LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Kids riding school buses in Lafayette Parish will have a more comfortable, and less dangerous, ride starting next school year.

The Lafayette Parish School System has announced it will install air conditioning units on 116 school buses, in what it calls "a groundbreaking initiative with Kenworth of Louisiana - Lafayette aimed at enhancing the safety and comfort of our students during their daily commute."

The announcement was made on a post on the LPSS Facebook page Wednesday.

"Led by then-interim Superintendent Touchet and with the support of the previous board members, LPSS is steadfast in addressing the longstanding issue of inadequate ventilation on school buses," the post read. "With the project slated for completion by July, in time for the 2024-2025 school year, LPSS reaffirms its commitment to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our students."

Students are not the only consideration cited by LPSS in making the buses cooler.

"By providing buses with AC units, LPSS aims to create a more conducive working environment for bus drivers, thereby enhancing recruitment and retention efforts," the post read. "In addition to retrofitting existing buses, LPSS will ensure that AC units are in all future bus purchases, ensuring a sustainable and resilient transportation system for years to come."

Superintendent Francis Touchet. said the installation of AC units on school buses will expand opportunities for extracurricular activities and athletics, providing greater flexibility and support to student-athletes and extracurricular groups.

"After a long day in that classroom and having to deal with the heat as we had to last year, it was a real concern even with delayed routes, we had to start looking at how do we get airflow," Touchet said.

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