Tennessee's
Clean School Bus program aims to make buses cleaner and reduce their
impact on the environment. It is a joint effort with the Tennessee
Department of Education and the Department of Environment and Conservation
in partnership with local governments, school systems and local
communities.
Passenger safety
is a top priority in transporting our children, and school buses
are the safest way to get children to and from school. Tennessee's
schools rely upon more than 8,000 buses to transport approximately
580,000 children who ride school buses. About 95 percent of these
buses are equipped with diesel-powered engines. Diesel engines are
reliable, fuel-efficient and cost effective.
Recent studies
indicate, however, that air pollution from diesel engines can pose
serious health threats. This is especially
true for children, who are more sensitive to health impacts of diesel
exhaust. Children are exposed to diesel emissions while loading
and unloading. Children may also be exposed to diesel emissions
in schoolyards and even in the classroom if diesel exhaust gets
into the building.
What can
we do to reduce harmful diesel emissions from school buses?
Tennessee's
Clean School Bus program aims to protect children's health, improve
air quality, reduce energy use and save money by using less fuel.
Local governments and school systems can take action to reduce diesel
bus emissions.
Strategies
to reduce emissions
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