9210 School Bus No Idling

Policies

Middletown Public Schools                                                                                 No. 9210

School Bus No Idling

SCHOOL BUS NO IDLING POLICY

School Bus No Idling Policy – Breathe Better Rhode Island

APPLICABILITY:

This policy applies to the operation of every diesel-powered school bus operating in  the district and owned by the signatory school bus company.

RATIONALE:

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to diesel  exhaust, even at low levels, is a serious health hazard and can cause respiratory  problems such as asthma and bronchitis. Diesel emissions are well documented  asthma triggers and may increase the severity of asthma attacks. Asthma is  currently the number one cause of missed school days for American children, and  asthma affects more than 1 in 9 children in New England. In addition to the Rhode  Island Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Health, the  Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the American Lung  Association of Rhode Island, First Student, Inc., Laidlaw Education Services of  Southern New England and the Rhode Island Parent Teacher Association endorse  this “No Idling” Policy.

In collaboration with our district’s school bus transportation provider, our school  district agrees to undertake the following steps immediately:

●       School bus drivers will shut off bus engines immediately upon reaching their  destination, and buses will not idle while waiting for passengers. This rule  applies to all bus use, including daily route travel, field trips, and  transportation to and from athletic events. School buses will not be restarted  until they are ready to depart and there is a clear path to exit the pick-up  area.

●       School bus companies and drivers will limit idling time during early morning  warm-up to manufacturers’ recommendations, generally 3-5 minutes in all  but the coldest weather. Below are guidelines for idling in cold weather.

●       If the outside temperature is: Above 20 degrees F, 5 minute  maximum. Between -10 and 20 degrees F, 15 minutes maximum.  Below -10 degrees F, as necessary.

●       Our district’s schools will provide an indoor waiting space for drivers who arrive  early and need to keep warm. This reduces the need for bus idling.

●       Transportation operations staff will evaluate and shorten bus routes whenever  possible, particularly for older buses with the least effective emissions control. Our  district will review bus purchasing schedules and routing to further improve  emission performance in conjunction with the district’s transportation provider.

●       School district bus drivers will complete a “No Idling” training session. All bus  drivers will receive a copy of this “No Idling Policy” or equivalent educational  materials at the beginning of every school year.

●       The construction of new schools will incorporate measures to minimize children’s  exposure to diesel emissions. All schools will design bus parking zones to limit  diesel exhaust inside the bus and in the school, including avoiding proximate school  air intake vents, and parking buses on the diagonal to prevent front-to-back passing  of emissions and to reduce diesel fumes in each bus. The direction of prevailing  winds should be considered.

●       If a bus requires an engine to be running in order to operate its flashing lights during  longer duration loading and unloading, maintenance staff should install a heavy  duty battery system, an extra battery and/or change the circuit configurations to  power lights by battery without running the engines.

●       To reduce engine warm-up time, avoid starting difficulties, and help defrost  windows, the school bus company will consider using block heaters that plug into  electrical outlets or inline auxiliary fuel fired heaters.

●       Bus companies agree to maintain buses according to manufacturers’ specifications.

●       Exceptions to this policy are granted only when running the engine is necessary to  operate required safety equipment or to maintain a safe environment for students  with special health needs.

●       In the event that Rhode Island’s General Assembly enacts a statute mandating school  bus no-idling provisions that differ from the provisions agreed to herein, the  statutory and implementing regulatory requirements shall govern, from their effect  date forward.

First Reading – September 16, 2004

Approved and Adopted – October 21, 2004

Review - April 16, 2026

3 Year Review Due - April 2029