Schools are at the center of the key aspects of unnecessary vehicle idling. They represent both the challenges in dealing with it and the opportunites of eliminating it. On the one hand, the transportation network of school buses and other vehicles that serve the school environment presents the challenge of the need to protect the citizens of the school, particularly its students. Drivers must be made aware that idling on the school premises is a harmful practice. On the other hand, schools present a tremendous opportunity to educate future motorists--before acquiring misinformed habits--to avoid unnecessary idling. (Pictured at right: Weybridge Elementary School).
While the process of eliminating unnecessary idling is a slow one with baby steps taken, a much bigger step was taken when the 2007 Vermont legislature passed Act 48--an act relating to the idling of motor vehicle engines on school grounds, now known as Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule (language below). Governor Jim Douglas signed this bill into law on May 25, 2007. In short, while level of compliance cannot be confirmed, the potential windfall from this law is that Vermont's 1,800 school buses no longer idle when Vermont's 75,000 students board or exit buses at school. This alone is having a significantly positive impact on the health of students. But there's more. On an annual basis, these 1,800 school buses, by not idling unnecessarily, are saving up to 100,000 gallons of fuel. At $3.00 a gallon for diesel, that translates into up to $300,000 saved every year by Vermont taxpayers. But there's yet more. The 100,000 gallons avoided translates into up to 1,120 tons of CO2 emissions reductions annually. Improved air quality and health, energy savings, money savings, emissions that cause climate change avoided. It's a big win-win.
WHAT ABOUT VEHICLES IDLING ON SCHOOL GROUNDS OTHER THAN SCHOOL BUSES?
Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule is unique in that there's an optional provision deeming that the Department of Education shall develop a model policy relating to idling of vehicles other than school buses (parents, faculty, students, delivery, etc.) to be distributed to schools for their use. This provision would be left up to school boards to decide. As stated in the Model Policy, "It is the intent of the school board to also limit the idling of motor vehicles other than school buses on school grounds." See Sec. 2 of Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule below. Citizens concerned about these vehicles idling can lobby their school board to adopt a limited idling policy.
VERMONT'S SCHOOL BUS IDLING RULE -- Sec. 2. SCHOOL BOARDS; VEHICULAR IDLING
Nothing in this act or in department of education rules shall prevent a school board from adopting idling policies for motor vehicles other than school buses when present on school premises. By January 1, 2008, the department of education shall develop a model policy relating to idling of vehicles other than school buses to be distributed to schools for their use.
HOW IS THE SCHOOL BUS IDLING RULE/LAW ENFORCED?
Statement from a member of the DOE: Like many regulations, there is no blatant and specified enforcement arm. However, the school board and the superintendent have the responsibility of seeing that laws are followed that pertain to the actions of their staff, particularly on school grounds. It is also of note that Title 23 is the jurisdiction of the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Statement from a member of the DEC: Because the rule is a Department of Education regulation, it cannot be enforced as if it were a traffic violation. The Department of Education can penalize the school district for failure to comply with its regulations, and ultimately can withhold education funding from the school district if the offense rises to that level.
VERMONT SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION (VSBA) SURVEY:
School boards implementing or not implementing Sec. 2 of Vermont's School Bus Rule
The Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) conducted a survey among Vermont school boards and districts in May 2010 on which ones have implemented or not implemented the optional provision in Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule, that pertains to Sec. 2 of the law (see box above).
Of the 253 boards, 75 participated in the survey. Results: 29 have implemented a policy and 46 have not. Here is the survey (heading added by Idle-Free VT). Since less than 1/3 of school boards / districts participated in this survey, it does not represent complete data for all Vermont school boards / districts including any that have implemented the provision in the policy separate from this survey.
THOSE CONCERNED WITH IDLING OF VEHICLES OTHER THAN SCHOOL BUSES ON SCHOOL GROUNDS:
Please contact your school board or district and ask them to implement Sec. 2 of Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule.
SCHOOL BUS IDLING RULE COMPLIANCE ISSUES
Idle-Free VT has either been contacted about or observed first hand, violations of the School Bus Idling Rule. Be aware that this law was enacted first and foremost to protect the health of students. The EPA's Clean School Bus USA website states: "Children are more susceptible to air pollution than healthy adults because their respiratory systems are still developing and they have a faster breathing rate."
Compliance issues most often stem from misinterpretation of the Rule. Bus drivers, transportation contractors, superintendents, school board members, school principals and transportation directors may not follow the letter of the law. For instance, in violation of the Rule, a transportation director has arbitrarily been placing a temperature exemption on when buses can idle while loading or unloading students. There is no temperature exemption; buses are simply not to idle when loading or unloading students on school grounds.
In March 2008, shortly before the rule became effective, the Department of Education, which oversees the Rule, issued a clarifying memo to superintendents, school board members, school principals and transportation directors, excerpted as follows (italics and quotes added by Idle-Free VT):
"Please note 6005. We urge school principals and school boards to convey helpful information to parents and students to alleviate any inconvenience or confusion that could result from changes in past practices. Students may need to dress appropriately for a cooler bus ride, especially when boarding a bus in the afternoon to leave school. Parents should be advised that there are provisions for exceptions, and that when not loading or unloading students buses may idle for up to five minutes on school grounds."
