The Houston Independent School District wins the National Association of Fleet Administrators Excellence in Public Fleet Sustainability award for 2013. The district is recognized for its use of alternative fuels and partnership with the University of Houston to test a school bus filter that will convert smog-producing pollutants emitted from engines into water and nitrogen gas.
The fiscal deal passed by Congress this week includes provisions that benefit fleets that use alternative fuels. The bill, expected to be signed into law by President Obama, extends tax credits for such fuels as propane, compressed natural gas and biodiesel — all of which power many school buses.
The school bus contractor currently uses the platform on 900 buses and plans to use it on 1,300 additional buses by the end of this year. The technology is used to track vehicle mileage, speed, idling and stops, and some routes also utilize Zonar’s electronic vehicle inspection report and ZPass for tracking students.
The Cleaner and Greener Fuels app from Leonardo Academy is available for download free of charge from the iTunes app store, the Google Play store and the Cleaner and Greener website. It provides routes to stations on a series of interactive maps for such fuels as compressed natural gas, biodiesel, propane and electricity.
From operating alternative-fueled vehicles to installing pollution-control equipment on buses to reducing idling, pupil transportation operations are doing their part to provide a healthy and safe ride to and from school for students. Here, we provide details on these and other environmentally friendly practices at school districts and contractors throughout the country.
Buster Biofuels partners with Legoland California, the San Diego Padres and other entities to collect their grease and oil, recycling it into biodiesel to power San Dieguito Union High School District buses. The district is currently powering two buses with a B20 biodiesel blend and plans to eventually run its entire fleet on the fuel.
Medford Township Public Schools was reportedly the first in New Jersey to run a school bus on B20 biodiesel. Joe Biluck, who was fleet manager at the time, tells SBF that the bus has never had any major engine work — it’s only being taken out of service because of the state’s mandatory retirement age.
As school districts face growing budgetary concerns, fleet operators are cutting costs by using green technology and implementing eco-friendly policies.
The Ford Motor Co. Fund and the Georgia Institute of Technology partner for the “Green Eco School Bus,” a project focused on converting an existing school bus into a hydraulic hybrid that runs on recycled biofuel. Atlanta Public Schools donated the 16-passenger unit, and officials say installation is nearly complete.
California State Assemblyman Jared Huffman presents his March Sustainable North Bay Award to West County Transportation Agency Executive Director Michael Rea for the agency’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It operates 44 vehicles on compressed natural gas, and all of its diesel exhaust systems have been retrofitted with the highest level particulate trap.
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