What can bus drivers do?
All bus drivers should turn off their engines when they reach the school or other destinations, unless they will be leaving within a few minutes. Turning off the engine, instead of idling, while waiting for students will decrease the amount of diesel exhaust fumes released into the air. During morning start-up, buses should idle for the shortest possible duration necessary to bring the bus to proper operating temperature and to defrost the windows. There are times when idling may be necessary: the engine must be running to operate safety equipment, when the temperature is less than 32 degrees, or if a certain temperature must be maintained for students with special needs. Top What can fleet operators do? • Install retrofit technology devices (such as diesel oxidation catalysts and/or diesel particulate filters) on their school bus fleet to reduce tailpipe emissions. • Use electric engine heaters to minimize idling time during warm-up. • Install a small generator or auxiliary power unit