"A common misunderstanding came to light during the rulemaking process. Some bus drivers and transportation contractors believe that the interior cabin temperature of a school bus must be maintained at 55° F or above. That is not correct. In fact, the Health department does not support a minimum cabin temperature. The misunderstanding may stem from the requirements of buses for state inspection. However, there is not a requirement to keep the cabin warm, and keeping the cabin warm is not normally considered a 'safety or health' justification for idling."
From the December 2010 Dept. of Education Linking Health & Learning eBulletin:
Vermont Department of Education
Linking Health & Learning e-Bulletin
December, 2010
News and General Announcements
Reminder: Bus Idling on School Grounds is Prohibited
Please remind bus drivers that idling engines is prohibited by law. Exposure to fumes from idling engines is harmful to people and the environment. Moreover, bus idling wastes fuel and is unnecessary for engine operation. Cold temperatures or a desire to heat the cabin do not constitute exemptions from the law. For complete information, please read the State Board of Education Rules 6000 - 6005 here or contact Cathy Hilgendorf (802) 828-5402 or cathy.hilgendorf@state.vt.us.
COMPLAINT MECHANISM: Anyone with questions or concerns about possible Rule violations at a school should first contact the school's principal. If not satisfied, the next step is to contact their school board or district. As a last resort, contact Cathy Hilgendorf, Schools Facilities Consultant at the Department of Education. She oversees the School Bus Idling Rule and can be contacted at (802) 828-5402 or Cathy.Hilgendorf@state.vt.us Idle-Free VT would also like to know about compliance issues: info@idlefreevt.org
SCHOOL BUS IDLING RESOURCES
Grassroots Environmental Education is a New York-based non-profit organization with a mission to educate the public about the links between common environmental exposures and human health, and to empower individuals to act as catalysts for change within their own communities.
Among their programs is The Childsafe School which deals with the health impact of chemicals used in cleaning schools, turf pesticides, and school bus diesel idling.
The program states, "Diesel exhaust contains many chemicals, some of which are known human carcinogens. In addition to exacerbating asthmatic symptoms it has been to shown to even cause asthma. The EPA says there is no safe level of exposure. “No-Idling” policies are a simple and effective solution.
Watch The Childsafe School Diesel Exhaust video.
The Air Pollution Control Division of the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation provides this information: Diesel Exhaust from School Buses in Vermont. It includes a Summary of School Bus Idling Regulations and Initiatives in the Northeast.
The New England Asthma Regional Council Clean Buses webpage.
SCHOOL NO IDLING CAMPAIGNS/EFFORTS: WHAT STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS ARE DOING
The Concord & Kannapolis Independent Tribune, Concord, North Carolina, Sept. 23, 2010: Middle school students study impact of idling cars. CHINA GROVE — Over an eight-day period, 134 cars were observed outside of China Grove Middle School with their engines running for a total of 10 hours, 37 minutes and 49 seconds, wasting approximately 10.625 gallons of gas. A research group did not compile this data. It was collected by students at China Grove Middle School. The school’s Green Team has launched a Clean Air Campaign, and earlier this month, they timed cars that idled in the traffic circle to pick up students in the afternoon.
The Clean Air Campaign's Clean Air Schools No-Idling Program, Georgia: The purpose of the Clean Air Schools No-Idling Program is to reduce pollution from idling buses and cars that negatively affect a child’s healthy lung growth and development. The program provides solutions, including metal signage for school grounds and educational materials for bus drivers and parent drivers – all at no cost to the school. The Clean Air Schools No-Idling Program is made possible by a grant from the UPS Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.
"Switch Off! A Pollution Solution" is an idling awareness teaching tool, just a part of EcoKids, a Canadian environmental education resource for students and teachers. The emphasis of Switch Off! is placed on climate change, empowering students--in a fun, interactive web format--with an opportunity to have a significant impact in eliminating greenhouse gas emissions.
"The Children's Clean Air Network--Idle Free for our kids." The Children’s Clean Air Network campaign, based in Nova Scotia, Canada, has a goal to motivating hundreds of employees to go IDLE-FREE, and in the process save $100,000 in gas and avoid 200 tons of greenhouse gas. Find out how they are going about it.
in dealing with it and the opportunites of eliminating it. On the one hand, the transportation network of school buses and other vehicles that serve the school environment presents the challenge of the need to protect the citizens of the school, particularly its students. Drivers must be made aware that idling on the school premises is a harmful practice. On the other hand, schools present a tremendous opportunity to educate future motorists--before acquiring misinformed habits--to avoid unnecessary idling. (Pictured at right: Weybridge Elementary School).
liminating unnecessary idling is a slow one with baby steps taken, a much bigger step was taken when the 2007 Vermont legislature passed Act 48--an act relating to the idling of motor vehicle engines on school grounds, now known as Vermont's School Bus Idling Rule (language below). Governor Jim Douglas signed this bill into law on May 25, 2007. In short, while level of compliance cannot be confirmed, the potential windfall from this law is that Vermont's 1,800 school buses no longer idle when Vermont's 75,000 students board or exit buses at school. This alone is having a significantly positive impact on the health of students. But there's more. On an annual basis, these 1,800 school buses, by not idling unnecessarily, are saving up to 100,000 gallons of fuel. At $3.00 a gallon for diesel, that translates into up to $300,000 saved every year by Vermont taxpayers. But there's yet more. The 100,000 gallons avoided translates into up to 1,120 tons of CO2 emissions reductions annually. Improved air quality and health, energy savings, money savings, emissions that cause climate change avoided. It's a big win-win.