School districts aim to reduce bus pollution
Crews to install new filters on diesel buses
by Kathleen Stinson

NORTH VALLEY – State environmental regulators gave the Cave Creek and Scottsdale Unified school districts a combined total of $360,654 to modify school buses to reduce emissions.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality last week gave a total $3.2 million in grants to 11 school districts statewide in an effort to reduce children’s exposure to toxic diesel emissions, according to an ADEQ news release.

The Cave Creek school district received $91,140 and Scottsdale’s district received $269,514.

Officials from both school districts said they will use the money to retrofit their diesel buses with diesel particulate filters.

Cave Creek schools will use the money to retrofit 11, possibly 12, of its school buses, said Cathy Erwin, the school district’s transportation director.

Scottsdale will be able to retrofit its entire fleet of 100 diesel buses with the grant money, said Dave Peterson, SUSD chief of finance and facilities.

“Our concern is to make sure we provide a healthy environment for students and lower the particulate emissions,” Peterson said.

The new filters, which function like a catalytic converter for gasoline‑powered vehicles, will reduce bus emissions by nearly 80 percent.

He said all new school buses must be fitted with low emissions filters by 2007 in order to meet recently adopted federal standards. Buses currently in use do not have to comply with the new emissions standards. 

Erwin said Cave Creek starting in December will take one bus out of service every month to be retrofitted. The district has three new buses on order already fitted with the new technology.

The school district is always looking for ways to be on the cutting edge of technology, Erwin said, adding they have participated in two other transportation pilot projects.

Two years ago, the district participated in a test that included Global Positioning Systems installed on buses and security pass cards issued to students.

Erwin said such technology could be helpful in a crisis situation if someone were to hijack a bus. The GPS would be able to detect if the bus veered off its route. The security card allows the district to identify if a student is on the bus. The district is no longer participating in this test.

The other pilot project, tested three years ago, consisted of new tire guard technology that had the capability of pushing a child out of the way if too close to the front tires of the bus, she said.

Reach the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.