8615 - ANTI-IDLING AND SMART DRIVING PROCEDURES

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) initiative to reduce air pollution from diesel school buses, all bus drivers shall adhere to the following procedures:

1. Limit idling time during early morning and/or afternoon warm-up to no more than the maximum time recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Turn off buses upon arrival at the unloading/loading area at any school and do not start them until it is time to depart from the unloading/loading area.
3. Adhere to the preceding procedures not only at the school when transporting students on field trips, but also at the site of the field trip.
4. During inclement periods, wait in the designated, heated area inside the school until it is time to load instead of on the bus if you arrive early for a scheduled run.
5. Inform your supervisor if and when it is necessary to have your bus' engine idling in order to operate the flashing lights.

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency's initiative to reduce air pollution from diesel school buses, the Transportation Supervisor shall adhere to the following procedures:

1. Remind drivers regularly that following other diesel vehicles too closely, either on regular runs or field trips, can contribute to higher concentrations of diesel exhaust inside and outside the bus. 
2. Include the most stringent emission control standards recommended by the EPA when developing specifications for new buses.
3. Include an allocation within the annual transportation budget to retrofit buses within the current fleet with new technologies in pollution control.
4. Change circuit configurations so that the flashing lights are powered by the battery and do not require the engine to be running to be operational.

© Neola 2004