 a gallon $3.82 a gallon
Gallons used 1,545 gallons 1,572 gallons 731 gallons
Total gas bill $4,511.40 $5,093.28 $2,792.42
Total operating bill $33,872 $34,395 $10,232
Total fares collected $424 $400 $712
March 2010 March 2011 March 2013
Operated by King Coal King Coal Catawese
LATS Miles 4,880 4,608 5,092*
Average diesel fuel price $3.07 a gallon $3.55 a gallon $3.749 a gallon
Gallons used 1,672 gallons 1,673 gallons 847.46
Total gas bill $5,133.04 $5,939.15 $3,177.17
Total operating bill $35,211 $34,393 $13,063
Total fares collected $602.25 $553 $1,015
* The number of miles increased due to the addition of a run to the Susquehanna Valley Mall near Selinsgrove.