WARRENVILLE, Ill. — School bus manufacturer IC Corp. announced an increase in its bus prices that took effect in early March.

Company officials said the move is due to the rising costs of steel and other manufacturing materials, including plastic, glass, rubber and plywood.

“We understand that many school districts have tight budgets, and this price increase is not a decision we made lightly,” said Michael Cancelliere, vice president and general manager of the International Bus Vehicle Center. “We’ve tried to absorb as much of the rising materials costs as possible, but unfortunately we have to pass some of those costs on to the customers.”

Cancelliere said the company expects that customers will see a $1,500 price increase, but he noted that IC Corp.’s wide range of options for its buses was not a major contributor.

“We maintain that commodity prices — not an assortment of spec’ing options — represent considerable factors in price increases in the bus industry,” Cancelliere said. “IC Corporation’s efficient facilities are built to handle the combination of spec’ing options available that meet the specific needs of customers.”