School Bus Regulation

The latest amendments in to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Truck and Bus regulation cover school buses. Additional rules apply to the School Bus CARB regulations due to the findings of the October 2003 Children’s School Bus Exposure Study: Conventional school buses have significantly higher on-board diesel related pollutant (DRP) concentrations than exposure to roadway pollutants would cause.

These exposures have profound implications on the health of California school children. The study concluded that children commuting by school bus increase their lifetime cancer risk, respiratory difficulties, and hospitalizations for asthma from diesel particulate matter (DPM), The authors of the study (UCLA and UC Riverside) offered several recommendations to prevent DPM exposure, including reducing idling time, replacing conventional buses with particulate trap equipped buses, and servicing diesel school buses to remove visible exhaust.

The Final Regulation for the Car’s Airborne Toxic Control Measure to Limit School Bus Idling grew out of the study. The School Bus Idling Airborne Toxic Control Measure enforces these the Truck and Bus Regulation School Bus Provisions also grew out of the growing concern to protect children from school bus pollutants. Read more about the School Bus Idling Airborne Toxic Control Measure at the CARB website.

Who must follow the School Bus CARB Regulations? Diesel-fueled school buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) that exceeds 14,000 pounds. School buses manufactured prior to April 1, 1977 must be pulled from the fleet and retired. School buses manufactured after this date must be equipped with particulate filters that lower diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions by 85%. School buses are defined as vehicles that transport children below the 12th grade level to and from public or private school and school activities.

Retrofits are the proven, cost-effective approach for reducing school bus PM emissions. In fact, an average of 7 school buses can be retrofitted with new filters for the same amount of money as it costs to replace just one school bus! Visit the CARB website for information for financial incentives of up to $20,000 per school bus to install DPM filters.

Here at AEC, we’re committed to keeping our California school kids healthy. Contact us for your school bus DPM filter and retrofitting needs at 559-472-7301.