The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district will conduct classes remotely Friday due to the recent run on fuel across the region.

The school system shared a message with parents, students and staff Thursday night saying full remote instruction will be used on Friday, May 14, with all students and staff working from home.

“We are monitoring local fuel availability and have not seen a significant increase in the level of fuel options over the past 24 hours,” wrote CHCCS Assistant Superintendent Patrick Abele. “We are fortunate to have a dedicated workforce, however, over 55 percent of our staff commute from outside the district each day.”

Abele said moving to remote learning could also “positively impact the demand on local fuel supplies” by limiting how many cars will be on the roads throughout the day.

Demand for gasoline among Triangle residents, and many others along the East Coast, is significantly higher than usual following potential supply disruption caused by a ransomware attack on a major fuel pipeline. While North Carolina and federal leaders took steps to address any disruptions in fuel supplies, the high traffic at gas stations has led to a shortage across the state.

The fuel data website Gas Buddy reported Thursday 69 percent of North Carolina’s gas stations did not have fuel, with the Raleigh and Durham area seeing 77 percent of stations experiencing a shortage.

Abele said Thursday CHCCS leadership remains in “close contact with local and state authorities” and will continue to monitor fuel rates ahead of next week before making further decisions on remote learning for the district.

 

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

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